from drab to fab

i am extremely satisfied with how our home improvement project is going. as most of you already know, for the past month now, most of our time, energy, and resources have been geared towards revamping what used to be an umabitious bachelor's pad into something a more sophisticated couple would live in. our condo-townhouse has just turned 1 last march 28, and we thought there has never been a better time than now to give it its long overdue makeover.

also known as a duplex in the philippines, our house sits on a quiet subdivision that is slightly elevated from the road. It is composed of two modest floors with two bedrooms (one converted into an office/library for the time being), a living room with an almost floor-to-ceiling window that overlooks a bed of greenery and the road outside, a kitchen and a dining area that overlooks a small patio, and a separate garage about 10 steps away. It's a nice small house just about right for newly weds. It's not much by any standard, but it's ours and we have it only to ourselves. i must commend bong for his foresight, for not many guys his age would have the prudence and initiative to invest and build up assets even if there was a more comfortable option for us to live in his family's house.

most people who have been to our house say that its main selling point is its choice location, where everything--from commercial complexes such as the streets of woodfield, to convenience stores such as target, dominick's, and walmart, to schaumburg's business district, recreation centers, and array of specialty restaurants, to hospitals, fire stations, and other places of interest--is within easy reach. for me, though, what i like most about it is the presence of a golf course (or two, i'm not sure if the two are connected) and a small man-made lake just across the street.

i didn't truly appreciate how amazing the location of our house was until spring began. under a clear blue sky, you can alsmost see a 180-degree view of green, perfectly manicured grass that gently slopes toward an inside road. on this carpet of grass just outside our front door are yellow dandelions and a number of maple trees under which i can imagine myself reading a book or eating home-grilled pork barbecue or lamb kebab on a warm and sunny day. we even had a row of red tulips, which to our surprise, bloomed and recoiled on its own accord as the weather changes. they all died just as fast as they had bloomed, but i'm anticipating that a new batch of blooms are already well on their way.

the inside of the house, though it looked utterly clean, needed a little work and a lot of imagination. the first thing we did was to splash a dash of color onto its pale walls to give it a young and vibrant look. then we added some plants to freshen and enliven it. this turned out tricky as neither of us had a green thumb. we have probably killed a whole nursery of plants before we found a few that do not require too much attention--one of which is an orchid plant, which, to our ohhs and ahhs, can actually subsisit on 3 ice cubes a week.

we are now in the process of touching up paint spillovers in between completing the furniture we need. you have no idea how many home and furniture stores and flea markets we have been to just to get good deals. we actually don't need too much, as we want all our things to complement each other and to serve a purpose. this means no antique drawers, wooden statues, or glass figurines for us--those take too much space and cleaning time (which i unfortunately barely have).

i really have a good feeling about how it's gonna look as soon as we're done. it has really come a long way since the first time i've seen it last october. before it felt cold being inside it; i felt more like a guest, a stranger. maybe it's because i wasn't there when bong purchased the house, although i've seen pictures before the actual purchase. maybe because most of my personal things were left in the philippines and i have nothing to bind myself with. maybe because the house didn't say much about me or about bong, except the fact that it was uber clean (bong's a neat freak; he makes me look like a slob). maybe because it was fall and the weather wasn't exactly warm and welcoming. or maybe because i was never really sure if this is the kind of world i want to belong to.

but after doing all this makeover, i began to develop and establish a strong affinity with this house. i may not have the right to say that i've done it with my own bare hands, but let me just reiterate that--contrary to what bong is telling everyone else--i am a major force in this makeover project. like how it has always been in this relationship, i am the brain, he's the brute (hun, if you wish to retaliate, you put up your own blog). hopefully though, as i try to give our house a facelift, i'll be able to pick up a thing or two from watching the "queer eye for the straight guy." whatever semblance of style or taste i have accumulated over the years, i got it either from the fab five or my mother.

i must say that my mother's sense of style is effortlessly immaculate; mine pales in comparison with hers. she fancies expensive things too, but only those that complement her and do not violate her creative parameters. she also knows when to buy affordable ones without letting you figure out the difference. she sets the trend among her colleagues, that even the wealthiest of her friends would ransack the racks of the rustans just to get hold of even a semblance of what she has. it only goes to show that you can never buy class and style, that you can don yourself with the latest and the most expensive item there is on the runways of milan and still look cheap and tacky. that's one thing that our brand-crazy generation does not understand until now.

but more than anything else, i like the fact that even if this project has left us tired from walking from one flea market to another and with little time to sleep, it has given bong and i plently of time to bond, laugh, play, think, work, talk, choose, make plenty of mistakes, overhaul, restart, and learn together. even with too many instances of painting and repainting, in between installing, dismantling, and re-installing, and despite buying, changing our minds, returning, and buying again--our house still has a long way to go. it's still far from perfect, but at least it looks a lot better now, a lot more colorful, a lot livelier.

i know months from now, some of our handiworks would backfire on us (labor here costs much so we had to rely on those do-it-yourself thingies), but right now, at this very moment, i could say that i couldn't be any happier. like everything else in my life right now, our house is a work in progress, and it will continue to be so as each day progresses, as we continue to change and grow with the changing of seasons. as i've said, it may not be much, but it's ours, it's a by-product of our conjugal thoughts and actions, it's all that we have in our hands--and what we have is great.

at the bulls' dugout

Bulls vs Lakers
March 21, 2009

life is like a rock.

Life is like a rock... from negativesilence on Vimeo.

dive industry: as bullish as ever

Amid news of a snow storm, some 15,000 divers and marine enthusiasts braved the cold and gathered at the Stephens Convention Center last Feb. 20-23 for the 39th Our World-Underwater Show. In this photo, the Philippine booth—with a head-turning collage of colorful above-land and underwater photos—commanded attention, capturing the interest of show attendees.

During the Our World Underwater Show, the Philippine booth, aside from its awesome display of Philippine underwater life, also offered a variety of information materials and tour packages from its partner dive tour operators and resort owners. In the photo, posing with Director Vernie Velarde-Morales (center) of the Philippine Department of Tourism – Chicago are (from left) Ken Scarbrough, President of Ultimate Dive Travel; Allan Nash, owner of El Galleon Resort in Puerto Galera, Philippines; underwater photographer and Women Divers Hall of Famer Lynn Funkhouser; and Ken Knezick, President of Island Dreams Travel.

The Philippine participation at the Our World – Underwater was marked by its two well-attended seminars and a film showing presented by three respected personalities in the dive industry: Stan Waterman, multi-awarded (read: 5 Emmy awards) film producer and director; Lynn Funkhouser, celebrated underwater photographer; and popular dive leader Michael Hoppe. In this photo are (from left) Philippine Tourism Director Vernie Velarde-Morales, Waterman, Allan Nash of El Galleon Resort/Asia Divers, and Funkhouser.

The Philippine team, led by Director Vernie Velarde-Morales (center), Miles Escares (3rd from right), and Gracee Tolentino (3rd from left) of the Philippine Department of Tourism – Chicago, takes a moment to pose during the recently concluded Our World Underwater Show. Also in this photo are (from left) Monica Morales, Jennifer Opena, Mica Morales, Jonnalyn Benolerao, and Maureen Mallari.

queen of the ice

Devil's Head, Wisconsin

adventures in travel expo: over and done with! yehey!

Adventures in Travel Expo Blows into Chicago January 10-11:

More than 200 Exhibitors from Around the World Highlight
Cultural, Active, Experiential Vacations and More

Chicago, IL, (December 11, 2008)— If you’re looking for adventure, escape and worldly activities, right here in Chicago, then drop the remote, rouse yourself off the couch, and head to the only place that fits the bill: Adventures in Travel Expo, Saturday and Sunday, January 10-11, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. While there, you can learn to scuba dive, climb a rock wall, ride a camel, and book your next vacation right on the show floor.

Plan a far-off adventure or a quick weekend getaway with the help of over 200 exhibitors from India to the Philippines: whether you join a group trip, or custom-tailor the adventure of your dreams, you’ll find top experts in every aspect of experiential and active adventure, ready to help and you will save hundreds of dollars on show only vacation discount offers.

“Our exhibitors and partners know how important value is to travelers today. Many have special experiences just for Expo attendees,” noted John Golicz, CEO of Unicomm, Expo organizer. “And of course, there’s no better value than the unforgettable memories of a life-changing adventure.”

Throughout the Adventures in Travel Expo, the National Geographic ADVENTURE Theater and the Adventure Expo Theater will spotlight seminars and presentations by top travel experts and adventure travel authors and photographers such as Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern and Bizarre Worlds; Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die adventure journalist and photographer Peter Potterfield; and National Geographic ADVENTURE photographer Peter McBride.

The Global Beats stage will feature entertainment from around the world, almost nonstop, including the Mariam Tanzania Dancers; Kaua'i Hawaiian Entertainment; Royal Scottish Country Dance Society; Oneida Nation; Filipiniana Dance Troupe; Jasmine Jahal Dancers on Saturday; Hooked on Drums, the Natya Dance Theater and That Tall Juggler Guy will join the lineup on Sunday.

The event is presented by the Chicago Tribune with National Geographic Adventure magazine as the National Magazine Sponsor, the Travel Channel as Supporting Sponsor and the Philippine Department of Tourism as Featured Destination. It is being held at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (formerly the Rosemont Convention Center). Hours are 10:30 AM-5:30 PM on Saturday; 11 AM-4:30 PM on Sunday. Tickets are $15.00, and may be purchased online at http://www.adventuresexpo.com/.

The Adventures in Travel Expo (ATE) is the world’s largest active and adventure travel show for the trade and consumers. In 2009, it will be presented in five U.S. cities: Chicago, January 10-11; Los Angeles, February 14-15; Washington, DC, February 21-22. New York City, October 10-11; Seattle, December 5-6. ATE highlights responsible, experiential, active, adventurous, cultural and heritage travel with exhibitors, presentations, hands-on adventure experiences and cultural performances. For more information, visit the Adventures in Travel Expo website at www.adventureexpo.com.

#

--adventureexpo.com

********

This is the Philippine booth. Aside from being the largest booth (well maybe aside from beadiver.com which has its own scuba diving pool), it also has the best location--right behind the registration area. That strategic location, along with extensive visual exposure through banners and different kinds of advertisements, comes with being this year's Featured Destination.

Moreover, this is also the kickoff point of an extensive "Adventure Philippines" campaign across North America and Europe.

This is the rear view of our booth. It has a mini-theater with an LCD projector. We used that for our film and music video screenings, free "hilot" massage, and cultural performances.

It's really cool to see these little ones perform native dances. I like the fact that they are still in touch with their native culture despite the fact that most of them are born and raised here.

You can just imagine how amused the Caucasians were seeing our young cultural dancers perform native dances. We were standing there along with the huge crowd and clapping wildly like proud parents. It was just one of those moments when you feel so proud to be part of something that has done something big.

Of course another big hit here is our authentic "hilot" massage. Randy here had to go beyond the show hours just to finish his long list of those who want to find out how good he is with his hands.

Co-founder of Adventure Travelers Society Lisa Greyhill at the Adventure and Travel Theater. She visited the Philippines recently and had the time of her life. She was more than happy to give educational seminars on the must-see adventure destinations in the Philippines on both show days.

We also had a very good exposure at the Global Beats Stage.

...and the crowd loved it!

Patricia Schultz, author of "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" was also on hand to give educational seminars to adventure traveler wannabes. Local columnists from Inquirer, Star, and Manila Bulletin were also there to cover the event and interview her.

Team Philippines.
For those who do not know, that two days required three months of non-stop, nerve-wracking, grueling hard work. Of course we had so much fun organizing and facilitating all the activities during the event. Plus it gives a wonderful feeling being able to serve and represent your country in a big way even if you're miles and miles away. Imagine if those 12,000 people who came to know about the Philippines told two of their friends about it--even if only one percent of that number actually managed to book a flight to the Philippines, that would still create a substantive ripple of change.

Still, with all that said, I am so glad the whole thing is over! A breather is all I need before Our World-Underwater on Feb 20-22.

***
at shempre all work and no play makes gracee a dull girl. (Well actually nauto lang talaga ko ni Micah para sumakay sa camel.)



Natalo si Micah by a millisecond! Hehe ang walang hiyang yun, hindi man lang pinagbigyan yung bata!



Waaah! Pussy, ayaw sumale!

ako lang ang walang yearender...deym

in the meantime, let's add traffic to bongpanget's website. kawawa naman e.

kapamilya.bongpogi.com

merry christmas to all!!!

thankful on thanksgiving (11/27)

finally...
my very own.

the proud product of my blood, sweat, and tears.


i'm the last person who would appreciate cars, but heck, i soo love my new rav4!

one short day in the emerald city

here's another reason why i love this city: it's oozing with arts and culture. two weeks ago, vera and i went to see wicked. it's a little expensive, but vera couldn't have said it better when she said it was money well spent.

of course you have to know the story of the wizard of oz to appreciate it. it's actually about the untold story of the wicked witch of the west. basta panuorin niyo when you get the chance.
grabe up to now i still can't get over it, and i'm looking forward to catching the next big show in broadway. hayy dito ko namimiss si nek and des. remember guys when we watched that international silent film fest. that was german right? hehe basta it's about the big, bad dr. mabuse! hehe

anyhow. below are excerpts of some of my favorite wicked songs. enjoy!

Wicked

NO ONE MOURNS THE WICKED

GLINDA:
And Goodness knows
The Wicked's lives are lonely
Goodness knows
The Wicked die alone
It just shows when you're Wicked
You're left only
On your own

Ozians:
Yes, Goodness knows
The Wicked's lives are lonely
Goodness knows
The Wicked cry alone
Nothing grows for the Wicked
They reap only
What they've sown

DANCING THROUGH LIFE

FIYERO
The trouble with schools is
They always try to teach the wrong lessons
Believe me, I've been kicked out
Of enough of them to know
They want you to become less callow
Less shallow
But I say: why invite stress in?
Stop studying strife
And learn to live the unexamined life

Dancing through life
Skimming the surface
Gliding where turf is smooth
Life's more painless
For the brainless
Why think too hard
When it's so soothing
Dancing through life
No need to tough it
When you can slough it off as I do
Nothing matters
But knowing nothing matters
It's just life
So keep dancing through

I'M NOT THAT GIRL

ELPHABA
Hands touch, eyes meet
Sudden silence, sudden heat
Hearts leap in a giddy whirl
He could be that boy
But I'm not that girl:

Don't dream too far
Don't lose sight of who you are
Don't remember that rush of joy
He could be that boy
I'm not that girl

Ev'ry so often we long to steal
To the land of what-might-have-been
But that doesn't soften the ache we feel
When reality sets back in

Blithe smile, lithe limb
She who's winsome, she wins him
Gold hair with a gentle curl
That's the girl he chose
And Heaven knows
I'm not that girl:

Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl


DEFYING GRAVITY

ELPHABA: (sung)
So if you care to find me
Look to the western sky!
As someone told me lately:
"Ev'ryone deserves the chance to fly!"
And if I'm flying solo,
At least I'm flying free.
To those who'd ground me,
Take a message back from me:
Tell them how I am
Defying gravity!
I'm flying high,
Defying gravity!
And soon I'll match them in renown.
And nobody in, all of Oz.
No Wizard that there is or was.
Is ever gonna bring me down!

meeting with the president

Her Excellency Gloria Magapagal-Arroyo
Hyatt Regency O'Hare, Rosemont, Il.
November 11, 2008


well...i was just there for the food. =)

before anything else...

Unlike most journeys that require only a single step, mine began with a giant leap. Surprisingly though, the decision didn't come as a painful struggle. In fact, there was a highly tempting invitation that made deliberating rather useless. The bait--or should I say, the major driving force behind the movement--is the perennial presence of my long-time boyfriend. The other--which they say is equally important--is "the good life."

But as some of you know, the weeks before my departure had been tumultuous. I guess if it were not for the wonderful people I'm leaving behind, the transition wouldn't have been as drastic. But still I'm glad I felt the way I did. If it had been easy for me to let go, then what kind of a life have I lived in there? I am so lucky I have a loving and caring family who supported me through and through and a wide circle of hot, gorgeous, intelligent, and ever-supportive friends.

Grabe, you really can't have too many friends in this life. Napatunayan ko 'to during my most trying times. Hindi ko inexpect yung warmth na inextend niyo saken. Up to now, I still can't help but smile when I remember my last few days there. I don't know kung paano ko susuklian lahat yun, it meant so much to me. Sobrang thank you, everyone, for giving me a rare opportunity to be loved and taken care by all of you.

So before I begin a new chapter in my life, I just want to thank these people who threw in their extra time and effort just to give me something to look back and go back to when I leave.

Fit for Royalty

My very chic, Manhattan-inspired surprise bridal shower at Elan Hotel with sher, nek, des, and rhas.

Friends for like Forever!


Good times and thought-provoking discussions with my bene friends over japanese food and cream rose at santana and four-twenty.

BF Kids on the Block



A heart-warming, tear-jerking, blair bitch-themed despedida with my fellow drunkards. I didn't know these mahaderas and car junkies have a soft spot. =)

It's in the Blood.


Family gatherings are never complete without the force field of noise my relatives create whenever they see each other. Above are pictures of my cousins. We're cousins by blood, but they're brothers and sisters to me.


Time Warp




September 21, 2008. My family threw a surprise birthday and christmas party at home with guests pats and pj. I left for the States that night.

pride can stand a thousand trials,
the strong will never fall
but watching stars without you,
my soul cried.

Addicted to Speed

Speaking of speed, last Tuesday I was reminded again of how I wouldn’t trade this one hell of a job with any ergonomic chair-based office work. I was given an assignment on karting (to the excitement of my car-crazy friends). Being irrationally prudent almost all my life, I don’t exactly trust anything that moves fast. Not that I’m accident-prone or something, but for some reason unfortunate events tend to happen when I move too fast—glassware and tableware are knocked over, heels get stuck in between sidewalk cracks, heads are accidentally banged against a wall of glass, slip of the tongues are hurled at the wrong time—simple (and totally coincidental) things like that. And so having an assignment that involves a great amount of speed didn’t exactly thrill me at first.


At that point I was ready to turn the article over to Getty who, given enough encouragement, can actually write so well. It doesn’t hurt too that he knows so much about cars and engine. But the cosmos didn’t allow me to get away with it that easily. Later that day I learned that the photographer will be taking photos of me and the mean machine (watch out for this those of you who will be flying out in July). I mean machines like that hate me; they have minds of their own! I could just imagine my kart flying and flipping over (on second thought, this would actually look good in the picture), and before I know it, the poor me would be lying on a stretcher.


But all the agitation vanished into thin air when I met Jean, the French guy who manages the karting facility at Km 18 West Service Road in Sucat, Parañaque. City Kart is the country’s first indoor and outdoor go-kart racing track with an elevated bridge that overlooks the Tagaytay Lake. At City Kart, racers use four-stroke engines that can go as fast as 150 to 160 kmph. However, because of the kart’s skeletal frame, karting delivers a thrilling sensation of speed even at 40 to 60 kmph.



I heaved a long sigh of relief when Jean personally discussed the safety features of the karts and the adeptness of the marshals. He also said that I wasn’t the first chicken shit to ever try karting as a leisure activity. As a matter of fact, go-kart racing is slowly becoming a popular teambuilding option for large companies and universities. But the best part of it all, Jean was nice enough to let all seven of us have two 12-minute rounds (Au and Getty got to have three!) for free.


In case you’re wondering, one round costs 600 bucks per person. That’s like twice the daily earnings of minimum wage workers. How could 12 minutes of one person’s life be enough to feed one family for two days?! I’m assuming that only filthy rich boys who are totally oblivious of the widespread poverty and the soaring prices of gasoline would be heartless enough to enjoy such a ridiculously expensive sport. That’s simply not right! That’s totally insane! And most of all, that was awfully, sinfully awesome! The guilt was there, alright, but karting felt so damn good it was worth every penny. My verdict: I can starve myself for two days any time in exchange for 12 minutes of pure and unadulterated freedom. I love it, I love every single second of that 12 minutes.


So what’s the rush all about? If you’re as fast as Au, who averages about 1.0 minute per lap, that would mean 12 glorious laps in the 700-meter race track. But for lesser creatures like me, who at best finished at 1.27, every lap was a means to be better, faster, and more addicted to speed. My first few laps took me almost a couple of minutes, I was cautious at every turn. By the time the second round began, I was already getting the hang of it. It was like a mechanical force was urging me to step on it harder, strip off another layer of inhibition, and go the extra mile. As the race progressed, I became more and more drawn to beating the guy (or girl) ahead of me, which actually never happened (I was always the one who gets the blue flag, which by the way means “give way to the faster guy behind you”). But the point is a competitive sense was awakened inside of me, and that sense—which is almost like a mania—kept me all pumped up even way after the race was over. The adrenaline rush was so at an all-time high that I got off the kart shaking with excitement. No kidding, that was the best 12 minutes of my life!