An Email from Justin Vernon

Justin Vernon, front man of the American folk band Bon Iver (bon ee-ver), is one of those men that's hard to resist not to bug on twitter. He is very active on twitter. He would tweet photos, music that he listens to, his gigs and he would occasionally reply to people.

Hurray for Weekend Gatherings!

Given that I've been too preoccupied (i.e. lazy) to update my blog, I'm going to ram in all the updates in this one whole post. How convenient, yes? I've been on several occasions and gatherings this month, 3 good ones to be exact and here we go. Oh and by the way, all events were done during the weekends. People who really know me knows that I hate going out on a weekend. It's always been my rest day but since I've been "resting" for over a month now....nah, I still hate going out on weekends, it's just that these 3 events were just too hard to pass.

Rainy Evening with the Padillas

Last week, Chris Padilla (vocalist of the band Hilera) and I have been communicating regarding our cover collab session. We were supposed to do it last week but it got cancelled because they had a gig so we rescheduled it yesterday (Feb 13). Great because today is Valentine's day and what we covered were love songs so I can dedicated it to all of youuuuuuhhhooooo!

Chris' pad wasn't really that difficult to find but I ended up getting lost anyway. Sorry naman! Plus it was raining but it was a good thing that the cab driver was nice enough not to charge me extra because of the traffic (hindi naman talaga dapat e). I got there around 5pm and he looked like he just woke up. Well, Chris always looks like he just woke up anyway then add the Padilla swagger?...ang galing!

Although he also looked a bit under the weather and he was. He was complaining that his chest was hurting a bit and he's having a hard time swallowing and he was losing his voice. Yesterday, I also found out that they have a gig at 70s Bistro. So I told him that we should have cancelled the jam and rescheduled it again, I wouldn't have mind but he said that it was OK, and he also wanted to do it. What a trooper! Originally, I would have wanted to play "Turn Your Lights Down Low" by Bob Marley but realized that it might not be suitable for his voice so we did a last minute change. We talked a little, watched TV, then we practiced our songs. He used an acoustic bass guitar and I used his acoustic guitar with a missing 6th string. This is going to be one interesting jam, I thought. Then Bobby, his brother and the drummer of their band Hilera (and also the band that I'm managing, The Butchercons) arrived and hung out with us. Here are pic-chassss!

 Bobby nagtutulog tulugan.

 with Bob

 with Chris

 my Creative Rec, one of my favorite shoes

 new Hilera line-up haha!

Bobby didn't do squat! Hahaha! Kidding! Chris and I made him check my flip cam if we were in the frame and he clapped after we played the songs. He was there for moral support. Would have been nice if they called their Uncle Robin to jam with us though.....someday...someday. But in the meantime, enjoy these videos of me and Chris singing Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling In Love" and The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL OF YOU!

Uniqlo, Strange Times Ingress and Tara McPherson (I'm bad with titles...)

Two days ago, I had one of those afternoons where I went running (well, not literally) from one place to another. First stop was at the Hotel Intercon Manila for the press launch of Japan's casual wear retailer Uniqlo. They will be opening a store at the SM Mall of Asia by June this year. The program was hosted by Christine Jacob who looked AMAZING! I don't know how old she is but my God, she really looks fit. Anyway, here are some of the clothes and shirts that were on display that day and hopefully will be sold here in their Manila store.

 I love these Andy Warhol collab shirts

 

 

This is a David Lynch collab shirt

Nice looking seafood salad

Second stop was at the Pablo X gallery to help out my friends Wiji and Yvette set up for their exhibit which will be happening tonight. The exhibit is called Strange Times. Wiji did the paintings and Yvette provided the narrative text.

 

 The exhibit's first visitor, Carlos Celdran.

Last stop was at Vinyl on Vinyl at the Collective in Malugay street to interview and to have dinner with New York based artist Tara McPherson. I met Tara 2 years ago when she first came here for Graphika Manila. We shot and featured her in UNO.  I also did this video interview with her.

Funny that she remembered this interview when I brought it up during dinner. I think it was because of the Kings of Leon and The Strokes question and how surprised I was with her answer. My recent interview with her will either be published at the UNO website or in the magazine or both, I'm not sure yet but it will be out soon.

 Some of the toys at VoV

Some of Tara's works on display

 Sean, Tara's boyfriend (who looks like he could be Jim Carrey's brother), loved this toy. I told him just to leave the store with it, I'm sure Gaby (dela Merced) wont notice that it's gone hehe. 

 Tara trying to book a hotel in Cambodia

 Hey there!

It was nice meeting her again

A Luncheon by the HK Tourism Board

Yesterday I was invited to a luncheon sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. It was held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. At first I had second thoughts on going because since it's a luncheon I know that there will be tons of food that will be served and I'm on a diet (boooo!) but I'm glad I went because I saw my classmate from kinder Thesa (Molino) who is the Marketing Manager of HK Disneyland office here in Manila.

It took a while before the program started and there were a whole bunch of people that were waiting outside the ballroom, so while I was standing with some of the media people who were there, I just took a photo of this fake tree.

Finally when we were ushered inside the ballroom, the program started immediately with some dragon dancers.

Here's a list of food that we ate. It was a lot but the good thing about it was that it was served in portions and I was able to control myself to not get seconds.

Of course, a Chinese meal is not complete without Buchi.

Too bad I didn't win the raffle for an all expense paid trip for two to Hong Kong. I've never been there but someday...

An Afternoon Jam with Ira Cruz

Guitarist Ira Cruz is like the kuya that I never had but I guess unlike the usual kuyas with issues that you guys have, Ira and I never fail to always get a laugh out of something. Mali na nga at wala sa lugar na ata kung minsan e he he.

 

Excuse my brace faced phase

We go a long way back. I think I first met him when I was still working for Pulp Magazine. I've arranged numerous photo shoots with bands, and also gigs, that included a shoot with the original members of the band Kapatid.

Hay, memoriiiieeeessss! He has been one of the few people that I've become friends with in the industry. At one time I actually convinced him to do a fashion editorial, yes, I asked him to be one of my models! If that is not true friendship right there, I don't know what is! Hahaha! Too bad I don't have a picture here with me that I can post, tsk. With all biases aside though, Ira is one of my favorite local guitar players because of his versatility. Tugtog lang ng tugtog, that's the vibe that I get from him. Aside from his present band Hijo, he still sessions for other artists (he played guitar for Anne Curtis' concert recently). That's why it's a no brainer that I asked him to be part of this so-called "project" that I'm working on.

So OK, for those of you who are first time visitors of my blog HELLO! I'm working on this cover collab sessions where in I will be tapping my favorite local musicians and ask them if they can do two covers with me and we'll record it on video to be posted on my youtube account. What's the purpose of this you might ask? Nothing really. I just want it to be one of a few sources of my happiness, a happy thought generator if you will. One of these days it would be fun to look back at these videos and say that HA! I did that!(?)

Back to my afternoon with Mr. Cruz. I went to his house somewhere in Cubao and I brought him his favorite pancit which we dubbed Pancit Highblood.

 

This is the glorious Pancit Highblood that can only be found here in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. First of all, I love it because it has no onions! Second it is to die for because it has lechon kawali mixed in there somewhere. So before we recorded the covers, merienda muna! 

F na F sa unang subo

So after our cholesterol filled merienda, we practiced the songs and worked on our harmony for 311's "I'll Be Here Awhile." We made it a pitch higher so my voice won't disappear in the low parts of the song. 

 

 

At first he told me not to ask him to sing but I said that he has to because the harmony is the best part of that 311 tune plus the ten ten nen ten ten tenenen (that's my best rendition of the lead part at the beginning of the song). 

Enough of the text, here are the two covers that my friend Ira and I recorded, 311's acoustic version of "I'll Be Here Awhile" and Corinne Bailey Rae's "Like A Star." I hope you'll like them. 

 

Tumbling...Pen Pen's Restaurant...Tumbling....Laguna

Today I went to Cubao X, at Pen Pen's Restaurant to be precise. I was invited by my friend Ping Medina, who's the owner of the said restaurant, because there's a presscon there by Boysen. It's about their KNOxOUT EDSA project. I'll talk about it more in the UNO website, I'll just link the post here soon. Anyhu, there were a lot of people, Ping said that he wasn't expecting the attendees to be that many although of course the restaurant was prepared. I arrived a little after 12noon and the presentation just ended, ngak! So I just sat there and people watched a little before I decided to eat. This was my lunch plate.

That right there on the left is the deadly but oh so yummy Crispy Liempo, on the middle is Lengua and on the far right is Laing. Oh and I got a kakurampot na kanin.

 

I also got a bowl of Pancit Molo. I have high standards when it comes to Pancit Molo since it's probably my favorite soup (I'd trade a good Batchoy for it any given day) and it's also because of my Ilonggo blood and this was a bit so-so (I'm sorry, Ping. I love your Creamy Pumpkin soup naman e and you, I love you!). 

 

Aside from the food, the spoon and fork are 2 of my most favorites at Pen Pen's. Look, it's smiling at you while you stuff yourself. It laughs at your gluttony! Har har har! One of the artists who did the Boysen project even asked Ping if he can take home both spoon and fork. Hhhhmmm...maybe next time I should steal a pair. 

 

The people close to me know about these important things regarding what I don't like to eat. 1) I hate onions and its family...uuhhmmm yes, obviously! 2) Garlic is OK, but I don't like eating them as well but flavor wise, yes, they're good. 3) I don't like eating spicy and bitter food and speaking of spicy, I kind of like this chili stuffed with cheese called Smoked Cheese Dynamita even though I would always, ALWAYS get the really spicy one among the batch served. Every time that happens and Ping is there, I'd give it to him to finish but he would say that it's not spicy at all. Sadyang mababa nga ata ang tolerance ko sa spicy food e, sorry naman he he. Although I still like it, it's probably because of the oozing cheese. I love cheese! 

Since I don't go to Pen Pen's that often because it's too damn far from where I live (everything is far when you live in Laguna) and even though it was only around 1:30pm, I ordered their special draft beer that's close to my heart (and liver) because it's brewed in Negros. It's like Cerveza Negra but lighter and less of the after taste. It's really good.

 

Let's check out their bar list shall we? Ahhh there's the infamous Baron Geisler right on top. I've tasted it. It's refreshing. It's like lemonade but with vodka or wait, maybe it's gin. I'm not so sure now, basta, it has a kick to it. As for its namesake? He's a good actor and do send him my regards when you see him. Moving along. I also tasted Zombadings, here it is! 

 

It's sweet, and it obviously has Cola in there. Yung mga ganitong drink, ito yung mga traidor e because you tend to take a lot since the alcohol doesn't kick in immediately but it'll creep on you at the very end plus it's only P90 bucks per jug. Pwede!

 

The hero of the day! Mister punong abala! Mr. Restaurateur! Ping Medina! I've been asking him to sit down and eat but he didn't not until almost everybody was gone. Nuks! Oh for those of you who read my blog and doesn't live in the Philippines, Ping is also an actor like his dad (haaayyy). You can follow him on twitter and bask on his semi-emotional tweeting prowess he he. When he finally sat down to eat, one of the things that was on his plate was this. 

He calls it Buro (?) and it smelled awful. It looked like somebody chewed and spit it. Ewan.

Oh wait, before I end this post, I must show you guys the cool giveaway from Boysen. It's a 2GB USB and the case is made out of wood. Neat huh? 

So there, at least today I got to leave the house, saw a friend, eat good food, and got home early. I was still able to go to the gym and sweat it out for 2 hours. I burnt everything that I ate at Pen Pen's, boo! My instructor made me use the kettle bell in some exercises and I was really happy about it. Of course the entire routine killed me again but hey, I think it should be that way.

Let's see if there's something interesting in store for me tomorrow. Til the next post!