buhay buhay bagong buhay

Spitfire Stories

2009-08-23T18:12:00.001-04:00

Buhay Buhay Bagong Buhay is now Spitfire Stories.

10 Must-Haves

2009-07-19T14:07:00.002-04:00

3. Apple iPod Touch (or iPhone)
I do not have an iPhone. Probably would consider it in the future, but as many of you know, I don't adapt early and quickly to technology. Until then, the iPod Touch should do. I do not listen to an enormous variety of songs—matter of fact, if I count the songs I enjoy listening to over and over again, the number would probably not even go beyond 100. (And when I get to that number, I'm really trying.) Regardless, it's a handy piece of gadgetry that goes well with my digital life.

Photograph from Apple.com

10 Must-Haves

2009-07-15T00:02:00.003-04:00

2. Kiehl's Stylist Series Malleable Moulding Paste
I've been sporting what many call a faux-hawk. (Click here for an idea what it looks.) A small amount of this paste is all you need to have a non-sticky (boo-ya, wax!), non-shiny, and non-crispy (sorry, hair gel!) hold that you can easily restyle by just running your fingers over your hair. (A little water helps, too, but it isn't necessary.)

Photo from Kiehls.com

Dude the Bargain Shopper: Jared Leto

2009-07-12T20:00:00.003-04:00

Easy, breezy summer style for guys. I would even argue that two layers (even though one of them is a tank) is a bit much for 85-degree days. But that's just me.

Shirt ($39.50) from American Eagle Outfitters.
Jeans ($29.90) from Heritage 1981.
Sunglasses ($89.95) from DKNY / Sunglass Hut.
Tank ($19) from American Apparel.
Top cuff ($9.50) from American Eagle Outfitters.
Bottom cuff ($245) from D&G / Neiman Marcus.

Photo from AKM/X17online.com which ran in men.style.com.

10 Must-Haves

2009-07-12T01:13:00.007-04:00

(Edited for grammar and clarity. Man I'm such a finnicky editor.)

In the tradition of men.style.com's 10 Essential Things featurette, I decided to make my own. (Partly, I also needed to get into the routine of posting at my blog! It's been neglected for way too long a time.) Note that this is not a 10 Must-Haves list, instead it's a compilation of things, fashion-wise that I personally like.

1. Dior Punk Sunglasses
This fantastic pair of sunglasses were my first (and currently, only) eBay purchase. Unveiled in the Spring 2003 Womenswear collection (yeah, women's—will elaborate in a second), it's a wraparound-style sunglass with a severe rectangular shape. But curiously, it complemented my round face perfectly—matter of fact, no one else on my circle of friends wore it with the same, shall we say, stylin' attitude that I do to it. And I also get compliments. I got the basic black one, just so I'm safe. Had I been extra flush then, I would've bought the red-framed one too.

My thing with sunglasses is, if it fits you, look past the gender it's meant for. Many men's sunglasses are aviator-style, and they look horrible on me. And I mean horrible. Just be careful not to get a pair that's too small for your face—a common style with women's sunglasses—or you'll look even more plump.
Purchased for $99 on eBay.

Photos from a Google Images search with "Dior Punk Sunglasses" as search term.

The Good Parent Handbook

2009-06-08T01:45:00.004-04:00

Whenever someone I know gets to a fight (or a disagreement) with their parents and confide with me how annoyed they are about how their parents are "immature about it," that is, the parents don't take the apology that their child gives too quickly, I tell them one of my most favorite canned responses: You have to understand, they never got the "How to be a Good Parent" handbook.

Silly sounding, yes, but think about it. It makes total sense.

Last week, a good friend of mine was, in his words, bummed out over a disagreement he had with his father. According to him, they haven't talked for two days and he's a little more than pissed off that his dad's giving him the cold shoulder (or silent treatment, forgot which is the correct one). I came up to him and told him the whole HTBAGP deal, and that this is compounded by the fact that you're talking about your father, another man.

You see, it's a very unfortunate fact that our fathers were raised in a society where showing any kind of emotion—or in the case of my friend, humility to forgive and acknowledge pride—makes them less of a man. When my grandfather died, my dad only cried for a good 30 seconds—no kidding—before he basically pulled himself together and said "I'm okay." I think me and my brothers' eyes weren't even welling up at this point. We were just absorbing the shock of the news, and already my dad's all composed. I didn't get it at first, but it made more sense to me once I've put some more thought into the whole thing. He probably didn't want to be seen as weak in front of his kids—and just break down and cry—because I would think that if he did that back in those days, he would've gotten a slap in the face, with whoever doing the slapping yelling at him "Real men don't cry!"

Long story short, I told my friend that things would be okay. Just let his dad's pride mellow out a bit, and it'll be better.

(there's more I wanna talk about the HTBAGP, but for another post. Happy Father's day)

TV Watch: Running in Heels

2009-04-15T21:46:00.003-04:00

I'll say it first: Any show that gives other people a glimpse of how it is like to work in my industry will get my attention—the first couple of episodes at least. Running in Heels is a reality show (not competition) that chronicles the day-to-day operations of Hearst's Marie Claire, seen through the eyes of all levels of staff: From Joanna Coles—the French publication's Editor-in-Chief—down to the 3 interns: Talita, Samantha, and Ashley. Of course the focus is on the interns, and how they just do a crappy job at it—treating the entire thing like Marie Claire should be kissing their toes whenever they enter the Hearst towers. (Maybe it's just the editing, but geez do these girls complain way too much, be fucking happy that you're still able to get an internship and get clips that would help you get an edge the moment you leave school—and this economy gets on the road to recovery.)

I've been watching the 30-minute show since its debut the first week of March, and think it's a good show. It's definitely better than that joke Stylista. (Damn, did that cast Elle in a ridiculously bad light.) I really honest to goodness care not one iota for the random bitchings and frustrations of the interns—because truly, it makes me wanna smack Ashley every time she schemes. But I stick around because it gives a realistic view of how it's like to put a monthly glossy together. Last week's episode had the magazine's Senior Fashion Editor, Zanna Roberts, put together a run-through (magazine-speak for a meeting where the clothes that will be used for a fashion editorial shoot are previewed by the EIC and the fashion team) for a story in the April issue. She wanted to do a story on investment pieces (everyone's doing this nowadays if you haven't noticed yet). When she told Ms. Coles the price of a pink skirt, she was, shall we say ripped to shreds over justifying a $1995 skirt and calling it an investment piece. Same thing happened when she tried to hawk a $25,000 crocodile bag. Joanna basically said something to the effect of "Are you kidding me? We can't even put those in as a joke."

Situations like these are what keep me glued to my TV screens. Sure we editors get a lot of free stuff—and at times even pricey clothes and toiletries—but it's no excuse to forget that not everyone has a "Press" badge that they can flash to get discounts, designer garb, and even exotic vacations.

There's another scene in an even earlier episode where the interns were given the task of photographing women on the streets of NYC to illustrate a trend. They had a week to work on it, and when they handed their stories in, I couldn't laugh hard enough at the level of crap that the three displayed. Talita's had a spelling error, Ashley's was obviously rushed, and Samantha's was just drab-looking.

Because of this, Joanna basically tore them. They deserved it. They're no longer in college where they can wing every single assignment given to them. This is the real world, girls. Step it up!

It's situations like these that make Running in Heels a curious show to watch, and I'm more than okay to stick around until it concludes.

In these Economic Times...Magazines Drop Like Flies

2009-03-27T00:01:00.004-04:00

Wow. This is really bad.

Since this whole crapfest called the recession started, a handful of magazines that I read have already closed.

There's EGM, Plenty, Blender, Best Life, Men's Vogue, and PC Magazine. Other titles I'm familiar with but don't read that've shuttered are O at Home, Radar, Hallmark, Domino as well as a ton of others that although I don't pick up, it still is reflective of the industry I chose to work in.

Sucks.

On a related note, in the same way that writers and journalists back then have used and abused the word "juxtaposition," now you can hardly read a news article or blog post that doesn't have the phrase "In these economic times." Article here.

Music Break: Circle of Life (Broadway)

2009-03-23T00:42:00.003-04:00

Although I'm very bummed that I never got to watch my favorite Disney flick, Beauty and the Beast, the Broadway adaptation of Lion King seems breathtaking regardless—and you see that in the beginning act.

I am so watching this soon.

Dude, the Bargain Shopper:Ryan Gosling

2009-03-22T16:51:00.004-04:00

His aura is very cool—and he makes a very good point about mixing dressier elements (formal watch, tux jacket) with those that are casual (T-shirt, jeans, and belt).

Tux-style jacket (on sale at $120) from Topman.
T-shirt ($19.50) from American Eagle Outfitters.
Jeans ($39.90) from H&M. No US online store.
Belt ($195) from D&G Dolce & Gabbana.
Watch ($105) from Fossil.

Ryan's photo by Sara De Boer/Retna Ltd. for men.style.com

60-Second Style:Do Some Spring Cleaning!

2009-03-21T18:53:00.004-04:00

Not with your clothes (for now), but with the grooming products that you use!

Whenever you buy any sort of grooming product from the drugstore or the supermarket—even those you purchase off of a high-end boutique, look for the icon above with a number inside it. That's called the PAO—short for Period After Opening—icon, which tells you how long after you've opened that particular product before it expires.

Understand that this doesn't indicate the shelf life of the product, because that's what the expiration date stamp is for.

Once it's past the PAO period, the efficacy of the product goes south. While you can still use it for a couple of months more, if it's a year past the PAO, then please, throw it away already and get yourself a new one.

Photo from commons.wikimedia.org

That Thing Called Technology

2009-03-21T00:38:00.003-04:00

I consider myself as a late adopter of technology. Never really was the type of guy that would salivate over the newest and latest gadgets the minute they're released—even though for most of my career, be it in the technical training, multimedia, even publishing, it requires some degree of knowing the trend in order to tell everyone else about it.

One event triggered this. Six years ago, flash drives were anything but commonplace. The sizes range from a puny 32MB to a wallet-busting 256MB. I was a college student in multimedia then, who needed the extra storage space but doesn't have access to a burner-equipped notebook (I didn't even own a notebook then) to constantly create a copy of my Flash or Photoshop files on a disc. A 128-MB flash drive was the best option—matter of fact, it was the only sensible option I had. So off I went to the local Best Buy. I asked one of the sales associates what I wanted, and he stared at me for what I swear was 10 full seconds. Only then that he I guess got over the initial shock of not knowing what the hell I'm talking about, did he direct me to the PC peripherals section, and said it's right next to the floppy diskettes. (He probably just guessed it, but it was a good one because that's exactly where I would start to look.)

Off I went to that section, and imagine my shock when I saw the ticket price of that flash drive. The damn thing was $60. I don't know about you, but when you're a college student, sixty bucks is a lot of money. But I said I needed it so I swallowed my pride and gave up 3 $20 bills, begrudgingly, to the uncaring cashier. (She was just there to work. She doesn't care that I will spend the next 2 weeks not eating out, partying out, even taking the bus home because I don't have the money.)

Then, before I knew it, the price of flash drives went south—and the capacities went up, and I mean way up. For the same amount I forked for a 128MB drive, you can get a 1-Gig one a year later.

With this realization, I told myself, "hell, I'm never going to be first in line to get whatever's new."

And from then on, I kept my word.

Two of my most prized "antiques" (I put it in double quotes because they're just over 3 years old—and by computer/technology's standards, would make them practically obsolete tech) are my Apple PowerBook G4 and Nikon Coolpix 3100 digital camera. Both came out the top of their class back then. The PowerBook was the default machine of serious multimedia users, like graphic and web designers; while the 3100, though a point-and-shoot, received rave reviews for its fantastic photo quality, excellent flash, and remarkable image stabilization for a consumer camera. I didn't buy them the first year they came out: I essentially waited for something new that's aimed at trumping their respective thrones so that their prices would be reduced. Then that's when I picked the notebook and the camera up.

If I didn't get new phones from T-Mobile on a regular basis, I would gladly stick to using my Nokia 7650. Yeah, that 7650. It has 5MB of internal memory, VGA digital camera, and it's good for nothing but texting and calling. I don't care about the camera, and consequently I don't care about the storage space because text messages take up next to nothing, space-wise.

It seems to me, as well, that these guys are sturdier than the McTech that we get of late. The MacBooks? They break easy. Eight-megapixel cameras? Takes noisy or mottled images. For what I do, I don't need the latest and greatest—and really, who does if you're not a serious hobbyist? Nobody prints 25-inch photographs on a regular basis, no one needs 2 gigs of RAM to browse the web and check their email. I just refuse to be sold things I know I won't need now or in the immediate future.

True, I can't say the same for tech-virgins or tech-newbies. So it's understandable that while the SAs at Best Buy, Staples, or wherever they choose to buy their tech products are well-meaning, meaning they wouldn't mind explaining the advantages of getting one computer over the other, they are also trained to sell the customer as much stuff (and sometimes, junk) as possible.

That's why as much as possible I try to educate people I meet about this one fact: You don't need the latest and greatest. In many ways, you're better off just buying something used (but of course you have to know who you're buying it from) and really be happy about the purchase.

Me? My friends think I'm long overdue for a prosumer digital camera, and I should retire my Coolpix—in some ways it's true. I require so many things off my cameras nowadays. And that my PowerBook's slightly sluggish with rendering Flash and playing DoTA. But until I see some absolute need to retire my gadgets, I think I'll be fine for now with my tech.

Photo from Chivers Dixon/Getty Images. I kept the watermark because I didn't buy the image, I'm just linking for illustration's sake. If you want me to remove it, please let me know.

Back in Action (Soon!)

2009-03-12T13:08:00.005-04:00

I have not forgotten about this blog. I've just been a little swamped with work. Or maybe it's because spring's almost here and I can't wait to head out and do stuff.

60-Second Style and Dude the Bargain Shopper to return next week, as well as a new blog post.

I'm also thinking of debuting a new recurring column about magazines. Maybe an issue review or something like that, to the tune of Wendy Felton's Glossed Over. Stay tuned.

Image from Kevin Rohr/Sxc.hu

60 Second Style:Entrenched by Trenches

2009-02-19T18:11:00.005-05:00

Now that the weather has slowly begun to warm (well, by 5 or so degrees...), expect more precipitation than snow in the coming weeks—making the months of February and March the perfect time to don a cool trench coat.

Created by Thomas Burberry (yes, the founder of the iconic British fashion brand), trench coats are waterproof coats that used to be worn by officers as an alternative to greatcoats during the World War years.

Eventually, trench coats became both a business-like (think epaulettes and rank insignias decorating the top portions of the coat) and a fashionable piece of garment, and this duality persists up to today.

Before, only tall guys could wear them. Because of its length—many reaching or even extending past the wearer's knee—it wasn't the best choice of outerwear for vertically-challenged and average-height guys. This is no longer the issue nowadays, as designers and high street brands all have made interpretations of the trench to fit a wider range of guys. There even are now single-breasted variants, which will be perfect for the lithe dude.

From left: Dean & Trent, Topman, Heritage 1981, and All Saints

Street Fighter IV: The Live Blog

2009-02-17T14:28:00.024-05:00

2:31 PM: Came back from GameStop with my copy of the collector's edition. Ready to play!
2:37 PM: Playing Challenge Mode. It's very much like SFEX's Expert Mode, except it's slower and you can't jump to the harder challenges immediately.
2:38 PM: Dan's pose is elaborate!
2:39 PM: Took me a while to do a crouching heavy punch two-in-one to a Shoryuken. Rusty!
2:42 PM: Gotta really learn how to do focus attacks!
2:45 PM: Enough Challenge Mode. Time to play Arcade Mode!
2:46 PM: Chose Ryu. Neat, they have an anime intro about the Blece Project. Now that's what I'm talking about.
2:47 PM: Eat my Metsu Hadouken, Zangief.
2:48 PM: Ooooh, Ken. How fun.
2:50 PM: Metsu...Hadoukeeeeen!
2:56 PM: Man, I'm rusty. I just lost to Abel on medium-hard difficulty.
3:03 PM: Okay, forget about what I said in a previous post about the announcer being "ok." He gets really annoying after a while. Meh.
3:08 PM: Ryu's American voice actor sounds so much like Arthas from Warcraft. Listen to him say "The answer lies in the heart of battle."'
3:26 PM: Apologies for the delay. I was practicing my focus attacks. Man, I really like this.
3:33 PM: Don't use your super combo meter for super combos. They're weak. Save them for EX attacks or Focus Cancels.
3:46 PM: Thank goodness you can change the language. Some characters sound silly in their English voices.
3:50 PM: Hey, it's Yun and Yang! I'm starting a game as Chun-Li.
3:54 PM: Character-specific win quotes. Neat. I didn't notice that before.
4:15 PM: My rival is C. Viper. Not surprising. She's the only other female in the original SFIV cast.
4:18 PM: There are even character-specific battle-cries. Chun-Li says something before she attacks with her Housenka against C. Viper.
4:21 PM: Warning, system overload...it's almost like the Jean-Claude Van Damme Street Fighter Movie. But instead of M. Bison, it's Seth.
4:33 PM: Have to master Ryu's signature juggle–crouch medium kick, Shoryuken, Focus Cancel, dash forward, and Metsu Hadouken. It's really tough—maybe I should've bought the arcade stick. But I can't afford that yet. Oh well.
4:34 PM: Okay, time to head out. Will play the game with friends over pizza and beer. Tootles!

The Masthead: Myron's Magazine Roundup

2009-02-13T21:42:00.003-05:00

Number of active subscriptions: 33
Men’s general interest
GQ, Men’s Health, Maxim, Esquire, Details, Men’s Journal
Science and Technology
Wired, Popular Science, PC World, Mac Life, Mac World, Seed
Lifestyle
Prevention, Marie Claire, Elle, Cosmopolitan, Organic Spa, Blender, Town & Country, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle Decor, Tennis, Saveur, The Smithsonian, Interview, Nylon
Others
Art in America, Psychology Today, Ode, American Photo

(Not photographed: Harper's Bazaar, Saveur, Elle Decor, the magazines that have folded, Martha Stewart Living, American Photo, Popular Photography, and Body + Soul—these are all magazines that I haven't received my first issue yet.)

Number of magazine subscriptions that have folded: 3
Plenty, EGM, PC Magazine (although it still will continue as a digital magazine, I consider it a moot effort now)

Number of magazines that aren’t available as subscriptions, but buy on a regular basis: 5
V Man, Vogue Hommes International, Another Man, Fantastic Man, and GQ Style

Favorite coverline ever in a magazine: “Do you have douchebag hair?”, Details November 2008

Of the 6 men’s general interest magazines:
Best style advice: Details
Most memorable articles: Men’s Health
Widest breadth of articles: Men’s Health
Not interested at first but grew on me: Men’s Journal

Of the 5 science and technology magazines:
Best coverage: Wired
Interesting articles: Popular Science
Read the most pieces each issue: Mac Life
Widest breadth of articles: Wired
Not interested at first but grew on me: Wired

Of the lifestyle and non-categorized magazines:
Favorite publication to read: Psychology Today
Best in page layout: Town & Country (very clean, which is really how I like it—despite it being a women’s magazine, and I only get to read a page of it, Style: Men, each issue).
Has the most number of great-looking photographs: Art in America (come on, this one’s a clear winner. Even the ads look awesome.)
Not interest at first but grew on me: The Smithsonian
Title with the best of intentions: Ode (it’s the magazine for intelligent optimists, which is really just saying that we should stop looking at everything that’s bleak in life—there’s still a lot of good to look forward to and to smile about)
Women’s magazine I don’t mind reading: Marie Claire. I like their human interest pieces

Average price of subscription: $0/year. I get lots of free subs because I’m part of the industry.

Earliest magazine to arrive: Hearst publications—Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Town & Country

Magazines with the most prompt customer service: Condé Nast—GQ, Details, Wired, Domino

Magazines that arrive in my mailbox in the best shape: Condé Nast

Magazines that arrive in my mailbox in the worst shape: Hearst

Magazines that have the most number of subscription cards stuck in each issue, even though I’m a subscriber already: Rodale—Men’s health

Magazine I’d like to get a subscription to: Wallpaper*

Next in line: New York Magazine

And third: Best Life—not my market, but I like its fiction and interest stories the same way I like Men’s Health’s.

Section of my magazines I almost always get to read: The Front-of-Book (these are one-page stories that are found in the first few pages of the issue, usually has industry news, vignette-style reporting, or what’s new and what’s hot pieces)

Section of my magazines I almost never read: The celebrity cover stories. I don’t care about what the celebs are up to. And I really don’t like the fact they’ve invaded a lot of my magazines. I can count the number of exceptions with my hand.

Magazine that inspired me to become a magazine journalist: EGM. I thought playing video games for a living is the best job in the world—I still think so, although now it’s all about writing stories that would make a difference in the reader’s lives, whether it’s in giving a bad game a bad review just so they wouldn’t waste their $60 buying it at Gamestop the first day it’s out, or in reporting the latest breakthrough in curing or treating Alzheimer’s.

Best magazine article I’ve read: “Simplify Your Life,” Men’s Health July/August 2005. Full article can be found here.

Mangez, Mangez, Vous Mangez Avec Moi

2009-02-09T23:16:00.004-05:00

No one in my family—immediate or otherwise—is a chef, yet one common trend I see all of us having is our shared interest in cooking. My mom cooks a ton of things, my dad second in number of dishes in his repertoire, and my two brothers not minding breaking out the pots and pans every now and then. Speaking for myself, I’ve been handy in the kitchen since I was in middle school. While I did have it quite easy in the beginning because all I’ve done was to cook breakfast meats—sausages, spam, and eggs—they still were considerable challenges because it wasn’t all about drizzling a heated fan with fat and plopping the meats in. For the sausages, I’ve to use a knife to make small slits so even the insides cook (I remember the first time I didn’t do it—the outsides were charred but when you bite in the sausage, the insides were so cold it was just disgusting to even attempt to recook), slice up the spam from the can (and the can wasn’t exactly easy to deal with either), and finally, the whole mess of having to crack open the eggs and making sure you don’t break up the yolk as you firm up the whites. Small feats for the more experienced cook (moreso a chef), but for a kid like me back then, they’re a big deal.

Eventually I got tired of the same thing—perhaps I got tired of the fact it’s only during breakfast that I get to eat my own cooking—I told myself I need to graduate to cooking an actual dish.

My mom helped me out. She was cooking pasta one day and basically asked me if I can finish up the sauce after browning the meat (it was bolognese, a meat-based sauce with celery and carrots), and I didn’t have problems picking up the wooden spoon and emptying two cans of crushed tomato and seasoning with sugar, pepper, salt, italian seasoning, and a handful of basil.

This continued for a while—I’d come in halfway through the cooking process—until she finally thought I was ready to take the reins. Ingredients were easy to come by and didn’t require so much in terms of prep: You can buy the beef ground up, and there’s the personal processor to chop the onions, garlic, and the vegetables. (Although I must say this: Any cook who refuses to chop their own onions is not a cook. You have to cry. No exceptions.) It was a matter of being patient with the entire thing: The onions and garlic have to release their aromas first before going on, the beef has to brown evenly, and the vegetables have be cooked just slightly so they don’t disintegrate to mush.

Pretty soon, after a few not-so-successful tries (and I only say this because it wasn’t as tasty or well-spieced as I thought the sauce would be) I was conquering the realm of pasta sauces.

My dad came in next. He does a mean pot of upgraded pork & beans. His signature dish required more patience from me: The beans can become mush or crunchy if they’re not cooked properly, I’ve to slice more things like chorizo, chicken, andouille sausage, plus of course garlic and onions; but at this point, I was used to the discipline of “cooking things through”—true with pretty much all tomato-based dishes—that I picked up on the procedure after the first try.

Finally—and I remember when I did this: The Friday before the week that I’d start a new job—I told myself I’d have to cook my own. My recipe? Rachael Ray’s Country French Chicken. (Recipe here.) I’ve seen this episode a number of times on FoodTV, and I’ve always thought of it to be quite easy. One thing I was looking forward to is the use of red wine to flavor the dish. So off I went to the grocery, bought the ingredients—they were all easy to come by, even the creminis—and started with the process.

For some reason, I didn’t season as much as I should have, thus the finished product turned out bland, but because I salted the egg noodles and used salted butter to flavor them, things fortunately balanced quite well in the end. My dad seemed to like it when he tried the same thing that same night, commenting about the need for more salt and pepper in the chicken itself. I made a mental note to myself that if it’s chicken or a nice piece of steak that I should season generously.

It took me two more tries to perfect Country French Chicken, mainly because like Ms. Ray, I eyeball seasonings. (Actually, I picked up the habit from her, so....)

That one dish jump-started my still-growing plethora of recipes that I can whip when necessary. Matter of fact, I have enough that I’ll have something new to eat every day for three weeks:

Pasta
Country French Chicken
Bacon Mac & Cheese
Bolognese
Basic Spaghetti and Meatballs
Carbonara
Lasagna
Pad Thai
Beef Stroganoff
Shrimp with Feta
Penne della Terra
Seafood Alfredo
Puttanesca

Rice toppings
Sesame Chicken
Mongolian-style Chicken & Crab
Cajun Jambalaya
Chicken Curry
Thai Beef Curry

Sandwiches and wraps
Asian-style Chicken and Vegetables
Philly Cheesesteak (a big hit among my friends!)
Steak Sandwich with Mayo-Mustard Sauce
Croque-Monsieur (and Madame)

One-pots
Chili Tots
Beef Bourguignon
Shrimp and Scallop Gratin
My dad’s supercharged Pork & Beans

Among these 25, my personal favorite dish is the Beef Bourguignon. I’ve long salivated doing this French stew ever since I saw it advertised in the FoodTV.com website. Besides, doesn’t it sound so sexy?

For those whom I’ve prepared the Bourguignon to, know that you’re special to me because I’ve whipped up my signature.

Every now and then, I would buy a food magazine or two just to see if I can make something new. I used to just be fine with getting the recipe online, but I found out that I required to see a photograph of the dish before I’m enticed to actually try it out. That’s why cookbooks such as Nigella Lawson’s, Rocco di Spirito’s, and Tyler Florence’s appeal to me so much: They hire photographers and awesome food stylists to make sure each dish that makes it on the pages of their publication stand out and actually entice you to make them at home. I’m actually considering a subscription to the Food Network magazine just because I wholly support the network and its endeavors to make everyone try out cooking.

Now, do I have any interest in pursuing cooking professionally, i.e. train to be a chef? I sincerely doubt it, but I never thought of myself to cook for the satisfaction of others. Basically, I started making my own food for my own personal enjoyment. When friends and family compliment what I make, then that’s a very welcome extra.

So, when are you coming over to my house? I’ll be sure to have at least one day when we’ll not eat out, and I’ll have you try my food. I promise it’ll be good.

Image from thegutsygourmet.net

Uh, No Thanks.

2009-02-07T22:59:00.002-05:00

Snapped this at a convenience store in the Philippines. Yeah, if you can't "garantee" that whoever wrote the copy of your product can spell the most important word in this 3-word phrase, then I don't think I'd feel "garanteed" that your knife's gonna be sharp. So, no thanks.

Music Break: Just a Love Song and Beautiful in my Eyes

2009-02-07T21:59:00.002-05:00

Okay, I admit, I have a soft spot for ballads and love songs. But I have strict standards as to how sappy it has to be. Boyband ballads are disgusting and I wouldn't go anywhere near them. For the most part, remakes of past hits are acceptable, since they build on an already successful foundation—i.e. they're already good to begin with.

Christian Bautista, a Filipino singer and a good friend, released an album last year called "Just a Love Song...Live!" and it contained these two songs. Both—well, I'll give him this because he rendered them so well—are remakes, and actually I don't mind.

Simple lyrics, soothing melodies, and both registering low in the too-sappy scale. My favorite of the two is "Beautiful in my Eyes." I got choked up a bit the first time I heard it. Seriously.

Live Blogging Street Fighter IV

2009-01-29T20:37:00.003-05:00

I'm such a nerd for doing this, but on February 17th, I'll be liveblogging my experience playing Street Fighter IV for the XBox 360. Yeah.

60-Second Style:10 Rules I Abide by as Fashion Editor

2009-01-26T21:13:00.007-05:00

1. Many times, it’s the most expensive garment in an outfit that’s the most plain-looking.
It might not make sense at first, but the first fashion rule applies here: Invest in classics you’ll wear forever. You can definitely spend on trendier pieces from designers, but how long will you be able to enjoy them? Two, 3 months the most? Not much mileage there, right?

2. Always try a size lower than what you think you are.
Believe me, you might think it’s too small but more often than not, you’ll realize that it’s your true size. (If a size down is too tight then no worries, at least you tried.)

3. And always try everything on.
Sizing across designers and brands are never consistent. I’ll use myself as example: I’m S or XS at Gap and Old Navy, but I’m a medium in Zara and Topman. Regardless, #2 rule still applies—I thought I was an M at Old Navy, but found that size too baggy.

4. The only time you have to match your belt with your shoes is when you’re wearing black and brown.
Black shoes and black belt (and black watch if you have one); brown shoes and brown belt (match the hue as closely as possible). When you’re wearing sneakers, or any other hue, feel free to relax—even break—this rule.

5. I’ve talked to many women’s-magazine fashion editors, and they all agree on one thing: Your pants are too baggy.
They wanna see a nice outline of our asses, guys.

6. I’ve also talked to many women’s-magazine beauty editors, and they all agree on one thing: Your unibrow is disgusting.
Shave it, pluck it, wax it, laser it, thread it, do everything you can to get rid of it. Whenever I have it professionally done, I decline when they ask me if I want the rest of my brows fixed as well, because they always mess up. No unibrow: Good. Girly arched brows? No, thanks.

7. Everyone looks fantastic in a garment with epaulets.
And there’s the added bonus of broadening your shoulders—a study shows that women look at a man’s shoulders to perceive how “strong” and in-control they are. So wouldn’t you want it?

8. Your shoes: Never pointy, never square.
Rounded, slightly elongated toe: Now you’re getting the idea.

9. Try on as many brands as you can.
I know I may be asking for too much—adding an extra hour or 2 to your trip to the mall, but really, having access to many brand names and designers taught me one thing: There’s always one that will completely impress one guy, but will disappoint the other. Once you find a clothesmaker that churns out things you always like, show some love—but don’t be exclusive, because there’s another one that will impress you equally.

10. Finally: Clothes will wear, colors will fade, and jeans will tear.
Throw. Them. Out. I guarantee you’ll find a replacement for them in your next shopping trip.

Images 1-5, 7-10 from men.style.com; image 6 from bellasugar.com

Bad Crap.

2009-01-22T23:49:00.003-05:00

Haha. Really? First you do a bad impression of a Mac window (fonts are Windows fonts, not Mac), but you also screw up in the spelling of your supposed "good" software.

So really, thanks for telling me that my Mac supposedly has bad cookies and compromising files, but no thanks. You're no better.

Music Break: Vincent

2009-01-14T22:16:00.004-05:00

Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) - Josh Groban
I got interested again in Vincent Van Gogh's art after reading a piece about his mastery of evening painting in an issue of Smithsonian magazine. (One of my newest acquired magazines. I just lost three: PC Magazine, EGM, and Plenty—all have folded. Boo recession.)

Very nice melody, the vocals are soothing (even the original one by Don McLean, though I prefer Mr. Groban's rendition) but it's not something you would want to dedicate to someone for one simple fact: It's a song about Van Gogh, who may be a fantastic painter, but this is the same man who cut off part of his ear lobe and committed suicide. Not exactly a "romantic" song to offer to someone.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-10T21:12:00.004-05:00

I know, I know: This post is 11 days late. There's no excuse for it, except I've enjoyed the holiday season so much that I didn't have time to sit down and collect whatever thoughts I have to a composed blog post. When it was over, the avalanche of back-to-normalness was also kind of overbearing for me, despite it really being just this week.

Well, that hopefully explains the absence, now let's get on to the meat of this post, shall we?

2008 for me started on a high note, then came very low points, and ended well. Those who've been following my life definitely would be able to deduce that the high note is really the exhilaration of moving to the US. I've always set my sights on the land of milk and honey for the longest time, and having the opportunity to actually live here is something I'm unwilling to trade for anything. Not that I didn't love my country, the Philippines—it's been my adoptive country for so long and it deserves my unending gratitude. I guess for me it's really a decision I had to do for myself, because I've long known I'm meant for greater things. And grass being greener on the other side, this was it.

I was in a high when we stepped foot in Philadelphia airport—this time as people who wouldn't be on the same airport after a month. The snow, the chill, and the early morning sunlight was all precursor to a fresh life, something I was ready to immerse myself into. For the first time I saw relatives, family members I haven't seen in ages, some I never even saw at all until we went here.

One particular moment that I savor with gusto is our trip to Florida to visit Walt Disney World. Believe me when I say it's been 13 years since we were last there. (Disneyland in Anaheim, California, is a different story, however.) The place really is as magical as everyone made them out to be.

But things started to go downhill after coming back. The reality of having to look for a job set in—and the fact that 2008 wasn't exactly a shining year for employment. Just as I started polishing my résumé, news of layoffs started pouring on TV much to everyone's chagrin, the country that has enjoyed years of flush living slowly had to reevaluate their spending habits, and really, life just started to become tough for many. I was caught in the midst of it all, an earnest editor and multimedia artist from a third-world country trying to establish his life in a country that became alien to him for so many years. Weeks of fruitless job searching became months, and as the months progressed, life became difficult for me. I've had to constantly dip into my savings just to be able to afford whatever necessities my job-hunting—and really, living—had to entail.

While this was happening, I was battling homesickness. While it's true that I was quite the loner in the Philippines—preferred to keep only small company, and stuck with them with a passion—to suddenly be in a country where there's no one that you can call your friend, is something I do not wish on anyone to go through. Because it's hard.

This continued during the summer months of June all the way to August. It was the worst summer of my life (didn't help that it was, you know, freaking hot—yeah, I'm intolerant of the heat that way). The extended period of unemployment, I can deal with. I had my family as support system throughout the months I wasn't bringing in money; but it's the lack of peers that got to me. It's a known fact that we are social creatures, and that we actively seek out like-minded people who we can—dare I say it in young people lingo—hang out with.

I am proud, however, that despite the thousands of miles separating us, me and Diana, my close confidante and friend of many years, have never been stronger than we are now. This helped me remain sane and have stopped those nights when I'd just give up and head home. She is, and continues to be my rock.

Regardless, I remain unable to just call her just meet up for dinner and drink on a whim. Frustrated with this thought, and trying to stem what might've been the beginning of a minor depression (OK, too strong a word, but it's close to it), I decided to look around. I contacted the guys I play World of Warcraft with, see if anyone's in the area I can hang out with (no luck); I talked to friends of friends, and tried to extend acquaintances from there (no luck); until, just on the verge of giving up, I posted an ad online. Insanity? No, but desperate? Absolutely.

On other news, things were looking up, jobhunting-wise. (Well, kind of.) I interviewed and got an entry-level Junior Editor position at a small New York City-based magazine. My crowning achievement is the fact that it gave me entry to the magazine industry here. (You have no idea how much I was jumping around when I saw the copy of the issue with my name on the masthead.) Now, I'm building my reputation, establishing a network of contacts, and really slowly but surely making my way toward taking a slice of the opportunities available in the industry.

Unfortunately, another roadblock came: This time the crumbling of print media, due in large part to the looming recession that America—and eventually, the rest of the world—faced. Companies went on hiring freezes, some publications closed, and aspiring editors are forced to seek alternative means of earning their incomes while they wait the craziness to pass. I had to really cross my fingers the publication I was in doesn't close, and that my dreams of establishing my name would come to a screeching halt.

The magazine still stands up to now, which gives me a sigh of relief.

However, it remains that I'm not earning enough to be able to actually help me transition to the way of life here, so I continued to look for one-time, part-time, or contractual gigs. Again, this happened in the midst of the bloodbath that the economy faced. So again, for several more months, I was passing my résumés around with fevered enthusiasm (though even the most optimistic of optimists felt the blues in some degree because prospects just continued to dwindle) to deaf ears.

I didn't bother remember the things that happened in the months leading up to the holiday season, because it was really disappointments after disappointments. There were several highlights: My awesome brothers turning a year older full of life and in the best of health; I met Bill, who really was my first friend here—my bro!—and because of him, I'm spending a couple of days a week in the company of the bestest group of people a guy could ever have; and I guess because of all the madness, I learned how to eat my humble pie—and I emerged the much wiser man.

November was when things slowly picked up, leading to a good close to the year. I was able to get a job working as trainer for Apple, my editor at the magazine started talks with me about a full-time opportunity in the near future, and things in general really started falling in place, whereas it was nothing but chaos weeks before.

Now I'm here, year 2009. Whatever mess came about during 2008 I have already let go. I'm writing this with much higher hopes for a brighter future, a much better year (which I think will really happen), and a much fuller life. To be an optimist is to understand—and find what's good in something—even if the general mood points on the contrary. And this is the attitude I'm carrying with me—and I hope you will, too—as you start your own journey in search of great adventures.

Happy New Year!

Image from www.firebirdents.co.uk

The Meaning of Life...As Given by Myron

2008-12-26T02:09:00.001-05:00

(Inspired by the The Meaning of Life issue of Esquire this January, I came up with my own list.)

The best gift you can give your kids is your time. Education comes in at a very close second, but you have to make them pay a part of their college tuition.

If I can do anything for the rest of my life, it would be to travel the world. And I don't mean just going to tourist spots. Sure, that's the first off anyone's list, but I don't want to leave the countries I visit still feeling like a tourist. It's all about immersing yourself in the way of life. You don't have to work or pay mortgage or shit like that, but every once in a while, go out and get to know the cute girl that's serving you coffee, or talk to the painter next door.

Even if you say you don't care about it, put a lot of thought in your personal style. You wouldn't believe how far it would take you. Screw those who still go by the mantra that “men aren't fashionable by nature.” In the world of first impressions and outside appearances, style is god.

That said, I think every man should own at least one single- or double-breasted military-style overcoat. There's something about the stiffness and the pin-point construction of the overcoat that screams “I'm a man.”

Loving someone should be close to effortless. That's how you know it's true love.

Your dream job—the one you'd kill for, is usually the one that comes with the most number of gut-wrenching and ego-breaking challenges. But it's also the one where you're in the cloudest of Cloud 9 when you've accomplished the task at hand. I worked for 3 years in Men's Health and it's the best years of my working life, but it also was the hardest in so many aspects.

There will always be someone better than you. I have a friend who's better than me at video games, another a sharper dresser, and yet one more that's wittier and funnier—and that's perfectly fine. Stop trying to be great at everything. Perfection is boring. Imperfection is living.

At the end of it all, remember what Abraham Lincoln said: “It's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years.” But you may grieve for those who passed away before their time. That's life's curveball.

Age is just a number. The people I hang out with now are 3, 4, even 5 years younger than me, but really, who cares? They're all amazing people, and that's all that ever mattered.

At least once in your life, you're gonna have to sleep in the airport's departure area or the train station. Keep one eye open for motherfuckers who will steal your stuff, but also savor how incredibly different the place is once evening rolls by.

Stop and smell the roses. Or at the very least, go out and breathe the fresh air, even if you have to book a weekend escape at a destination spa to be able to inhale something that isn't full of carcinogens. Funny how sometimes we tend to forget that our world is beautiful. Remember the Discovery Channel jingle: “I love the whole world, it's just an awesome place.”

The List: Ten Coolest Street Fighter Characters of All Time

2008-12-22T19:14:00.003-05:00

6. Gill (first appearance: Street Fighter III: New Generation)
Look, say what you want about Gill—he's cheap, he wears a white thong, and he has a serious case of Messiah complex—but he's every bit worthy of being SFIII's final boss. A first in 2D Street Fighter, Gill actually has two sets of sprites, depending on which side of the screen he's facing. Reportedly done to showcase the CPS-3 board, he uses the fire aspect when he's the 1st player, and the water/cold aspect when Gill assumes the 2nd player. Plus he has the most bad-ass Super Art in the game: the Seraphic Wing. This Super Art has him growing six wings reminiscent of the Seraphim in the bible, floating to the center of the screen, uttering “Let me be the one to bless all souls,” before proceeding to shower you with burst of energy. It takes off 75 percent of your life if it hits solo (because of the damage modifier, this can go down to just 30 percent when used in conjunction with a combo), or takes off 20 percent when blocked. (You can't parry it, so don't even try.) That's bad-ass.

On a side note, his secretary, Kolin also has two sprites. Notice her hair is only parted on one side, and this doesn't change.

Image from www.fightersgeneration.com

The List: Ten Coolest Street Fighter Characters of All Time

2008-12-17T21:32:00.007-05:00

10. T. Hawk (first appearance: Super Street Fighter II)
Next to the ansatsuken fighters, I've a special affinity for the grapplers. (Or should I say, pre-Super Street Fighter II, grappler [singular].) I never did like Zangief because he was so cheap and freaky-looking. When SSFII was introduced, we got T. Hawk, leader of the Thunderfoot tribe in Mexico. He only has one signature throw, but it's one that's equally as memorable as the Russian's Spinning Piledriver: the Storm Hammer. It's way cooler in terms of animation, too. Whereas Zangief needs two hands to spin his opponent around and slam hard on the ground, T. Hawk requires only one hand.

9. Juni (first appearance: Street Fighter Alpha 3)
Not to be Americanized in pronunciation: Her name is pronounced “Yuni.”

She's not as popular as Cammy, nor as buxom as her partner, Juli, but Juni has one thing that sets her apart from the other two: a 360-degree directional throw that deals major damage and establishes Juni as a hybrid melee fighter and grappler. (She has Cammy's Hooligan combination as well.) She also appears to have a stronger control of the psycho power—the same machine that doubles M. Bison's power—being able to use the Mach Slide (a forward teleport) at will.

8. Vega (first appearance: Street Fighter II)
How can you not like a player with a dual personality? By day, Vega is a noble matador, by night, a sadistic, blood thirsty (sometimes, literally—he's been shown to lick his claw clean of the blood of his enemy) murderer.

Perhaps Vega is best known to be the only Street Fighter character to ever wield a weapon, and he's not one shy of slicing and dicing using it. That, and the fact that he wears an iron mask, not because he's working at lengths to conceal his identity, but because he takes great care not to damage his beautiful face.

With his speed and agility matched by no one but Chun-Li, Vega is the character to choose for keepaway games that rely on quick, damaging pokes as opposed to multi-string combos. Whenever he jumps to the upper corners of the screen ready to attack, get ready!

Or he may just be faking, and that's completely part of his game.

Images: T. Hawk from tokenminorities.files.wordpress.com, Juni from Street Fighter Gallery, Vega from Wikimedia.org

Adventure Begins One Footstep at a Time

2008-12-14T17:51:00.005-05:00

I've been walking for as long as I can remember. I don't really know why or what exactly triggered that I favor being on my two feet over taking public transportation or even bringing my own vehicle, but for as long as I can remember, I've always taken it upon myself to walk to wherever it is I need to be.

Now, mind you, this is easier said than done, especially when you're in the very humid, very polluted, very muggy streets of the Philippines. Five minutes walking on the streets is enough to reduce me to a dirty, filthy, sweaty mess—and for someone like me who likes that I remain clean and fresh (never know when I'd meet the girl of my dreams, after all) throughout the day, the idea of walking is torture.

However, there's something very human, very real about experiencing lives of others as they happen on the street. In my walks, I've witnessed a couple beating each other senseless (and the woman's the one giving the harder blows!), two women fighting over one man (he's not around, but it was clear that that's the reason they were whacking each other), a real tall female model trip (too bad I didn't catch her), a drunk college guy passing out, and hordes of other funny, if not memorable, events.

I guess one of the reasons I enjoy New York City and Philadelphia so much is this fact: You're encouraged to walk, because everyone else does the same thing. Sure, they both have very efficient subway systems (NYC's is just so intricate I'm in awe), but they serve merely as complementary to the people walking. I mean I like walking, but I'd be crazy to walk from uptown to midtown, and finally downtown. Way too tiring and way too time-consuming. It's a little difficult nowadays because it can get rather freezer-cold in the mornings, and in the summer can get very humid (but nothing, and I mean nothing, rivals the humidity in the Philippines), but for the most part, it's fantastic to just wander around on foot.

I will never forget this one time when my legs practically gave up after close to 7 hours of walking non-stop around Manhattan (the only times I got to sit down were the subway rides and the meetings I had to attend). As I was readying myself to board the bus home, I literally felt my legs shake and my feet just surrender as if to say “I can't freaking walk anymore!”

Thankfully, I did get to the bus on time, and I was able to walk all the way back to my bed and just rest, but it came back to bite me the next day, when I couldn't as much go to the bathroom and pee. I had to take a day off work because of it.

That was many months ago, and I still do not mind at all missing the subway stops—simply because I would rather walk.

On a side note, maybe this is the exact reason why I get to maintain my weight. Because I unconsciously burn lots and lots of them in an exercise I didn't even sign up for.

Image by Sam of SXC.hu

Holi-dazed?

2008-12-12T21:46:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty sure the lot of you are feeling exactly what I'm feeling these past couple of days: Overwhelmed at what is supposedly a joyous occasion. Whenever you turn on the TV, you see ads of department stores and retail firms going on their "most massive holiday sale ever," enticing you to spend, spend, spend for gifts. (On a side note, going out and spending actually does the economy a lot of good—America derives a good percentage of its GNP from retail sales.)

Don't get me wrong. There's absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating the holidays. As a matter of fact, it's the time of the year I myself look forward to—it's just that sometimes we tend to forget why we're celebrating it in the first place. Sure, the season is also about the gifts—it's a reminder that one is loved and remembered by someone else; but doesn't it also follow that acts of altruism shouldn't stop when the time stores put down the "Sale!" signs and homes set aside decorations to gather dust for another 300 or so days?

So while I am also joining the hundreds of people in America who'd hit the nearest mall in the early morning (open at 6AM? I'm there!), I also would be the first to reflect on the year that was. It was challenging—and for some, extremely rough—for the most part, but the fact that we're still here and still among the living already is something to be thankful for, right?

I for one can't wait for 2008 to be over, and allow 2009 to roll in with new hopes, new opportunities, and new promises. But until I'm counting down the last few seconds of December 31st, I'm definitely going to enjoy the chilly weather, the fact that I have friends who have been nothing but amazing, and the presents that I'm going to get in 2 weeks' time.

Kids are Adorable

2008-12-11T11:59:00.005-05:00

They really are...and they're making quite a sensation in YouTube. Gotta love the British accent on them!

Updated Street Fighter IV Review

2008-12-05T18:14:00.002-05:00

Head on to my Street Fighter IV review and check out the new photos and commentary!

Images screencapped from various YouTube videos.

I'm a sucker for freebies, but this one just pissed me off.

2008-12-02T18:02:00.003-05:00

I got this in the mail today. I know, I'm getting myself ready to get bombarded with shitty spam mail.Enthused, but not really excited (supposed "free" gifts usually follow a gift-with-purchase scheme), I opened the envelope.

Lo and behold, I got this. And I couldn't be more in-fucking-sulted at how crappy this free gift is. People, I get magazine subscriptions, electric razors, cookies, body washes, pretty much things that I have good, measurable use for on a regular basis. And you fucking give me this handy pocket calendar? What the fuck?

I think I've never hated a freebie in my life until I got this. Pissed off, I tore off the entire mail and ran it in the shredder. Yes, including this handy, wallet-size calendar that's their FREE gift to me.

After it, though, I felt a whole lot better.

Anyone Up for a Smoke?

2008-12-02T10:53:00.000-05:00

While on the street today, minding my own business, this lady stops me dead on my tracks. (She was huge!) I thought for a second that I'm gonna get mugged (she was huge!) but was a little surprised when she said to me “Can I have a cigarette?”

It's funny—I don't smoke (never have) and there's nothing in my gestures that say that I'm a smoker. I was merely puffing frost breath in funny ways on a cold, damp New York day.

Then again, that's probably what got her to thinking that I did smoke. At any rate, I shrugged and said that I don't have any with me and proceeded to walk faster than usual. Hell, what if she went after me and actually carried out with the mugging? That would suck.

Kinda reminds me of beggars in the Philippines when kids would actually ask for a specific amount of money as their alm. “Kuya, pengeng sampu,” they would say. (It means “Sir, can you give me 10 pesos?”) Isn't the act of almsgiving supposed to be left to the discretion of the giver?

Meh.

What I'm Thankful For

2008-11-28T21:36:00.003-05:00

I just came from celebrating Thanksgiving with my family, after so many years of not doing it. (In the Philippines where I came from and have lived a good deal of my life at, it's not celebrated.) As Kyan Douglas of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy fame said in a Thanksgiving episode, "We don't count calories; we don't watch what we eat, but we do give thanks." And that's what I would like to do.

I'm thankful that I'm here in the land of opportunities, despite the collapse of the stock market, the doomsday predictions (that I think are seriously over exaggerated...blame the American's tendency to catastrophize everything), and the fact that I left a great job back home to start anew.

I'm thankful that I continue to do what I love, and that I get good money doing so.

I'm thankful for my family, who despite the same financial circumstances, have remained in good health and are doing well in other aspects.

I'm thankful for Bill, Deanna, Devin, Jess, and Rob, my friends here in the US, for always showing me a good time. Alain, Charl, Adam, Benj, Mariel, and Shane, my friends who are in other states (and Ann, my friend from London), I also am thankful—and I can't wait to visit you in your home states when the right timing presents itself!

I'm thankful for my friends in the Philippines—I would not name you all, because it's quite a list—for still keeping in touch, saying hi, leaving messages in Facebook, and generally being the awesome bunch of people that I've known. Maraming salamat.

Et finallement, chére Supermawdel, merci beaucoup. Nous nous connaisons depuis huit ans, et on continue être des amies exceptionnel. Il y a peût-etre 10 000 milles entre nous, mais rien n'a changé. Tu es vraiment speciale, et pour ça, je suis très reconnaisant. Groses bises! (Apologies if my French has structural errors!)

Turkey image from www.igourmet.com.

60 Second Style:Upgrade Your Trou

2008-11-25T11:30:00.005-05:00

This winter, try one of these subtly-patterned trousers instead of your solid- or pinstriped ones. The wool gives it comfort, and the subdued criss-cross checks will not overwhelm a vertically-challenged guy. Wear the trousers with a solid white shirt, black tie, and a purple cashmere cardigan, and you're all set for the Holiday parties.

Charcoal wool check trousers, $120, available at Topman.com

Dude, the Bargain Shopper: Justin Timberlake

2008-11-20T15:50:00.006-05:00

C'mon. There's absolutely no way I wouldn't include Justin Timberlake in my list. Since venturing to a solo career outside of 'N Sync, Mr. Timberlake has graduated from the cliché boyband style of dress and really has upped the style factor.
Leather jacket ($220) from Topman.
Contrast-collar shirt ($50) from Topman.
Pants ($39.50) from American Eagle Outfitters.
Trilby ($30) from Topman.
Corduroy and suede belt ($29.50) from Gap.
Tie ($38) from Armani Exchange.
Shoes ($90) from Aldo.

Justin's photograph from men.style.com

Let's Get it on Select to Make Your First Pick. Let's Get it on Now!

2008-11-20T13:53:00.017-05:00

After many months of Japanese kids having access to what possibly may be the best fighting game that we've ever gotten for a few years, I finally got my hands on Street Fighter IV. I walked about 10 blocks from the train station to this really small arcade shop that has great fighting games. (To find one that's *hopefully* near your area, check out this link.) Yeah, I know. The things I'll do to satisfy my video game addiction.
There was only one cabinet in the arcade, and when I got there, several guys were playing. So I basically just watched and got a feel of the game. I know there's YouTube, but it pales in comparison to actually being able to see the game in person.

When I decided I'm ready, I popped 50 cents in, and challenged the current winner. I chose Ryu, and I was up against Akuma (curiously enough, he doesn't seem to take deal and take more damage than the rest of the characters, reminiscent of Street Fighter III: Third Strike). Now I understand why the Saving Attacks (or Focus Attacks) are the cornerstone of SFIV's game mechanics: They're as complex as the parrying system of SFIII, but is not as difficult to implement that first-time players will be pummeled by more experienced ones.

A fully charged SA not only will be unblockable, but will also result in awesome ink splatter-style art.

The best part about the Saving Attack (I'll abbreviate it to SA from now on) how it will always help mix up the fight. In one case, I've seen a Ken player throw an SA just as he's about to get up from a foot sweep; in another, Sagat used it to get out of a corner-harassing opponent. (Well, there's also the fact that Sagat's huge he shouldn't have problems dealing with the smaller characters.) In one more occasion, the SA is used to cancel a Shoryuken to an Ultra Combo. (It takes off a portion of your super meter.) In my case, I didn't get to use SA that much, because I continuously have to readjust to having to press the middle two buttons. I'll get to abuse it more in the future I bet.

For anyone harassing you, activate SA immediately after you get up...
Then whack their head. Follow up with a combo.

Now the gameplay. As was originally intended, SFIV plays more like SFII than III, and I definitely noticed that from the get go. Air blocks (or parries) are gone, the pace is slightly slower—though I have to say, for a 3D fighting game it's pretty brisk, and the multiple Super Art selection is gone.

EX Attacks, done by pressing two buttons instead of one in performing special moves, are essential to any game.

Many of the combos and moves that you're accustomed to with the old world warriors are intact, and you shouldn't have difficulty pulling them off with relative ease. As I mentioned before, the SA adds an extra layer of strategy with how you fight, and because it's both an offensive and defensive tactic (the parrying was admittedly more offensive), it's integral that you always factor in how you can throw an SA when you set up combos and plan your attack.

The new fighters Rufus, Abel, etc, are also well integrated in the roster and look interesting enough to warrant your choice. Their move lists share some similarities with established characters, which helps with the familiarization. In fact, in the arcade I went to, more than one player picked Crimson Viper; and I heard that Abel is popular at the Japanese arcades.

Vive le France!

Graphics-wise, I will not complain at all. Sure, the shift from hand-drawn 2D to rendered 3D may have been a bit of a letdown for purists (I'm not one), but Capcom executed the transition so well. The stages are vivid, the characters well-detailed (you can even see the horror in their faces as you're about to unleash a can of whoop-ass i.e. an Ultra Combo), and the ink splatter gives the whole game a very cartoon-y, 2D-ish feel to it.

Shin Shoryuken: D, DF, F, D, DF, F + 2P (must have half-full Revenge Gauge)
Watching Ryu's face before his jaw gets rearranged by a Shin Shoryuken: Priceless.

Sound quality is fantastic. Hours after I've left the arcade, I still keep on replaying "Metsu Hadouuuken" in my mind, savoring at how there's a lingering "whoosh" sound as Ryu builds up ki for his Ultra Combo. The announcer is no less great. I miss the hip-hop announcer in SFIII: Third Strike, but I'm glad that the annoying one in SFA3 is gone. Saying things like "Let's pick up the pace...fight!" and "This is the final round...fight!" fits in the context of SFIV.

So, how did I fare? I kept on losing against this one Korean guy (aren't they supposed to be playing Starcraft instead of SF?), who adds insult to injury by leaving the machine as soon as no one's challenging him anymore. (If I wasn't savoring the game so much, I probably would've done bad stuff to him—I mean, what the fuck? You waste my quarters and walk out?) But I did manage to place a few wins with the other guys—many with last-ditch, well-placed Metsu Hadoukens, and was able to finish the game. So not bad!

You don't want to mess with Ryu when he ain't happy.

Final recommendation: You will miss the extensive collection of Super Arts and parrying that SFIII introduced. I myself wished that Ryu had access to his Denjin Hadouken; and Chun-Li have her Kikoushou, etc. If you're also quite adjusted to the pace and the fast-and-flurry attacks of Third Strike, you'll have to scale back once you get to play SFIV. But despite this, SFIV remains a very polished, very enjoyable, very complex game that rivals the best the series has to offer (SFA3, Third Strike, and SSFII: Turbo). I can't wait for the home version to drop February 2009.

By the way, the thread title is the first two lines from the song that plays in Third Strike's character selection screen.

60-Second Style: Tying a Scarf

2008-11-12T13:34:00.006-05:00

Even though the video is more than a minute long, it's part of 60-second style because you only need one method of tying your scarf at a time, right?

This is the first of an ongoing series of style tips that I'll provide in this blog, on top of Dude, the Bargain Shopper.

What's Dhalsim...Oh!

2008-11-04T23:10:00.004-05:00

Both the commercial and the toy line sucked on so many levels I'm embarrassed to admit I bought the Ryu and Ken action figures.

I mean, jesus, katanas for Ryu? And a vehicle for Chun-Li and Blanka? And real ninja moves? Ninjas. Really?

Horrible, cheesy, dialogue. It's close to camp territory for me.

Music Break: Answer

2008-11-04T13:19:00.004-05:00

One of my all-time favorite songs in any genre. Very mellow, heartfelt, and just soothing to the soul.

On November 4th, Go Out and Vote

2008-11-02T12:47:00.001-05:00

I'm voting because I want change. I'm voting because I know I matter.

Bye, Men's Vogue, I Barely Knew You

2008-10-31T01:23:00.004-04:00

The magazine industry really is having a hard time.

I just read from Condé Nast Portfolio's website that Men's Vogue, the barely two-year-old Condé Nast title that was supposed to be the more upscale brother of GQ and Details, announced that it's going to fold. Read the blog post here.

Although the really young publication won't be closed completely, existing instead as a biannual supplement to Vogue, which really was how Men's Vogue came to be. (Rumor has it that it's only doing such for Anna Wintour, the magazine's Editorial Director, to save face. Even then it's not really a good sign: Anna's Vogue also is losing revenue while its fiercest rival, Elle is gaining.)

News like this is very disheartening especially for someone like me who works in the publishing industry. (Numerous publications have folded this year due to economic hardships and the shift in viewer's reading habits from print to digital.) But I also have to realize that a lot of magazines come and go each year, regardless of market conditions. Maybe it came out at the wrong time (Rodale's Organic Style), didn't establish its target reader quick (Condé Nast's Cargo), or it simply competed with a similar title in the same publishing house (Hearst's Cosmo Girl).

Men's Vogue was quite the promising publication, targeting the older, more established men that found GQ's articles too pop-py or too fratboy; and is scared by Details. (Coverline of the year: Do You Have Douchebag Hair?)

Question is, is there such a reader? I mean, will the older, more established men that Men's Vogue is catering to, buy the magazine?

Maybe there was and still is—after all, Best Life still remains a healthy publication, as evidenced by second quarter reports from Rodale.

So what happened?

Methinks it suffered from the Cargo syndrome. It took its time to find its voice, and unfortunately, publishing houses can't afford to do it now when things are so crazy. Men's Vogue did finally put an end to the question of who its readers are, saying that by the November issue, it's going to go with the tagline "Style is how you live." (Link here.) But it's too little, too late—by the time this new tagline is rolled out, the magazine's gonna cease to be a monthly. (There's also the issue with declining ad pages, but you probably already know how much magazines depend on advertising to survive.)

Pure speculation, but I do think it makes sense. (I also want to say, it's a pretty dry, staid publication. But it's most likely because I'm not its audience.)

Oh well. Now I gotta give a Condé Nast customer rep to not give me GQ or Details as replacement subscription. I'll take Vanity Fair, thanks.

Image from USAToday.net

Dude, the Bargain Shopper: Milo Ventimiglia

2008-10-30T17:09:00.018-04:00

Milo at the Burberry reopening in Beverly Hills. He's most known playing the role of Peter in television's Heroes.
Cardigan ($50) from Topman.
T-shirt ($14.90) from Heritage 1981.
Jeans ($34.90) from Heritage 1981.
Shoes ($475) from Cole Haan.
Faux-leather jacket (about $80) from H&M. There's no US online store for H&M, so you have to make the trip for this one.

Milo's photograph from men.style.com

Site Check: The Read Green Initiative

2008-10-30T12:04:00.004-04:00

No matter how much flak I'll get with killing so many trees, it's really hard not to enjoy a printed magazine. You can bring it everywhere, it won't strain your eyes with UV rays, and the photographs never looked better.

Besides, I'll recycle them once the year's over. Calm down everyone.

To sort of "counter" this, I signed up for the The Read Green Initiative. This organization, lauding the efforts of the magazine community to encourage readers to recycle print magazines when they're done reading them, hopes to add to this noteworthy cause by offering digital subscriptions. You get the first one free, and if you decide to purchase another title, a portion of the price goes to planting more trees.

I like the cause, but couldn't wrap my head over the fact that subscription prices are almost the same as its dead-tree format. Why? Let's not forget that we're also paying for electricity from opening the computer and actually reading the magazine.

By the way, I subscribed to Layers magazine, a digital art tutorials publication. There are some that are NSFW.

I'm Sorry for Killing Trees

2008-10-30T01:57:00.005-04:00

Sometime during the (current) length of my stay here in the US, I've amassed quite a number of magazine subscriptions. I was organizing my room one day and realized that, damn, that is a lot of subscriptions!

Some of them, I've paid for—publishing companies slash as much as 80 percent of the newsstand price when you subscribe—others I get from work, and others, well, I get them for free.

See for yourself. And there are 5 more that's going to start some time in November or December.
From top to bottom, left to right: Cosmopolitan, PC World, Men's Fitness, Town & Country, More, Wired, Maxim, Interview, Details, Psychology Today, Country Home, O, Organic Spa, Best Life, Mac World, Men's Health, Parents, GQ, Vogue, Seed, Sunset, Better Homes & Gardens, Metropolitan Home, Women's Health, Tennis, Country Home, Men's Vogue, Popular Science, and PC World.

Not photographed but am subscribed to: Esquire and EGM.

Due to start soon: Mac Life, Ode, Prevention, Men's Journal, and Shape.

With the exception of the women's and shelter/home decorating magazines, and Tennis (the first two I give to my mom, the last is for my Dad and uncle), I've read much of each issue. If there's one title among all these that I'm reading a lot more than others, it's Psychology Today. (Don't ask me why.)

Crazy, huh? But I like it—there's always something new to look at and read that doesn't take too much of my time.

Stylista, Oh How Much Do I Love the Delicious Addiction You’ll Give Me

2008-10-26T00:04:00.002-04:00

Full disclosure: I’m a stylist and I work in the magazine industry. These two are reasons enough that I would give the Tyra Banks-produced show on The CW, Stylista, my attention. And because Bravo’s Project Runway and The Rachel Zoe Project are over, there’s a considerable void in late-night reality TV that has style and fashion as its main subject matter.

Obviously based off the success of the book—and subsequently, the silverscreen adaptation—The Devil Wears Prada, Stylista chronicles the life of a group of aspiring fashion magazine editors as they fight through challenge after challenge (and the occasional, actually, scratch that—often—bouts of bitchery) for, among other things, a paid editorial position at Elle (under Hachette Fillipacchi Media), an H&M clothing allowance, and an apartment in Manhattan that they’ll pay for a year. Not bad, considering the other production by Bankable Productions, America’s Next Top Model, doesn’t even give a cash prize (it’s a $100,000 contract, take note). At the very least, the winner of Stylista can earn about $30,000 for the year that s/he’s with Elle.

Wednesday’s episode already had proved how much of a train wreck anything Tyra Banks lends her hands on becomes. And it starts with the annoying ripoff of the scene in TDWP where Miranda Priestly (played by the very talented Meryl Streep) leaves her limo and walks to her office. Lauren Weisberg’s novel is based off her experience at Vogue, and with Anna Wintour. No one can dispute that Ms. Wintour is a very recognizable name in fashion and the magazine industry, and it’s pretty funny that they’re playing off this fact with Anne Slowey instead of Anna.

By the way, damn. She can’t walk in those heels to save her life!

Second, according to a very reliable, but not impeachable source, the place where they film the reality show is not the actual Elle editorial office. That’s why they say “Elle downtown.” Hachette’s office is more midtown. Haha. The winner of Stylista will be very surprised that the very manicured office s/he’s used to working at is not where the actual work will happen.

Third, what’s the deal with the annoying—and very unnecessary—ploy for the edit staff of Elle to be bitchy, and—if things are any indication, we’ll witness this in future episodes—condescending, Slowey included? I seriously doubt that much of the staff is that bitchy. I’m pretty sure it’s just the producers telling them, “Be as cold as the people in The Devil Wears Prada, or you ain’t getting paid.”

The challenges are actually pretty okay. Editorial Assistants—the entry-level paid position in each and every magazine—are required to do some administrative work on top of helping run the edit side of the magazine. So I didn’t mind that they had to make the contestants prepare Slowey’s breakfast. (Interesting to note, by the way, Anne doesn’t really eat that much, as evidenced by this piece in New York Magazine.)

Even the elimination is something that actually happens in a magazine: Create and write the contributor’s page. I just wish they paid attention to how the copy is written, if it’s something for Elle. Magazine publishing is a journalism job still, after all.

However, here’s bullshit # 1: They kept the über-bitchy one, Megan, and eliminated Arnaldo, the one that I think would be a better editor between them two. Again, I’m pretty—actually, very—sure that the producers had a hand in this. I mean, come on, Megan will provide delicious tension, and will most likely be Stylista’s Kenley Collins. Ratings!

Bullshit # 2: Joe Zee’s critique of what the contestants are wearing. Didn’t you find it funny that he said to Arnaldo that he looks like he’s working at a law office and has no creativity in his manner of dress when Zee himself is just wearing a suit? Whoop de doo, Mr. Hypocrite.

Still, his other comments were funny, like “Your boobs are spilling out all over my face.” Very smooth. Haha.

Does this mean I would no longer watch Stylista? Far from it. In fact, I’d miss the premiere broadcast of Top Chef New York just to see a new episode of Stylista every Wednesday. One, because I’m curious. Two, because it’s in my industry, and three, because it’s a new reality show. But you see, the problem with this and most reality-based job-search shows is simple: It’s never an accurate portrayal of how the business works. The winner, much like those who have been bagged “America’s Next Top Model” will probably enjoy a brief period of notoriety followed by everyone not caring for them. (I mean, ask yourself, have any of the winners of ANTM walked the runway of an actual high end label like Burberry during Fashion Week? The final showdown episode doesn’t count, as these are runway shows produced specifically to face the last 2 contestants off.)

I’m waiting for Wednesday...

Music Break:Day Break

2008-10-24T04:31:00.005-04:00

I'm almost done with my Stylista post. Will have it here by tomorrow.

For now, a song that I've been playing over and over again. Really fantastic, and performed by an obviously talented artist. If you've been following my blog, you'll know who I'm talking about.

Stylista Premieres Tonight!

2008-10-22T21:03:00.002-04:00

...and I'm definitely going to blog about it.

Runway Review: NY Spring 2009 Men's Collections

2008-10-22T19:11:00.005-04:00

Marc Jacobs returns quite often to his favorite era in fashion: grunge. Yes, it may have been the show that got him fired (it's one of the most celebrated cases of a brand kicking itself in the behind seeing as how Mr. Jacobs eventually built for himself a fashion brand while Perry Ellis, well, just stagnated), but we can't fault him for continually referencing something he's very familiar with.

For Spring 2009, his Marc by Marc Jacobs line offers the same grunge-sportswear-Euro styling that much of his customers like. Highlights are the shirts in two boldly contrasting colors paired with clam diggers (or extra long shorts, you decide); deep V-neck sweaters under muted cropped- and regular-length trenches; pork pie hats Pete Doherty would approve (he's still relevant?) and what I think is a nice styling choice—wearing two slim belts.

By the way, Mr. Jacobs came out of the show wearing a kilt. Will we see them on his runways soon, or it's just a personal statement on his part?

Photographs from men.style.com

Gouken Lives! And I’m Not Sure if I’m Happy

2008-10-16T15:31:00.001-04:00

Time for some video game blog-entary.

Refresher: Gouken (erroneously named Sheng Long Stateside—there’s no such character!) is the brother of Gouki (Akuma), son of Goutetsu (no U.S. name), and Ryu and Ken’s master. The official canon is that during the events of Street Fighter 1, while Ryu is competing in the tournament, Gouki came in to the dojo and challenged Gouken to a fight. According to Tiamat’s excellent SF plot guide, Ken witnessed part of the match, and saw his master get killed in Gouki’s hands. Gouken’s remains are buried near the Suzaku Castle (Ryu’s stage in a good number of Street Fighter games).

Now Street Fighter 4 comes along, an interquel between SF2 and SF3, and for some reason thought of reviving Gouken. Is Yoshinori Ono (the producer of the game) pulling all the stops to give SF4 the massive success that SF2 received during its time that he’s throwing everything but the kitchen sink in this game? I don’t know. But as it is, this is one—and probably just one of the few—addition to SF4 that I have mixed feelings about.

First, the good: EGM can no longer run an April Fool’s joke involving Gouken!

In terms of gameplay, Gouken moves a little differently compared to Ryu, Ken, even Gouki, preventing him from being just another Shoto-clone. (By the way, they practice Ansatsuken and not Shotokan Karate.) For one, he throws his fireballs with just one hand. His Tatsumaki Senpuu-Kyaku doesn’t go forward, but instead moves vertically. (The EX version of the same move behaves like Gouki’s Messatsu Gourasen Super Art.) His Saving Attack is the Joudan Soukotu Geri (Ryu’s new move in SF3), and his Ultra Combo is the Shin Shoryuken.

He’s actually quite badass from the videos that I’ve seen in YouTube. Sure, he doesn’t suffer from the SNK boss syndrome but he nevertheless appears that he hits hard.

Now, the bad. For what they’re worth, I follow canon of every video game I play. For instance, I know about the Highbornes of Warcraft, and the events that lead to the Night and High Elves living in separate worlds. I also know that M. Bison is actually inhabiting Rose’s body in SF2.

Resurrecting Gouken after the events of two series have transpired (SF Alpha and SF2) seriously messes up with the established canon. Did he rise from the grave? Why the heck would he keep his being alive secret from Ryu and Ken, who saw him as a father figure (especially Ryu—damn it, he’s a freaking orphan) after all these years? Will Gouki attempt to kill his brother once again, this time with a move that isn’t the Shun Goku Satsu? So many questions.

I’ll have to wait until Capcom releases its official retcon to see how they plan to merge the now-alive Gouken to the running canon, and fix the plot holes that this created. For now, I can’t wait to play him in the home version of SF4.

Dude, the Bargain Shopper: Fabrizio Moretti

2008-10-13T15:03:00.004-04:00

Drummer of the band The Stokes, and all-around nice dresser—in a rockstar kind of way.

All the items I got for Mr. Moretti are from H&M. I'm not sure of the USA prices of the pieces, so here's an estimate: jacket $70, cuff $15, T-shirt $15, belt $10, and pants $30

I'm very much interested in doing another Dude, the Bargain Shopper for Fabrizio, but I'm having problems finding a nice enough photo of him. If anyone has a better quality photograph, please send them my way.

Image of Fabrizio from a Google Images search.

Kristen Wiig is HILARIOUS!

2008-10-07T18:23:00.004-04:00

This one needs no introduction. One of the funniest skits in the current season of SNL.

The Stuff Freaky Dreams Are Made Of

2008-09-30T01:03:00.001-04:00

Have you ever had a dream so vivid, so remarkably familiar, so memorable that you swear that if you see it occur in real life, you’d be completely convinced that The Matrix really exists?

I had one last night, and believe me, it’s freakishly familiar.

I dreamt I was watching the 6th season of Bravo’s Project Runway. (Although, barring any more restraining orders and court orders, it will move to Lifetime for the said season; as well as head to Los Angeles from Parson’s in New York.) Well, not a complete episode. I just saw the runway show and the Q&A that follows after.

First, the runway looks exactly like the runway of seasons past. It’s still black, with a white sheet at the back that shows the silhouette of whoever’s behind it. The only difference is the Project Runway logo has been moved to the back of where the contestants are seated. (To the right of the TV screen.) There’s also the words “Los Angeles” below the PR logo. I don’t know why it’s there though.

There were only five people in the “show.” An unrecognizable judge that didn’t look like Michael Kors, Nina Garcia, or Heidi Klum; and Miley Cyrus (I’m guessing she’s the guest judge).

The remaining three were the models: The Jonas Brothers. They took quite a while modeling—they did fountains, one-after-the-others, moved all the way back, and then settled in the center for the Q&A. I said to myself, “Oh, cool, it’s a menswear challenge again.” But what’s so weird is that what the brothers were wearing looked exactly like the stuff they wore on a regular basis. (Those boys dress well—whoever their stylist is should get a raise.)

One Jonas, I don’t know the name, had to ask an assistant (I only saw a hand) to remove one very thick, very chunky scarf from his neck; because he came down on the runway with two. (In LA? Really?)

Then the Q&A. The judge was asking Miley what she thought of one of the Jonas’s ensemble. She said, “it’s not my thing.” I wondered out loud if Project Runway is now a stylist’s, not designer’s, competition.

Before I knew it, one Jonas was crying, then Miley was crying while saying undecipherable words, then before you know it, the other two guys were crying too. The judge was the only one who wasn’t welling up. I said, “Oh, come on!”

This was the time I woke up.

Runway Review: NY Spring 2009 Men's Collections

2008-09-29T03:25:00.018-04:00

If there's one thing that designers made clear this season, it is that they can't fool around so much. Times are hard, people are scrimping on the luxury, and fashion being a business still, the best—and probably the only—way to weather this climate is to bring out clothes that guarantee sales.

A very commercial vibe invaded the men's collections for NY Fashion Week, and I guess it's necessary, simply because of the abovementioned line of thought. It's not a bad thing, and I'm pretty sure those that went to the shows looking for some sort of fantasy or an escapist feeling that always pervades fashion shows will forgive the designers for this one season that they couldn't go too OTT.

Michael Kors, for one was in a very retro mood for his Thursday show. Retro is a favorite springboard of many designers. Could it be because those were bygone days filled with luxury and the feeling that everything is just swell that we so laboriously want to bring back? Only Mr. Kors knows for sure.

His show, much like every Michael Kors show, had very heavy Americana references—he goes to this so often that it's quickly becoming his signature. As the show progressed, you'll see peach jackets, neoprene swim gear with contrasting piping, even white trousers with printed fruits and flowers. Mr. Kors favored blue heavily, coloring his rain coats, blazers, and pants with it. Printed shirts were in white and slightly blousy, again to keep the wearer comfortable as he bakes (or perspires) under the Portofino sun.

There were hints of Thom Browne in his pants. Intentional or not, cropped pants were the preferred bottoms; some stopped higher to resemble clam diggers—though guys, no one can pull off clam diggers, no one.

William Rast, with its spokesperson Justin "Sexy Back" Timberlake, showed early in the week. Think of the William Rast man (from the way I perceived the show, at least) as someone who lives a very suburban, midwestern life that suddenly got a taste of the urban chaos and wanted the experience to last.

He'd wear denim jackets when out for a drink with friends; but he'd switch to a tan or brown blazer with curious, almost boxy, lapels for when he's on a date with Ms. America. There weren't any leaps or innovations on the show, but considering Mr. Timberlake's appeal to the general public, the clothes will no doubt fly off the shelves. When in doubt, I guess, offer your customers a full wardrobe.

(To be continued)

Photographs all from Vogue.co.uk / CondeNast.co.uk

Dude, the Bargain Shopper: John Mayer

2008-09-27T00:02:00.003-04:00

This photograph is over a year old (John still had hair then!) but I think it's a nice Fall outfit. Alexi Lubormiski shot him for GQ's August 2007 issue.

Jacket ($75) from Yes Style. Yes Style is a Korean shopping site with a lot of fantastic clothes that change practically every week. There's a gray variant of the jacket available.
T-shirt ($9) from Hanes.
Houndstooth pants ($29.90) from Heritage 1981.
Necklace ($12.90) from American Eagle Outfitters. It's not shown in this photograph, but if you check out the complete photo set from men.style.com, you'll see that he's wearing a necklace in the same outfit.
Sunglasses (GBP140 or $257) from Dior Homme. I say splurge. It's a nicely done pair of sunglasses.

Dude, the Bargain Shopper: Shayne Ward

2008-09-26T00:44:00.006-04:00

Let's cross over the Atlantic this time around. Shayne Ward is the winner of an American Idol-type contest, and has been enjoying considerable popularity in the UK. The guy resembles a bit of Jesse Bradford, don't you find?

Vest ($89) from Guess.
Black slim jeans ($40) from Topman. The link takes you to the USA store. They're currently offering free shipping to your first order.
Watch ($95) from Fossil.
Belt (GBP55 or about $100) from All Saints. The one Shayne has on looks so boring.
Black shirt (GBP60 or about $110) also from All Saints.

Dude, the Bargain Shopper: Chace Crawford

2008-09-26T00:06:00.006-04:00

Gossip Girl's Nate Archibald is the subject of this installment of Dude, the Bargain Shopper.

Oxford ($69.50) from Abercrombie and Fitch.
Pinstripe trousers ($39.50) from American Eagle Outfitters.
Argyle cardigan ($49.99) from Gap. I chose the cardigan over the half-zip sweater to better show off the layer underneath.
Striped necktie ($29.50) also from Gap.

Secret Questions (from Jess)

2008-09-21T12:39:00.001-04:00

You have to promise to answer them too, if you want to know the questions.

1. Jess S.
2. Diana M.
3. Josh P.
4. TJ R.
5. Ara F.
6. Nico A.
7. Ann Y.
8. Nina L.
9. Shayne G.
10. Bill R.
11. Miel V.
12. Diana M.
13. Georgina W.
14. Michiko H. / Marco B.
15. Lindsay L.
16. Nico A.
17. Aaron R.
18. Steph M.
19. Richard G.
20. Gabb D.
21. Jon M.
22. Brent J.
23. Carol P.
24. Carol P.!
25. Tanya G.
26. Raya P.
27. Miel V.
28. Anna R.
29. Karolina K.
30. I miss you / I really wanna have lunch with you / Can I pick you up at 7? / Let's hang out soon

I Don't Get It

2008-09-16T22:15:00.003-04:00

This is one of those things I don't get. It's meant to do just one thing: fry sunnyside-up eggs. The compact size of the pan makes too-spread-out eggs a thing of the past.

It's $10. And I couldn't wrap my head around the concept. For the same price, shouldn't I just buy a normal pan that I can use, you know, every freaking day? It's not like preventing the egg from spreading too thinly requires a lot of effort.

Sometimes we need specificity in our gadgets, but sometimes it's too specific that it's almost not worth the expense.

"Angels" Medley

2008-09-11T14:14:00.006-04:00

I promise this will be the last Brad Bass, Adam Fleming, or Bobby Cronin video link I'll post for this month. The mix of songs is just so superb--and Mr. Bass did the songs justice--it deserves to be propagated.

On a side note, this is also for those who lost their lives and those left behind to heal during the tragic events that happened in September 11th.

EDIT: To those who asked me what songs Brad Bass sung, here they are in order: "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan, "Angels" by Robbie Williams, "Reach the Sky" by Bobby Cronin, and "Defying Gravity" by Stephen Schwartz (one of the songs in the Wicked! musical).

Life's a Bitch Sometimes

2008-09-10T20:23:00.003-04:00

Zip-a-dee-doo-da, zip-a-dee-doo...

What an awesome day. Nothing could go wrong...

Oh, shi...

Splat!

Reach for the Sky

2008-09-09T02:51:00.007-04:00

It's official: I'm a Bobby Cronin fan. Brad Bass gives an inspiring performance of Cronin's "Reach for the Sky." Some lines can be a little granola and maybe corny, but when the showmanship is this great, you tend to forgive and excuse them.

Is anything ever the way they seem?
Is life just a passing of wasted dreams?
I don't know, I can't tell
Why the hell do I dwell?
One thing's flawlessly well
Yes, I try to get by
Without discovering why

Hold on everything's going too far
Cast off, it's how I feel
Let go, everything is like I'm on hold
Although I wish I could fly
One day I will fly

Is anyone ever the way they seem?
Is life just a hoax or a broken dream?
I don't know, I'm not sure
Open the door, what's in store?
Inside I know there's more
But then why do I try?
Not to let life whisk by

Slow down everything's going too fast
Run down, it's how I feel
Let go, everything is like I'm on hold
Although I think I can fly
I'm ready to fly high

I know I can reach the sky
And if I crash
I'll swim through life's changing tides
I know I will triumph fast
And I'll walk tall
I'll walk with a perfect stride, for the pride
Feeling alive, knowing I tried, knowing I could, knowing I'm good
My centric life is better than it seems
My life will not befall a wasted dream
Now I know I can see
Look my way I am free
I am finally free
I will not be that guy who lets his life whisk by

I know I can reach the sky
And if I crash
I'll swim through life's changing tides
I know I will triumph fast
And I'll walk tall
I'll walk with a perfect stride, for the pride
Now I'm alive, yes I'll try,
Yes I should, yes I'm good, yes I am, yes I can
I can, I know I can fly

Welcome to my life 4x

[Renditions vary from performer to performer, this one is specifically for Bass's. But I opted to change "I know I will drown fast" with "I know I will triumph fast" because it fits better with the rest of the lyrics.]

The Right Way to Celebrate Your Brand

2008-09-09T02:14:00.004-04:00

Tim Blanks is never the type who’d sound really bitchy in his reviews for Men.style.com. So when I read several of his notes for New York Fashion Week, I was a little taken aback about how he’s serving up a bit of a bitch fit to at least 1 label: DKNY.

Here are several snippets from his men.style.com post:

“DKNY’s 20th anniversary should ideally offer a prime opportunity to reflect on the evolution of men's style in the city the label celebrates, but it's actually been a pretty random journey.”

“Back in the day...much more sophisticated than the callow youngsters who wore the clothes on today's catwalk.”

“Donna herself was talking about turning young guys onto ties and a slightly more formal approach to dressing, but these DKNY men seem to have relapsed—they were virtually tieless and resolutely low-key.”

“Casual and easy, it was actually the way most men might care to dress in their downtime, which has always been the canny core of DKNY's menswear. After 20 years, not much has changed.”

Ms. Karan, who celebrates 20 years in the industry this season (I think?) brought out a collection of very relaxed, un-stuffy menswear. Not a bad thing per se, but isn’t it weird that for something as momentous as this, you give your most loyal fashion audience, clothes that didn’t seem like it took much effort in designing and producing? 

Granted, she may have just paid homage to the silhouette and the attitude that has defined the DKNY man for the past 2 decades, but for me, there’s a difference between re-updating what has been a signature and just rehashing them. Unfortunately, from what I saw in Ms. Karan’s runway this morning, it’s the latter, and that’s a sad proposition to be in.

Look, it may be contested still up to now, but I think Tom Ford’s final collection for Gucci last Fall 2004 set the bar on how you look into the past, pay its due respects, and forge the way to a bright future. Until the end of his illustrious career at Gucci, he was in every way, a designer and a showman.

(For those who don’t closely follow fashion, Mr. Ford was hired to resurrect the then-ailing luxury brand. Some many years later, Gucci is on top of everyone’s mind when it comes to forward-thinking clothes, curiously controversial advertising campaigns, and well, the living proof that sex indeed sells. He parted ways with the Gucci group after disagreements.)

His finale collection could have been just what we saw at DKNY this season: Archives thrown on the runway for models to wear—and for the editors seated to relish and enjoy. But he didn’t just rest on the fantastic tailoring and styling that he’s known for, he celebrated everything that the Gucci label meant to him: Sexy sophisticated clothing, with a playboy-sharp point of view. That’s what he gave to the people who witnessed the end of an era at Gucci, and it left everyone with a smile on their faces and awe at how well Mr. Ford knows his shit.

Back to DKNY. While it is great to sit back, relax, and savor the many years that DKNY has been a part of the New York mindset, isn’t it also great to offer a look of things to come? Maybe instead of the normal sneakers worn with a suit look that she favored so much, an awesome shirt of quirky detailing (designers for fall, for instance, embellished their shirts with Tuxedo details) or a fantastic wingtip would have made for a stronger impact—and a terrific preview of the next 20 years of DKNY.

Unfortunately, the show stopped at the past.

Curiously, Banana Republic did a better job at celebrating its 30 years in the business. The classic khaki trench coat was re-issued in a slimmer proportion; cotton chinos fit slimmer in the leg; and three-piece suits are made with lightweight wool instead of the heavy ones that could overwhelm a lithe guy.

[Photographs are courtesy of men.style.com]

Magic Kingdom Ride Review: The Haunted Mansion

2008-09-08T18:26:00.004-04:00

(I apologize I didn't get to follow-up on my Disney Hollywood Studios post! I kind of lost interest. But don't worry, there will be future theme park coverages.)

The Haunted Mansion – My favorite ride in the park, in fact, I think this is my favorite ride in the entirety of Walt Disney World, just because the presentation, effects, and experience are all in sync you never tire of riding—and falling in line again and again—the Haunted Mansion.

There are two pre-show “creeps” in the Haunted Mansion, the first one in the fireplace, where you see a portrait of a middle-aged man. While hearing a creepy monologue from Paul Frees about circumstances when ghosts are around, you see the face in the portrait change from a normal human being to a creepy skeleton. This video captures the mood perfectly:

Second pre-show is the stretching room. First you see four portraits of former guests in their “corruptible, mortal states.” Paul Frees introduces himself as your host, your Ghost Host (creepy AND sets the mood awesomely.) Then something happens—the portraits seem to expand, and the room with it. Is it just your imagination? Or are there supernatural, ghostly forces to blame? Eventually, you see the fate of your Ghost Host, and you’re ushered to your Doom Buggies—the vehicles that will bring you to the world beyond that of mortal men.

Check this video out to get a feel of these 2 pre-show creeps.

Once a cast member ushers you into your own Doom Buggy—the Haunted Mansion version of the omnimover system, the magic of Disney animatronics, plus a few special effects equals an eight-minute experience.

The first part of the ride doesn’t show you ghosts or ghouls, instead, you see paintings that seem to change when lightning illuminates them. A woman’s portrait becomes Medusa, a Napoleon-inspired masterpiece transforms to his skeletal self, a ship becomes a ghostly viking ship, and another woman posing seductively curiously looks like a cat-woman (or Jaguar-woman, whichever feline is better).

Then you’re brought to the library, where ghost writers and their ghost stories chose to reside. Their heads seem to follow the direction where you’re going. And you hear the stair lift creek as if someone’s atop, but you don’t see anything.

Who knew that this was actually a rest house even for humans? But in here, you play by the Ghost host’s rules. And unfortunately, the guests haven’t had much luck with escaping this ghoulish mansion. You’ll hear clacking doors, door knobs that won’t budge, and coffins that won’t open.

Next, you come face to face with Madame Leota herself. As your Ghost Host admits, she has a remarkable head for materializing the disembodied. For a few seconds, she’ll chant and invoke spirits to join you in your journey to the world beyond. You’ll hear tambourines sound and bells ring as each of her creepy incantations are made manifest.

Your Ghost Host will leave you for a while, because he’s going to meet his friends that are no longer, well, of this world. You’ll see a vast ballroom where a huge group of ghosts gather, mingle, dance, and drink (that is, if they have stomachs that can digest them). This is the single coolest highlight of the entire ride. Who knew that clever placements of the Pepper’s Ghost effect could produce such an amazing vision?

The attic scene comes next, where you’ll find several In Memoriams of someone who curiously looks like the same woman. Ooohh...psycho killer anyone? Turns out, she’s a ghost, too. And she’s looking for her next husband-that-was.

Finally, no visit to the supernatural realm is ever complete without a journey to where the departed are put to rest: The graveyard. Interestingly enough, your presence stirred them up and have made them quite an excited bunch. Be prepared to be sang at!

Before you leave, the Ghost Host has a parting gift for you: A ghostly companion that will follow you home. And with it, ends the 10-minute awesomeness that is the Haunted Mansion.

Truthfully, it’s more fun and entertaining than it is ghastly and spooky, but kids might get freaked out since the ride happens in the dark. I recommend repeat ridings just so you can fully appreciate how well-designed, thought-out, and well-executed this ride is. It’s perfect, too, as an inspiration point for this coming Halloween. (A ghostly bride that will scare a few of the kids who go trick-or-treating?) 10/10

If you won't be in Florida anytime soon, here's a complete ride-through. Enjoy!

My Fool-Proof Fall Outfit

2008-09-06T02:10:00.003-04:00

Although Fall won't arrive on our doorsteps until maybe another month (there are still big chances of 90-degree days the entire of September, as I was told), I'm already in the process of pulling out all my cold-weather garb again.

Back home, I didn't get much opportunity to wear jackets and, actually, pretty much any sort of outerwear, as the weather doesn't permit it. (Unless you work in a call center, where I heard temperatures can get pretty low.)

This brown Zara military-style jacket was from Fall-Winter 2007, and I've lusted for it ever since I saw it on the racks. But because I couldn't find ample opportunities to wear it should I buy it (the lining and outer shell are pretty thick, mind you), the jacket only got to touch my skin inside fitting rooms.

Nothing changed, until January 2008, when Zara went on sale, slashing as much as 50 percent off cold-weather merchandise.

I wasn't expecting to see it again, truly. When the branch of Zara I went to no longer had it on display, I assumed it was already sold. But by some stroke of fate, I went to another branch, one that didn't have it previously at regular retail price, and saw it. The jacket stood out from the pile of stuff on sale, it was as if I was meant to find it and the attractive markdown that accompanied it. I went home a happy guy.

I only got to wear it once the entire time I was in the Philippines, on my last day at work. Even then, I couldn't wear it longer than an hour or so, because it really was hot under all that cloth. Regardless, it was the first thing I put in my suitcase when the time came that I had to sort out those that I would bring with me to the United States.

Now that I know I'll have more reasons to wear this awesome jacket, I'm giving it my stylist's treatment by building an outfit around it. This is rather casual, so only wear this during the weekends with a thin scarf. Or if your office is pretty relaxed dress-code-wise, put on a nice pair of laceups and opt for darker-rinse jeans to liven up the look.

Zara jacket, Hanes T-shirt, Defacto jeans

Vector Art

2008-09-05T16:40:00.003-04:00

Obviously, these are beginner-level art using Illustrator. But bear with me. Everyone starts out somewhere, after all.

Splurging Is Good for Your Health

2008-09-05T01:29:00.003-04:00

This came from Wall Street Journal, but when I read it, I looked around the website if there's an "Article Sponsored by American Express" credit anywhere. I mean, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that the reason we feel good about a splurge is the biological rush we get from it. And it's total human genetic makeup to feel like he's not living his life to the fullest and regret missing opportunities.

Anyway, here's the article, reproduced in full.

---------------

SPLURGING IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

Buying overpriced indulgences may feel good in the short term, but you pay the price later. Or at least that’s the conventional wisdom.

But a study by a couple of business-school professors says splurging now makes you happier later. Even more surprising: Not splurging now gives you pangs of regret later.

Anat Keinan, an assistant professor at Harvard Business School, and Ran Kivetz, a professor of marketing at Columbia Business School, make their case for the vice lifestyle in an article in the Harvard Business Review.

One of their studies polled college students and alumni on the subject of spring breaks. Regret about not having spent more money or traveling during breaks increased with time, whereas regret about not having worked, studied, or saved money during breaks decreased with time.

The authors write: “We saw a similar pattern in a study of how businesspeople perceived past choices between work and pleasure. Over time, those who had indulged felt less and less guilty about their choices, whereas those who had been dutiful experienced a growing sense of having missed out on the pleasures of life.” (As the old saying goes, nobody dies saying “I wish I’d spent more time at the office.”)

The authors also did a study of mall shoppers, asking about their regret about buying an expensive item of clothing. Those who anticipated short-term regret bought less-expensive items, while those who anticipated long-term regret splurged. “Thinking about short-term regret drives consumers to be virtuous, while thinking about long-term regret leads them to be extravagant,” the authors write.

Luxury-goods makers, of course, will eat this up. I can see the slogan now: “Luxury: It’s Good for Life.” Or “Cartier: You’ll be sorry you didn’t.” Whether luxury is good for your finances is another matter. (Nobody goes bankrupt saying “I wish I’d spent more on Gucci bags).

Wealth Report readers, what do you think? Do the long-term benefits of indulgence outweigh the short-term risks of regret?

Til Death Do Us Part

2008-09-01T19:05:00.004-04:00

And here's a very sweet one that will sound great as a wedding song.

It's lovely because it talks about how awkward expressing one's feelings towards another is.

B.R.A.T.T. Camp Music

2008-09-01T15:06:00.004-04:00

In the post prior to this, I posted a YouTube video of one of the songs performed in Bobby Cronin's musical, B.R.A.T.T. Camp. I haven't seen it myself, but I found the songs catchy.

This one has been enjoying repeat iTunes play on my iBook, much like Welcome to My Life. Enjoy!

Welcome to My Life

2008-08-31T13:00:00.008-04:00

I fondly remember a project I had to painfully endure in high school, for music class. Well, each one of us had to sing in front of everyone, with a song of our choice. Our grade was based on not just vocal prowess (which meant us guys with a less-than-appealing music box stuck in our throats already were in trouble) but on—curiously enough—showmanship. Meaning, you can suck at the singing part, but if you gesticulate wildly and act like it's a one-man show on Broadway, you can still walk away with an A.

I had delusions of grandeur, say the least, and opted for a mellow ballad, you know, so I could finish the song without my voice grating. The "What were you thinking?" moment came when instead of bringing in prerecorded music—which is what 95 percent of the class did—I chose to learn its chords on a freaking organ.

Note, before that project came into our laps, I had no idea how to play the organ, nor did I care enough to give it a try. My rehearsal was very mechanical, as if I'm memorizing Mathematical formulas (okay, this part, your fingers should be this way and touching this, this, and this key) because it was the best way I know how to learn to play without having to go through the basics. So when I eventually memorized the final set of notes for the very last word, I thought I was set.

But life being life, it never is that simple.

Let's just say that come "performance" time, I choked, panicked, forgot the lines, and worst, it was painfully obvious that I had no clue how to play an organ—and the people seated in the front row of the class knew and understood that fact all too well. I barely made it with a passing C grade.

After that fateful day, I squashed all hopes of learning to play a musical instrument; and vowed never to let my delusions of actually singing for an audience get the better of me.

If I would be given the chance to do it again, however, I would gladly sing the main lead's part in this video. But instead, I'll just have somebody else provide the music, and use the recorded material for the girl's part.

Warning: Lyrics contain profanity and adult subjects.

My Life According to Google

2008-08-24T12:26:00.003-04:00

A real entertaining thing to do on a lazy Sunday morning, from Jess.

Type in the following and choose the first choice (that makes sense) that appears on the list

1) Type in "[your name] needs" in Google search:
-- Myron needs help.
(Nyahahaha! I'm going coo-coo!)

2) Type in "[your name] looks like" in Google search:
-- Myron, looks like the majority of the posters want you to take your messy message and, SHOVE IT!
(No thanks. No poster will ever be in the vicinity of my hiney bottom, thank you.)

3) Type in "[your name] likes" in Google search:
-- Myron likes to write
(Ah. My life.)

4 ) Type in "[your name] says" in Google search:
-- Myron says stop.

5) Type in "[your name] wants" in Google search:
-- Myron wants out pictures from dogs photos on webshots
(Photo album name, obvs.)

6) Type in "[your name] does" in Google search:
-- Myron does not have contacts at this time.
(I'm out of the social networking loop.)

7) Type in "[your name] hates" in Google search:
-- Myron hates renewable energy.
(Touché.)

8) Type in "[your name] goes" in Google search:
-- Myron goes into the stands and moves among the fans providing impromptu comedy
(Ooooh. As much as I'd like to think I'm good at improv/impromptu, I really honestly would rather be a spectator (and hopefully not the focus of the attention of the ones doing the sketch).)

9) Type in "[your name] loves" in Google search:
-- Myron loves mom Dog T-shirt
(Heh. It's not enough that guys get "I love mom" tattooed on their 'ceps, now we gotta subject dogs to this, too.)

10) Type in"[your name] is" in Google search:
-- Myron is a mild-mannered guy who drinks chocolate soda and until very recently lived at home with his parents in suburban New Jersey.
(This is _so_ spot-on, minus the mild-mannered part. Love choc'lit soda and I live with my 'rents in the suburbs of New Jersey. Cool!)

Fall 2008 Buyers' Guide

2008-08-19T18:02:00.009-04:00

Dude, the Bargain Shopper: James McAvoy

2008-08-09T15:15:00.006-04:00

Rumored to follow in the footsteps (literally) of Elijah Wood as The Lord of the Ring's Frodo, James McAvoy is most recently seen on the big screen as Wesley in the movie adaptation of Wanted.

This is, in Dude, the Bargain Shopper's opinion, a nicely styled image perfect for the coming Fall season.

Dude, the Bargain Shopper recommends:

Double breasted overcoat from Topman (80 GBP or $155). A car coat in the same pattern—minus the epaulets and the belt—is available for $1960 (not exactly a candidate for Dude, the Bargain Shopper) at Alexander McQueen.

V-neck T-shirt from American Apparel ($19). Not quite the color, but is close enough. Try the Sea Foam or Mint color as well.

Coated denim from Armani Exchange ($125). Straight-leg denim with a slightly slim fit. Nice contrast with the roomy trench.

Obviously you won't go out barefoot, unless you're a barefooter. The white low tops in the Armani Exchange photograph works with the rest of the outfit.

James McAvoy photo from a Google Images search. Unsure about original source.

Waiting with Bated Breath for Stylista...or not

2008-08-06T00:05:00.006-04:00

If there's one show I'm really, extremely, awaiting its Fall unveiling, it's Tyra Banks's Stylista. I just saw the teaser at the CW website and I have to say, it's shaping up to be a joke reality show.

Sigh, trust Ms. Banks to wreck an otherwise interesting Reality TV concept.

Fall 2008 Preview

2008-08-05T16:26:00.003-04:00

I'll post my own Fall Buyer's Guide soon, but in the meantime, the awesome folks at men.style.com have this:

My Life in Men’s Health

2008-07-26T01:53:00.005-04:00

Well, I guess it’s already as official as can be: I’m no longer with Men’s Health Philippines. It was a fun, sometimes frustrating, sometimes infuriating, sometimes extremely rewarding ride. In short, my life in Men’s Health is everything I look for in a job.

To put closure in my tenure in the magazine (maybe in the future I’ll come back, but let’s leave that thought for now), I decided to condense my life in appreciable chunks so anyone who didn’t know what I do can sort of understand what I did while in the magazine.

Ready? Here we go...

Years in MH: Exactly 3 years (March 2005 – March 2008)

Number of editors I was under: 2 (Jeryc Garcia and Agu Paiso)

Number of colleagues (not including interns and contributors): 9–Jeryc and Agu, Carol Pajaron, Jomike del Rosario, Omar Glenn Belo, Mike Diez, Jad Melegrito, Raymond Abrenica, and Glen Concio (Glen’s the only remaining “original 3”)

Number of titles I held: 2 (Editorial Assistant and Assistant Section Editor)

Number of pages in the magazine I edited monthly: All of them, minus the ads

“Pet” section: MH Style. (The fashion and grooming pages were always mine to put together, edit, and style.)

Number of provinces—not counting Metro Manila, of course—I’ve been to for photoshoots: 7 (Subic, Bulacan, Batangas, Tagaytay, Boracay, Baguio, and Cebu)

Of those 7, number that was my first time: 1 (Cebu was the only place I haven’t been to prior)

Favorite cover: Jake Cuenca, followed by Dingdong Dantes, and then Dennis Trillo

Favorite foreign cover: Paul Walker

Favorite celeb editorial: Richard Gutierrez (Richard Gutierrez had a cover, but it’s for the Guide to Style special, so I don’t count that as a “cover” cover)

Favorite fashion editorial: Coat of Charms (August 2007), Tall Order (February 2007), and Fresh Perspectives (May 2008)

Favorite MH guys: Brent Javier, Luke Jickain, Gabb Drilon, Jon Mullally (now Avila) and Alfred Vargas

Favorite MH woman: Joyce Jimenez, hands down

Favorite MH story: Simplify your life

Favorite local MH story: Exit Strategies (MH Philippines November 2007, written by Ben Hernandez)

Favorite MH event: MH Urbanathlon

Favorite MH story that I wrote: The Spa Excursion (August 2006), The MH Grooming Awards (September 2007), 85 Best Foods for Men (May 2007), and Ahead of the Game (November 2007)

Least favorite fashion editorial: Merrier Than Thou (won’t say which month—but the title of the story kinda would tip you off, no?)

Longest-to-shoot fashion editorial: The MH Style Essentials (September 2005), 10AM – 9PM, and there were only 8 looks!

Favorite place to pull clothes for fashion eds: Glorietta and Greenbelt, although I started enjoying TriNoma several months before I left the magazine. Power Plant Mall only for Zara.

Priciest label I’ve pulled clothes from: Louis Vuitton

Favorite brands / labels to pull clothes from: Debenhams, Zara, Chivalry is Dead, Dean & Trent, Traffic, Springfield, and Celio

Fastest fashion editorial: April 2008 (2 hours)

Favorite item of clothing shown in my fashion editorials: Jackets and any form of outerwear—I know, I know, mainit. Whatever.

I’ll add some more soon!

By the way, I'm featured in Dean & Trent's profiles for this week. Thanks, Timmy, for the opportunity. I enjoyed answering your questions a lot!

Dude, the Bargain Shopper: Christian Bale

2008-07-15T22:25:00.006-04:00

Christian Bale is best known for his fantastic portrayal of Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, and next week's The Dark Knight. I think he's the only actor able to capture Mr. Wayne's dark, brooding demeanor perfectly.

Dude, the Bargain Shopper recommends:
Suit jacket from Topman (GBP 80, about $160) – I made the suit more gray than blue; if I didn't, there'll be waaay too much blue that it might look like a leisure suit when paired with the denim shirt.

Dress trousers from Topman (GBP 40, about $75)

Denim shirt from Land's End ($29.50)

Shoes from Aldo ($74.98)

Christian Bale's photograph courtesy of fanpix.net.

P.S. Think I'm featuring too easy styles? Leave a comment containing a link of a photo of the celeb you want featured at Dude, the Bargain Shopper. I'll accommodate as much submissions as I can.

The Road to (Project) Runway

2008-07-11T22:05:00.015-04:00

As much of urbanized America readies itself for Project Runway Season 5 (the Bravo TV show has been doing very well in the ratings game), let my review of one PR episode tide you over (haha). No, I like the show, but I can’t really relate to 90 percent of its content, as they all make womenswear. But Episode 3 of Season 4 brought about the first ever menswear challenge for all the designers, and it turned out to be an interesting show. And I mean this positively and negatively.

Recap: The designers—and there were still plenty of them—were tasked to make an outfit for Tiki Barber, an NFL player and Today Show host. Like many football players, he’s top heavy and—according to him—owner of some serious derriere. Many of the designers haven’t made men’s clothing all their designing careers, and have, not surprisingly, found it difficult to accomplish this challenge.

Now, as much as I loved the idea—menswear is my forte, and it’s nice all of the contestants send down men’s clothes down at PR—there’s one thing that doesn’t work well here. And that one thing is so pivotal that it ruins the intention of the show.

That one thing, ladies and gents, is Mr. Tiki Barber himself.

Don’t get me wrong, nothing is wrong with the guy (and his wife, man, was smoking hot!) but he was a really bad choice for a Project Runway client, because he doesn’t fit into the show’s scope and milieu. Sure PR has done unconventional—at least in the fashion sense—episodes in the past, calling to mind having their moms model for them, women who’ve lost weight, teenagers headed for their prom, but to do something as radical as having the designers do menswear, they should’ve at least stuck into the fashion spectrum. Go have Tiki guest in the next installment of the menswear challenge.

Heidi said it herself, commenting on Kevin’s outfit: “David Beckham would wear that, but not Tiki.” Exactly why I think this episode blows. Tiki was all about what’s prim and proper (and quite frankly, boring, but that’s Mr. Barber for you) and you can absolutely see this on the winner. Give the designers someone like David Beckham, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kanye West, heck, anyone who has shown that they’re into fashion one way or another!

With this in mind, I’m reviewing the clothes without the pretext of having to design for Tiki Barber, because a lot of them sent down some pretty interesting—and editorial-worthy—pieces.

If I may quote from Heidi once more, Let’s start the show!

Carmen: She lost this challenge I think only because she didn’t finish. The styling was particularly interesting as it showed a very bohemian, artsy man, and there’s an audience for these types of dressers. The crotch was way too low as pointed by Michael Kors, but the jacket seems fine had Carmen finished it, and the shirt fabric she just draped gave the illusion of a nice scarf, and it’s a good accessory right there.

If I may betray what I said about not referencing Tiki, it’s funny how they bashed Carmen on the fact that the jacket’s short, exposing Mr. Barber’s ass for everyone to see. Uh, don’t women like to see that?

Chris: Yes, it’s boring, but he designed for the client. But since I’m not critiquing with the client in mind, I can say this: It’s boring. Black on black on black is always a safe option, and safe options are never cool for me.

It did have one saving grace, though. When the model walked down the runway with those awesome sunglasses, man, I though he was in a Parisian fashion show. Chris made very good styling choices—slick-back hair, aviator style shades, narrow-toe loafers—that complemented the outfit.

Christian: One of the strongest looks. Christian’s obviously talented, I just didn’t expect him to do very well in this challenge. The lapel of the blazer might be too high, ergo, wrongly made, but it still is a wearable blazer—I would not be surprised if SoHo types would wear this. The undershirt also is made well even though it’s only a cotton T-shirt, and the pants draped well.

Elisa: Well done and styled, but again, it’s not for Tiki. I particularly like the vest and its un-even bottom. The pants are a little too baggy though, and it doesn’t sync with the shirt and vest, but nonetheless, executed nicely.

Jack: Striped shirt and striped pants. That’s about everything that’s going on in Jack’s creation. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice, but I could hear Nina Garcia muttering behind Tiki’s back: “I can’t believe I let this bitch talk me into making this boring outfit win.”

Now, this is exactly what menswear should be, which explains the win: It’s tailored, it fits real well, and it addresses the concerns of the 5’9” footballer. But since when was fashion ever stuck in stone when it comes to rules?

Jillian: Could some please tell me why this didn’t win, apart from the godawful shoes? (Jillian, you’re extremely talented, but I wonder why you would ruin a perfectly awesome outfit with the worst possible choice of footwear.) Oh yeah, it’s because it’s for the Today Show, and not Bryant Park. Sigh. Did anybody notice that she put the most effort out of all the designers this episode for the simple fact that she made 4 pieces? That’s 4 things she made a pattern of, sewed together with precision only an experienced designer could do (as Michael would say, it’s impeccable), and fits her model so perfectly.

But I'm beginning to dislike the collar. Put the damn things inside the jacket for god's sake.

This outfit, out of all of Jillian’s work, is my favorite. Biased, fine, but just look at it. It has Jillian stamped all over it: She makes preppy clothes with just the right dose of hip. Even though she didn’t win PR, it wouldn’t surprise me if she’d go places.

Kevin: He should’ve tucked the shirt. That’s all I can say. Another strong contender for the win, the shirt color is amazing, despite what Heidi said, the texture on the vest and the trousers are phenomenal, and it’s very edgy. I’d wear this in a heartbeat. But I’d tuck the shirt.

Kit: This is what suburban dads would look like if they dress up, or are in church. Minus the cliché look of the entire thing, you can totally take everything and wear them individually. Michael Kors was right to compliment her on choosing fleece as the fabric for the blazer, a cotton jacket would immediately register as “ho-hum.” Kit’s a stylist, and she knows her shit dressing up people for TV, and here’s a great example of it.

Rami: I like this very much, but I wouldn’t wear it. It has a bit of a Macy’s or JC Penny catalog written all over it. It’s not a bad thing per se, but I personally despise catalog looks. It would totally appeal to the 30-somethings looking for something to wear for a weekend expedition where T-shirt and jeans would not cut it.

Oh, and on the snide remark to Jack that he made his pants without the help of a pattern? Who’s laughing now? Next time, STFU, dumbass.

Ricky: Bleh. Between Carmen and this hideous piece of shit, I’d take the former any day. Ricky won by a technicality: That Carmen sent cloth, not clothing.

Steven: Excellent output. Crotch is too low, but minus that, a strong showing. The model even looked like this was what he was wearing coming in to Parson’s. (I don’t know, he looked pretty British to me.) I’m a big fan of well-thought-out layering, and Steven definitely showed how to pile on the clothes without looking frumpy or suman-esque. (Non-Filipinos, suman is a sticky rice snack shaped like pop-tarts. They’re usually eaten by themselves or with a generous sprinkling of sugar.)

Sweet P: Hate this. The pants ride him too high, the shirt’s a mess, and the tie wasn’t even tied properly. If Sweet P fixed the model’s tie, the judges might not have paid too much attention to the fact that the collar’s unfinished. But she instead sent a freaking long tie and cared nothing for the world if they made every menswear stylist cry.

Oh, and the shirt and trousers intersected so obviously that the model looks like he has a beer belly while having a 29-inch waist. That's not even freaking possible, man.

Victorya: The second one, next to Kevin, that I would wear in a heartbeat. I particularly like the white jacket. (I’m not sure if it was done blazer- or blouson-style. Maybe it was a hybrid.) I didn’t get Victorya when she said she didn’t like what she did, but she might’ve won this challenge had she presented this look for someone else.

This demonstrates one of the most fundamental rules of fashion: To always add something interesting.

Images: BravoTV.com

First The Fashion Spot Article!

2008-07-09T20:42:00.003-04:00

Awesomeness! :)

Menswear Closet Makeover: Fall 2008

No Shit, Sherlock

2008-07-09T13:08:00.001-04:00

Forget Gossip, girl; the Buzz is About the Clothes

Dude, The Bargain Shopper: Ed Westwick

2008-07-05T03:22:00.007-04:00

I've always wanted to do something like this. Hopefully, I'll be able to sustain it. Dude, The Bargain Shopper is exactly what it says it is: A shopping guide for guys out there who—whether they want to admit it or not—look at what celebs put on to look fly and reproduce it with the stuff from their own repertoire.

Each Dude, The Bargain Shopper post works this way: a photograph of a celeb, then a similar outfit suggestion pulled from various online stores (US only, or has the option to ship in the US). Seventy-five percent of the clothing suggestions will be cheap (thus the name Bargain Shopper), and the remaining 25 splurge purchases.

However, note that I don't take responsibility for any damages that might've incurred through your transaction.

Ready? The first Dude, The Bargain Shopper post looks at a photo of Ed Westwick, an English actor in The CW's hit show Gossip Girl. Very summer-appropriate outfit and looks great on most guys.

Dude, The Bargain Shopper recommends:

Straw fedora from Village Hat Shop

Shirt from Gap (there's another shirt at the site in the same color as Mr. Westwick's, but this one comes closer in terms of pattern)

Sunglasses from Aeropostale

Shorts from Old Navy. I didn't go too crazy on the pattern for the shorts, as pattern-on-pattern is something not a lot of guys could pull off.

And our splurge: flipflops from Paul Smith.

Ed Westwick's photograph courtesy of edwestwick.org

Disney's Hollywood Studios

2008-07-03T06:19:00.002-04:00

First on our stop was the park formerly known as MGM Studios. (I have no idea why they dropped MGM and took on Hollywood instead.) This was supposed to compete against Universal Studios Florida in terms of having a park that has dozens of tie-ins with films and movies from their movie production outfits. It’s a rather small park, and you can accomplish everything you need to do here in a day.

Here’s the breakdown of the attractions the park has on offer. If there’s not much (or at all) that can be said about the park (not a bad thing sometimes), I’ll just jump right ahead to the next one.

Rock’n’Roller Coaster with Aerosmith – This is the first inverted roller coaster in the entire Disneyworld chain of parks, I think. This ride casts you as an Aerosmith Groupie that will follow the band on a wild nighttime ride around Sunset Boulevard—complete with neon signs and freeway speed notices (like rockstars heed speed limits anyway, heh). What I like about the preride entertainment is how well-done the scene is. It’s not boring, unlike Epcot’s Honey I Shrunk the Audience show—will expand on this when I get to Epcot. You really feel like you’re in the Groupies booth, waiting for whatever awesomeness the band has in store.

On to the ride proper. Man oh man was it fun. And I mean FUN. Once the countdown ends, your car goes from zero to 60mph in 2-something seconds (pose for the camera on the upper right hand side a second after the ride starts!) and you get plunged in total darkness for the duration of the ride. Well, save for the abovementioned neon signs and freeway notices, which momentarily illuminates the tracks, but for the most part, you’ve no clue where you’re going. I don’t know how many doughnuts and corkscrews there were (I just scream and scream it’s not even funny anymore) but I’m pretty sure I felt at least one each. Fastpass enabled, and I recommend you get one as early as you can. 9/10

Tower of Terror – I chickened out of this ride when I was a kid. Now, I was the first to fall in line (for Fastpasses: We got them at 10am and it was already for the 4pm return). Pretty straightforward ride. You ride an elevator to a condemned hotel, see the guests running around back when the hotel was still in its glorious days, then a sequence begins that you’re being transported to the 5th dimension—the Twilight Zone. After a few moments of darkness, the ride then proceeds to drop you at random intervals. The camera on the upper left side takes your photograph on the second and third drops, I think. Your cue that your photo’s being taken is if the door opens up and you see a view of the park (or the sky, whichever the case may be)—and this is also the time you fall. Tip: Don’t bother holding on something. Your butt will leave your seat several times and there’s nothing you can do about it. Thrilling ride and worth the wait. The cast members are pretty into the freaky hotel employees bit, too, which adds to the great ambience. 9/10

Beauty and Beast Live on Stage – I didn’t get the chance to catch the Broadway run of my all-time favorite Disney toon (boo for Little Mermaid), thus there was no way I’d pass this up. It’s a 20-minute condensed presentation of the musicale, and tells the tale pretty thoroughly even for those who haven’t seen the film. Great costumes and superb acting, worth the wait. Be sure to check out the show times, as there are certain days when there are only three performances. 10/10

The Great Movie Ride – A slow-moving ride that goes through unforgettable scenes from movies past, like Casablanca, Fastest Gun on the West,even Aliens. Ends with a montage of classic films and the actors and actresses that remains memorable up to this day. Some scenes are pretty dragging, but nevertheless a good in-between ride. It’s even totally indoors, to stave you from the scorching sun. 7/10

Star Tours – This one is beginning to show its age, unfortunately. I rode this simulator last 1995, and 13 years later nothing has changed. A little disappointing that it hasn’t caught up with the times. 5/10

Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular – Don’t bother getting Fastpasses for this one. The auditorium seats a ginormous amount of people. This exhibition shows audiences what goes on behind the scenes of action movies, from carefully coordinated stunts and choreographed pyrotechnics, to synchronized sound effects and the right camera angles. Very entertaining, although it could use less of the chit-chat before and after each scene. They get 10 or so volunteers from the audience, so be sure to raise your hand! 8/10

Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3D – An immersive show feature Kermit and the gang. Nice breather and is worth a laugh or two. 8/10

Light, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show – A 30-minute show involving stunt cars and even more stunt cars. Like Indiana Jones, Light, Motors, Action gives the audience a look at what goes on in the making of a car chase sequence. You’ll find out how much different stunt cars are from regular ones, how they choreograph the braking and accelerating of each vehicle, and more. If you’re a fan of fast cars, you’ll feel the adrenaline rush here. Otherwise, it’s a highly entertaining, gets-you-at-the-edge-of-your-seat show. Come in early for seats nearest the stage, although you’ll still see well even though you’re at the farthest benches. There are usually only two performances each day. 9/10

Studio Backlot Tour – It’s a pity they severely shortened this ride to make way for Light, Motors. Now it’s merely a filler for when you’re waiting for your Fastpass return time. For the most part, it’s a tram ride where you see Disney employees at work, where costumes are made, and you see memorable props from Disney films. Still, it has its redeeming qualities: You a get a walking tour of the props and costumes used in Narnia, a nice “catastrophic” sequence in Catastrophe Canyon, and Harbor Attack where the actors are volunteers from your group. (Volunteer when a cast member asks your group! It’s gonna be fun, I promise.) 7/10

Voyage of the Little Mermaid – Crap. Only the first scene is worth watching. 5/10

Fantasmic – A nighttime show where Sorcerer Mickey must battle with a group of Disney bad guys and girls. Lots of amazing light and water effects, culminating with a parade of popular characters. Worth the wait, as the perfect ending to your day at Hollywood Studios. 10/10

Part 3 coming soon!

Butterfly Kisses

2008-06-24T02:54:00.002-04:00

Butterfly Kisses - Westlife

This song popped up on my Pandora music list one day, and since then it's enjoyed steady rotation in my iTunes player. Butterfly Kisses is a song that a father wrote about her daughter. It's a touching song (that isn't sappy) about the special bond that a dad and her little girl shares. Each stanza is actually the dad talking about special moments in his daughter's life: toddlerhood, Sweet 16 (or debut in Philippine context), then her wedding; and how he feels like he's on the top of the world as he sees his little girl grow up.

I'm not even married yet and already I'm looking forward to having kids. Although I want to have a boy as my first child (don't ask me why), I'm looking forward to a Little Miss Sunshine for my second.

The stream is actually Westlife's rerecording of the song. I have to admit they did a nice rendition of the song. Trust me. Even if you're not a big fan of the Irish boyband, you'll appreciate Butterfly Kisses. (I'll go on record by saying I'm one of the very few straight male Westlife ex-fans--I mean I still don't mind listening to them, I just don't go out of my way to buy their albums and stuff anymore.)

Survey, Schmurvey

2008-06-17T02:42:00.004-04:00

While I catch my breath from my recent New York trip (I was out and about in the city in the middle of the heatwave last week!), I'd like to put a lighthearted post.

In my work as a journalist/editor, I have interviewed a number of people who've offered very interesting responses to what I originally thought to be rather mundane questions. (Yeah, even I get brain farts.) When I was designing my first website (now down because I let the domain expire. Boo) I didn't put a list of my favorites in the requisite "About Me" page. You know what I mean--the stuff that you add in your Facebook or MySpace profile. Instead, I answered questions magazine editors ask celebrities, as if they were being directed to me.

Mariel Chua, a colleague of mine now based in NYC, posted one such spin, and if she may indulge me, I'd answer the same questions. The original recipient of the questions was Narciso Rodriguez, and his responses are italicized.

Other than yourself, who is your favorite designer? [I'm not a designer, and I don't really like Narciso Rodriguez's style. So I'm just gonna answer the question minus the disclaimer]
Cristóbal Balenciaga
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana

If you could come back as a model, who would you be?
Violeta Sánchez
Mr. Tyson Ballou. My favorite male model.

What's your favorite color?
Blue
I'd like to think it's green. But I don't really know. I don't quite like blue, tell you the truth.

What are you most vain about?
My weight
My weight.

What are you most shy about?
Too shy to say.
My thighs. Hahaha!

If you could have somebody else's body, whose would it be?
Evandro Soldati's.
Tyson Ballou's.

Who are you fantasy dinner party guests?
Louis Armstrong, Coco Chanel, Lee Miller, James Franco, Anaïs Nin, Romy Schneider, Gabriele D'Annunzio, Alain Delon, Abraham Lincoln, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, George Sand, and Amy Winehouse.
I honestly, honestly do not know who to invite.

Where is your favorite place to have a drink?
Angel's Share, East Village, NYC.
At home: It's cheap, and no one has to drive.

What's your underwear of choice?
Zimmerli.
Boxer-style briefs. I just started liking 'em.

What's the last book you read?
Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart.
Buddha Mind, Buddha Body: Walking Toward Enlightenment by Thich Nhat Hanh. I'm not yet done, though.

Do you have any pets?
Yes, three dogs, named Lucky, John, and Clifford
No.

What do you eat for breakfast?
Coffee, protein shake, egg whites.
A heaping bowl of Post Selects Banana Nut Crunch, with 2% Reduced-Fat milk

At age seven, you wanted to be:
A monk.
A painter. But not the painter that we know Da Vinci, Picasso, Giotto, and Michelangelo. I meant real house painter. As in with the wide brush and denim overalls.

What is one thing you find easiest to forgive?
A mistake.
An honest mistake. - I agree.

What is one thing you find impossible to forgive?
Dishonesty.
I have no idea.

Do you have any supertitions?
Many.
None. I don't believe in them.

What's your biggest self-indulgence?
Ice cream.
Chocolates.

Favorite place to shop?
Ted Muehling Store on Howard Street, NYC.
I love a lot of places. I go to H&M for great deals on trendy things; Zara for well-made and awesome-fitting shirts and suit separates; Old Navy for basics (my latest triumph: $0.97 for a thermal); Macy's for random things; Target for supplies; BJ's or Costco for magazines I'm not subscribed to (30% off!); Borders for books and hard-to-find magazines (only because I'm a Borders Rewards member, otherwise Barnes and Borders are both fine); and Cherry Hill mall because they have an awesome selection of stores.

Whose wallet would you like to steal?
No one's.
Steve Jobs's

Whose diary would you most like to read?
George W. Bush's.
Katie Holmes. Just so I know that Tom Cruise really is from the planet Zorg.

If you were an inventor, what would you invent?
A time machine.
A brainwave magnifying machine. You can either be a telekinetic or a telepath, depending on how the machine's wired.

Who is your favorite furniture designer?
Poul Kjaerholm.
*shrug*

What's your favorite car?
1967 Porsche 911.
A car that's 35 mpg on the highway.

What was your childhood nickname?
"Cisito," diminutive of "Ciso" (my father), diminutive of "Narciso" (my grandfather).
Patchoy, because I was skinny. (Patpating Tsinoy, get it?)

When and where are you happiest?
The holidays at my home in Brazil.
Christmas time.

Who is your best friend?
Annick.
Don't have one. I used to think everyone should have one, but I now I know better. Why make the distinction between friends and "best" friends? I have a lot of good friends that I love to hang out with and talk about anything and everything, but it's not like I love them any more than my other friends. Once I consider you my friend, you have my loyalty.

What is your worst enemy?
Cigarettes.
Self-doubt.

What piece of art would you most like to own?
Gerhard Richter's 439.
Madonna of the Rocks. Only because I like how it's composed. And because it's the only other painting I recall seeing in the Da Vinci Code flick that isn't the Mona Lisa.

Where is your favorite vacation spot?
Bahia, Brazil.
Palawan or Boracay. I haven't been around much, so this will definitely--or at least, might--change.

Who is your favorite fictional character?
Cartman on South Park.
Ryu of Street Fighter fame.

What is your most treasured possession?
A handwritten letter from a late friend.
My fashion portfolio because it's a collection of my 4 years in the publishing industry. All the blood, sweat, and tears I put into becoming a fashion editor is there. I know, I know, babaw, but that portfolio is--and will--be my ticket to cracking the publishing business here.

Your favorite band/musician/song?
Radiohead.
Song: City of Blinding Lights by U2, for now.

If you weren't a designer [editor] what yould you be?
An architect.
Web designer or developer. It's not too far from the trifecta of career paths I have: technology, magazines, and fashion.

What current trend would you like to see disappear?
Grotesque accessories.
Skinny anything. Thank god skinny jeans are already passé.

What's your biggest fashion regret?
A mullet.
Dressing to fit in, and not to express my personality. Remember the time when elephant pants were the in thing? Yeah, I had to beg my mother to buy me one in the name of conformity. Heh.

Favorite trend of all time?
Jeans.
Jeans-and-blazer combo.

Worst trend of all time?
Logomania.
Shoulder pads on jackets. Yeah, even men's clothing had them. Not a pretty sight.

Always:
Be cool.
Live each day as if it's your last.

Never:
Not cool.
Nag. You'll drive me crazy. I get it, you don't have to say it over and over.

Street Fighter 4 TV Commercial

2008-06-05T23:35:00.000-04:00

I. Can't. Freaking. Wait.

Street Fighter II was legendary. Street Fighter Alpha rocked. Street Fighter III was a diamond in the rough (lackluster in New Generation, awesome in Third Strike). This one? Time will tell. Can't wait to get my hands on playing Ryu and Abel!

Is Disney World the happiest place on earth? It sure is.

2008-06-04T18:53:00.000-04:00

(Note: Not a paid endorsement.)

Just two weeks ago, me and the family came from an awesome visit to the Disney World parks in Orlando, Florida. This was the highlight of our “vacation” in the US. (I put vacation in double quotes because I’m not leaving the country any time soon, like if the vacation has ended.) The drive to Florida took all of 15 hours, but we chose to split it to two days, stopping for cheap lodging in North Carolina both ways.

We bought a 4-day pass to any park within Disney World, and chose to go to the Magic Kingdom twice. Epcot and Hollywood Studios were the other two stops. We thought of Animal Kingdom as well, but since the park was relatively new, and there weren’t a lot of attractions yet (with the exception of the Safari Trek and Expedition Everest) we decided to just go back the next time we’d head to FL.

Incredible. Each one of the parks was exactly how I remembered them when I was a young boy. They all offered different things and thrills, all of them memorable.

Before I go to the individual parks, let me share a couple of tips first to make your visit there enjoyable.

1. Make judicious use of the Photo Pass system. This is an innovative idea. Instead of lugging around tickets of professionally-taken photographs with you the entire time, Photo Pass gives you an electronic card that you use to view all your photos online. Cool, right? Until you realize that the photos available for viewing are pitifully small, they won’t even look great printed in 2R. And ordering a CD with your photographs cost $125. Highway robbery!

Lesson learned: For each pic the Photo Pass Photographers take, ask them to take another one with your own digital or film camera. It’s free of charge, and you have full, high-resolution images with you.

2. Plan your Fast Pass well. Another great idea. Several rides across all the Disney parks have Fast Pass booths, where you can get a return time ticket in order to bypass falling in line for hours. The catch is you can’t get Fast Passes all at once. For every one Fast Pass ticket you get for a particular ride, there’s a 2-hour wait time before you can get another one.

Lesson learned: Go to the park in the morning and ride the most popular, Fast Pass-enabled rides first, when the lines are shortest. You won’t be able to go through them all in the morning of course, but that’s the point: You’d halve the number of attractions you’d use your Fast Pass privilege for.

3. Bring in food. If you don’t mind making your own subs, hoagies, or sandwiches, bring them with you. (No rice-and-ulam baon! You’ll have a hard time, trust me.) The food’s pricey ($7 for a burger? Highway robbery!), and the lines for the food places gets pretty long during lunch time. There are plenty of drinking fountains everywhere to keep you hydrated without resorting to buying bottled beverages, which start at $2.

Part 2 coming soon!

10 Things Every Filipino Must Do in America

2008-06-04T18:29:00.000-04:00

Part 2 of the 2-part series!

6. Use tissue to clean up after a number two
I personally am used to using just toilet paper to clean up—I do it when I have to go do a number two at the mall and whenever I’m not in my house. It’s just that using a tabo has been a welcome alternative when we moved to the Philippines—I preferred doing things this way since I’ve gotten the opportunity to. (I remember the first time I went inside a Philippine bathroom, I had to ask my dad what the bucket was for. He explained how Pinoys do it. Haha. If someone took my photograph right after I found how it’s done, I’m pretty sure it’s one for the books.) But here in the US, not everyone uses a tabo. And that includes even Filipino families—several cousins of mine don’t have ‘em in their bathrooms. So you gotta learn how to do it with toilet paper, kids. It’s more ma-trabaho than a steady stream of water rinsing your you-know-what, but I have to say, it’s a slightly cleaner way of doing things. *cough*pooponyourfingers*cough*

Oh, you can also buy, um, behind cleaners.

I guess the question is, do I still use a tabo now that I’m here? The answer is yes, only when they have it. But I secretly wish every house had a bidet instead.

7. Visit a theme park

Ever been to Enchanted Kingdom? How about Star City or Boom na Boom? Double—even triple—the size of the space these parks occupy, double the number of rides, and you have a good idea of a US theme park.

I can’t really explain why you should visit one, you just have to. There’s all sorts of fun to be experienced by everyone, regardless of age. Or, ganito na lang: Where else can you totally act not your age and no one will give you flak over it? Sure, you have to pay a considerable sum (admission rates on average are $65) but the free pass to be a kid again for 12 hours is well worth it.

8. Become wasteful
If you’re the type who’d remind friends not to leave food in their plates because kids in Africa are starving, be prepared to say this often. I’m still in shock at how much waste this country makes on a daily basis. You get a “side dish” of fries as plentiful as the main course itself, five generous scoops of fried rice for every single-person order at an Asian fast-food restaurant, and the buffets, man, the buffets—there’s so much wasted food there that you can practically just ask for the rejects and you’ll be able to eat for days. Oh, and I’m not just talking about food. People go through, like, two rolls of tissue paper a day with just normal, day-to-day things, like wiping the sink, drying their hands after washing them, whatever. Fortunately, you’ll appreciate the incentives that the government is doing to help curb the mounds of waste the country produces: You can opt for paperless banking, meaning bank statements will only get sent to your e-mail; recycling bins are commonplace (and in some States, like New Jersey, segregating recyclable trash is the law), and groceries are offering several centavos back whenever grocers return or reuse shopping bags. So I guess you only need to “witness” this, and not do it. Think of the environment and the starving kids in Africa, after all.

9. Don’t have rice for a day

Like the humble tabo, having rice at every meal defines a Filipino. Sure, other countries also use rice in varying ways, but only a Pinoy eater asks for rice with a nice piece of steak—as well as mashed potatoes; or will top his rice with chili and not care for the cornbread.

On paper, there’s nothing wrong with this. After all, rice, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and fries are all starchy foods (and thus sources of carbohydrates that balance out the protein from the ulam). It’s just that culturally, something like steak isn’t meant to be eaten with rice. It’s like eating pizza with rice. (And that’ll be taking it too far, even for a Filipino I think.) Part and parcel of immersion to American culture is “pakikibagay,” and this is what you’ll do once you smile and help yourself to mashed potatoes for dinner and not ask for rice.

Curiously, rice isn’t easy to find here, further proving that this country isn’t as big of a rice eater as we are.

10. Make mano
H’wag ka nang mahiya. Walang masama kung magmano ka sa magulang mo o sa nakakatanda pag nakita mo sila. It’s what makes you Filipino. Paki ba ng mga puti kung ano yung ginagawa mo?

(Toilet image from Jupiterimages.com, rice meal image from Yikada/Flickr.com)

Yesterday's Rainbow

2008-05-24T02:43:00.001-04:00

I just saw what I think is the largest rainbow I've ever seen my entire life. It was after a brief afternoon shower. (It's been raining the past 2 weeks, so much for bright and sunny spring.) Awesome sight and made me feel nice.

On to the Style Tips

2008-05-23T18:22:00.000-04:00

One fashion rule I seriously adhere to (and everyone should, too): Never do a look that’s, the way they say it in the Philippines, pilit. This photograph I took from a department store here in NJ is one perfect example of how something that’s very cool in theory doesn’t translate well in real life. (Or in this case, in the styling.)

What doesn’t bode well here? Two things: wrong necktie and wrong length. Now, I’m pretty sure the whole necktie with a polo shirt is cool some way or another—you know, the whole decasualization of men’s wardrobes and stuff. But this look specifically is so forced that it ruins the whole look. If I was to do it, I’d shoot for a slimmer tie because it ties (pardon the pun) better with the whole casual vibe, and I’d shorten how long it falls—I’d say just up to where the pant’s button is at.

If you're like me, though, I'd skip the necktie completely and save it for long-sleeved shirts. Saves you from the trouble of getting the look right.

The 10 Things Every Filipino Must Do In America

2008-04-21T00:10:00.000-04:00

I got inspired by a feature story from Philadelphia Magazine called “The 57 Things You Must Do In ______.” (There wasn’t really a blank in the article, it’s just that I forgot the place. Haha.) I decided to do my own list to I guess help me get reacquainted to life here in the US—I’ve been away from it for a while, after all. And for humor’s sake. (Well, I’m not exactly good at injecting humor at things.)

1. Get Supersized

Technically, the word “supersize” isn’t on the fastfood lexicon anymore, after the Morgan Spurlock movie “Supersize Me” got the attention of the fastfood-eating public and Washington lobbyists. However, even though Ronald McDonald and his gang stopped asking diners if they want to supersize their meals, the sizes of their french-fry container and soda cups remained huge. Look at the photograph below and guess what size the cup I’m holding is.

This is a medium milkshake, kids. I know. This is large in the Philippines.

Now, check this large-size drink cup from the movie house, expertly modeled by my younger brother. (Sorry, bro, gotta clip the image for your own privacy.)

The drink is $5, and you can refill it an unlimited number of times so long as you’re in the movie house. (Here in the US, movie houses are in separate buildings. They’re not inside malls like those in the Philippines.) Curiously, I unloaded a 2-liter bottle of soda when I got home just to measure exactly how much liquid the darn thing carries every time you ask it to be filled up. Guess what? It’s indeed 2 liters. Damn. Imagine, you just drank the equivalent of 1,000 calories if you finished a cup full of non-diet soda. (Even then, I still discourage you from drinking too much just because you’re getting the zero-calorie variety.)

By the way, the popcorn is also refillable. But if you’re like me, just looking at it already makes me feel full.

Update: Burger King’s big-ass fries and Coke now goes by the name “Kingsize.” Apropos, non?

2. Get brand-name clothing for pennies, convert the price to Philippine Pesos, and secretly brag about how much more expensive it would have been if you had bought it back home

This is what I love about the US: If you know where to look, you can get the best of fashions at prices that will make you think the sellers are practically giving it away. (And trust me, they don’t give you a hard time.) It’s actually easier to be a—dare I say it—budget fashionista (igh…hate the word “fashionista”) here than back home. I’ve done my fair share of shopping at department stores and outlets, and—ha!—I’ve been able to buy more brand-name clothing than if I would visit every store that SSI owned. Some notables (meaning, the best bargains that I’ve gotten so far):

A Kenneth Cole lined blazer for $20,

Paper jeans for $15,

and Converse shoes for $4.97.

True, it’s not fair comparing these to what’s on offer in the Philippines, as we’re talking about clearance merchandise here. But I offer a different perspective: Stuff on sale back home are either absolute crap, or could never retail as low as they do here.

3. Buy something—anything—from Old Navy, H&M, American Apparel, Abercrombie & Fitch, or American Eagle Outfitters.

These are the McFashions of the US, really; or if you prefer, these brands are to Americans as what Bench, Penshoppe, and Oxygen are to us. The appeal of McFashion to many vacationing Filipinos I guess is the fact that it’s virtually impossible to get your hands on them in the PI. (I doubt 90 percent of the supposed AE and Abercrombie & Fitch items sold in Greenhills are genuine.)

But here’s the kicker: Basics here are steep if you’re the converting type. To worth: A basic printed T from AE is $16.50 (about P660 at P40=$1), Bench offers the same stuff for about P300. Lesson learned: The moment you step foot in the United States of America, use your mental calculator sparingly when out shopping. Otherwise, you won’t buy anything.

(I have to mention this about American Apparel, though: They’re proudly sweat-shop free McFashion. Meaning, AA is the antithesis of some brands that outsource the production of their clothes where the cost of labor is next to nothing and the working conditions are debilitating.)

4. Fumble with communicating

We may be the third largest English-speaking nation in the world (or so the reports claim) with a booming call-center industry that houses hundreds of thousands of Pinoys with a fantastically perfectly-attuned twang, but this doesn’t translate to every Filipino being a fluid conversationalist in English. I mean, just look at me. Despite me coming from here, I still fumble. Man.

5. Sleep in pyjamas

Back home, it’s silly to wear jammies to sleep. Kahit naka-aircon. It’s still too hot and humid to cover up your legs. In here, you wear long cotton pants to sleep for 8 months each year. Otherwise, you’ll shiver your ass off.

(By the way, the US uses the Fahrenheit scale. The only time they use Celsius is when the thermometer hits 32 degrees F. They report it as zero-day to mean it’s zero degrees C.)

Part 2 coming soon!

Kamusta naman?

2008-04-13T21:08:00.001-04:00

Incredible how time really flies. I just realized that it’s been already a month since I left the Philippines in search of greener (kuno) pastures in the land of milk and honey. I know. One month is nothing—people who vacation in the US can sometimes take all of two months (the two months students have out of school for summer break). But for me, it’s a big thing. Because for the past few years that I’ve been here in the US, it’s as tourists in the country that I once lived in. Now, things are once again different. I’m now living in this country again. Wala lang. It’s just new to me the second time around I guess.

Truthfully, nothing super new or major eventful has happened to me for the past month. (Fine, six weeks.) When I said to my peers in the Philippines that I’m going to spend my first few months in the US vacationing and having a good time, I meant it. Of course there’s the usual things, like registering for job-search websites, having my driver’s license renewed (man, did I have huge cheeks in my new photograph—gotta watch the pizza and McDonald’s), and visiting relatives that I didn’t have the luxury of visiting the past years because of time constraints. I’ve also organized my portfolio of works for when I start peddling my wares in the Big Apple, and spent a considerable amount of money buying a business wardrobe. (Dang, I hope the industry I’m trying to get in is one where I won’t be forced to wear a suit everyday to work. Hindi ko kakayanin, kahit na may clothing allowance.) The reason why I said they’re nothing new is because they aren’t—everyone does these things at one point in their lives.

The closest I have in my calendar that you can consider eventful is a 15-hour drive with the family to Florida. There we’ll stay for a week at a nice resort and visit Disney Parks for four days. And if my cousin from the army can help us as well, we’ll stop at Sea World on the fifth day. Oh, admit it—everyone loves to go to theme parks. Sabi nga ng slogan ng Disney: “It’s the happiest place on earth.” Or something like that.

I have been thinking long and hard about my living arrangements, though. My folks are looking for a house where the family can stay here in down old Jersey (that’s still thankfully only an hour away from NYC) and I definitely will have to help with the mortgage payments. Now here’s the problem: Will I still look for a place to stay in NY once I find work? Or should I do what I did when I was still in the Philippines, living in Bulacan—uwian? Both have their own share of pros and cons. But this is a matter that I can and will only be able to seriously think through once I’m there. I’m hugely unfamiliar with how expensive NYC is exactly, so there’s no use speculating over something that I know very little about.

Anyway, that’s it for now. New post in a week.

Photo of the Moment

2008-04-06T00:13:00.000-04:00

Hahahaha! That is all.

Your New Life Begins Now

2008-03-03T15:32:00.000-05:00

I arrived in Minneapolis/St. Paul airport yesterday morning, safe and sound, around 1:30AM Philippine time.

A 2-hour flight to Philadelphia international brought me to Cherry Hill, my hometown.

What an amazing vision. There was still some snow left over from last week's 10-incher, the air was wonderfully cold (it was 7 degrees C when we arrived), and despite the bare landscapes (Spring won't hit us until after 3 more weeks) the place still screamed homey.

Here we are. Welcome to my new life.

2008-01-01T10:03:00.001-05:00

Hello all.
Welcome to my second blog (first one a collaboration with friends).

This blog is meant for friends I left in the Philippines. I want them not to miss me. *grin* I'll post stuff about living here in New York / Philadelphia / New Jersey; work issues; and random ramblings.

For those who don't know me, I'm Myron. I lived a good deal of my life in the Philippines, working for a fantastic lifestyle magazine called Men's Health. (Yes, it's the local run of the famed US title.) I was the nutrition and style guy there—though I'd like to think my biggest contribution is in the style pages—but I had to leave after 3 years because I wanted to try my luck in the United States. I always tell everyone, this the the big picture for me. And I'm excited.

So, stay tuned for more posts. The first few posts would probably (or most likely) deal with my past photoshoots for Men's Health. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the style stories in the magazine get put together.

Thanks, and welcome.