Top 10 Unusual Place to Stay

Lifted from the ABS-CBN News website

Top 10 unusual places to stay

LOS ANGELES (Reuters Life!) - From converted train cars to converted prisons, travel Web site VirtualTourist.com has come up with its picks of the 10 most unusual places to stay.

"With limited vacation time, there's no reason your lodging shouldn't be part of the travel experience," said VirtualTourist.com general manager Giampiero Ambrosi. This list was prepared by VirtualTourist and is not endorsed by Reuters:

1. Edisto River Treehouses - Canadys, South Carolina

For those who refuse to grow up, a stay in a tree house is a dream come true. Not only is it fun, but it's clean, safe, and very reasonable.

2. Celica Hostel - Ljubljana, Slovenia

If you've always wanted to spend a night in the slammer, now's your chance. Once a military prison, this happening hot spot is now an art gallery/youth hostel

3. Schottenstift Monastery - Vienna, Austria

If the bellboys look like monks, you're not imagining things. This hotel is actually a functioning monastery where your wake-up call might just be chanting.

4. The Red Caboose Motel - Strasburg, Pennsylvania

All aboard! Although they once traveled from city to city, these little red cabooses now function as private hotel rooms. Needless to say, kids go crazy for this place.

5. Propeller Island - Berlin, Germany

Art lovers rejoice! From upside-down rooms to levitating beds, it's the next best thing to spending the night in a museum.

6. Schlosshotel Schönburg - Oberwesel, Germany

For a true fantasy experience, nothing beats a night in a genuine castle. In spite of its long history, all modern amenities, including Internet service, are available to guests.

7. Ariau Amazon Towers - Near Manaus, Brazil

Connected by a series of catwalks, eight buildings comprise this compound, which has become a favorite of celebrities and everyday travelers alike.

8. Hotel Sidi Driss - Matmata, Tunisia

The force was with the cast and crew of Star Wars when they filmed at this out-of-this-world property. The amenities are minimal, but at less than $20 a night, so is the price.

9. Euromast - Rotterdam, The Netherlands

A tourist attraction by day, this imposing tower becomes an exclusive hotel at night. Those wishing to give it a go should book early; the tower's two suites fill up three months out.

10. The Giraffe Manor - Nairobi, Kenya

Don't bother with a "Do Not Disturb" sign. The long-necked visitors who peek in through the windows of this extraordinary compound will just ignore it.

100

Time flies so fast. I remember setting this account up April of last year primarily just to download songs I can save in my office PC. I never thought about posting pictures in here or making friends because I have always had my Friendster account for that. I didn't tinker this Multiply account of mine I have because I was never aware about how it works before and I thought Multiply was just a music and media sharing site. I didn't even bother to change the theme or add a picture here. But, there came a time that downloading music from Multiply was no longer allowed. An attempt to do so will be blocked by the office firewall. My attention then turned to beautifying my Multiply account, added friends and other contacts here. And then I tried composing a blog. I know that a blog was some sort of an online journal, but I never really bothered about blogging because even if I had the knack for writing and stuff, I never really had the time to cpmpose one blog. I did try to post blogs in my Friendster account but it was just a seasonal thing. I only had less than 10 blog journals there. Their blog page is not easy to operate. I remember posting my first blog back in November of 2007. I was able to post one blog out of complete boredom here in the office. And since then, I have always made it a point to post a blog everyday or every other day. During the time Multiply was blocked by out IT department, I had to go to an Internet cafe just to blog. I was checking my Media Locker earlier and I saw that from November 2007 'til yesterday, I have posted a total of 99 blog entries here in Multiply. Amazing! And what a way to celebrate it is to create my 100th blog. That's why this current blog is just aptly titled 100. Milestones should be celebrated, right? I know my blogs are not as influential as Perez Hilton's or Bryanboy's, but I am composing blogs just because I want to share a piece of my mind and heart to everyone here. I consider blogging like writing a journal in your old-fashioned diary. I get to express my thoughts and feelings on certain issues, I get to pour my heart out if I feel sad and blue, I get to share my happiness and joy as well in a high tech, digital way. Sometimes, I do run out of ideas to blog about. I remember posting a blog about me suffering from what I invented as a Blogger's Block, similar to a writer who's suffering from writer's block. I have never really cared if one person or 100 persons view my blogs. As long as there are people who are interested in the blogs I post, I am thankful for that. I would like to thank the people who always view my blog entries. I hope you were able to get something from it, learn something about me and I hope that I always make sense with the blogs I post. As long as there are things that inspire me to make a blog, I will always keep on posting blog entries. Blogging is like a therapy for me. As I mentioned in my early blogs, blogging keeps my sanity in check. This is just the beginning of more blog entries. Thank You my friends who always take time to view my blogs, I appreciate it. Thanks to Multiply for allowing people like me to post blogs online. On to the next 100 blogs!

4 Years

As I was perusing through my calendar, I saw the date June 21. Wait. June 21. Exactly 4 years ago on that date, I started to join the workforce. That's the date when I started my first job ever at Sykes Asia. Incidentally, it is where I also had my first call center job. I was so optimistic and excited back then because it was after all, my first job. I was so lucky to get a job just a few weeks after graduation (I was a summer grad that year). Fast forward 4 years after. I am now with my third company since then. I am still working at night. I have been working really hard to get to where I am now. One good thing about it is that it gave me independence. Independence in the sense that I no longer have to rely on my siblings or my parents in making decisions for myself. I only have myself to blame if the decisions I made didn't really go well (and I admit there were quite a few). Since I started working, I have achieved financial independence, something not alot of people my age have. I am able to pay my bills, and still have a little something left to enjoy the finer things in life. I may not have savings (which I think I should be doing now while I am still earning) but at least I know how to make my expenses work and keep them down. And, I no longer ask money from my parents. In the 4 years I have been working, I have met so many wonderful friends from work, whom I also consider my family, since I spend most of my waking hours with them. I have undergone so many trainings. I have been priviledged to have worked with the best (and the not so best) bosses. I exposed myself to best work ethics and best practices. I was able to go to places that I have never been locally. Eventhough sometimes I get so stressed from work and it gets the better of me, I know that will pass. Eventhough sometimes I feel my job doesn't love me back no matter how much effort I put into it, I am still thankful that I still have a job. During the 4 years I have been working, I am proud to say that I have been able to acquire things I am proud to say, I worked hard for. During the 4 years I have been working, I have been able to create a viable resume only others can dream of. During the 4 years I have been working, I am proud to say that my experience has taught me alot of things in life and work. I have become a more mature and responsible person 4 years after graduating from college. I miss being a student sometimes, but I think I am better off now that I am working. I just have a simple prayer: Thank You Lord for always being there for me all these years. Always Be my Guiding Light as I go to work everyday. Thank You for all the blessings. To You, I give back all the glory.

Preview’s Best Dressed for 2008

Preview, the country's premiere fashion & lifestyle magazine, has already come up with a list of 10 Best Dressed Women for 2008. In the previous years, the names of Lucy Torres-Gomez, Cherie Gil, Apples Aberin-Sadwhani, Karen Davila, Anne Curtis, etc. have been included in their annual list. This year, TV host-actress-model Angel Aquino (left) and former model/actress Tweetie de Leon-Gonzales (right) are two showbiz personalities who made it to Preview's Best Dressed for 2008. The list, according to Preview's chief editor, represents different kinds of style in fashion today.

Photo by: Courtesy of Preview Magazine

Article lifted from the PEP website (www.pep.ph)

Preview’s Best Dressed goes green

Nerisa Almo

Sunday, June 22, 2008

From their "contradictory" dress codes in the past years—funky formal, neo-vintage, rock chic, and retro futuristic—Preview now asks their guests to wear "green" on their annual Best Dressed Party. Preview's editor-in-chief Pauline Juan said that embracing nature's color in the fashion world is not really surprising.

She explained in an interview with PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal), "It stemmed from a longer report on going green that we did in the April issue this year. The main thesis of that is it's really for hard if you're really a fashion person to go green.

"The very essence of fashion goes against being green because you always want something new. So, it's always to consume, to buy more, more, 'tapos kapag old na siya, di ba, hanap ka ng something new or bigger, brighter. If you're totally into green it deflates your sources.

"We wanted to challenge our readers and our guests to apply that advocacy to their wardrobe or to their outfits for this year's best dressed."

In adapting the worldwide advocacy as their theme in this fashion event, Pauline further explained, "We figured that this [theme] is pretty much the oxymoron in itself. So, parang how you would translate green into your outfit for the ball. Are you going to use sustainable material—will you do it to carbon footprints, meaning everything local, hindi masyadong maaksaya; it traveled to get to you? Are you going to use it in terms of recycling?"

As part of the magazine's tradition, its July 2008 issue will feature once again ten prominent personalities in the fashion industry whom they consider the Best Dressed in 2008.

Pauline said that they also challenge these Best Dressed persons to Go Green, like the guests, in the upcoming ball.

PEP asked Pauline how Preview chose the Best Dressed this year. She said, "Actually, each of the girls that we have, we choose based on really their style. What we also wanna do is have a group of girls that really represent different kinds of styles."

Here are the 10 Best Dressed in 2008. Two of them are also well-known in the showbiz industry.

Angel Aquino. She will be the cover girl for Preview's July 2008 issue. Pauline narrated that, as the staff was reviewing their "Best Dressed" list, they found that the Us Girls host was not included. "‘Wala din si Angel. Oh, no!' Parang, ‘Hindi puwede!'" After all, Angel Aquino has been in the Best Dressed list in the past. he fashion magazine editor says that Angel deserves to be on the list, "Primarily because of the easy, relaxed style of dressing." This is exactly how Angel described her personal style in clothing. The 35-year-old TV host-model said in an interview with Preview, "[My personal style] is simple, easy, and basic with some effort to be stylish and updated." Aside from US Girls, Angel hosts Studio 23's travel and food show titled Tablescapes. She will join Judy Ann Santos in the teleserye Humiling Ako sa Langit, which will start airing in September.

Tweetie De Leon-Gonzalez. In showbiz, she was popularly known as Faye in the early '90s via the defunct TV series Okay Ka Fairy Ko. But in the fashion world, she is hailed as the country's most famous supermodel. In an interview with Preview, Tweetie confessed, "Actually, I never was into fashion. It just so happened that I made a career out of it—and in the process learned to appreciate style workmanship, and the creativity that goes into each piece." The fashion model, who's also a jewel designer, became part of this year's Best Dressed because "Tweetie is more classical but is also on the sporty side, being the endorser of Nike," says Pauline. Preview also wrote, "This woman can put such a polished, sophisticated flair to the simplest, most basic pieces."

How does she choose her outfits?

"I choose my outfit depending on the weather, and my mood," answered Tweetie. "I'm dressed casually, usually in a basic tee paired with slacks, played up with my favorite Ice jewelry."

Tweetie owns the jewelry shop called Ice, which has stores in Rustan's Essences in Makati, Shangri-La Plaza, and Alabang.

Isabelle Daza. Isabelle Daza is linked to showbiz through her mother Gloria Diaz, Miss Universe 1969. She also the current face of the clothing brand Human. Belle (her more popular name) is the youngest among the chosen Best Dressed this year. Preview included her in the list because she represents the younger generation. "Her take on putting together her clothes is very fresh, very age-appropriate—wearing short shorts na hindi naman lahat sa atin nakakasuot," said Pauline. "And she also has a lot of stuff from her mom, which are recycled from the '70s, di ba? So, that's interesting, you know, if you put something vintage with something now—it makes her a very unique kind of look." Belle admitted this when she was interviewed by Preview. She said, "I get a lot of hand-me-downs from my mom. She gave me this feathery top, which is like 25 years old—very delicate and daring. She tells me how fashionable she was during her time."

Katrina Lobregat. From celebrity figures, the next Best Dressed is a lady whose work is closely related to fashion. Katrina Lobregat is a fashion buyer for Rustan's Department Store's Resortwear, Ladies Imported Shoes and Bags, and soon, Children's High Street. When asked to describe Katrina, Preview editor Paulie Juan replied, "Her usual style, she's likes going to beach kasi and likes water sports so she's really, really, very resort, very laid back na glamour." As Katrina herself told Preview, "I think I was made to dress for the tropics. I'm much more comfortable dressing up for warm, uncontrived, relaxed environment." Katrina said that her influences on fashion came from her lolas, parents and even her sister. No wonder she is also into fashion design.

Ria Bolivar. Ria Bolivar is somehow different from the other Best Dressed personalities this year. While almost everyone likes to wear designer or branded clothes, this 24-year-old morena model candidly admits that she goes thrift-shopping. "She is very into ukay-ukay," described Pauline, "so,...she mixes and matches her clothing—yung mga designer pieces from her designer friends, yung mga branded but from ukay-ukay. Interesting 'yong mix na yun." Ria said that whenever she visits ukay-ukay, she always looks for vintage shoes and bags.

Where does she usually shop?

"I frequent ukay-ukay stores in Iloilo, bazaars, and tiny markets. I also go to Divisoria."

Solenn Heuseff. Like Katrina, this half-French, half-Filipina confessed that fashion is virtually in her blood. Both her grandmothers were sewers and pattern makers during their time. This could have inspired the 23-year-old model/make-up artist to also try designing. "She, believe it or not, is now into this thing called 'slutty chic,'" Pauline told PEP. "Mas ano siya, very provocative dresser. She's half French so there's a kind of European flair going into the way she puts her outfit." Solenn has already modeled for international brands like Christian Dior in Paris. Even it was only for a short period of time, Solenn thought that it was a good experience because, "I got to see how the buyers from different countries choose what'll be in their stores. It was really funny to see how styles can vary from one country to another."

Mai Kauffman. Last year, TV Patrol entertainment reporter Marie Lozano, who was pregnant at that time, made it to the 2007 Preview Best Dressed. Now, it's Mai Kauffmann, who is an interior designer by profession, but also designs her own line of quirky bags called Goddess. She is also a co-owner of a mid-century antiques and furniture shop called KARMA (Kauffman Auction Retro Modern Antiques). Parang every year, tsamba lang na there's always somebody pregnant in our choices. So it's always interesting to watch how you deal with the changing shape," explained Preview editor about having a pregnant woman in their list almost every year. Pauline was amazed at how these pregnant women continue to be fashionistas.
Referring to Mai, she said, "But it's nice to see that she has not lost it. She likes loud colors, she'll pile things on, she's a maximalist in every sense of the word. So, talagang she'll do colored tights and then, printed colored tights, even when she's pregnant!"

Crystal Osamis. Aside from models, Preview also picked an aspiring designer, Crystal Osamis, to be included in this year's Best Dressed. "What she does is she makes her own clothes," Pauline related to PEP. "Kasi makakamura naman talaga siya kung siya na lang ang gagawa, so she makes her clothes." In an interview with Preview, Crystal said that she really enjoys creating dresses for other people. "It's a business I would want to take seriously. My personal style definitely reflects the clothes I make—I would never make a piece I wouldn't wear." According to Pauline, Crystal is slowly making a name in the fashion industry. "She's been hitting the bazaars lately, trying to sell the stuff that she makes for herself because other people are like, ‘Ang ganda niyan, a. Sino ang gumawa?'" narrated Pauline.

Joyce Oreña. The next Best Dressed is a well-known fashionista who has gained popularity by wearing her personally designed jewelry. She sells some of her designs in her own accessories boutique, JÔ, located at the the Greenbelt 3 in Makati. When it comes to clothing, Pauline said that Joyce is, "Very into designer [clothes] and the best European designers are really the stars of her wardrobe. Like, when you look at it, ‘Oh my God!'" She added, "She's like the ‘who's who' of the best brands in the world. She wears these and then she mixes it up with her personal designs also to get the mix."

Where does she usually shop for these designer clothes?

"In Manila, I shop at Greenbelt 3. Abroad, it's Milan, Rome, and Florence."

Anna Angara. Last but definitely not least is Anna Angara, a 37-year-old interior designer. This lady follows a certain discipline when it comes to fashion. Preview said, "She'll always opt for quality pieces regardless of price point. Secondly, she won't wear anything less than becoming—just for the sake of fashion." Also, Anna told Preview, "I also stay in shape so I can wear as few items of clothing as possible!"

The necessity of excess

Lifted from the Fashion section of The Philippine Star 6/25/2008 issue

The necessity of excess
ART DE VIVRE By Ricky Toledo & Chito Vijandre
Wednesday, June 25, 2008

There’s no other way. With clothes pared down to minimal lines and practically devoid of ornamentation, horror vacui just had to give in to embellishing accessories as a counterpoint to simplicity. The mood of austerity has also seen the virtual demise of the “It bag.” Not that there aren’t so many bags to covet but the greed associated with those infamous bags of the past is just too distasteful and indiscreet for the current mood. This is the time to go for investment: classic pieces in fine leather and exotic skins as well as impeccably beaded clutches and minaudieres that will last for many seasons to come. Any excess energy for bags is now being channeled into “It” jewelry, bold necklaces in particular, but there are also fabulous cuffs, rings and even hair ornaments that are just too irresistible to pass up for a fall wardrobe. For shoes, stilettos are back, sky-high, so time to do that balancing act again if only to get that perfect line!

Shoes: The Higher The Better

There are so many gorgeous stilettos in store, you will probably have nightmares deciding on just one. Michael Kors has a classic gray croc with a stiletto decadently beaded in black Swarovski crystals. Jil Sander has tournesol mosaic beading with a sculptural thorny sole and heel. Rodarte’s thorns top the shoe, protecting one’s toes from those who overstep their boundaries. The stiletto heel itself is also emphasized with the color and even with the structure by moving it back a few millimeters to appear as a separate entity. Probably a hangover from the chunky fetishistic shoes of the past, but at least they look sleeker. This streamlined look is most apparent at Balenciaga, where chunky has ruled for some time. Now, the shoes are pointy-sharp and stiletto-sleek to match the severe outfits. Heels have also tapered at Prada and Miu Miu from last season’s chunky art nouveau but with no less drama. Prada has the heels ruffled while Miu Miu’s sculptural heels are MoMa-worthy.

For those who are still holding on to the comfort of wedges, Louis Vuitton has the perfect compromise of wedged stilettos. This hybrid has a gap in the wedge to simulate a stiletto heel, which is usually the more dominant color, giving a trompe l’oeil illusion of wearing stilettos with the comfort of the wedge. Calvin Klein still has wedges but opulent in matte gray alligator with black shearling in Anna Karenina fashion.

This is also the season of the boot. Manolo Blahnik went thigh-high with his stiletto pirate boots, raiding the South Seas in the process to stud them with pearls. Marni’s went lower to the knee, in taupe with a black heel and gold platform. Anna Sui cuffed her Bordeaux boots and added a buckle. Balenciaga had a cyber look with rumpled latex enveloping pointy cream boots. Givenchy’s black version had a pinched wedge that seemed to be morphing into a stiletto, another transitional device for those still holding on to the comfort of the familiar.

An easier alternative is the ankle bootie that goes with many of the fall looks. YSL has the tallest and thinnest stiletto heel in croc with a hidden platform to ease the pain. Marc Jacobs is much kinder to women with low conical heels and semi-wedges. Embellishment came in patchwork and color blocking as well as gold and crystal studs. Chloe went green with leaves covering the ankle of its pointy booties.

‘I Will Not Be Ignored’ Jewelry

For fall, your jewelry has to be a statement piece. They need not be real but they have to look like the real thing that just came from the vault. They also have to be bold and interesting. Lanvin leads the pack with its Deco-dent rock crystal necklaces and cuffs. Balenciaga’s Riviere necklace of multi-cut stones and pearls definitely spells opulent. For a geometric streak, try Burberry’s modernist gold bib necklace. Dries Van Noten kept color on the agenda with jewel-colored enameled bangles strung into a necklace. Erickson Beamon got inspiration from Beardsley with graphic looks that mixed black crystals with gold-smudged amber and moonstone. Van der Straeten, meanwhile, journeyed to the Nile and did a geometric take on Ramses and Nefertiti’s jewelry. Heir to the Fendi fortune, Delfina Delettrez has a second collection of witty and intricate pieces like giant balls of green agate with charms of enameled fauna and large, surreal eye rings. Marc Jacob’s black pearl rings have heavenly rays of silver emanating from them. His cuffs were huge and sculptural, a noteworthy one having globular pearls tucked under as a surprise detail. Some of the biggest pieces were probably at Vera Wang, where they purposely over-scaled estate jewelry to fatal “I will not be ignored” proportions. A cuff came as a giant ball of stones while a necklace had an overload of twists and turns of crystals to make Swarovski happy for the rest of the year.

Mad Hatter’s Party

If there’s no time to rush to the vault for jewels, you can still make an entrance with some of the wildest hats to come around in seasons. Hitchcock’s fantasies come to life with a black crow spreading its wings over one of John Galliano’s hats created by Stephen Jones. Another one by Jones is an over-scaled crocheted beehive in green wool pierced by long black feathers. Jean Paul Gaultier used furry beasts with their ears adorning his hats. Faces are obliterated altogether and become part of the headpiece at Junya Watanabe, who uses charcoal fabric to sheath the head and the sculpture of objects constructed on top of it.

Bags: Exotic Skins And All-Out Embellishment

For day, go for the luxury tote in croc and other exotic skins. A soft tote in python comes in rich dark colors at Jil Sander. Donna Karan has a Scorpio croc tote in red degradé with gold hoop handle and zippers. A patchwork of leopard skin and patent leather discs merrily adorn the Miss Edge Bag of Dolce & Gabbana. They also have a fur print tote for those who want to avoid the red paint splatter from zealous activists.

The Kelly at Hermes has a new incarnation as a messenger bag for the busy gal. Yohji Yamamoto’s collaboration with Hermes is also a messenger portfolio that came out in croc on the runway but will be available in Hermes’ exclusive Barenia leather in three different sizes — a perfect laptop bag-cum-briefcase. Get on the list now as it is exclusively made to order only at St. Honore in Paris, Ginza in Tokyo, Madison Avenue in New York and Bond Street in London.

For embellished evenings, you won’t even know where to begin. There’s Alexander McQueen’s imperial Fabergé egg bags in burnished gold and red enamel. Christian Lacroix has Byzantine stone-encrusted minaudieres in gold and silver. Superhero dreams can be fulfilled at Pucci, where Kryptonesque shards of mineral stones become clutches. And there’s lots of beading from chunky amber at Burberry to a potpourri of semi-precious stones at Bottega Veneta and Fendi. Miuccia Prada, of course, continues her lace fixation with the bags.

“Look At Me” Legs

The legs will not be ignored either as another spot for ornamentation. Patterned tights were an integral part of outfits on the runway. They were color-blocked in brights at Sonia Rykiel, perfect with the Mod frocks. Chloe’s floral print tights in black, gray and purple went with similar colored foliage chiffon dresses for a botanical print on print ensemble or with contrasting beige print frocks and Prince de Galles check jackets. Rodarte’s cobwebs extended to legwear for an all-out Goth horror theme. At Just Cavalli, there were flamingoes and leopards going wild with python skirts when they weren’t tamed by plaid. There has never been such a mix and clash of patterns and textures. Guess that’s what happens when the recession constrains designers to go minimal. Minimal in cut and tailoring maybe, but definitely not in accessorizing where excess still rules!

Make grocery shopping fun and healthy

Lifted from the Lifestyle section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer June 22, 2008 issue

Make grocery shopping fun and healthy

By Mitch Felipe
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:14:00 06/23/2008

MANILA, Philippines—Grocery shopping has become a weekly event to look forward to, especially for the health-conscious people. It is also a good chance to test your lifestyle management and self-control skills when it comes to food selection.

According to Bob Greene, a well-known fitness trainer and author of “Get with the Program! Guide to Good Eating,” as you begin to change your eating habits, you also need to change your shopping habits.

The following tips will help you change your shopping attitude and behavior so you can save more calories and money.

Be mentally and physically prepared

Never shop when you are hungry. Make sure you had enough for breakfast, lunch or dinner so you won’t end up buying unplanned snacks like chocolates or chips.

Do not forget the grocery list that you prepared.

Follow your weight-management goals. Before you enter a supermarket, strengthen your self-control by repeating this to yourself: “I am a healthier person now and I am ready to choose nutritious and healthy foods today.”

Have a budget

Most of your grocery money should be allotted to fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats, skinless poultry, whole grain breads, rice, pasta and low-calorie dairy products.

Just buy what you need and don’t be tempted by special offers or promos. If what you bought exceeded your budget, keep the nutritious items.

If you shop with your kids, give them a limit. Pia Arellano, 35, vice president for marketing and corporate communications, would give her children a budget of P150 every week to buy what they want. This prevents her family from getting exposed to high-calorie foods at home.

Strategize your supermarket tour

Enter the supermarket through the door nearest the vegetables and fruits section. Spend a lot of time at the area where healthy products are mostly located.

Your grocery list should be based on the planned sequence of your tour.

Do not fill your cart with high-caloric foods.

Learn how to read nutrition facts

Multiply the total calories per serving by the total number of servings in the nutrition facts.

Choose low-fat food products which are less than three grams of fat per serving. Don’t get deceived with snack foods like crackers with more than five grams of fat per serving.

Beware of high-sodium products like canned soups and vegetables.

Choose foods with less than 10 g of sugar per serving.

Get breads or cereals with two grams or more of fiber per serving.

If the product is “low-carb,” make sure it’s also low in fat and sodium; and if it’s “low-fat,” check if it’s low in fat and sodium.

Make it a healthy event

Use a pedometer to remind you of the number of steps to complete during your supermarket tour. This will also help you accomplish a well-planned shopping.

Discover healthy alternatives to your favorite foods like low-fat frozen yogurt if you are an ice cream lover and low-calorie cereal bar for chocoholics.

Explore other supermarkets in your area, especially those selling whole grain breads, cereals and pasta.

Share your healthy grocery shopping knowledge with your spouse or children.

Babies In Danger

This week has been full of non-baby friendly news. Just this week alone, it has been all over the primetime newscasts. One baby was thrown out of a moving taxicab by it's teenage mom, good thing the baby survived and the mom is undergoing psychiatric treatment. Another baby was thrown out of a window of a condominiun unit in Binondo, Manila and died due to impact when it landed on the roof of a neighboring warehouse. Another baby was thrown among a pile of garbage. Another baby was left to die in a sewer. In the US, one baby was placed inside a microwave oven and left to die while it was turned on. In Australia, twin babies dies apparently because their parents did not feed them for days and the poor babies starved to death. These are live, moving, breathing babies, mind you. My God! What's happening? I am so shocked, appalled, stressed out by all this news. Babies are blessings. They should not be treated like animals. If the mothers who carried them in their wombs for 9 months do not like them, they give them to somebody who will love and care for them, or give them to orphanages so that they can be taken cared of and be given up for adoption. There might be many factors why they happened, but I do not think it's right to throw a baby anywhere like it's a piece of trash. Is this a case of unwanted pregnancies? Post partum depression? Poverty? Whatever the case may be, I really do think that babies have a right to live and be taken cared of. They are still humans, after all. Who knows, maybe those babies may become a President or a movie star or a famous athlete. I hope the government and the parents themselves do something about it. It all boils down to being sexually responsible. If you are not ready to have a baby, practice safe sex, or do not have sex at all until you are of legal age. Enough said.

Toshi Is My Name: Filipinos are Top Multiply Users

Toshi Is My Name: Filipinos are Top Multiply Users

Filipinos are Top Multiply Users

We did it again! After the social networking site Friendster declared that Filipinos are their top users, our very own Multiply also made such declaration! To all you Multiply peeps out there, show your love to our beloved site! =) This news is taken from the ABS-CBN News website:

Filipinos are top Multiply users

By DAVID DIZON
abs-cbnNEWS.com

A third of the traffic going to social networking site Multiply, or approximately 300 million page views, is coming from Filipino users worldwide, top Multiply executives said Wednesday.

Multiply president and founder Peter Pezaris said Multiply gets about a billion page views a month, a third of which comes from Filipinos in different parts of the globe. This makes Filipinos the number one users of Multiply, ranking higher than users in the United States where the site is based.

Pezaris said the Filipino culture's emphasis on family and relationships is the main reason why the social networking site is so popular in the Philippines.

"The reason why we are popular here, I think, relates to that notion of friends and family, the fact that our service is much more focused on connecting you with people that you know in real life rather than introducing you to people that you don’t know. It’s a site that really plays into the cultural phenomenon that’s here in the Philippines," he told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

David Hersh, Multiply vice-president for business development, also said the integration of unlimited photosharing in Multiply is very attractive to Filipino Internet users. Most Filipino Multiply users are female, in the 18-25 age bracket, and average about 160 Multiply page views a month.

"Filipinos are just rabid consumers of content. It’s amazing. Those 160 page views aren’t just fluff page views of people bouncing from profile to profile. It’s people consuming photos, videos and blogs from the people in their world. It’s meaningful activity. It reflects the deep level of engagement that we have with our user base especially here in the Philippines," Pezaris said.

Local partner

For the Philippine market, Multiply recently partnered with ABS-CBN Interactive to tap local advertisers and launch mobile services for Filipino Multiply users. (Disclosure: Abs-cbnNEWS.com is run by ABS-CBN Interactive.)

Paolo Pineda, ABS-CBN Interactive managing director, said the company is the exclusive reseller of advertising on Multiply for the Philippines. He said ABS-CBN Interactive will also be actively campaigning to build Multiply's user base in the country.

One of the successful Multiply communities launched by ABS-CBN Interactive centered on the Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus show. The show now has two sites - the official one where profiles and schedules are posted and a Multiply site where PBB fans can go online.

Pineda said one local call center that advertised on Multiply was able to attract recruits through its Multiply community site.

"It’s more of these community building efforts online for Filipinos worldwide. We want to really try to populate the brand and get more people to understand it and work on the advertising and get the brands to see that this is really a safe place to put your brand in," he said.

Real-world relationships

Hersh said Multiply currently has nine million registered users worldwide, of which 2.2 million are Filipinos. He said that while the growth of Multiply has been slower compared to other social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, it is the real-world relationships in Multiply that sets it apart and ensures its longevity.

"If your online social network is full of people that you have no real world connection to, there’s very little reason to keep you there and it’s very easy for you to switch. But on Multiply, it’s your real-world social network online and your content and it’s the discussion that goes on around that content that’s going to keep you coming back," he said.

Adds Pezaris: "It’s closer, deeper relationships which enables the sharing of personal, meaningful content to you and the continuing sharing of that is the personal documentation of your life online. Over a period of time, you build up this history like a living scrapbook of what’s happening in your life and it’s a collaborative effort because while you add to it, all your friends and family add to it also and that’s what really develops the long-term value."

Heartache

I was reading the blog entries of Brian Gorrell (yes, the guy who owns the controversial DJ Montano blog) and I came across this very touching blog entry that I would like to share with everyone:

I gaze at things as moments. Moments that give us smile and make us happy. The people we meet everyday, new experiences we encounter, loved ones who support us in every way and events that we live for. These things are moments. What if one of these shatters? And will cut you into pieces and harm your own being with its sudden yet crushing attack. This I think is what I call heartache. We wake up each morning hoping that things will be proper. We live as if it’s the last. I would say I am loving each and everyday of my life though I find some find things bad, I still wake up with a good vibe and untarnished spirit.
The lost of the person you love will give you a feeling that you were left alone in the corner. You love and in the end you will suffer. That is not what I expect with love. I expect love to be wonderful. Feeling the warmth and fondness you feel with each other, really makes me giggle at times or even makes me shout when I am alone. Things change as time passes by, not because of the indifference you are feeling toward each other but with the unexpected things wherein you need to decide on which would be beneficial to every party. Ending a relationship creates a dent in your heart. A dent which takes time to regenerate and will give you sleepless nights. You’ll see yourself crying and pondering why it has come to an end. No matter how you relieve yourself you can’t cope up with things. This is I what I call heartache.
Our relatives and close friends are the extension of our family. We acknowledge them as a part of our home. But we get frustrated with people who are selfish and self-centered. Help should be given in any ways be it small or big. You help and not asking for return. You reach out for a person because you want to help him ease the pain and alleviate the sufferings of the person. It could give that certain person a reason to smile and still fight for whatever battle he is experiencing. This battle should not be a struggle that he needs to fight for; that’s why we call it a family. This should be a collective battle. Prayer is a powerful armor that we can offer to every person we know who are having the most difficult times of their life. A touch or a simple care when you see the person can help as well. This is not what is happening today. The people we expect who will help us are leaving us in times like this. I feel that they should be the ones who will be our army in our fight to this hardship. It’s not about money; we need love, support and care. This is what I call heartache.
There are many things that I can mention which can give us heartbreaking moments. Those two are just an example and has a relation in my life in the past and in present. I suddenly think that why are all these things happening. We should be enjoying our life and should not experience what we call heartache. It is really the worst feeling to have. As what I always heard from my friends, “Shit happens”. So you just need to deal with it and prepare for the upcoming heartaches which will test you as a person.

survey all over again

The way to win your heart?
great food and a great friendship

What did you do last night?
work

Do you have the same name as one of
your relatives?
no

Are you looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend?
next question please

One song that's meaningful to you?
sometime, somewhere by regine velasquez

Do you twirl or scoop your spaghetti?
twirl

Do you drink milk straight from the
carton?
no

Do you like Batman?
I like Superman better

Who was the last person who told you
they loved you?
my mom

Addicted to anything?
clothes, shoes, facebook

What were you last listening to in the
car?
always be my baby by david cook

Do you like anyone now?
- yeah.:)

When was the last time you sang out loud?
at a karaoke joint 2 weeks ago

What did you have for breakfast?
pork adobo and macaroni soup

Is your birthday on a holiday?
no

What instant messaging service do you
use?
- YM, IM

Can you cook?
yes

Did you have a nap today?
yes

What was the reason you got in trouble
last?
i haven't been in trouble lately hahahaha

What do you wear more, jeans or shorts?
jeans when I am out, shorts when I am home

When is your birthday?
October 20

Do you swear a lot?
hmm..

Where did you get the shirt(s) you're
wearing?
Giordano

Do you have any regrets?
- none.:)

What was your first alcoholic drink?
Colt 45

What color are your favorite shoes?
my red and black Vans sneakers

Who would you like to see right now?
Brad Pitt and Angelina Joile

Are you a social or anti-social person?
social

Ever been in love?
of course

Ever had braces?
nah, that's why I have typical Japanese teeth

Who was the first person to really
break your heart?
Oh my! Next question

What do you wear to bed?
White tshirt and shorts

Do you trust people?
It takes time before I trust someone completely

Who was the first person you talked to
today?
my cousin Alfie

Who was the first person to text you
today?
My friend Jamie

What was the first thing you did this
morning?
Woke up and took a shower

Looking forward to something this
weekend?
Embassy =)

The Best Animated FIlm Of All Time

Let us support Urduja

APT Entertainment, Seventoon and Imaginary Friends is producing a full-length animated feature based on the legendary princess. The film is set for release in June 18, 2008. The groundbreaking production will feature the speaking and singing voices of Asia's Songbird Regine Velasquez (in the lead role of Princess Urduja); award winning actors Cesar Montano, Eddie Garcia, Johnny Delgado, Jay Manalo and Epy Quizon; comedians extraordinaire Michael V., Allan K. & Ruby Rodriguez. TV host Joey de Leon wrote the lyrics, and the music was composed by Ogie Alcasid and arranged by Mon Faustino. Friends, let us support this film. This is a labor of love from the Filipino animators who labored and toiled in order to come up with this project. I would like to commend Mr. Tony Tuviera for coming up with an idea of a locally-produced animated film about a local legend, and taking the risk of producing one. Hopefully if this movie becomes successful, this would be the start of more locally-produced animated films that can be at par with the ones produced abroad. I firmly believe that this movie will be a big success, and should be a viewing requirement in our local schools because of the history that goes with it. Please tell your friends and family to see Urduja. At least now, we have an animated film that is 100% Pinoy.

Oprah tops Forbes most powerful celebrity list

Oprah does it again! America's undisputed Queen of Talk topped the annual Most Powerful Celebrities for the second year in a row. It is safe to say that eventhough there are others out there who want to dislodge her, it is safe to say that Oprah is definitely a tough act to follow. Here is a report taken from the ABS-CBN website:

Oprah named most powerful celebrity again

Reuters

NEW YORK - Talk show host Oprah Winfrey is the world's most powerful celebrity for the second straight year and for the fifth time ever, according to the 2008 Forbes Celebrity 100 Power List released on Wednesday.

The annual list also included two couples among its top 10. Actress Angelina Jolie came in at No. 3 and her partner Brad Pitt nabbed No. 10, while music mogul newlyweds, Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z were fourth and seventh.

Golfer Tiger Woods remained No. 2 and soccer player David Beckham was No. 5, while actor Johnny Depp took sixth. Music group The Police nabbed No. 8 after reuniting for a successful world tour and British author J.K. Rowling was No. 9 after the release of the seventh and final Harry Potter book.

"It's not surprising that Oprah Winfrey and Tiger Woods remain at the top this year -- they're certainly some of the biggest earners," said Matthew Miller of Forbes magazine.

The rankings give the most weight to earnings over the past year but also factors in such things as Internet presence, press clippings, magazine covers and mentions on TV and radio.

During the past year Winfrey made $275 million, Woods, $115 million, Knowles $80 million, Beckham $50 million, Depp $72 million, Jay-Z $82 million, and The Police $115 million.

While Jolie's earnings of $14 million and Pitt's salary of $20 million pale in comparison, the popularity of the couple, who have four children and twins on the way, and their constant presence in magazines saw their power soar.

"Had (Jolie) made a couple of millions dollars more she probably would have been close to topping the list because the number of magazine covers that she was on, the number of stories she was mentioned in, far surpassed anyone else on the list," Miller said.

And it was Beckham's move to Los Angeles with former Spice Girl wife Victoria and their three sons in a blaze of publicity that helped propel him into the top 10 for the first time.

In contrast, Rowling earned $300 million in the past 12 months, more than Winfrey, but is a reluctant celebrity.

The 2008 top 100 is made up of 20 film actors, 20 athletes, 10 musicians, 10 talk show hosts, 10 TV actors, five "tween" stars, five directors/producers, five celebrity personalities, four authors, four hip-hop impresarios, four chefs and three models.

The "tween" category, a marketing term that usually refers to an audience ages 9 to 12, is new, Forbes said, with "Hannah Montana" star Miley Cyrus making her debut in the top 100 at No. 35 "following a sold-out concert tour, a hit 3-D movie, and a controversial photo shoot that had the press buzzing."

Among those dropping from the list are Tom Hanks, Jessica Alba, Hayden Panettiere, Adam Sandler and Scarlett Johansson, The Rolling Stones, Elton John and Jessica Simpson.

The full list can be seen at http://www.forbes.com/celebrities.

Rank	Name	Pay ($mil)	Web Hits	Press Mentions	TV Mentions
1	Oprah Winfrey	275	2	5	1
2	Tiger Woods	115	12	1	3
3	Angelina Jolie	14	1	9	15
4	Beyonce Knowles	80	3	32	14
5	David Beckham	50	10	3	18
6	Johnny Depp	72	17	19	36
7	Jay-Z	82	6	43	41
8	The Police	115	15	20	51
9	J.K. Rowling	300	23	27	64
10	Brad Pitt	20	4	8	7

Freedom

Today, we are celebrating the 110th anniversary of our independence from our Spanish colonizers. But, admit it or not, we are totally not free from alot of things. Poverty is one of them. It pains me to see people who beg for money so that they can get through the day. It scares me to know that there are people who steal from other people just to survive, doing it because of desperation. Everytime I pass by or see a shanty area, I always say a little prayer to God, thanking Him for all the blessings He bestowed upon me all these years. I also say a little prayer for those people living in those shanties all over the metro, hoping that they too, can get to experience the simple luxuries in life, and have access to basic necessities like food, education, decent shelter, jobs. Because if we are already free from poverty, we won't have beggars roaming the streets, we won't have shanty areas filled with people who do not have access to basic services, everyone will have jobs to support themselved and their families. We are not totally free from the dangers that lurk around us. We cannot stop them from happening. I think that our government should think about ensuring the safety of everyone. One example is the recent kidnapping of respected ABS-CBN news anchor Ces Oreña-Drilon and 2 of her cameramen by the Islamic separatist group Jemaah Islamiyaah. They just went to Sulu to cover a breaking story about the internal conflict brimming within the rebel group Abu Sayyaf. And then, they were kidnapped. As of the recent report I read on the Philippine Star website, the kidnappers are asking for a US$10 million ransom in exchange for their freedom. A very hideous, obscene amount. Is that the price you have to pay in exchange for freedom? I hope that this crisis be resolved immedialtely & peacefully without bloodshed and without money involved. We are also not free from rising prices of oil, electrity & basic commodities. Oil prices seem to increase virtually every week. I am so glad I do not have my own car because it would be a burden for me to fill up my tank with gas that gets expensive by the minute. Hay, I sometimes think that the best way to be free from all these problems is to migrate to another country. But, is it the only solution? Even if I migrate anywhere, I cannot be assured that these problems are not gonna happen in a First World country like Japan. We cannot just sit down and watch all these things unfold with our own eyes. We cannot afford to watch the country crumble and fall into bits and pieces. If we all get our act together, we can all be free from all the problems besetting our country. I'm just thinking aloud here, my friends. And since today is our 110th Independence Day, let us not forget the sacrifices and the battles that our forefathers fought against the Spanish, in order to give us the freedom we are now experiencing. Let us remember that if not for their courage, we would still be under an oppresive foreign rule up to now. Happy Independence Day! =)

4 RP sites in Top 10 in ‘Nature’s Wonders’ search

This article is fresh hot off the press taken from the Philippine Star website. This is such a positive piece of great news! It is good to know that all is still good in the world =) Go Philippines!

4 RP sites in Top 10 in ‘Nature’s Wonders’ search
By Aurea Calica
Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Four of the country’s top tourist spots have made it to the Top 10 list in the worldwide search for the “Seven Wonders of Nature.”

Senators Pia Cayetano and Richard Gordon attributed the latest development to the “online power” of Filipinos.

As of yesterday, Tubbataha Reef in Palawan was in second place, followed by Chocolate Hills in Bohol (fourth place), Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, also in Palawan (sixth) and Mayon Volcano in Bicol (10th).

Only Tubbataha Reef and Chocolate Hills were previously in the Top 10.

Cayetano hailed Filipinos here and abroad for taking time to go online and acknowledged the critical role played by local governments, environmentalists and non-government organizations in encouraging more Filipinos and even foreigners to vote for the Philippine nominees.

“I hope this strong show of support is reflective of a deeper appreciation of our responsibilities as a people not only to promote, but also to save our natural resources from various threats,” said Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources.

For his part, Gordon said “this is one contest where Filipinos all around the world can participate in and where victory is practically assured.”

Others in the Top 10 led by first placer Ha Long Bay of Vietnam are: 3. Cox’s Bazaar, Beach (Bangladesh – Asia), 5. Ganges River (Bangladesh/India – Asia), 7. Mount Everest (Nepal – Asia), 8. Amazon River/Forest (Bolivia/Brazil/Colombia/Ecuador/Peru/Venezuela – South America), and 9. Mount Fuji (Japan – Asia).

The search for the Seven Wonders of Nature is organized by the non-profit New Seven Wonders Foundation, which also undertook the “New Seven Wonders of the World” search last year.

The aim of the search is to create public awareness and contribute to the protection of the world’s natural heritage and foster respect for cultural diversity.

The list of nominees and the mechanics for voting are posted on the poll’s official website www.new7wonders.com while the live rankings can be viewed at http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/liveranking.

Filipinos can still vote online for the Philippine bets until Dec. 31, after which the Top 77 nominees will be submitted to a panel of experts that will put together a shortlist of 21 finalists by January 2009.

A second round of popular voting for the 21 finalists will then follow until the end of 2009, with the Top Seven nominees being officially declared the new “Seven Wonders of Nature” by year 2010.

Gordon said this would be one way to help speed up the growth of Philippine tourism, which could provide people with the means to raise them out of poverty and give them back their pride.

“We can beg oil and power companies for lower prices all day or argue for the scrapping of taxes, but the real solution for our people’s consumer price woes is to focus on creating more income earning opportunities. Tourism has the capacity to provide such a wealth of opportunities directly to our countrymen and we’ve seen many times over that where tourism advances, poverty retreats,” Gordon said.

Gordon also underscored the importance of ensuring the passage of his Tourism Bill, which along with the establishment of Tourism Enterprise Zones throughout the country, would also provide funding support and incentives for the development of tourism related industries.

“Along with the enactment of the tourism bill, we must revive efforts to open the NAIA (Ninoy Aquino International Airport) Terminal 3 as well as ensure funding support for the upgrading of our country’s airports. Particular attention must be given to provinces like Palawan, especially now that it has caught the world’s eye through the 7 Wonders Campaign,” Gordon said.

My Favorite Quotes

Here are some of my favorite quotations. These are lines from my favorite movies and quotes from really noteable people.

1.Give a patient hearing to everyone giving suggestions & analyze it your way. But ultimately, make your own decisions because the success is yours and so are the regrets- Sushmita Sen, Miss Universe 1994

2. I'm 32, Mr. Dunn, and I'm here celebrating the fact that I spent another year scraping dishes and waitressing which is what I've been doing since 13, and according to you I'll be 37 before I can even throw a decent punch, which I have to admit, after working on this speed bag for a month may be the God's simple truth. Other truth is, my brother's in prison, my sister cheats on welfare by pretending one of her babies is still alive, my daddy's dead, and my momma weighs 312lbs. If I was thinking straight I'd go back home, find a used trailer, buy a deep fryer and some oreos. Problem is, this the only thing I ever felt good doing. If I'm too old for this then I got nothing. That enough truth to suit you?- Hilary Swank (as Maggie Fitzgerald) Million Dollar Baby, 2004

3. See, now I know why you like Sumo. You can never judge a man's power by his appearance alone- Ziyi Zhang (as Sayuri) in Memoirs of a Geisha, 2005

4. To whom much is given, much is expected in return
-Maya Angelou

5. When did being alone become the modern-day equivalent of being a leper? Will Manhattan restaurants soon be divided up into sections -- smoking / non-smoking, single / non-single? - Sarah Jessica Parker (as Carrie Bradshaw) Sex And The City season 2 ,1999

6. The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word "crisis". One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger, but recognize the opportunity- John F. Kennedy

7. It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.- Upton Sinclair (from the documentary An Inconvenient Truth)

8. I'm half-Irish, half-Dutch, and I was born in Belgium. If I was a dog, I'd be in a hell of a mess!- Audrey Hepburn

9. If they have no bread, then let them eat cake!- Marie Antoinette

10. Man is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. The loftiness of this supernatural vocation reveals the greatness and the inestimable value of human life even in its temporal phase- Pope John Paul II

11. Everyone wants to ride with you in the limo, but what you need is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down- Oprah Winfrey

12. There are two types of women: those who want power in the world, and those who want power in the bedroom- Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

How about you? Do you have any favorite quotation you would like to share? =)

Why Filipinos Love Going to the Movies

I love to watch movies in my spare time. Since it is a favorite past time, I would like to share with you another interesting article I read in the Sunday Inquirer Magazine June 1, 2008 issue. This article is an ode to the Pinoy moviegoer:

Why Filipinos Love Going to the Movies
By Michael Tan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:02:00 06/01/2008

MANILA, Philippines - While interviewing people for this article, I realized that there’s a difference between liking movies and going to movies. Obviously, people who go to movies like movies, but it doesn’t always work out that people who like movies go to movies. Moreover, people who don’t actually like movies might still go watch them.

It’s not that complicated really, especially when you look at the Philippines. Most Filipinos don’t just like movies; we love them. But even in the era before Betamax, VHS, VCD and DVD, there weren’t that many Filipinos who actually got to go to movies on a regular basis. I’d venture to say that most of our smaller towns never even had their own moviehouses. Poverty levels were just so high in some rural areas that a moviehouse would have gone bankrupt.

These days, theaters are in even more dire straits. Even in Metro Manila, many of the grand old theaters no longer show movies; they’ve been bought up, or leased to religious charismatic groups who use them for their prayer assemblies.

But there still is a place for moviehouses. I asked around and was surprised to find that many people do go to the theaters, which are now mostly inside the malls. One of the first people I interviewed for this article told me he doesn’t actually like the movies, but he goes anyway, mainly when he’s dating. That reminded me that going to the movies is, foremost, a social activity for Filipinos.

We go to the movies as families, as a barkada (peer group) or as dating couples. Spending for the movie and the snacks, or even lunch or dinner, is part of the courtship process. My younger male informants also remind me that watching a movie in a theater is more romantic than taking in a DVD at home - it’s not just the larger-than-life screen but the dark, and the cold, and the whole ambience that allows one to be more cozy, more cuddly.

After marriage, there’s just less time for the movies. Going off to a moviehouse then becomes a special treat, one which is accompanied by food and strolling around, which is why the shift of the theaters into shopping malls was inevitable.

Can moviehouses be sustained? Maybe, but it’s a precarious existence for now. The shift to home viewing of DVDs is quite serious, but it still sustains, to some degree, a movie industry. There’s still magic to a movie, whether viewed in one of those expensive home theaters, or on a small television set.

And the preferences? Only males seem to have a specific preference, graphically described by one person I interviewed as B&B (bakbakan and b**bs), stuff best watched at home. Other than this male bias, people were fairly consistent— across ages and classes—in favoring comedies, love stories, horror films and... ”drama.” Drama? That seems to be a catch-all term for movies that bring out one’s emotions: laughter, mirth, sadness, sometimes even anger. People like “true stories,” the kind popularized by “Maalaala Mo Kaya.”

“Serious” films don’t quite have a mass appeal, with people being very specific in explaining why: “yung puro salita” (all conversations), “masyadong pilosopo” (too philosophical), “mabigat” (heavy), “nakakalungkot” (makes one sad). When I probed about films dealing with social problems, people were even less enthusiastic. Low-income Filipinos whom I interviewed were particularly averse to such films, complaining that life’s hard enough without having to be reminded about it on the silver screen.

Two groups seem to stand out with a preference for these “serious” films: college students and gay men. These are the segments of the population that have allowed indie films to emerge, meaning movies made by independent producers and directors who use digital technology. The lower production costs allow these independent filmmakers to move into riskier genres.

Listening to people describing their preferences, I’ve realized too that “drama” seems to be what unites Filipinos in their movie preferences, although the definition may vary somewhat. For the masses, “drama” means stories that touch the heart, preferably “true stories” or at least those based on a true story. Snooty upper-class Filipino film buffs will say they prefer “serious films about, you know, life,” but when you think about it, these “serious films” are often a variation on the “true story,” fulfilling the need to see art imitating life. What is different is that upper-class Filipinos want a bit more of irony, less of the predictable “lived happily ever after” endings which have become standard in our movies, even the indie ones.

What about the future? It’s hard to say. On one hand, the pirated DVDs do threaten the movie industry. And the stuff being sold in Quiapo is dismal, mostly B&B. On the other hand, video shops seem to be thriving with a larger variety of films, including “serious” stuff and, I notice now, copies of old movies, including Filipino classics.

In the end though, it’s still economics at work. It’s an emerging middle class, with more disposable income and higher standards for the movies, that holds hopes for a renaissance of both the movie industry and moviehouses.

50 Unforgettable Movie Lines

Reprinting a very interesting article from the Sunday Inquirer Magazine June 1, 2008 issue:

50 Unforgettable Movie Lines

By Monette Quiogue
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:03:00 06/01/2008

MANILA, Philippines – Some people view the movies as art imitating life. But have you ever heard people in real life speak with such color, an abandon of choice metaphors and razor-sharp wit? You might say that because movies are a slice of life condensed in two hours, the drama and emotions even in ordinary conversations are scrunched up within that short period instead of being allowed to spool out naturally over time. Especially in local movies, people sound like they’ve been saving their venom for years until it becomes so thick and viscous it’s literally spilling out of the screen and into our memory bank. Well, who can forget these lines?

1. “You’re nothing but a second-rate, trying hard copycat!"—Cherie Gil, “Bituing Walang Ningning” (1985)

2. “Para kang karinderyang bukas sa lahat ng gustong kumain.”—Vilma Santos, “Palimos ng Pag-ibig” (1985)

3. “Walang himala! Ang himala ay nasa puso ng tao! Nasa puso nating lahat!"—Nora Aunor, “Himala” (1982)

4. “My brother is not a pig! My brother is not a pig! Ang kapatid ko ay tao, hindi baboy damo!"—Nora Aunor, “Minsa’y Isang Gamugamo” (1976)

5. “Once, twice, thrice, gaano ba kadalas ang minsan?"—Hilda Koronel, “Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan” (1982)

6. “Ayoko ng tinatapakan ako. Ayoko ng masikip, ayoko ng mabaho, ayoko ng walang tubig, ayoko ng walang pagkain, ayoko ng putik!"—Maricel Soriano, “Kaya Kong Abutin ang Langit” (1984)

7. “Hayop... Hayuuup... Hayuuupppp!"—Nora Aunor, “Ina Ka Ng Anak Mo” (1979)

8. “Trabaho lang ito, walang personalan.”—Rudy Fernandez, “Markang Bungo” (1991)

9. “Si Val! Si Val! Puro na lang si Val! Si Val na walang malay!"—Vilma Santos, “Saan Nagtatago ang Pag-ibig” (1987)

10. “Ikaw pala. Ikaw pala ang sinasabi ng asawa ko na asawa mo na asawa ng bayan!"—Laurice Guillen, “Nagalit ang Buwan sa Haba ng Gabi” (1983)

11. “Akala mo lang wala... pero meron! Meron! Meron!"—Carlo Aquino, “Bata, Bata...Paano Ka Ginawa?” (1998)

12. “Gutay-gutay na ang katawan nyo... pati na ang kaluluwa nyo!"—Sharon Cuneta, “Pasan Ko ang Daigdig” (1987)

13. “Sabel! This must be love!"—Carmi Martin, “Working Girls” (1986)

14. FPJ: “Ang problema sa ’yo, maaga kang ipinanganak.”

Sharon: “Ang problema naman sa ’yo, huli kang ipinanganak!"—Fernando Poe Jr. and Sharon Cuneta, “Kahit Konting Pagtingin” (1990)

15. “Wala akong pakialam… ibalik mo sa akin si Jun-jun. Ibalik mo sa akin ang anak ko! Ibalik mo sa akin si Jun-jun. Ibalik mo ang... ahhhhh!"—Vilma Santos, “Paano Ba Ang Mangarap” (1983)

16. “Kung saan, kailan, at paanong labanan, magpasabi ka lang. Hindi kita uurungan!"—Sharon Cuneta, “Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin” (1984)

17. Alice: “Mamamatay ako, Ate, pag kinuha mo sa akin si Alex!”

Lorna: “Ipalilibing kita.”

Alice: “Ate, please!”

Lorna: “Nung inagaw mo sa ’kin si... muntik na rin akong mamatay. Puwes, ikaw naman ngayon ang mamatay.”—Lorna Tolentino and Alice Dixson, “Nagbabagang Luha” (1988)

18. “Simple lang naman ang hinihingi ko. Kung hindi mo ako marespeto bilang asawa, respetuhin mo naman ako bilang kaibigan. Kung hindi naman, respetuhin mo ako bilang tao.”—Vilma Santos, “Relasyon” (1982)

19. Rene: “Cheetaehhh... ganda lalake!”

Echo: “Ulol! Sinungaling! Panget! Panget!"—Rene Requiestas, “Starzan”

20. “Kung hindi tayo kikilos sino ang kikilos? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?"—Vilma Santos, “Sister Stella L.” (1984)

She Said, He Said

JUST when you think those particularly memorable and piquant movie lines are peculiar to Filipino movies, here come more quotable lines from Hollywood:

1. Bette Davis (Margo Channing): “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night!” (“All about Eve”)

2. Julia Roberts (Katherine Watson): “This is all they’re really doing here, isn’t it? They’re just biding time until SOMEBODY proposes!” (“Mona Lisa Smiles”)

3. Jennifer Connelly (Alicia): “I need to believe that something extraordinary is possible.” (“A Beautiful Mind”)

4. Audrey Hepburn (Holly): “We’re alike, me and cat. A couple of poor nameless slobs.” (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”)

5. Julia Roberts (Maggie Carpenter): “I guarantee that we’ll have tough times and I guarantee that at some point one or both of us will want to get out. But I also guarantee that if I don’t ask you to be mine, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life ‘cause I know in my heart you’re the only one for me.” (“Runaway Bride”)

6. Humphrey Bogart (Rick): “Here’s looking at you, kid.” (“Casablanca”)

7. Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator): “I’ll be back!” (“The Terminator”)

8. Richard Gere (Lancelot): “I dare not kiss so lovely a lady. I have but one heart to lose.” (“First Knight”)

9. Sandra Bullock (Angela): “For future reference you should know that the living tend to interest me just a little more than the dead do.” (“The Net”)

10. Judy Garland (Dorothy): “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” (“Wizard of Oz”)

11. Jack Nicholson (Melvin): “You make me want to be a better man.” (“As Good As It Gets”)

12. Robert Hays (Ted Striker): “Surely you can’t be serious!”

Leslie Nielsen (Dr. Rumack): “I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley.” (“Airplane”)

13. Julia Roberts (Anna Scott): “I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” (“Notting Hill”)

14. Sandra Bullock (Annie Porter): “Oh sure, it’s just like driving a really big Pinto.” (“Speed”)

16. Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich): “They’re called boobs, Ed.” (“Erin Brockovich”)

17. Tom Hanks (Jim Lovell): “Houston, we have a problem!” (“Apollo 13”)

18. Sandra Bullock (Agnes von Kurowsky): “You know what I’ve been told? Italian men respect their wives. They spoil their mistresses. But the only women they love are their mothers.” (“In Love and War”)

19. Andrew McCarthy (Blane McDonough): “You told me you couldn’t believe in somebody who didn’t believe in you. I believed in you. Always believed in you... just didn’t believe in me.” (“Pretty in Pink”)

20. Anthony Hopkins (Dr. Hannibal Lecter): “I do wish we could chat longer, but I’m having an old friend for dinner. Bye...” (“The Silence of the Lambs”)

21. Julia Roberts (Alice Sutton): “This guy’s a restraining order waiting to happen.” ("Conspiracy Theory”)

22. Kiefer Sutherland (Nelson Wright): “Today is a good day to die.” (“Flatliners”)

23. Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump): “Mama always said life was like a box a chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.” (“Forrest Gump”)

24. Sandra Bullock (Annie Porter): “I’ve been in worse situations than this, and panic does not help, trust me!” (“Speed 2”)

25. Tom Cruise (Jerry Maguire): “Show ME the MONEY!!!!” (“Jerry Maguire”)

26. Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator): “Hasta la vista, baby.” (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”)

27. Julia Roberts (Shelby): “I’d rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special.” (“Steel Magnolias”)

28. Renée Zellweger (Dorothy Boyd): “I love him for the… for the man he wants to be and I love him for the man he almost is!” (“Jerry Maguire”)

29. Richard Gere (Jack Sommersby): “Being your husband has been the only thing I’ve ever done that I’m proud of.” (“Sommersby”)

30. Kevin Costner (Crash Davis): “Well, I believe in the soul, the cock, the pussy, the small of a woman’s back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch, that the novels of Susan Sontag are self-indulgent, overrated crap. I believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. I believe there ought to be a constitutional amendment outlawing Astroturf and the designated hitter. I believe in the sweet spot, soft-core pornography, opening your presents Christmas morning rather than Christmas Eve and I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three days.” (“Bull Durham”)