METROHOUSE

nice ad.

2005-08-31T14:56:00.000+08:00

weird im kalbo and i was used for Gatsby. heheh

hmmm...

2005-08-29T15:31:00.000+08:00

If you think about it, existence can be summarized by this oymoronic aphorism: chaos is the natural order of things.

You see, chaos comes into existence when you don't attend to things: weeds grow in the garden, your skin dries up when you don't put moisturizer on, corruption takes place when the System fails to monitor...

So it may be safe to say then that we are perpetually struggling to inhibit the natural order of things?

How tiring.

2005-08-08T10:20:00.000+08:00

Was reading the latest fortune magazine issue this morning when I was taking a crap and found something remarkably flattering: Pinoys are globally ranked fifth or sixth based on the number of engineers suited for work outside the country--beating Russia, Polland and the Czech Republic.

I have a theory: the Pinoy is a talented individual--he's not fucked up like what everyone in the world thinks. There's just something very wrong with the System.

Another Drunken Weekend

2005-08-08T10:11:00.000+08:00

I am an alcoholic.

If you think this is crap, then don't fucking read this. Stupid.

Red Stickers

2005-08-05T10:22:00.000+08:00

In transit to yesterday's Client meeting I was given another opportunity to marvel at the common tao's struggle for survival. The cab driver chose not to beat the red light, traffic was bad as usual and there he was in the middle of the urban chaos, seemingly unmindful of the everyday catastrophe around him.

He was meticulously scraping off the peeling red sticker on the road/lane marker to stick another one over it. He was deeply absorbed by the task at hand, keen on delivering the right outcput.

It's such a pathetic job alright but I bet that guy's uber grateful he's got a job. Philippine society has an innately stupid way of making things work out for these people.

What's my point? I just think these people are worthy of a considerable dose of attention once in a while because of the small things they do that go unnoticed almost all the time.

I have a theory: people consciously ignore him because he embodies the reality of this rotten society--you look at him and you realize that the Pinoys are desperately struggling hard for survival. Look away from him and you see PBCom, the tallest building of Manila--a phallic symbol of superficial commercial progress.

Consciousness is always a good start.

The English teacher gave me an "A"

2005-08-04T08:23:00.000+08:00

hey paolo, i read your blogsite and i think you write pretty
well. if you want to be a columnist for a mag or newspaper,
my friend fran whom i introduced to you at the nokia launch
used to be with summit (seventeen and real living EIC).
maybe she could tell you whom to contact. she's on my
friends list. i'd look forward to a lifestyle column with a little
more soul, not just a catalogue of who's who and who's
wearing what. good luck! : )

Post-Birthday Party

2005-08-02T11:25:00.000+08:00

I'll be having a post-birthday party with some friends this coming Saturday, August 6 2005. It's gonna be at Bellissima 3F The Fort Strip, Fort Bonifacio Global City.

Open bar from 10 to 12 midnight. Cool lounge music plus overflowing booze. Ayos di ba?

See you there. Bring your friends.

Buy me MORE Beer

2005-07-31T13:11:00.000+08:00

Another drunken weekend, got VIP passes for this MTV Right to Royalty event at the Fort. Had four bottles of beer and four shots of jagermeister--afterwhich the bunch headed to Bellissima for Jobet's despedida get-together.

Funny how you can say whatever you wanna say when you're drunk. Funny how you can do whatever you wanna do when you're drunk. Funny how you're given the priceless license to be stupid when you're drunk.

You see, we still live in a society perpetually bound by rules and tradition. Dogma...convention.

Once in a while I try to cross the line but I still worry about changing the rules. I'm getting a considerable amount of practice-- I work in an ad agency fuelled by disruption.

I wish I could be drunk all the time.

HELP

2005-07-26T16:35:00.000+08:00

I'd rather be a lifestyle writer and spend ten extra hours sleeping. Connections, anyone?

Barya

2005-07-26T15:36:00.000+08:00

Ito si Manong. Paparada ka pa lang sa labas ng McDo, parang buwitre na siyang nag-aabang sa labas. Madalas madumi ang kanyang suot, laman siya ng kalsada at maghapon niyang kahalikan ang usok at alikabok. Minsan pa nga may sipol pa, pakaway-kaway ang madudungis na kamay, sumesenyas kung saan ka dapat lumiko at pumarada na parang isa kang tanga na hindi alam kung san ka pupunta.

Sa madaling salita, wala siyang silbi sa parking sapace na iyon. Sa higit na madaling salita, isa lamang siyang pulubi na nanlilimos. Mapagpanggap. Nakakainis.

Paglabas mo pa lang ng kotse, mga palad niyang nakabukas ang sasalubong sayo, humihingi na barya--at ni hindi mo nga alam kung bakit. At kadalasan mapipilitan ka na lang magbigay sa takot na baka gasgasan ang kotse mo o butasan ang gulong. Buwisit.

Hindi naman pangmamata ang tawag sa pagpuna ng mga maling nakikita. Madalas nating punahin ang burgis sa kanilang mga gawi, ngayon punahin naman natin ang mga dukha sa kani-kanilang mga paraan.

Sa kasamaang palad, wala pang ginagawa maging ang mga barangay officials tunkgol dito. Maging mga sikyu (security guards) ay wala ring pakialam.

Maya-maya lang baka makakita ka nanaman ng Manong. Kakaway-kaway, naghihintay ng barya.

Maparaan nga ang Pinoy.

Nakakainis si Manong.

Forgive Me I'm Rambling....again

2005-07-23T23:13:00.000+08:00

And so prior to getting really drunk last night we had this lunch-out with the Agency's Big Boss. It was in a Japanese resto in Rockwell: turned out to be a very casual get-together, far from the expected nerve-wracker where the Boss asks you about your work and you hafta be excruciatingly careful with everything you say.

After late-night gym I had a quick bite for dinner with close friends Nathe and Joaquin. Off to Greenbelt 2 Sega to have coffee, but ended up chugging bottles of beer. It wasn't random coincidence that I happened to see a number of my officemates in the area--same profile, age range, demographics--so we all probly hang-out in the same places during weekends.

It was a sea of well-dressed people in that place. Always has been. I hear people say Greenbelt is such a pretentious place--people trying to conspicuously flaunt designer clothes, people who go out just to be seen, people who climb social ladders for god-knows-what.

Well if you think about it, Greenbelt business inevitably takes into consideration human nature: the moment a person steps out of his/her house, other people see him. He's part of the whole sea of humanity--what other people think of him matters, to varying degrees I say. I think that the place just capitalizes on the insight that ANY person enjoys being liked or beeing noticed.

You see, it's part of human nature to prepare oneself for human interaction. You bother to look good prior to going out, say, to a party, because looking good makes someone good about himself, right? I think that people say Greenbelt is pretentious because this human dimension is highly magnified. I mean people tend to over-prepare for human interaction.

I don't think there's anything wrong with the place or with the lifestyle it promotes. It's merely a venue where human interaction is conducted. It should never be hated for promoting pretension and fakery. In fact I don't think it does.

Blame human nature. It's the natural principle of life...believe me the Ayalas didn't alter that. Nobody can.

Post-Birthday Weekend!

2005-07-22T18:48:00.000+08:00

Three days without pasok because of SONA! Thank you Gloria!!!

Off to the gym now. Dinner after. Booze night pakatapos.

Birthday Boy

2005-07-21T17:22:00.000+08:00

The people in this snooty agency are super cooool. Imagine, it's my birthday and I got kisses and hugs from a lot of them. Well, I guess it's really part of ad agency culture. Hugs and kisses...mmmushy. And then Portia, my boss, treated me out for lunch at Amici...and then the whole gang from the Accounts department just swarmed into the place. Cool no? Ito pa--the food was so cheap but it's definitely more masarap than Cibo pasta. I am definitely going back to that place.

Funny how I feel so juvenile despite the fact that I am now 22 and very much capable of marrying someone, legally speaking. Juvenile. I hate the fcuking term but sometimes I can't help thinking that I am some insignificant hapless child thrown into a place full of grown-ups. That intangible concept makes you lose a great slice of esteem. On the other hand, I also dread the reality that I will grow old...that a great number of my neurons will eventually disintegrate, my skin will sag and I will be a suitable talent for a Soylent Green remake...

But I'm learning how enjoy each slice of my cake. I only get one paopao day in a year--a day when people devote a minute or two to wish me happiness. But I've got a lifetime to enjoy my cake. I can slice it and share it to people, but it will always be my cake and I will enjoy it.

What's with the cake? Some metaphorical crap to express my happiness because the Newbie team (Nate, Ross, Nina and Patts) gave me this little round cake for my birthday and it was there on my desk early in the morning when I got to the office.

And by the way, the Newbie team is having lunch with the Agency's Big Boss tomorrow. I think we're all ecstatic about being part of the advertising mafia. ;)

-----------------------
Go shorty, it's your birthday. We're gonna party like it's your birthday...Go shorty

-----------------------

Friends telling me I'm growing taller.

A Man Without A Face

2005-07-20T15:56:00.000+08:00

I've been riding the bus ever since I was in gradeschool. Public transportation is a primary enabler for people in a third world country. These smoke-belching boxes clog the veins of the Metro everyday, transporting hundreds of people to work.

It's pathetic to note that most Metro Manila buses are just decaying pieces of junk from Japan or Taiwan which were sent here for second-hand use.

It's also interesting to note how people react to the presence of other people inside buses. You see, I had this research paper in college where I had to study about Proxemics...you know...how people utilize space and all that trivial shit. I just noticed that people prefer the side where there are only two seats--compared to that one with three seats. True for me, primarily because I wouldn't want too many people sitting too close to me for no logical reason at all--but generally speaking, people in overcrowded countries are more sanay to crowd together--which explains why a bus can be packed like a can of sardines sometimes.

Also, I've always been reading the vandalisms at the back rests and it gives you a vague hint as to what kind of people ride the bus. I noticed that the buses traversing the route from the Manila university belt bound to the South (Cavite, Las Pinas, Paranaque) usually have writings about campus sex, crushes, frat wars, etc etc.--an indication that most passengers are juvenile citizens because of the equally juvenile content of the vandalism. Buses along Ayala, on the other hand, generally have vandalisms charged with sexual content. Sex-starved people? I dunno.

The bus is also a venue where you can observe that a seemingly nonexistent caste system is operative even in such a small space enclosed by metal sheets. . Notice that when people pay to the konduktor, they hardly bother to look at the face of the person and say thank you or respond just to convey courtesy or appreciation of service. It's like the konduktor is merely an automaton responsible for getting the bayad and giving back the change-and the part of him which is human is totally being neglected by the passengers to the pint where he is deemed unworthy of egalitarian human interaction.

Just a few thoughts from a geek who rides the bus to work almost everyday. Putang ina ang mahal na ng pamasahe!
------------------------------------

All work and no play makes paopao a dumb boy. Tomorrow is my birthday. Tomorrow is booze night. Friday is hangover day.

2005-07-16T22:39:00.000+08:00

Been a laid back healthy Saturday for me. A game of badminton, some shopping, dinner with some friends and coffee to cap it off. Typical, yes. But twas definitely a much anticipated breather.

Life IS very stressful, physically and mentally taxing for the average Pinoy who toils either for himself or his family, struggling to just LIVE. You try excruciatingly hard to climb the corporate ladder, conspicuously exhibiting your industry to your boss (as we all know, you aint getting anything unless someone sees it), hastily finishing a sandwich for lunch while concluding an overdue report...

thing is, you aint supposed to struggle with living. A popular aphorism to summarize my point--life is too short, we should all be enjoying it.

Petiks

2005-07-15T15:00:00.000+08:00

Petiks noun, slang term for a relaxed state. verb, to slack off

Apat na kaming bagets dito sa opisina. Si Nate at Nina, mga Atenista; si Ross, Lasalista. At ako, taga-UP. Astig no...parang kumuha ng specimen galing sa lahat ng eskwela...na magagaling. Ehem.

Masaya. Kaya nga lahat kami taga-gawa ng palatastas...pa-ta-las-tas. Masaya kasi. Cool di ba? Pero minsan kahit na sangdamukal na cutie models ang kaututang-dila mo, lagi ka pa ring ngarag. Pero masaya. Past-faced este fast-paced ang trabaho sa advertising...di natutulog ang mga tao dito. Parang wala nang bukas at hindi na sisikatan ng araw ang lupa kung kumaripas ang takbo ng trabajo.

So ayun. Petiks kaming apat kanina--medyo wala masyadong ginagawa. Driver si Nate, derecho kami sa Glorietta para kumain. Kami ni Nate pumunta sa Tboy; sina Nina at Ross nag-shopping sa Rustan's. Sabay ulan ng malakas sa Ayala, halos di na kami makabalik sa opisina.

Sana walang masyadong trabaho sa Lunes. Para petiks uli. Rockwell kung saka-sakali. At sana may pera pa'ko.

Terranova on Sale

2005-07-14T17:12:00.000+08:00

Went to a Client meeting a while ago. My boss briefly shopped at Terranova Galleria. Items on sale; great shirts for only 699 bucks.

Dec Lite

2005-07-13T12:12:00.000+08:00

DEC has been a popular Chinese specialty store selling a wide array of Chinese food products. Just recently, the popular Binondo brand opened Dec Lite. Located along Timog Avenue in Quezon City, Dec Lite sells sugar-free stuff--a haven for the diabetic and health-conscious Pinoys.

HedKandi Beach House 04.05

2005-07-12T10:43:00.000+08:00

To be released this year; here's a preemptive review of what the new CD from Hed Kandi Records promises to deliver. Beach House CD 04.04 was a worldwide hit, signature songs included Put 'Em High and Bonnie Bailey's Ever After--the current popular favorite of house music enthusiasts.

Beach House 04.05 - A/V
Number of disc: 2CD..
Uscita: 11/7/05
Label: Hed Kandi
Close your eyes and try to imagine what summer sounds like? or simply play Beach House 0405, sunshine in a box from Hed Kandi. This double album is compiled with sights firmly set on sea, sand and balmy summer fun and features a gentler selection of dance tracks with Latin flavours and an overridingly horizontal feel.
Following their fastest-selling ever Back To Love album, the label returns with some fine examples of in-house talent, artist Bonnie Bailey appears with an exclusive remix of her seductive track Rise, StoneBridge is back with a new groove with the sublimely soulful Show You How featuring Julie Morrison and rapper Jay Soul. There’s also a teaser from Late Night Alumni, the track Nothing Left To Say offers a sample taste of their forthcoming album scheduled for release later this summer.
Beach House casts its nets outwith the Hed Kandi camp too and offers the very best in soulful summer sounds from elsewhere too, with the amazing Let It Ride from Lisa Shaw and Everything from Kaskade amongst the gems. This is supreme sunshine for the soul, don’t forget your shades.
This being the 49th album in the Hed Kandi series and with lots of press confirmed for the big 50th release, Beach House will be benefit hugely from this increased coverage of the brand over the summer.

http://www.thefactory.it

Reposted: Indian Curry Fesival

2005-07-11T17:32:00.000+08:00

CURRY GOOD! INDIAN CURRY FESTIVAL
IN THE PENINSULA MANILA'S SPICES RESTAURANT

Indian cuisine . . . sensual, seductive and mysterious. Sensual from the ever so subtle blend of spices and herbs, seductive because no two dishes ever taste alike and mysterious because of the infinite variety of ingredients used.

Indian cuisine expresses itself best through curries. In an Indian curry, one gets all the five tastes that Ayurvedic tradition talks about: the bitter, sweet, salty, sour and astringent. These come in the form of chilis, tomatoes, onions, ginger and dahi - that is what a good Indian curry is all about. It is about complexity and balance. About colour and consistency.

Succumb to the temptations of Indian cuisine as Spices Indian Specialty Chef Bairagi Sahani takes you on a journey through the sights, smells and tastes of the centerpiece of the Indian meal, the curry, from July 4 to 29, 2005. A curry buffet is available during lunch (P750++ for adults, P450++ for children), dinner is à la carte.

There will also be a Peninsula Academy Cooking Class "Indian Curry Tour" with Spices Indian Specialty Chef Bairagi Sahani on Saturday, July 16, 2005, 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. It's a 3-hour course packed with all the information you'll need about different spices and how to prepare your own blends. Cost per person is P2,750.00++, covering the cooking class, a 3-course lunch, a Peninsula Academy apron and a special gift.

For inquiries and table reservations please call The Peninsula Manila at 887-2888, extensions 2168 and 2956 (Spices) or 2205 (Restaurant Reservations).

The Fort's Market! Market!

2005-07-10T00:43:00.000+08:00

Had dinner at The Pizza Company in Market! Market!. Pizza and salad were very good and prices are relatively lower than the more popular pizza places of the Metro (e.g. Pizza Hut,Shakeys, Yellow Cab). Same target market, but a different trade positioning I guess because of the [low] price--servings are a bit conservative though.

The mall is envisioned to cater to the value-conscious Pinoy. True enough, the mall offers an ecclectic array of products ranging from tiangge stuff to premium high-involvement products. A section of the mall (which is somewhat a low-end replica of Glorietta) consists of the conventional commercial stores and establishments--Kamiseta, The Body Shop, G2000; another section showcases specialty/tiangge stores selling fabric, electronics, clothes, etc.

Ben Chan's biggest store, the Superbench, can also be found here.

Outisde the air-conditioned interiors of the mall is the Fiesta Market where you'll find rows of fast food establishments and restaurants. The covered market sells fruits, veggies and other fresh produce; sanitation is very good as well. There are also specialty stalls showcasing products from the provincial areas of the country.

Gloria Resign

2005-07-10T00:20:00.000+08:00

She's going down. Cory has asked for her resignation; look, even Ninoy!

photo from July 8 rally, Ayala Avenue

The Malacañang Gecko

2005-07-08T12:11:00.000+08:00

Gecko: tuko
Pronunciation: 'ge-(")kO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural geck·os or geck·oes
Etymology: perhaps from Malay dialect gekok
: any of numerous small harmless chiefly tropical and nocturnal insectivorous lizards (family Gekkonidae)
Usage: Kapit-tuko si Gloria.

Firmly stated that she ain't leaving the Palace. Asked Cabinet officials to tender courtesy resignation instead. Reports say that it's a preemptive action to counter the officials' plans of filing irrevocable resignation today.

Clearly, Politics has nothing to do with governance, it's about serving self-interest and beating everyone else in the Game.

Sadly, Filipinos think that Politics is everything.

photo from http://www.el-mundo.es

Personal Care: Skin Care Myths

2005-07-08T11:09:00.000+08:00

Reposting this really informative article from the Net.

Skin Care Myths

1. Cleansers - soap vs cosmetic

To be honest, it surprises me that this is still a topic of such confusion. It is very simple: soap removes the acid mantle of your skin, which keeps its ph at the correct level, and stops it from drying out. This acid mantle is very delicate, and because soap is an extremely alkaline substance, it completely removes the acid mantle. Now your skin needs to make itself a new one. just imagine what that drains from your skin, having to re-make that mantle every time you use soap on your face. A lot is what. And you need to use a heavier moisturiser afterwards because your skin feels so dry.

Now I know you Grandmother probably said 'Well, I never used anything but soap and water and it always worked for me.' Well, guess why she thought it worked? Because she was used to it. She never used anything else, so how would she know the difference? I'm not insinuating that your grandmother was stupid, just making a point. Try this experiment next time you're washing: wash one arm with soap, and wash the other arm with shower gel or shampoo if you don't have shower gel. It really makes a difference. This is because the shampoo is so much less alkaline than soap. Now that you've experienced it for yourself, try it on your face: a cleanser made especially for your face will be even more gentle than the shower gel. AND it will still get all the grime off - they're designed that way!

A note - this all applies even if you have oily skin. All of us, even us oilies, need that acid mantle. Don't take away what your body produces for your own good!

2. Toners - alcohol vs none

The toner debate is very similar to the soap debate and my answer is simple once again: don't let alcohol touch your face! Alcohol will dry your skin out like nothing else. You know when you use a toner (or skin freshener) that has alcohol in it, and it leaves you with a little stinging sensation? Do you suppose that sensation occurs because your skin is saying 'oooh, that was wonderful, I liked that!'? Not even a little bit - when you sting elsewhere on your body, you think, 'Oh, why am I stinging? Has an insect bitten me, or have I sat on a nettle or something?' And the reason you think this, is that the skin has sent the message to the brain saying 'something is not right here, produce warning signal, produce warning signal.' So here's the hint: listen to that warning signal. Don't use alcohol on your skin. Even if you're an oily!

3. Moisturisers - AHAs, vitamins, oxygen, retinol etc.

Moisturisers have got to be one of the stickiest topics around (pardon that pun!). There is so much confusion and so many new innovations coming out all the time.

AHAs (Alpha-Hydroxy Acids) are basically a way of exfoliating your skin without your having to doanything more active than smear on a cream, whereas before you would have needed some kind of facial scrub. And when these acids are put in a cream they act every day, rather than the once a week or so that a scrub would be used. This means that every day the top layer of dead skin is removed and your skin works hard to produce new skin at a faster rate. Thus the skin on top is fresher once it reaches the top layer because it hasn't waited so long to get there.

There is nothing inherently wrong with AHAs, in fact they can be very good, but my caution would be: use them in moderation. I'm not sure about the wisdom of using them every day. Some skin experts are now saying that doing this can wear out the skin and actually leave you looking worse later on instead of better! Whether that is true or not I cannot say, but my advice would be to use an AHA product at most every other day and give your skin a rest in between. I personally use a 'supplement' type cream with AHAs in it only when I feel I need a 'lift' once a month or so, but then, it is just my personal preference.

Moisturisers with vitamins in them. Here is a kettle of worms. But it's not all that confusing: God made vitamins in our food so we could eat them, and send them through our bloodstream to the places in the body that need them. Your skin is not built to take in vitamins externally, and vitamins are not built to go in through your skin. But I hear you say, 'But they've done tests! They've proven it works!' I have one question: Who has 'done the tests?' - the companies who sell the stuff. What are they out for? Your money.

As far as Retinol goes, you could write a whole book on that. Gerald McKnight, in fact, almost did, he has dedicated a whole chapter to it in his book 'The Skin Game'. What he discovered is that retinol works by actually damaging the skin ever so slightly, therefore spurring the growth of new skin which is untouched and fresher than the old layers. Use retinol enough and just imagine what you will end up looking like. Great at first, I would say, but in 20 years time I hate to think - I have no proof but imagine a face covered in scar tissue perhaps? Or maybe I'm just being a scaremonger. But I think you may agree that voluntarily damaging your skin every day does not really make sense. On the other hand it is now a long time since retinol was originally invented. Some of the off-the-shelf creams are starting to advertise the use of retinol in their products. It may be safe these days in newer, more sophisticated formulas. It's up to you if you want to try it.

4. Anti-age supplements - collagen, elastin, etc, only temporary (cosmetic) changes

If you want to hear something gross, ask where the collagen in your face-cream came from. Here's the deal: plants do not produce collagen. So where do you think it came from? It is an animal substance. One known source is the the placenta of newly-born calves, and I sure as hell do not want that on my face, no matter how good it makes me look.

But the main point about collagen and elastin is that when you buy these creams you are throwing away money almost - it is a daily fix, not a lasting one. You put the cream on, it makes the wrinkles puff out and seem smaller, but by the end of the day the effect is gone. Now if you have enough money to use it that way, and plenty of women do, then that's your choice. But when it comes to anit-ageing, prevention is better than a cure all the way. These creams do nothing more for the skin, in the long run, than a regular moisturiser. Their effect is cosmetic. You may as well spend the money on a face-lift, and that is a whole new kettle of fish if you want to debate about that.

BUT there is some goods news, if you choose to belive what I read in Harper's and Queen magazine the other day (July 1998 issue, p124-126, 'So farewell then, wrinkles' by Newby Hands). Skeptical as always when the article started, I was encouraged to read about 'the recent findings based on the independent evaluations of a major eighteen month study... conducted in France by Estee Lauder in conjunction with SU.VI.MAX, an independent group of French research scientists'. The tests were done over eighteen months, with 15,000 participants, half using anit-oxidant cream and half using a placebo cream.

Basically they managed to prove that one of the lines we have been fed by skin-care companies may actually be true: that anti-oxidants in skin-care products prevent premature ageing and improve existing signs of ageing, ie wrinkles. However, the anti-oxidants have to be used in the right combinations - not just any 'anti-oxidant' cream will be formulated to act in this way. According to the article, you should use one of the creams made by the leading cosmetic and skin care companies, of course - Estee Lauder, Dior, Lancome, Clarins, Clinique, Guerlain (which, for those of you who always wondered, is pronounced 'Gerlan' with a hard 'g' as in 'get'), Kanebo, Helena Rubenstein, Remede, and Laboratoire Garnier. This last is the surprise in the bunch, because their products are about a quarter of the price of the others! Guess which one I'd go for?

The way these creams work is not by delivering the anti-oxidants (which are basically vitamins) into the skin for its nourishment. What happens is that the vitamins counter-act the attack of free-radicals which speed up the ageing process. The study found that after 18 months the anti-oxidant creams had caused a decrease in wrinkling by 8 percent. 'This was the result of the skin's own repair mechanism being able to do the job it should do - producing collagen - without being diverted into fighting off the free radical aggressors.' In the placebo group, wrinkles and lines had increased by 15 percent. This is a HUGE difference compared to the other group. Skin thinning, which in the placebo group was 9 percent, was reduced to 3 percent in the other group. And skin elasticity, which 'those using the placebo cream showed a depressing 45 percent decrease... in the second group this was reduced to 20 percent'. One should note that anti-oxidants had absolutely no more capacity for increasing moisture in the skin than a regular moisturiser.

CONCLUSION:

1. Don't use soap or alcohol on your skin.

2. DO use an eye-cream.

3. ESPECIALLY use a sun-protection factor of 15 on your face daily.

4. Use anti-oxidants - if you can afford it!

EVENTS

2005-07-07T13:49:00.000+08:00

NU 107 Pocket Concert
July 9, Saturday
Alabang Town Center

Savagely Sexy Saturdays
July 9, 16, 23, 30 10PM Bed Bar, Malate
House music by DJs Cocoy Puyat, Travis Monsod and Toy Armada

Harry Potter Book 6 Launch: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
July 16, Saturday Glorietta Activity Center
first 500 buyers get freebies

Jobs Employment Expo
July 18, Monday - July 20, Wednesday
Glorietta Activity Center
sponsored by Philippine Daily Inquirer
Call Chris Vida for inquiries 897 8808 loc 237

Body Shop Product Launch
July 27, Wednesday
Glorietta 2 Lobby

Golds Gym Fitness Event
July 31, Sunday
Glorietta Activity Center

Kiddie Characters Gone Wild

2005-07-06T17:52:00.000+08:00

War of the Worlds

2005-07-04T14:30:00.000+08:00

It's just all about the stunningly breath-taking special effects--that's what movie critics say. With a 200 million-dollar approved budget (the highest approved movie budget to date), the movie is said to have massively relied on special effects alone and plot development was almost taken for granted. Well, it was only actually a snapshot of the whole alien invasion thing and the focus was on the internal drama of Tom Cruise's struggle for survival (other Alien movies chose to tackle various issues concerning multiple characters e.g. Independence Day, X-Files, Forgotten); nevertheless, the exposition-development-climax-conclusion cycle was very well presented still--very smooth transition.

Very entertaining. Great special effects. Bad supporting actors. Plus cameo roles for generic aliens. Inadequate plot development. Not bad at all.

Few people realise the immensity of vacancy in which the dust of the material universe swims.

H.G. Wells, War of the Worlds

Bodhi Vegetarian Restaurant

2005-07-04T13:22:00.000+08:00

Bodhi has always been a popular food court destination for people who don't eat meat. There is, however, a fine dining counterpart of the aforementioned fast food establishment. Located a few blocks away from de La Salle Greenhills along Ortigas Avenue, Bodhi Vegetarian Restaurant offers more variety of mouth-watering vegetarian dishes as well as "pseudomeat" ones which are mostly made of tofu. Prices range from Php 150 - 250; primarily caters to families living around the area.
photo taken by Paolo Broma, July 3 2005

Chaos everywhere

2005-07-02T00:48:00.000+08:00

Traffic was so bad along Ayala Avenue since yesterday because of the anti-Gloria rally. The same scenario was observed along the Coastal area where a considerable number of vehicles had to wait in an excruciatingly kilometric line to pay for toll, which just increased today by the way. The Bloggers way back to the office from a lunch out in Rockwell proved to be a cumbersome task as well because of traffic. Manila is a fucked up place: that's a common sentiment as of the time being considered.

Just this evening the Blogger did a photoshoot for a Client where the former will appear on the frontpage of a telco directory. The Blogger's ecstatic because he's getting money out of it. Fun because the Blogger's getting to experience so many things in advertising besides handling accounts and dining out with old corporate people.

Ubiquitous Propaganda

2005-06-30T09:31:00.000+08:00

Water trucks were all over Coastal Road this morning, with banners boisterously announcing that the Patubig ni Gloria Project (water supply project of Gloria)was ongoing--days after she conducted her public apology. Just recently, the GMA patubig project was being advertised heavily on primetime TV, employing testimonials from the CDE SEC. A very conspicuous attempt to save the Surfer from drowning.

2005-06-29T18:20:00.000+08:00

Idiotic thought of the day

If you were the actual person behind those baggy Ronald McDonalds pants, you can never tell anyone that you ARE the Mascot. Not even your wife. That's how top secret a mascot job can be.

The Volatility of Price

2005-06-27T17:30:00.000+08:00

The latest fare hike has made commuting in Manila a bit more complex. Just last week, some jeepney drivers were still charging P 5.50 while others were already at 7.50. Apparently, this was because some jeep associations refused to get the new fare matrix which is being released by LTO for P 700.00.

Ensaymada Factory

2005-06-26T17:48:00.000+08:00

There's this place near our office in San Antonio Village Makati where you can buy good high-calorie desert. Located along the strip of small commercial stores in front of Shopwise, Ensaymada factory is a small restaurant which primarily caters to nearby offices and passers-by scouting for take-out stuff.

They serve porkchop, ox toungue, grilled eel, pasta and other rice dishes; they offer a limited selection for lunch food but the items are not very commercialized--it's more of the meticulously-prepared lutong bahay. The food is okay albeit it's incongruously priced a notch higher (I think) than the perceived pricing level since the place is a bit too small: there are only about three tables; the air conditioning's bad--the over-all layout of the place makes it seem that the establishment doesn't deserve to be charging around Php 150 per meal (on the average). The pasta tastes bland, although all the add-ons (shrimp, olives, tomatoes, spices, etc) seem to make up for it. The mamons and cookies are great, however: they're moist and soft, not too sweet-just right for the Pinoy's sweet tooth.

Nokia 8800 Event: NBC Tent

2005-06-26T16:37:00.000+08:00

The launch of the latest luxury phone from Nokia proved to be another glamorous event, rendering high-end appeal to the sleek 8800 fashion phone by inviting the biggest names in business and the society pages. Tim Yap went home with a brand new phone by the way, as the organizers supposedly "raffled" away some units for the guests. clearly, It wasn't a random thing.

The phone's current market price is around Php 50,000. Elegantly designed by the makers of Porsche, the screen's made of sapphire and the casing of scratch-proof material. Feature-wise, the Nokie 8800 cannot be said to be a subject of adulation. It's all about style, they say as the phone's targeting a portion of the high-end crowd who's not fond of tinkering with modern contraptions. The phone also boasts of signature ringtones composed by Ryuchi Sakamoto, a world-famous Japanese musician (who used to be a part of an 80s new wave band). Here are the specs: tri-band GSM/GPRS, an SVGA quality digital camera, a 262,000 color, 208 x 208 pixel LCD screen, Bluetooth, 64MB of internal memory, and an integrated FM tuner.

The unconventional set design featured a raised platform adjunct to the entrance--something that looked like an expanded catwalk where you could see who was entering the NBC tent to join the event. There was an abundance of drinks and food; the usual fashion show was showcased.

Peninsula Hotel truffles were also given to guests. Nice.

And so here you see the Blogger posing with one of F's hosts, Amanda Griffin, who had a glass of wine spilt on her by a dazed waiter mindless of the people around him that night. She's too tall, no? (Or the Blogger is just too damn short.)

And so they were saying the big-time CEOs of telcos Smart and Globe didn't want to have their photos taken together, but eventually consented to the request of Nokia's country manager, PB. All for the sake of publicity.

The phone's expected to have a significantly large following in the country, especially among the old matronas who have the money but not so much of the cognizance of new technology.

For more info on Nokia 8800 events worldwide: PRESS EVENTS

Reposted: Things to do When Your Teacher's Absent

2005-06-22T11:31:00.000+08:00

Speaking of teachers, I remember seeing several writings on the Science Auditorium chairs back in college: push button to eject professor.

Damn I miss school.

Zong Specialty Restaurant

2005-06-20T15:01:00.000+08:00

The recently concluded 2005 Nokia 24/7 Nocturnal Awards of Nocturnal Navigator Magazine hailed Zong Specialty Restaurant as the readers' favorite restaurant. Zong is one of the fine dining restaurants situated in the Fort Bonifacio Global City, located beside Pier 1 facing the Central Plaza. It serves various Chinese dishes and caters to the contemporary urbanite's flashy lifestyle.

The place is very urban--conspicuously differentiated from the traditional Chinese panciteria which can still be identified with the likes of Northpark (Makati Ave., Macapagal Blvd. Coastal area) and Chinese Monk (Powerplant, Rockwell). The interiors feature walls in bright pastel colors with black and white photographs and bright lights which give it an added touch of cosmopolitan sophistication. Although overcrowding is inevitable (since there are lots of tables and chairs inside), it still is an ideal venue for business meetings or casual get-together with friends because of the ambiance rendered by the location and the interior design; not a very suitable place for [romantic] dates as the place lacks the laid-back atmosphere to reinforce intimacy.

The food is superb and pricey. Zong has re-invented dishes for a totally new look and taste, although some staple favorites are still part of the menu. Each viand costs about Php 200 on the average. Service tea is available. Waiting time for food to be served is significantly shorter compared to other restaurants'.

----

Pazzo restaurant beside it: Nothing great!

Sin Huat Seafood Restaurant

2005-06-20T13:15:00.000+08:00

It's just one of the many Chinese restaurants situated in the Greenhills area which adequately gives you that genuine Binondo feel. Although the conspicuous attempt for aesthetic modification may look drab and generic, the place is decent enough for a family gathering or just any ordinary lunch out.

The food is great, I personally recommend the veggie rice bowl with seafood and the salt and pepper tofu (which tasted a bit like the Northpark squid). Price-wise, it's pretty much the same with Northpark--Php150 to Php200 for the viands, they have 77 to 90-peso rice bowls but the servings are a bit too conservative; the food tastes great so you might want to stretch your budget a bit as well. Beverage price range from Php 30 - 50. The service tea, on the other hand, is just Lipton instant tea, served with almost-tepid water.

The interiors are not at all that impressive, but sanitation is okay. The restrooms are quite too small--definitely not a place for the claustrophobic. The service crew is overly attentive; service is relatively good.

If you're looking for good [Chinese] food in Ortigas/Greenhills but quite in a hurry to look for good ambiance, this is the place for you.