Friday dine out

Last night we decided not to soil our hands in the kitchen. So we scouted to the nearest Italian resto bar, and made reservations since the place was packed. After thirty minutes, we got a call that our table was being prepared. We were ushered to the terrace and we couldn't be more happier.

本日のランチ

Went to Shibuya on high noon. Scorching heat, short legs in skimpy outfits, oh lalala, the colors of summer.

What I had for lunch, chicken in olive oil with summer vegetables.

For Sale: Purse

It's a denim-type Christian Dior purse. I haven't used this for so long. The handle is a worn out that's why I stocked this to my closet.

For sale: Casual Gucci

I so love this red handbag. I only use this when I'm going out with my friends.

For Sale: Travel bag

I am cleaning out my closet. It's hard to let this go. One of my favourite companion when I travel.

Humbling Story, Amazing Talent

These are two independent movies that I can relate to. It do not only bring back nostalgic moments, I find myself laughing at my own throes of surviving the scholastic pursuits and endeavors, and to struggle through the high grass often crippling by the fear of failure. But gah, I was indeed a performing failure.

UPCAT the Movie is a Philippine independent film written by Alfred Geoffrey Reyes and directed by Roman Olivares. A light drama-comedy, it tells a coming-of-age story of 2 teenage boys from the province who believe that passing the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT) will help them achieve their dreams of a better future. Lucas (Felix Roco) and his best friend Joaquin (Joseph Roble) are 2 boys from the province who have dreams that they believe can be achieved by passing the UPCAT. Joaquin’s ambition is to get a high-paying job so that his parents, who are overseas Filipino workers, can come back home. On the other hand, Lucas wants nothing more than to win the heart of their schoolmate Jane (Yas Neri), a rich girl who comes from a family of UP graduates. The boys get Michael, a UP graduate with a secret, to help them in reviewing. In the process, Lucas and Joaquin discover many truths about life, love, and their own selves. 

Pisay is a film that tells the stories of eight Philippine Science High School (PSHS) students during the 1980s. The movie is made up of different but intertwined stories of students in their freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior years. It tells of Rom, brilliant son of a fish vendor and an overseas contract worker; Wena, daughter of the landowning Ledesmas; Mat, the pudgy, amorous Promdi who has trouble in math; friendly Minggoy, who always seems to get himself involved with everything; Liway, daughter of anti-dictatorship activists; Andy, the listless cadet trainee; Daki, the science genius; and Euri, the boy with artistic flair. Amidst the chaos of Martial Law in this Third World country in the 1980s, eight teenagers in the top high school for the sciences discover themselves as they go through the joys and pains of adolescence. They were the top two hundred students from all over the Philippines who passed the examination for the Philippine Science High School, which was created for the purpose of giving an education highly enriched in the Sciences to exceptionally gifted Filipino children. Selected from the best and brightest from all over the country, they endure college-level courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics from their sophomore year onwards. Those who can make it are hailed as the future science and technology leaders of the New Republic, those who don't are deemed unfortunate victims of natural selection. They all learn however that they are neither isolated from the real world, nor are they exempted from living real lives. They find the world outside, erupting into the People Power revolution in 1986 against the Marcos dictatorship, being replicated within the school as they struggle to graduate, contend with teachers, classmates, family, school officials, and a new classification to segregate students meeting the high standards of excellence from those who do not.

Motherese

Our tandem.

My photographer, Giancarlo.

My cycle partner, Gabriel.

I know the message on the video is inappropriate. But I know this song by heart. And the content of the message somehow says true to me. I must admit that, at one point in my life, this song became my heart's anthem. I sang it almost every hour in each day. Tonight reminds me of those heartrending days with a rueful disquiet at night. Come, sing with my heart.