Interesting weekend.

Friday night, I went to MOA with Tey, Zee and Engel. 5CM was having a sale, and after the very, very good shopping experience at 5CM HK, I wanted to check out if the Hong Kong brand would have a just as good sale here. It doesn't. The clothes were still ultra expensive. Ugh! In HK, I could've bought the shirts for less than a thousand, and pants not more than 1,500. But here the pieces were all over 2K. No way, man! The bags were quite good, but again huge, huge difference in price. Hmm, must definitely plan to go back to HK next year. Engel was the one who ended up shopping, walking away with a pair of shoes and eyewear. Haha!

From MOA, we headed to the baywalk where we had dinner at Giligan's. They had a good for four meal, which was priced reasonably. Afterwards we headed to Pier One for some drinks. Errol and Jeff joined us. It was a good get-together. Had to go home around 1AM though for my driving classes the following day.

Saturday morning until the afternoon was spent practice driving. We headed to the warehouse in Sta. Rosa. The warehouse has become too familiar, so it's not that challenging anymore. We did practice backing, so I thought that was fun. After lunch, I got what I wanted - something challenging. Although I think I got more than what I wanted. We drove at Greenfields, and because I wasn't familiar with the roads, I ended up .... drumroll please... exiting Sta. Rosa and heading to SLEX.

Major, major f*ck! I wanted to die. I think my "instructor" thought we were going to die. Haha!

If not for the pressure that I had a car behind me, I think I would've done fine. I wouldn't have been nervous. I wouldn't miss the toll booth window, and end up getting out of the car to give the card and payment to the toll booth girl. Haha! Can it be more obvious that I'm a student driver? Haha! Still, it was a good experience. I'm just glad that I made it back to Sta. Rosa in one piece.

In the evening, I helped a friend move into her new place. I sort of unleashed the Buddhist in me and led the rice blessing ceremony at her new home. Partly, we were doing it for fun. Partly, I believe in feng shui and wanted to share the good with my friend. Hehe!

Sunday morning was spent at home. I was preparing myself to get a call from the office due to the fire tragedy that hit families in Navotas, but the call didn't come. That was a relief. The disaster-response activities was moved to Tuesday so at least, I would still get to have a free Monday.

In the evening, I met up with my sacristan buddies. We had dinner at Zensho, a Japanese teppanyaki restau in Timog. If you're a huge Japanese fan, Zensho has an Eat-All-You-Can dinner for just P595. I didn't want to indulge too muchso I just got the chicken teriyaki salad. Big mistake. When the salad came, all the greens were soaked in watery Japanese mayo. Ugh! I ate only a quarter of the salad. Except for the salad and smelling like a teppan grill when you leave the restau, the food was great. From Zensho, we crossed the street and headed to UCC. Japan was obviously the theme for the night. Haha! Good times with the guys.

Today, I really want to just stay home and rest. Need all the rest I can get before another mad week starts. But I decided to head out to do errands and to head to the gym. Plus I need to start training for the 21K in Singapore.

How was your long weekend?

Just say yes...

Warning. Slightly emo post. Haha!

On a recent get-together, one of my good friends brought his partner to introduce to us. It's been quite awhile since I last saw this friend so I was really happy to see him. I was even happier because he had a plus one with him. Woohoo! Same time last year, I remember he was having guy problems and we were the same company he had then. It was really good that it was the opposite this year.

The two met at the most awkward situation. One friend thought it was a bit dangerous. Another friend thought it was alright. I thought it was amusing. Nice story. The two have been going out for several weeks now and seeing the way they looked at each other that night,I knew it was the start of something good. The jaded in me thought for five seconds, "Wait til you're two years in that relationship or whatever..." Haha! But the romantic side, as always, won. Congrats, you and you! :)

I will always be a romantic. My heart has been bruised, abused and overused too many times but I'm stubborn and I still keep subjecting myself to the same pain. It's stupid.

I'm reminded of what Grace Coddington said in The September Issue. She said it in a different context, but I think it's applicable to different situations.

"I think I got left behind somewhere because I'm still, you know, a romantic."

At the end of the night, - here comes the emo part... stop reading if you think you're going to throw up - I can't help but look at my own situation and wonder what the heck is wrong with me? I can't help but sometimes wonder why things are harder for me than for others when it comes to that department. And it's funny because I've been doing things to be "better." One friend kept making a huge issue about my weight. There wasn't a time that he didn't make me feel bad about myself. Looking back now, I don't think he really was a friend. Friends don't do that to friends. A small, small reason why I went to the gym was because of that. I'm somewhat thankful because it became a challenge for me, and I think the gym hours paid off. I'm far from having six pack abs, but I've definitely lost inches off my waist. Still, that didn't do anything for the dating department. Haha! (It did a lot for the health department though, and I couldn't be more thankful. I've never felt more healthier.

Another friend suggested I should just keep putting myself out there. I'd like to think I do that. The last two times I did, both ended up with a beating. And it's amusing because the time period between the two situations was too short. One of them was someone I've known for so long. I really thought we were on the same page. Days after I held his hand, I found out that I was reading a different book. Apparently, I was choosing my own adventure and he was choosing his own. Toinks! The one after him I thought was different. It felt different and I really thought that we were headed to something good. I laid down my cards. He did. We looked like we had the same expectations. But when I thought different about this one particular situation, it turned out that he wanted something else. Jack Berger-ed big time. I felt bad because I really thought he was the exception. Obviously, I thought wrong. Two of my best friends were furious with how the situation was handled. I sort of made an excuse for the guy. Stupid, huh? There's probably a "Gaguhin mo ko" post-it stuck somewhere on my head and I'm the only one who can't see it. Haha!

Then another friend suggested that I probably look straight. Uhm, I don't think so. Sure I do get the occasional "Pare" and *cringe* "Tol" from some colleagues from different departments, but I'm quite sure that there is no way I look straight. Haler, my bag is already a dead giveaway. How many straight men walking along Ayala Ave. carry tote bags? Haha! (Btw, that's one of the things I liked about Hong Kong, the men have the most awesome bags!!! I swear! Backpacks were very few. And I didn't see a single clutch bag. *major cringe* Haha!)

Oh well. I really dunno the answer. None at the gym. None at the dance clubs. None with friends of friends.

Sometimes I think it's because I'm probably too comfortable with being on my own. That's why the gods of love/dating think I'm fine on my own. Yeah, sure I'm okay on my own 98% of the time. I can watch a movie on my own. I can eat at a restau on my own. I prefer to shop alone. Gawd, I even went to KL on my own. And I'm going to SG on my own again this December to do a 21K run. (The only downside here is I won't have photos of the event. Huhuhu!)

And as I approach 31 this year, there's really a part of me that's prepping for the solo life. When you hit 30, you can't help but think about how you'll take care of yourself when you're 60. Is there a nice retirement village in Tagaytay or maybe in Iloilo? Haha! Or is it too early to think about that? Hahaha!

It just kinda sucks that sometimes the 2% puts me in a thinking/wishing mode. Harhar!

How comes it's difficult for some people? When really at the end of the day, all you really want is someone who's ready to...

just say yes.

To feel your heart beat through my shirt. That's all I want.

Here's a nicer remix by Bed's Toy Armada.

The other sightseeing in HK...

When I was asking for tips/info from some friends about HK, one of them told me," Ala kong nakitang ni isang pogi man lang sa HK."

Uhm, I have to say that the experience for me was different. Hehe! You weren't probably looking hard enough. Or maybe because I have a thing for chinitos who fit a certain profile. Pegs are Hidetoshi Nakata, Motoki Masahiro and of course, Boy Braso (who I haven't seen for the longest time).

Anyway, so as with other trips, part of the fun of being away is doing a different kind of sight seeing.

Love your own pa din.

 

Talikogenic. But trust me he's cute. (More pogi points for that bag.)



Tagilidgenic. But trust me he's cute. Haha!



Ume-Asian twinks.





Can you say DILF?



For the -er queen.



Hi Papa.



Hi Mas Papa.



Sabi na chuma-chub chaser ako, eh.



I heart Japanese (or Korean?) men.
 




Cougar lang.



Mas cougar lalo. Like major major. (Future person naman ako, so hintay na lang natin siya magbinata. LOL!)



Hello, kapuso, kapamilya, kapatid.



Kailangan talagang match? O di kayo na ang happy couple?



Power bottom edition. Hehe!



Hello, nagpapicture ka sa LV. Nag-out ka na ng major major. Hehehe!

Me and Mrs. Jones....errr... Mrs. Prada

One of the major major (LOL!) highlights of the HK trip was the visit to SPACE - the official outlet store of Prada and Miu Miu.

Even before the trip, I already did my research on how to get to the place. Big thanks to I-van for giving me more details. And tempted as I may be to be selfish and not share the info, I will gay it forward and write how to get to this small piece of heaven on earth.

But before that and the visit to Space, a little story about my love affair with Prada. Gad, there is nothing straight about that sentence. Haha! I remember back in college in the late 90s, I went to Glorietta to check out the newly opened Giorgio Armani store. It was the first in the country, and it was getting so much publicity. At that time, my fascination with the world of luxury goods was starting. A huge confirmation that I’m you know. Haha!

After visiting Armani, I noticed the small store right next to it - Prada. From the outside, the store looked intimidating. But I still went in and the minute I went through the glass door, I thought, "Uhm, Dorothy, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore." Okay, that was an exaggeration. But I do remember the pale emerald green/turquoise color of the walls, the plush carpet, the pleasant looking sales associates and of course, the bags, my gulay, the bags. Those black nylon bags looked so simple yet so elegant. It was really meant to be a classic, something you can still use ten years from now.

That first trip to Prada was followed with discovering Style.com, and it was there that I learned more about Mrs. Prada (yes, technically her surname is Bertelli but I read in Time that she is addressed as Mrs. Prada) and her awesome collection season after season. If there's one show that shouldn't be missed, it's Prada. She continues to be the rulebreaker of the pack. One season, she'll send fairies down the runway. The following season, she goes on lace overload. For spring, she’ll send extremely bright colors, and then for fall, she’ll do muted earth tones. I love her unpredictability and how she keeps everyone on the edge of their seats.

Many would ask why the heck would one spend a few thousand to several hundred of thousands of pesos on a few metres of fabric or a a couple of yards of nylon. When it comes to the work of a few designers (Prada included), I would say that it’s not just a piece of clothing one is buying. It’s a work of art. It’s paying due to the creativity, the genius of the person behind the brand. When Lacroix haute couture pieces were exhibited at the Ayala Museum years ago, I went and there sort of understood better why the price of haute couture is astronomical. Each dress is handmade, and takes hours and hours of painstaking dedication. So really, when you think about it, a well-designed, well-crafted bag is not just a bag. It’s really creativity translated into something you can hold.

Going back to the Hong Kong trip, the visit to Space was scheduled on a Sunday. I did that on purpose. Friday and Saturday were meant for the touristy activities. Sunday will be for shopping. I woke up bright and early (a little too early actually because I was too excited) and prepared for a wonderful day. I didn't know what to expect. I had no idea how far the store was from where we were (Causeway Bay0. I wasn't sure if Tey and I can find the place. But I was determined to get there.

When we were done with quick breakfast at MickeyD's, Tey and I walked to the bus stop and looked for the stop for 592. That was our ride to bring us to Prada and Miu Miu heaven. I had a printout of I-van’s email, just to make sure we wouldn't get lost.

To my surprise and relief, getting to Space was easy. Just count four stops after the bus crosses the Ap Lei Chau bridge and that's where you get off. Space is found in the South Horizons residential area. If you don't open your eyes wide, you will miss the store because it looks just like another plain store.

We got there before 12. On Sundays, the store opens at 12. Other days, they open at 10. Monday, the store is closed. I was surprised to see that there were already about 10 customers outside. This got me even more excited. Tey and I made our way up the steps and stayed near the door. I can already see the neatly clad sales associates getting ready for the day. I already spotted some shelves that had some bags on display.

Five minutes to 12. People started to get up and made their way to the door. Since I was taking photos, I told Tey, "Tey, head straight to that shelf and hold on to the bags." I was serious. I've heard of people fighting over the last prized piece and there was no way it was going to happen to me and Tey.

Three minutes to 12. The small crowd of early birds was all standing by the door. From where we stood, we saw the sales associates do some last minute preparations. A tall guy in a sleek suit checked his counter before proceeding to the door. He checked the time again and when the clock struck noontime, he opened the door to welcome Prada hungry people. Woohoo!

It was crazy and exciting. No one rushed to the shelves, but you could sense that people moved in a hurried pace. I'm sure we all thought the same thing - I'm not going to let that other person get ahead of me to the shelves. The first section I went to was where the black nylon bags are. I was praying that they'd have the BT0171 (which I've been dreaming of for the longest time) but they didn't. What they had was a smaller version, and it would look awkward if I carried that style. There were several small pouches and they looked so delicious. It was difficult to choose which one to get.

After a quick scan of that shelf, I walked further and saw the men's section. Gad, clothes, shoes, accessories, and bags heaven. Except that again there were only a few bags. The sling bags were tempting, but it wouldn't be practical. I was really set on getting a messenger bag but unfortunately, there wasn't anything good. I tried on some of the long-sleeved shirts that were really yummy. Two of the shirts I liked didn't have a smaller size. The third option didn't have a size larger. Ugh! Too bad because one of the shirts I was eyeing is the same shirt Carrie gave to Jack Berger in that Prada episode of SATC. I’m 99% sure.

While I was lost in oblivion and checking out almost everything once, twice, thrice, Tey was also busy doing her own Prada tour. Hehe! She was drawn toward the eyewear where she found really delichious pieces. I played the devil big time and made her get try several pairs of occhialis. Wahaha! She also checked out two pairs of shoes, but ended up getting just the eywear. I, on the other hand, got some small cutesy pieces. For Prada, I think it's a good price already. There were other pieces that were so tempting to get but that would mean giving up the budget for the other items on my shopping list. Hehe! No can do.

We came into the store at 12 noon and we left around 3PM. I find it quite fascinating how we ended up spending almost three hours in such a small space. Haha! I guess because there were just so many beautiful items, and it was difficult to decide which one to get, especially if you’re on a budget. Haha!

Still, it was a very good experience and definitely in the top 5 things I like about the HK trip. Haha!
Must go back though. The quest for the elusive BT0171 continues.

Okay, this is how you get to Space. If traveling from Causeway Bay take BUS 592 (Causeway Bay to Ap Lei Chau Circular via Happy Valley Racecourse, Leighton Road, Morrison Hill Road). Get off at Marina Square on South Horizons Drive (the fourth stop after the bus has crossed Ap Lei Chau Bridge) outside "The Oasis" and Space is just across the road. Sit on the right side of the bus so that you see it. Easy, right?

Good luck!!! Make me PRADA you! LOL!

Ho Ho Hong Kong na itohhh...

The Hong Kong trip we had was really awesome.

For a first-timer to the former British colony, I'd have to say that I'm really happy because I was able to do some of the usual touristy activities and the real reason why people go to Hong Kong - to shop.

Haha!

Prior to the trip, I was already doing a lot of research. I wanted to know what the country had to offer. I wanted to know how I can have a good mix of cultural and leisure activities during the four day trip.

After quite enough reading and thanks to the tips of Twitter buddies Chris and Jamie, and running cum shopping buddy I-van, I was ready to create a new Excel sheet to plot the trip itinerary, the budget and yes, the attire guide. Sorry, I can be that OC. But I tell you, being detailed has its benefits.

For the touristy things, what I wanted to do was visit the Victoria Peak, take the Peak Tram, and visit Disneyland. I dunno. For some reason, there's a small, small, small part of me that feels my childhood isn't complete because I wasn't able to go to Disney. Hehe! So I had to visit the theme park to fill that miniscule void. I also wanted to take a ride on a ferry, or if possible a junkboat.

For the leisure things, I needed to do my usual Visita Iglesia - LV is on top of the list, followed by Prada, and to complete the quartet Dior and Chanel. Let me clarify something. I don't shop at these stores (yet). I'm just really fascinated by the whole world of luxury goods. I know. So gay, dude pare! It's my OGT, so just leave it alone. Haha!

After identifying my must-do list, my travel buddies Tey, Rhyz and Reena and I had a meeting to align expectations and to come up with an itinerary that was agreeable to everyone.

Disney was out. We will just have a photo op at the front of the theme park. Haha! I'm fine with that because I didn't really want to spend an entire day there. I just needed my photo op. Rhyz's Ocean Park was out. I didn't want to spend an entire day visiting fishes and other sea creatures. Sure, they're awesome but they're not a priority. Reena's Madame Tussaud was also out. Except for Reena, none of us really wanted to spend $180 (???) to see wax figures. Maybe at another time.

What we all agreed on was - The Peak Tram, Victoria Peak and the Sky Terrace, Cable Car, Ngo Ping Village and the Big Buddha, Central Mid-Level Escalators, and the Harbour View Lights show.

Other itineraries can be done separately. For me,that was doing my Visita Iglesia. I am thankful for having a best friend who was willing to go with me. Haha! My Visita Iglesia musts were to visit the Louis Vuitton store at Canton Road (because it is the largest flagship store in HK, I think) and to visit stores that are not here in Manila - H&M, Uniqlo, Comme des Garcons, Muji, and Ikea. Thanks to I-van, the other priorities on my list were the I.T outlet stores, the Joyce and Lane Crawford outlet stores, and Space (the official Prada and MiuMiu outlet store). I-van gave me complete information on the last four.

With the help of a little website called Google, I also got all the necessary information I needed to get to these places - from the bus numbers to take, the store hours, the brands carried in each store, and so on. Haha!

Oh, the other thing I wanted to was to check out the local scene. I was able to find the top 5 gay dance

clubs. Volume seemed like the best choice. Location was good. The website was good. Again, thank you lord for having a best friend that can be dragged to parties. Haha!

So, the trip really was a very good one. Four days weren't enough though. I thought it would be enough, but there was so much more to do, so much more to see. For starters, we didn't get to take the Star Ferry ride. We didn't get to go to the Avenue of the Stars. We didn't get to visit the Ocean Park. I didn't get to visit the Joyce and Lane Crawford outlet stores. Haha! There's also a Heritage walk in the New Territories that's kind of interesting to do.

Three words. Must go back.

I have about 1,100 photos. Sorry, trigger happy with my camera. Reena has about 800 photos. Hahaha! Pinoys are such camwhores. Anywy, will upload pics on FB.

Back from HK...

The Hong Kong trip was not part of my plans this year.

All I had in mind was Singapore in December for the Standard Chartered Marathon and that's it.

A colleague who was feeling down on one regular work day afternoon became the reason for the Hong Kong trip. That colleague came into my cubicle and said,"I'm feeling sad today. Let's go to Hong Kong." Cebu Pacific had a seat sale back then and the return fare was only P4,300.

The next thing I know, I was already booked for a flight to Hong Kong.

If not for the tragedy that happened last Monday, the same day that I arrived back in Manila, the Hong Kong trip would have been really perfect.

Like so many others, I am sad and furious with the outcome of that crisis. I feel extremely aweful because I had a fantab time in Hong Kong. Major, major. I didn't feel unsafe for a second, I had a good vacation, it was the perfect break from work that I needed. And then, here are these Hong Kong tourists, eight of whom lost their lives, having a vacation in my own country and the vacation turns into a nightmare because of a severely mismanaged situation. Hay.

I really hope that justice will be served. And like many others, I want to see a lot of heads rolling.

At the same time, I feel bad that international media portrays Manila as representative of the safety and security status in the country. It's not. I f-ing hate Manila. I would move to anywhere better in a heartbeat. It's only here that I feel unsafe. When I go to the countryside, I feel so much better and I know that there are so many things that our country has to offer to prospect tourists. I know because real work, volunteer work, vacation have brought me to so many fantab places from Luzon to Mindanao. It kinda sucks that what makes it to the evening news are tragedies like the one that recently happened.

Would it be insensitive of me if I still write about the good time I had in Hong Kong? I hope not. It's been a very good experience, as I have said and I definitely want to write it down so I can look back at it months, years from now.

My prayers go with the families of the victims. Hong Kong, I apologize for what happened.

Ladies and gentlemen, sana Friday na...

I can't wait for Friday to come.

I am already looking forward to hear this.

Woohooo!

Mag-d-drive ako hanggang... sa loob ng warehouse...

We had our second driving session with our Fleet group yesterday.

Despite not having only two hours of sleep, I managed to drag myself out of bed by 6AM to take a shower and get ready to go to the office without looking like I just had a crazy Friday night.

Around 8AM, the rest of the cast was there. My car buddies Rhyz and MJane, and the rest of the PA stude drivers AJ, Mich and Kuya Manny.

As soon as our fantab teacher Peter arrived, we hit the road for our practice driving venue. We had to go to a warehouse in Sta. Rosa because we got kicked out of our practice driving venue last week (some subdivision north of Manila that was still being developed).

Uhm, compared to last week's venue, I like this one much better. It was very different because the "obstacles" in the drive path were a bit difficult. The place is near abandonment so the grasses were really tall, trailers of ten-wheeler trucks occupied half of the lane in some sections, and a pack of goats would appear once in a while. Hehehe!

My driving this week was much better. I think I was more comfortable with the wheel, and I was getting the hang of how to handle things. Uhm, I know it's still way, way different when we go out into the streets and start driving along with road maniacs. Haha!

The highlight of this driving session was getting to drive along the long stretch at the back of Paseo de Sta. Rosa. We had lunch in the area. I noticed that there weren't too many vehicles in the area, so I asked Peter if I can drive from the carinderia where we ate up until the traffic light before the main road. He agreed.

It's really, really different. It was only then that I realized that things can happen so fast, that I'd have to master looking at all sides before making my next move. Sheesh!

I had a good teacher though and he trusted me. I was able to shift gears up until the fourth gear. I did some turns (including a U-Turn which I was worried about). One or two cars passed by my side and I didn't panic. My car buddies Rhyz and MJane didn't panic. They were actually quiet the whole time (Either they were saying their last prayers or I was too focused on the road that I tuned out to what they were saying. Hehehe!).

When I finally stepped on the brakes and transferred to the passenger seat, I thought that the whole thing was really FUN! And yeah, I want to do it again!!! Haha!

The low point was I stalled twice when we got back at the warehouse for more practice driving. My legs were tired and I'm really having trouble with releasing the clutch properly. Any tips?

Peter also let me practice reverse three times. It's difficult. I couldn't see if I was going left or right. Only when I stepped on the brakes did I get to see that I was already way left. Haha!

If you know how to drive, I know you'd go, "Uhm, YEAH! Duh!" Haha! But I'm just sharing my experience.

Camera whores that we are. I brought Hanschen with me so we can document our driving lessons. Harhar! :P

We headed back to Manila by 4PM. Rhyz and I headed to Gateway to catch Step Up 3. The story was lame, but the dance numbers were awesome! I can imagine our dance teacher Reagan as one of the dancers. He definitely fit the profile. And he definitely had the moves.

Anyway, Tey and I were supposed to meet today so that I can practice drive with Bogart (Tey's car, hehe!). But I remembered that there was a race in the venue I was suggesting. Oh well. Some other time.

Friday night...

Friday night was a circus. That's all I can say.

The last night out I had was a random trip to The Collective two weeks ago, I think. It doesn't count though because we all went home by midnight. I went to Cubao X a week ago but it doesn't count as well because I had to go home by 10PM. I promise to go back to both venues very soon. I like the whole artsy, indie feel of the venues. Plus I miss Wabi Sabi at The Collective.

I've been staying away from alcohol as well. It's part of the whole attempt to be fit. No. I just really want to not have to worry about waking up with a hurting joint or ankle because my uric levels went really high again because of alcohol. I do know I can still party and have a good night out sans the alcohol. My friend Jimmy is the inspiration for this. Haha!

Yesterday, I don't know how I ended up having a night out. I was itching to go out, and I think Engel said he was going to meet up with his straight guy best friend. Uhm, I don't remember if I invited myself but I ended going with Engel to his dinner with Joel and his wife Sadel. On the way to the dindin place, we called Jonjon and since he didn't have plans that night we asked him to join us.

The scene of the crime was at Home Depot in Ortigas. It's my second time to be there on an evening and it's a pretty good place for hanging out. We started with dindin at Jay-J's. Food was good, but the service kind of sucked. Wait staff were probably too tired already. Afterwards, we headed to O Bar. Haven't really seen the place so we definitely decided to check it out.

It's way better than the one in Malate. This one was much bigger. The crowd was better. What I mean is I think most of them were yuppies from the Ortigas area vs. the crowd in O Bar Malate who I think are mostly students partying from the allowance given by their folks. Hehe! The A/C still couldn't handle volume of people though. I don't know if it's meant to be that way. Some people probably find sweaty, grinding bodies sexy. Hehe!

Anyway, I had a couple of SMLs. I wasn't feeling tipsy, but I knew I had to stop because of my ankles. Haha! I did drink a couple of times from Jonjon's and Engel's Gilbey's.

The place was packed by midnight. We stayed near the stage at the rear part of the bar. Music got better as the crowd thickened. Bumped into some friends - JC, Migs and another guy who I still dunno if he's straight or what. I was hoping to see runniny buddy I-vanchy but he got stuck in Makati.

We left the place around3.30AM. I had to head home because of driving lessons in a couple of hours. I dragged my tipsy and happy companions out of the bar. I hailed a cab and dropped them off at their places. Had to make sure the two got home safe.

I was home near 4AM. I set my alarm to go off at 6.15AM, and then I was off to lalaland.

Fantab Friday night! Basta. Haha!

Angelo is...

'Nuff said.

Don't you still get that? Hahaha!

Addressed to no one in particular. I'm just being lazy again to post something better.

Get your own slogan here.

Patulong kay Mom & Dad when cutting...

How sosyal naman the instructions of Jollibee for this placemat activity! Hehehe!

This was at the Bonifacio Global City branch.

I wonder if the Marketing/Creatives peeps decided to word the instructions that way specifically for this branch. Hehehe!

Mag-d-drive ako hanggang buwan...

I had a bit of driving lessons yesterday.

The Fleet Group of our company thought it would be good to give driving lessons to non-drivers in our team so that when we need a service vehicle, we can just borrow a car. Right now, it's a bit difficult to get a service vehicle because there are only a few company drivers. There's no shortage in vehicles. There is a shortage in company drivers.

So I spent around two hours just going around and around the small village driving. Yeah, first session and already, I got to go behind the wheel. I love it. Hahaha!

At first, I was really, really nervous. But the one teaching us was very patient and explained things well. I must admit that I started tuning out when he was already about transmission and how the gears work and so on. Haha! Too butch for me. Haha!

Initially, I wanted to take the car with A/T. But another group was using it, so I ended up test driving a Vios with M/T. It was fun. What made it more enjoyable was I was with colleagues MJane, Rhyz and Michelle who were all there for the lessons, as well. We took turns driving.

Uhm, I started with just the first gear and not stepping on the gas. When I got the hang of it, I asked permission to step on the gas, and then eventually to shift to second gears. Felt really nice! Hehe!
Of course, there's so much more to learn and the real test is being able to go out on the road. Eeep! Afraid. Haha!


The next driving lesson is next Saturday. Already looking forward to it.
First, I must get a student driver's license. Haha!

Eleven Layers...

Obviously, I'm too lazy to post anything...

LAYER 1: BASICS
Name: Angelo

Birth Date: Uhm, 1979. Haha! I feel so ancient. But I love being a 1979 baby. I've seen a lot of world histories happen. And I experienced the best of the old and the new, technology wise. 

Current Location: My room at home.

Hair Color: Black

Righty/Lefty: Righty.

LAYER 2: ON THE INSIDE.
Your fear: Rollercoasters. Seriously.

Your dream of the perfect date: The date itself is easy. What's more important is whether the call and/or text after the date. Then the date must have been perfect. ;)

LAYER 3: YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND TOMORROW.
Your first thoughts waking up: Saturday!

Your bedtime: Usually 1130PM. Latest would be 12 midnight. I need my 5 hours. 

Your most missed memory: Any of the travels outside of Manila. I have a love/hate relationship with this city.

LAYER 4: YOUR PICK. 
Pepsi or Coke: Coke Zero

McDonald’s or Burger King: Mickey D's, but it's junk food.

Single or Group Dates: Single.

Adidas or Nike: Adidas.

Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate.

Cappuccino or Coffee: Coffee.

LAYER 5: DO YOU.


Smoke: No. Tried once or twice.

Cuss: Whattashit!
Take showers: Yes.

Have a crush: Hmm, none lately.

Like school: Back then, most of the time. Now, I do. UP years are the best!
Think you’re a health freak: I've been a health freak lately. Been going to the gym a lot. Eating healthier. I'm starting to realize that I'm not as young as I was.

WHAT HAPPENED TO LAYER 6???

LAYER 7: HAVE YOU EVER. 


Played a stripping game: Maybe.

Kissed the same sex: Wrong question. What you should be asking is…

Gotten beaten up: Nope. Peace-loving person. Haha!



LAYER 8: GETTING OLD. 
Age you’re hoping to be married by: 35.

Number of kids you’re planning on having: IDK. Maybe just one.



LAYER 9: IN A GIRL/GUY.


Best eye color:  Black.
Hair color: Black.

Short or long hair: Short and clean.

Fat or fit: Fit.

Looks or personality: A beautiful face attracts me. But a beautiful personality is way better.

Fun or serious: FUN. I’m very boring.

LAYER 10: WHAT WERE YOU DOING.


1 MINUTE AGO: started answering this crap.

1 HOUR AGO: I was watching Vampire Diaries.

1 WEEK AGO: My third 21K, man!

LAYER 11: FINISH THE SENTENCE. 


I FEEL: Just right.

I HATE: Lies. It's the worst thing you can do.

I HIDE: Things sometimes and when I need them, I can't find them anymore. Haha!

I NEED: Love and Money. Not necessarily in that order. Haha!

I LOVE: Just because.

Rexona Run didn't let us down...

I conquered my 3rd half-marathon today at the Rexona Run!

Yup, another 21K in the bag. Despite not having enough training and prep because of the Mindanao trip and the severe pain on my left ankle the entire week, I was able to cross the finish line after 3:04.

Uhm, I’m not that frustrated with the time. My last two 21Ks were somewhere around 2:59. Today’s run was already good enough for me given the circumstances.

Although I have to say that I have partly to blame the time on my iPod Touch. I was quite sure that it was advanced, so during the last few kilometers I was really chillaxing. Haha! I was quite surprised to see that it was already 3:04 when I crossed the finish line. Ugh!

Aside from that, I had to stop several times during the run to stretch my calves. By the 15K mark, I could feel my calves hurt. If I didn’t stop, I was sure that I would get cramps.

Oh well, I’m just glad that I was able to achieve my goal of crossing the finish line in one piece. (The weather had something to do with making it a good run. Nice weather this morning. It wasn’t too hot. TYJ!)

As with previous runs, I was with ICON magazine colleague-turned-running buddy I-van. I’m really glad that he’s just as interested in joining runs and in fitness. If I didn’t have a buddy in these activities, I doubt if I would be joining as many runs as I have. So thanks, I-van.

It was also great seeing Twitter friends - JB, Jamie and Marl - who are running icons. Hehe! When I was nearing the finish line, I could feel both of my calves were starting to ache. But when I saw Jamie and JB cheering me on, I ignored the pain and used what energy was left of me to finish the few meters to the finish line. I have to say that it’s really a huge thing when you have friends who cheer you on. They help you not to quit but to really go for it. So thanks, JB and Jamie.

I also saw Multiply friend Edison. Congrats, Edison, on your first 21K! It’s great seeing this guy at runs.

If there’s one more good thing about running, it became a venue for me to see my online friends beyond Twitter, beyond Facebook, beyond Multiply, and in the real world!

Okay, let’s talk about the race. Overall, I’d say that it was a very organized run! Congratulations to the people behind the Rexona Run!

Here are my reasons why I thought it was good.

1. Race started on time. When we got to the venue, we were informed that the run would start at 5:10. Minutes before the start, a Fitness First instructor led runners in doing warmup stretches and exercises. (Why not Gold’s Gym? Haha! Sorry, biased and I love my gym.) Afterwards, the countdown began and we were off. Uhm, major booboo here. I almost ran into a camera man. Jeez, he was in the middle of the road. I was fixing my iPod and when I looked up he was two steps away from me. I didn’t see him because he was wearing an all-black ensemble. Anuveh, Koya?! Hehe!

2. Assembly area was spacious. This gave everyone a chance to do their stretches and warmup exercises wherever they find it convenient. Of course, I-vanchy and I positioned ourselves where we could find some “inspiration.” Wahaha! Mine were runners *** and ***. Stalkerazzi much?! Haha!

3. No need to check in. Thanks to the D-tag, we didn’t need to look for Manongs who would put a check mark on our race bib. As long as the tag was properly placed on the running shoes (which was really easy to do), there shouldn’t be any problem with the time recording.

4. Drinking stations at every 1.5KM. Bottled water and Powerade were overflowing. Gawd, you can bathe in Powerade if you wanted to. Haha! Whether it’s because of the previous Milo incident or that’s how the race organizers really intended it to be, I’m sure all how many thousands of runners are extremely happy that they didn’t have to worry about dehydration. I drank a few glasses of Powerade just to get some more energy. The rest of the run, I chose water. I’m really staying away from those power drinks. I have a strong feeling they’re the culprit behind the astronomical level of uric acid in my body.

5. Marshals all throughout the route. There really was no way that runners will get lost because there were race marshals who guided us. Some were even nice enough to cheer us on. Others looked bored and seemed like they can’t wait for all runners to finish the race. Hehe!

6. Different race route. I don’t like Roxas Blvd. Sorry, forgive me but after that one run which included the stretch of Roxas Blvd from Buendia to UN, I said I would never join another run in that area. When I found out that the Rexona Run will be in MOA, I was really keen on joining because I thought it would include Roxas Blvd. I-van and I still decided to join because we weren’t able to run in July. Our ideal was to have at least one run a month. This is why we decided to join Rexona Run. It turned out to be a nice, nice surprise when I saw the race map (a night before the run!!!) and learned that Roxas Blvd wasn’t included. Yeyyyy! The race route laid out for this run was much, much better than Roxas Blvd. There was no need to fear the buses and cars that pass by Macapagal because aside from having markers throughout the route, marshals and roving patrol guys were present.

7. Orderly distribution of loot bags and medals. Maybe because I was already among the last to finish. Haha! When I was walking towards the finisher’s kit station to claim my loot, a girl already approached me and handed me my goodie bag. The race medal I got as soon as I crossed the finish line. A guy was all smiles as he congratulated me and put the medal on me. Sana “ikaw” na lang iyon instead of that guy. Gago ka, eh! Hahaha! Sorry. May ganon talaga.

8. Goodie bag was really good. The good thing about FMCGs organizing runs is that they have a lot of product samples to give out. Haha! When I got home and brought out all the contents of the goodie bag, I was surprised with all the products. 2 Clear Cool Sport, 2 Clear Ice Cool Menthol, 2 Clear Complete Soft Care, 3 30ml ClearMen Activ Sport, 2 Vaseline Naturals with coconut milk, 2 Vaseline Naturals with lemon & sunflower oil, 2 Vaseline Naturals with Aloe Vera, 3 Cream Silk reShape Conditioner, 2 Sunsilk shampoo, 1 Pond’s Clear solution, 1 Sunsilk Co-Creations, 1 150ml Rexona Quantum body spray, 1 Century Tuna, 2 Knorr Real Sabaw soup, 1 Surf bar, 1 Surf dishwashing liquid. We were also given a 500ml Powerade drink and bottled water. Not bad I have to say!!!

Good Rexona Run! You really stood by your tagline, huh. You didn’t let us down! Thanks! :)