To Be 34

Here I am swimming with a whale shark (butanding in Tagalog) a month after my 34th birthday. Who would have thought that being 34 would be this amazing? A post about my post birthday trip to Cebu, one of my favorite places in the Philippines.

The Roundabout World of Bamboo Mañalac

Just recently, a colleague described me as a “music fan and magazine editor” both I have no issues with since they are true, the first is a known fact that I have been this since basically  forever (and will always will be) and the latter is something that I've really worked hard on achieving. Like probably anyone in my industry, I've also worked with different kinds of people and there was a phase wherein I worked closely with musicians whom some I've stayed friends with. 

Insanity Work Out Week 2

I went all out and drank (and got drunk hehe) last Labor day and I'm not going to lie, I really needed that release. I haven't had alcohol since...hhmmmm...I don't even remember. I skipped a day of my daily work out and regretted it quite a bit. But here's my progress. Week 2, people....6 more weeks. Let's do this!!!

Insanity Workout Week 1

DONE! Now on to week 2! Dig deeper.

My body is smoke free, alcohol free for months now.
I still eat what I want but in moderation. Life is too short to starve yourself.
I choose to be happy :)
I work hard... and I intend to work harder.
Life is good but most definitely be better.

D

The Time When I Sang With Ebe Dancel

If there's one local band that actually made me cry during a gig that would be Sugarfree. I'm not sure whether I was really sad at that time when I first saw them play at 70s Bistro or maybe because I was really taken by the lyrics of some of their songs, particularly Burnout which happens to be one of my favorite songs ever (here's my cover of it). I remember telling vocalist Ebe Dancel after their set that their songs made me feel many..uhhmm..feelings and I just cried during their set (yes...I like to embarrass myself once in a while) and he just laughed and apologized and continued by saying that it wasn't their intention to make me cry. But that's what made Sugarfree one of my favorite bands to watch, their songs have that "tang'na...yan talaga yung nararamdaman ko e!" thing to it.

Imagine the sadness that I felt when they decided to break-up. I was so affected by it that I was not able to go to Eastwood and watch their last show. I thought to myself, why would I travel all the way to Eastwood just to be brokenhearted? Ano ako, tange? So I just stayed at home and sulked. I attempted to tune in to the live airing of the show over a radio station. I heard my friend Quark introduce Sugarfree and when I already felt my cheeks starting to burn up and my tears starting to build up, I turned the radio off. It was painful. Eventually though, I got over it, I moved on. I even had a chance to interview Ebe who was at that time planning for the launch of his first solo album and had been working on gigs.

The interview happened at the Warner office in Ortigas. As always, it's fun and at the same time humbling to be able to interview musicians that you really like and look up to because luckily enough for me I get really good answers from questions that sometimes I deem silly or redundant (sakit yan ng mga ibang di ganun kabihasang manunulat gaya ko...hayaan nyo na).

Fast forward to this year, seeing that Ebe is obviously one of my favorite local musicians, it's no longer a surprise that I would want to include him in my list of people that I would like to jam with for my Cover Collab project. I sent a text to him asking if we can do the Cover Collab and gladly he agreed. We tried finding a schedule that fit us both and luckily enough he was able to. I went to his pad, which he shares with his beautiful and talented wife Nikita, and we ate pizza first before the recording. Nikita helped in setting up, rearranging some things, making sure that the "aesthetics" are taken cared of. She stood as our DOP / PD that night (thank you, Nikita!!!).

Ebe and I decided to do a cover of a Beatles original as well as a song from the Indigo Girls. I suggested the first one which he agreed because it was one of his favorites, and he suggested the second song because he just loves singing it. I have not heard the Indigo Girls' song for years and I did not have the time to memorize it so I had to use my gadget to read the lyrics while I sing (wow...what a pro, Mallabo). Anyway, without further ado, here are the 2 covers that Ebe and I performed. Enjoy!

 Thank you, Ebe!

make your own "happy"

Real Love: The Carina + Bords Wedding

Two of my favorite people just got married a few days a go and as expected it turned out to be one of those perfect weekends.

THE DONUTS OF CHOICE OF A PINOY SUPERHERO

I guess superheroes also get tired and hungry or at least the actor portraying Kidlat, which is a new heroserye on TV5. Find out why bankable actor, product endorser and all around nice guy Derek Ramsay loves his Dunkin' Donuts

NEW POLYEAST TALENT BEING SUPPORTED BY PONY SHOES

With her innate talent not only in acting but also in music, former child actress ISABELLE DE LEON is carving out a niche for herself.

PONY FOOTWEAR SUPPORTS LOCAL VERSATILE ACTRESS

Actress Glaiza de Castro is one talented cookie; no wonder Pony Shoes loves her!

Why I Got Thinner: No Secret Behind It Really

I think I've always been overweight. I love to eat, I mean, who doesn't really? Probably the thinnest women out there dream of eating the fattest food that they could eat if they have the convenience to. I never had a problem with my body other than sometimes I'd feel heavy sporting it. It just gets a bit tiring sometimes whenever people would really go out of their way to tell you the obvious..."Tumataba ka." or "Ang taba mo ngayon ah?" People! NO SANE WOMAN WOULD WANT TO HEAR THESE THINGS! Trust me. It is hurtful. I don't think I could ever remember telling anyone that she's getting fat...well, at least not to their faces. Weight is something that a woman has a love and hate relationship with, just like her hair or her skin. Say something negative about it and it automatically pinches our hearts. I remember working for this publishing company and whenever this particular person sees me, she would always tell me that I'm getting fatter...walang mintis yun ha! Everyday that she would see me talagang sasabihin nya yun. That's why I would really try to avoid her in the hallway so she won't be able to ruin my day.