Photofun

engaged? so?

Habang nananalasa ang Swine Flu at hindi pa rin humuhupa ang global recession, parang wala akong naririnig na balitang socially relevant para masundot ng aking minsan ay matatalim na komentaryo. Kaya focus muna tayo sa mga celebrities. Pero hindi ang kasal ni Juday at Ryan ang gusto kong sundutin. Walang spark yon. Kakasawa na rin ang mga litanya ni Bisaya sa mga kasong pinangangalandakan pa nya. Nakakaumay na. Mas magandang subject itong si Mar at Koring.

Nabalitaan ko lang pero hindi ko napanood yong Tv guesting nila sa Wowowee. One, dahil wala akong TFC at wala akong balak magpa-kabit. Two, hindi ako nanonood ng mga programang hosted by someone as antipatiko as Willie. So hindi ko nakita yong eksenang maiyak-iyak pa raw si Mar Roxas when they announced their engagement.

But when I read Mar’s column yesterday sa Abante, nag-reak talaga ako. I sent it to my friends with my usual ascerbic comment. And it turned out na ganon din ang sentimyento ng mga kaibigan ko. At kung paniniwalaan natin ang mga tabloid, they seem to reflect the same reaction. Marami ang nagtaka, tumaas ang kilay, nag-maasim din tulad ko.

Nakakapagtaka naman kasi na kung bakit sa isang afternoon show pa kailangang i-announce yon. To think na Roxas ay mga legitimate ultra-rich. Dapat sa lifestyle/society pages ng mga broadsheet at glossy magazines in-announce yon. Or, sa part ni Korina, sa programa nya. But on a show like Wowowee? Hmmm….

Sino ba ang gusto nilang ma-reach when they did their announcement? Ang buong Pilipinas? (yon eh kung totoong mataas ang viewership ng programang pinili nila). Bakit, national issue ba yon? Eh ano kung ikakasal na sila, would that be a concern para sa mga magsasaka sa probinsya? O yong mga pedicab driver sa binondo, mga mason sa construction site sa pasig, mga tindera sa palengke ng Bulaong, teachers sa mga elementary school ng Kidapawan, taxi drivers, bus drivers, konduktor, doctor at kung ano-ano pa? Bakit? Friends ba nila ang mga taong ito? Iimbitahan man lang ba nila sa reception ng kasal nila?

At akong namamaluktot sa office para kumita ng kaunting kabuhayan, ano namang pakialam ko sa engagement nila? Tataas ba ang sweldo ko kung papakasal na sila? Bibigyan ba ako ng bonus ng amo ko? So what the...

Tamaan ng Swine Flu itong dalawang ito kung hindi aamin na may ulterior motive sa ginawa nila. Si lalake kung hindi aamin na dahil sa political plans nya. Si babae for being a willing accomplice.

So, kelan ang kasal? Before the election? Bakit, will that ensure his win kung ano man ang position na tatakbuhan nya? As if the fiancee will provide the much-needed ‘bakya’ or ‘masa’ vote dahil kilala sya sa broadcast industry?

Asus! Yan ang hirap sa mga politiko natin. Hindi mapang-hawakan ang sariling credibility and performance records para iboto ng tao. At kailangan pang kumuha ng partner na sikat. Bakit si Chiz, sya mismo ang humahatak sa tao, background lang ang misis nya kahit maganda at may talent din.

At susunod sila sa ginawa nina Recto/Vi at Pangilinan/Shawie? Ewan. Si Vilma at Shawie proven ang hatak sa masa. Pero si Koring? Mukhang malabo. Kahit anong gawin nyang magpaka-bakya, iba ang dating nya. Yong tipong intelihente at super self-confident na career woman. Something na hindi maabot at maka-relate ang karamihan ng ordinaryong maybahay, estudyante o factory workers. At least si Vi at Shawie na-deglamorize sa mga mahihirap roles nila kaya mabango sa masa.

Kung totoo mang heartfelt ang pag-iyak ni Mar, sana nga para mag-tagal ang marriage nila. Pero kung ang dalawang ito ay parehong may mga hidden agenda, then their partnership is already doomed sa umpisa pa lang. Sooner or later, they might pay the price for keeping appearances.

At ako? Well, ano bang paki ko sa kasal nila. Basta mawala na ang swine flu at matapos na ang global recession, kahit hindi na sila ikasal okey lang.

pleasure or pain

I was with a couple of friends (Jonas and James) last Friday. May daing fresh from Pinas kasi si James kaya ang sarap ng tanghalian namin. And since nabundat nga, naidlip ako after lunch pero ginising ako ng mga hysterics ni Lorna Tolentino sa Tv. Yon pala yong balik-acting nya sa MMK. Masyadong ma-drama yong mga iyakan nila kaya kahit nakatalikod ako, naririnig ko yong mga dialog thus figuring out the kwento.

Nothing new sa istorya, ewan ko lang sa acting ng mga lead kasi nga wala akong interes manood. Istorya ng isang mahirap na pamilya na ang tatay (played by Albert Martinez) eh inuna pa ang pagda-drugs kesa maghanap buhay. Hanggang maapektuhan ang pamilya and in the end, nasira pati ang pagmamahal at pang-unawa nong wife sa pasaway na husband.

And while LT is crying her guts out, naisip ko lang, ilang beses na kayang pinasadahan ng MMK ang ganitong plot. O ng ibang mga drama shows and soap series. Pati ng mga pelikula. Libong beses na siguro.

I have no idea kasi hindi ako masyadong mahilig sa mga soap and drama. But one thing I’m sure of, very common yong kwento. Tumingin ka lang sa paligid kahit nasaang sulok ka ng Metro Manila, you’ll see thousands of families suffering from this dilemma.

Kahit nga sa mga probinsya, talamak na rin ang problema ng droga. Marami nang buhay at pamilya ang sinira nito. Which makes you think... bakit nga ba nandyan pa rin ang droga kahit bawal at capital punishment pa ang parusa sa mga gumagawa at nagbebenta nito?

I know you’d say dahil isang malaking negosyo ito at kung idi-discuss natin ang buong scenario ng prohibited drugs eh pang-national tv na at hindi lang pang-Dantespeaks. But what we all know is the fact that it is one ugly truth in the current society na hindi na siguro mawawala pa. Unless by some stroke of miracle ay mangyari ang isang bagay.

And by miracle I didn’t mean better law enforcement. Malabong mangyari yon dahil malaking miracle ang kailangan natin para tumino ang kapulisan. We all know na kahit marami ang dedicated at marangal na policemen sa atin, marami rin ang involved sa mga illegal activities including drugs.

And by miracle hindi rin better legislation ang ibig kong sabihin. Dahil kung batas at batas rin lang ang pag-uusapan, siguro naman sobra na sa dami ng batas relating to dangerous drugs. Lalong hindi ko na sasabihing umaasa ako sa miracle for a better government. Wala na yatang matinong Presidenteng makikita ang Pilipinas. O kung meron man, madali ring kainin ng bulok na sistema at ng mga anay na nakapaligid.

And what’s the miracle na sinasabi ko? Yong isang araw ay ma-realize ng lahat ng mga drug users na isang malaking kalokohan ang ginagawa nila sa buhay nila. Yong magising sila isang araw, look at their reflections in the mirror at ma-realize nilang they could look better without drugs. That they can enjoy pure happiness sa buhay na hindi na kailangan ng pampa-high. That they can achieve better and more blissful existence na hindi fake. And with that, mare-realize nila that the superficial pleasure they are enjoying only leads to some painful ending.

Pag nangyari yon, they themselves would stop their drug abuse. Lahat sila titigil nang bumili ng kahit ano, ke shabu, coke, meth o kahit ecstasy. Pasok ngayon yong law of economics di ba. Walang demand, therefore walang supply. So tapos na ang negosyo ng mga ganid. And in the end, walang pamilyang masisira. Walang buhay na masasayang.

But wait, if I’d wish for that one thing, isasama ko na rin ang mga lasenggo. Dahil kung ang drugs ay masama ang epekto sa pamilyang pilipino, hindi rin nagpapahuli ang epekto ng alcohol abuse. The severity might be less but still, it’s another monster that threatens the stability of a family. Masama pa ang epekto sa katawan.

And if we talk about negative health effects, isama na rin natin ang yosi. Ay teka, sapol na pala ako don! Darn, itigil ko na nga ito at baka kung saan mapunta. Basta, masama ang droga so stop it. Yon lang and have a nice day!

StarDesign(ed): Buddhist Punk by singingmermaid

Featuring StarDesign creations was a great idea Kasia!

Here is singingmermaid in one of her amazing designs of David Bowie on a Tee by Buddist Punk, a London brand with a mix of "Buddhism and Rock 'n' Roll." The top is paired with silver sparkle pants by Joe's Jeans, heels by Sergio Rossi, and a Eugenia Kim headband. A look for day and night.

StarDesign(ed): Louis Vuitton by Marcia256

Here we have Marcia256 and her delightful Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse leggings. Marc Jacobs has become known for collaborating with other artists (Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince, etc..) , and these beautiful leggings are a result of his collaboration with the late Stephen Sprouse for a line at the house of Louis Vuitton. I paired Marcia256's Louis Vuitton leggings with a Marc Jacobs bag, a Pop-art inspired skirt, a red beret, black pumps, Miu Miu top and this vivid Tux Delux blazer. 

StarDesign(ed): Lanvin by R1ma

Here is R1ma in her super chic Lanvin Toute L'Anée t-shirt design. R1ma is a very fashionable girl who has a strong love for Lanvin and Maison Martin Margiela. I paired the Lanvin t-shirt with a vibrant blue summertime Anna Sui skirt, and sunshine yellow flats. R1ma looks absolutely perfect in this getup! 

StarDesign(ed): House Of Holland by Dina_da_dino

Since there are quite a few brilliant StarDesign pieces on Stardoll, based on real-life designer items, I figured why not feature them? 

Here is Dina_da_dino in her incredible House Of Holland design. Dina has one of my personal favorite wardrobes on Stardoll, she definitely thinks like a stylist when she shops. The House Of Holland "DO ME IN THE PARK MARC" t-shirt is paired with slick black leggings, and one of the hottest shoes from the Spring 2009 season, the Yves Saint Laurent black cage boots. 

Deena Appel costume @ Beyoncé

                   

 Foxy Cleopatra!

Deena Appel was the costume designer for all of the "Austin Powers" films. If you think about it, her work on those films is actually quite iconic. 

Vox Maxima

Last Friday on the yard of IHC Merwede in Kinderdijk, was the launch of the dredger Vox Maxima , for many years the best view to see it is on the other side of the river, in Ridderkerk, the old shipyard area of the Groot en van Vliet, now parking and arrival / departure of the Fast Ferry.

Afgelopen vrijdag was het dan zo ver , op de werf van IHC Merwede in Kinderdijk ging het baggerschip de Vox Maxima te water , en toch is al jaren lang de beste plek om dit te aanschouwen aan de overkant van de rivier , in Ridderkerk op het oude terrein van de scheepswerf de Groot en van Vliet tegenwoordig parkeerplaats en aankomst/vertrek van de Fastferry .

Real Brands: Elle

At first I wasn't sure about posting about Elle
since it's not a "real brand" like the others we have at SD.
But many of you sent mails about the Moschino dress,
and then I started recognising some of the pieces...
and here we are! Enjoy!
XOXO!

Alexander Wang shirt
Christian Louboutin shoes

Alexander Wang jacket
Marc by Marc Jacobs bow cuff
Valentino shoes

Just Cavalli tee
Yves Saint Laurent sandals

Emporio Armani necklace
(Thanks PlastixxEmmi!)
Mint Jodi Arnold dress

Alexander Wang blazer & shorts
Yves Saint Laurent boots

Moschino dress & vest
(Thanks PlastixxEmmi!)
Yves Saint Laurent sandals

tayo'y kumain sa jubail

I’ve been dining out a lot with a few friends or with a group (adiks) and I just remembered na meron nga pala akong nasulat years ago na review about the dining places both in Jubail and Khobar area. In-update ko lang to add a few new places na napuntahan ko. And because I have this natural gift of being highly opinionated (hahaha), i-share ko lang sa inyo yong ratings ko sa mga resto na ito. Who knows you might need something of a guide like this one. (ratings: 5 max, 1 min).

Sa Jubail area muna tayo.

Sizzler, Fanateer Mall. It was in my original list though Canton pa ito nong panahon na yon. But if Canton got a low rating from me dahil sa intrimitidong waiter, so-so food at mahal na presyo, Sizzler is now at the top of my list. Masarap ang food mostly the different steaks they offer plus meron din silang ilang oriental dishes. Love the grilled salmon! Generous ang servings plus the fact na very nice ang service ng mga kabayan natin. Libreng garlic fried rice and bottomless iced tea, aba hindi ka pa ba naman matutuwa noon! Though the place is a bit boring coz it lacks the cozy ambience of other restos. O baka naman nawala ang ambience kasi lagi kaming maiingay! Hahaha!
Food : 4
Place : 3
Price : 4
Service : 5
Total : 16

Silver Tower, Jubail. For the longest time, bago pa magsulputan ang ibang resto dito sa Jubail, eto ang favorite ko. The place offers a lot of elbow room, hindi tulad sa ibang lugar where tables were placed almost next to each other to maximize space. Gustong-gusto ko rin yong kanilang semi-spiral staircase leading to the cozy dining area. It is mainly a Korean restaurant but they also serve the usual chinese and japanese dishes. best of them (para sa akin ha) is the sizzling plate of Bulgogi. Yummm!. And, dahil nga regular na akong customer, I always get complementary appetizers and desserts. They definitely know how to value a good customer!
Food : 4
Place : 4
Price : 3.5
Service : 4
Total : 15.5

The Yacht Restaurant, Fanateer. If you want some really stunning view while dining in Jubail, this is THE place para sa akin. Mainly because ma-drama yong structure nong restaurant (shaped like a boat, obviously) which offers a scenic view of the sea if you happen to be there by day or, kung gabi na, the flickering lights of Fanateer mall and nearby commercial establishments. Maganda rin ang interiors – things that set you in a fine dining mood. Mainly oriental ang menu nila but the food is just as tasty as Silver Tower or Gulf Royal. Medyo mahal lang ang price nila pero okey naman ang service dahil may ilang pinoy na waiter who serves with much courtesy. It may be a bit far from Jubail town but hey, it’s worth the travel.
Food : 3.5
Place : 4.5
Price : 3
Service : 3.5
Total : 14.5

Applebees, Huwaylat Mall. Swerte lang ito dahil matagal bago namin na-discover (it was Raoul who found it) yong renovated resto in Fanateer (Sizzler nga). Otherwise we wouldn’t have gone back to them several times. The ambience is just as hip and yuppy as Chili’s pero may ilang observations akong medyo nagpabagsak ng rating nila. Like one time may nakita akong UFO (unidentified floating object) sa iced tea. And one or two waiters na medyo may pagka-fresh. Buti yong last punta ko don, the guy who waited on us was quite pleasant, medyo nakabawi. Food is good but a bit pricey at maliliit pa ang servings.
Food : 4
Place : 4
Price : 2.5
Service : 3
Total : 13.5

CookXoon, Jubail town. It’s the latest but not necessarily the best in Jubail. Maganda ang ambience kahit primarily Indian resto sya offering a few Chinese dishes on their menu. Gusto ko yong color and lighting scheme plus the contemporary and antiseptically clean restroom. Mura ang food pero hindi masarap. And the waiters need to learn a few more no-nos pagdating sa pagsi-serve. Ibigay ba naman agad sa akin ang bill eh hindi ko pa hinihingi! Parang pinapalayas na ako huh!
Food : 2.5
Place : 3.5
Price : 4
Service : 3
Total : 13

Sharq Restaurant, Jeddah St. Another resto with a view. This time, it’s a panoramic view of Jubail town dahil nasa 6th floor yong resto ng Sharq hotel. Reasonable ang presyo kaso medyo hindi rin tasty ang food nila. Although they have a very wide range of menu from Oriental to Indian, Continental and Arabic. Plus the medyo mabagal din na service ng mga waiter. Pag dito ka magdi-dinner, make sure you have no appointments later dahil baka ma-late ka lang.
Food : 3
Place : 4
Price : 3
Service : 3
Total : 13


Gulf Royal Chinese Restaurant, Jubail Town (Jeddah St. extension). This is one example of a cramped dining space na sinasabi ko, yong tipong dinig mo ang pag-nguya ng food ng nasa katabing table. That’s why it’s better to dine here on a regular day when you can have a quiet corner to yourself. Definitely not on weekends because somehow, napupuno rin ito ng customers who are predominantly Koreans. And, although the food is just as tasty as any other oriental restaurants, medyo mahal ang kanilang pricing. Plus the fact that I do not appreciate the chinese décor which is too contrived for my taste. At ang order, ang tagaaaallll bago i-serve!
Food : 3.5
Place : 2.5
Price : 2.5
Service : 3
Total : 11.5

These are just the better places in Jubail. Hindi ko na sinama yong iba coz I wanted to concentrate on fine dining.

Next posting sa Khobar area naman tayo pupunta.

more of susan boyle

apparently, the latest web sensation susan boyle has already waxed a recording back in 1999, a song called cry me a river. and it only proves that she is indeed an angel concealed in a 47-year old simple-looking lady.

.

she still has to win britain's got talent. but hey, whatever happens from here on, she's already a winner. again, i ask: where the heck has she been hiding all along? (better yet, why?)

Michael Dennison @ Michelle Trachtenberg

Michael Dennison dresses from "Ice Princess"

Micheal Dennison is a very successful costume designer. You can find some of his work from the movie "The Spirit", in the Eva Mendes doll. 

Cat Protectors...ssshhhhh

Okay, though we would never admit it to anyone...we are sort of fond of our cats. Prissy and I had a stray cat get in our yard the other day and it was our duty to protect our cats. We chased that cat all over the yard and cornered it by the fence! We were just about to grab it when mom whistled for us to stop barking. When we turned around, the cat took off. So, we decided to ignore mom, and chased it up the tree. Bet that darn cat won't show up in our yard again! How dare that cat...it is our job to chase our cats!Too bad we couldn't climb trees like that other border collie in the video...or that cat would have been in big trouble!Remember...

http://uought2badog.blogspot.com/2009/02/lucy-tree-climbing-dog.html


Hope everyone is having a great day! Chat with you later!

Balenciaga Resort outfit @ Malina Joseph

   Nighttime chic.

Catherine Malandrino dress, Tibi dress, Diane von Furstenberg dress & Nicole Miller dress @ Whitney Port

Catherine Malandrino dress
(Thanks Jeremyn2005!)


Tibi dress
(Thanks Jeremyn2005!)


Diane von Furstenberg dress

Nicole Miller dress


Finally Whitney has arrived! I adore this Cali girl's style,
and now that she's gone to the City

Let's keep on bringin' bright ideas for more stars to come to SD ;)
Check out Whitney's site here.

Ed Hardy @ Shy'm

This doll comes with many other clothes with the Ed Hardy birds on them

Lacoste outfit @ Keysha Cole

Ahoy Sailor!