The Simpsons Limited Edition Collection is available at selected National Book Store and Powerbooks branches.
You can also buy Moleskine online at nationalbookstore.com.
Follow National Book Store on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates, events, promos and contests.
So I’m back to glasses. Nothing serious, I think my grade is 50 or something. Dr. Alnette knows.
I have my regular glasses and my reading glasses. I don’t use them all the time but I don’t like not knowing where to look when I need one of them.
Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren is a man driven by an unbridled and relentless passion for music.
A born perfectionist and flag-bearer of the trance movement, he strives to stay on top of the scene he’s helped to grow.
Living the extraordinary life of one of the world’s most popular DJ’s, Armin van Buuren is always on the move—whether through the music he creates in his studio, or flying to the next high-end club or festival somewhere around the globe.
DJ, producer, labelowner, and Grammy nominee, Armin van Buuren has hosted a weekly radio show called A State of Trance since 2001.
The show, which has more than 20 million weekly listeners in 26 countries, has propelled him to superstardom and garnered an intense following of trance fans around the world.
His 2008 studio album, Imagine, entered the Dutch album chart at No. 1—a first for a dance music artist in Dutch music history.
On October 19, 2012, DJ Mag announced van Buuren as the world’s number one DJ for the 5th (non-consecutive) year.
To celebrate the 600th episode of A State of Trance, Van Buuren performed with various artists all around the world in a tour called A State of Trance 600: The Expedition. The tour brought him in 2013 to Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Beirut, Kuala Lumpur, New York, and Den Bosch.
This year, he takes his ARMIN ONLY INTENSE Tour all over the world, naming it after a brand new album released this May.
On May 30, 2014, BIGFISH International brings ARMIN ONLY INTENSE to the Mall of Asia Arena.
The all all-night dance event will feature a solo performance by Armin van Bureen, trance music, lights, lasers, fireworks, plus supporting acts of vocalists and artists such as Sharon den Adel, Nadia Ali, Racoon, Ilse de Lange, Audrey Gallagher, Eller van Buuren.
For ticket info, click HERE.
For VIP tables, call 808-8080 or (0917) 884-7333.
VIP tables are good for 10 pax and comes with 2 bottles of premium vodka + mixer + waiter.
The Alliance Française de Manille and SM Aura Premier with the support of the Embassy of France present the Parisii String Quartet in concert on Tuesday, June 10, 2014, 8 PM at the IMAX Theatre, 4th level, SM Aura Premier.
Formed in 1983 by four lauded graduates of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris, the Parisii String Quartet is composed of Doriane Gable (2nd violin), Dominique Lobet (viola), Arnaud Vallin (1st violin) and Jean-Philippe Martignoni (cello).
They have won acclaim at three major international competitions: Banff (1986), Munich (1987), and Evian (1987), and have toured regularly throughout Europe, the United States, East Asia, South America, as well as Africa.
Noted for their performances of distinctive and wide ranging repertoire of the l8th, l9th, 20th and 21st centuries, Parisii String Quartet has distinguished itself with award-winning recordings of works by French composers as Menu, Pierné, Tailleferre, and Reynaldo Hahn, as well as the complete works for string quartet by Anton Webern.
Program of the concert in Manila: Philip Glass / Boccherini / Haydn/Webern /Schumann / Regis Campo / Debussy / Schubert: Quatuor n 14 D. 810. La Jeune Fille et la Mort.
Ticket Prices: PHP 500 (orchestra seats) and PHP 400 (balcony seats), less 20% for the AFM students and AFM members and groups of at least 20 persons. Call SM Tickets at 470-22-22.
The Parisii String Quartet in Concert is organized by the Alliance Française de Manille and SM Aura Premier, with the support of the Embassy of France to the Philippines and our official media partners, Solar News Channel, BusinessWorld, High Life, HerWord.com, and Travelife Magazine.
This event is part of the yearly French cultural program, FrancoPhil, with events that include the Superpoze Live in Manila, Silence, on tourney ! by the Pockemon Crew, the 19th French Film Festival, Fête de la Musique and the Tête d’enfant Modern Circus performance.
Something’s up with Haagen-Dazs’s coffee ice cream. It’s not the same anymore. I feel like they changed the recipe.
Beside, Haagen-Dazs coffee ice cream isn’t easy to find anymore, not even abroad.
That’s how I happened to try Haagen-Dazs Caramel Cone, found at Rustan’s supermarket. Cause they had no coffee.
I bought a tub of this and it tastes like caramel coffee with Oreo cookies. Best eaten frozen, and I mean it has to be frozen at a certain temperature, not soggy.
I had the bad luck of buying soggy ice cream at The Marketplace, Rockwell.
How to know if the ice cream you’re buying is not good: there is frost on the cup
That means the ice cream had previously melted, so it is likely to have ice chips inside. Not good.
It could mean the ice cream had melted in transit, or the freezer itself is not set to the right temperature.
Haagen-Dazs is not cheap so it doesn’t feel good when you have to throw away a cup that is soggy.
Know your ice cream.
Dear PLDT,
I maintain an apartment at St. Francis Shangri-La Place where I have a PLDT landline and internet.
I don’t go there very often so the bill gets emailed to me.
Last March when I visited there, the internet was dead, so I called customer service for help.
The person on the line said my account was active. Well, I thought so because I was able to use my landline.
I even asked if I had forgotten to pay my bill. She said no.
So she passed me on to technical who asked me to describe the behaviour of my modem and describe which lights were on.
This is what I got.
They said they would call me back about repair and no such thing happened.
Very recently, I found out that my case of complaint was closed in April. It was closed without any repair or follow up, and no phone call to me.
Months passed and the next bills I received were ones of disconnection.
I have been going back and forth with PLDT to explain my situation of having a miscommunication problem with customer service who told me my account was active and me waiting for them to repair, because I thought I shouldn’t have to pay for internet that has not been repaired.
Meanwhile my bill is now Php 15,000 for a dead internet.
Yesterday I paid Php 5,000 to cover that month in February I had neglected to pay my bill.
I’m hoping PLDT and I can come to a compromise, to forego the bills for the months I did not have service. Then I can either disconnect and pay termination fee, or continue the service and pay monthly for internet that is working.
PLDT, may I please speak to a human who cares? Because nobody seems to care on email or phone. Meanwhile my bill is growing, nobody wants to really terminate my account and nobody is fixing my internet. What can we do about it?
Should I pay for service that does not exist? If you have given me a notice of disconnection, why don’t you disconnect me and stop increasing my bill? THIS IS NOT FAIR!!!
Was supposed to go to two wakes and visit a friend in the hospital. But yesterday I had the blues.
Meanwhile my friend Grace was in the neighbourhood and dropped by.
“Kaladkarin ka ba today?” I asked.
“Sure. Huwag lang super late ha,” she said.
“Can we watch a Tagalog movie?”
“Sure!” she said.
I love Tagalog movies, but rarely go to the cinema. And it’s really hard to find friends who are willing to watch Tagalog movies.
The day before, my friend Mark who is visiting from Ireland and had watched Maybe This Time with his mom and sister at Megamall.
“What that about?” I asked.
“Sarah G works for the PR company of Ruffa Gutierrez. In order to get promoted as executive assistant, Ruffa gives her the task to makeover her boyfriend (Coco Martin) from styling to communication skills, not knowing Coco was in Sarah’s past pala. Coco needs a makeover because Ruffa is embarrassed to introduce him to everybody because he’s baduy.”
Ah! It looks so cringy, I couldn’t resist!
How can I not with Ruffa as the evil cougar. She is 39 in real life, while Coco is 32, according to wiki.
I know Sarah G stands 5’6″ (lucky her) and Coco Martin is also 5’6″, while Ruffa is a towering 5’10″—what more with heels??
The casting is a mismatch, I just had to see it.
The first time I saw Coco Martin onscreen was in Masahista in 2005.
When your introducing movie is a seedy gay movie by Brillante Mendoza, it’s hard to imagine that one day Coco would rise to become the big mainstream star he is today.
Once upon a time I also dated a model who was five years younger than me. He was 19, I was 24.
He was rough around the edges, but had terrific abs, was 6 feet tall, and spoke good English. But I was ashamed to introduce him to my friends. That’s why I could relate to Ruffa’s character.
But I digress, I now understand why the masses love Coco Martin. He looks like a wholesome Filipino boy with a good nose, dimples and always smiling. He is terribly sweet to Sarah, I could imagine I was one of the masses on my day off getting kilig with Coco Martin.
Same with Sarah G who is so wholesome and relatable to the masses (if there is such a word).
While Ruffa was maleficently evil to watch, I feel they could’ve casted a person who speaks less sosy and is more of Coco’s height. For example, Marian Rivera, who is not known for her English skills.
Some of the audience in the cinema were especially hilarious with their comments about Ruffa looking more like Coco’s mother.
Knowing of Ruffa Gutierrez’s exes in real life, it is really hard for anyone to imagine her hooking up with Coco Martin who makes furniture and “home accents” out of “dreepwood” (driftwood).
Watch out for Garlic Garcia as Sarah’s barkada in the movie. I must say Garlic is one of the reasons I watched. Maybe This Time is now showing in theatres nationwide.
To know more, click HERE.
If you’re traveling with kids in Tokyo, the Ritz-Carlton is a great place to stay because it is connected to the Tokyo Midtown mall in the posh Roppongi Hills. The area includes this vast park and a museum partnered and designed by Tadao Ando and Issey Miyake.
I had been to Tokyo Midtown only once before and never forgot how modern and spacious it was and is today.
Tokyo does not have a mall culture like Manila, so their malls are not very full. In fact they’re so empty it’s a bit sad.
On the basement level are many affordable little food outlets. We ate most of our meals here because on the upper floors are really expensive restaurants that can cost you an arm.
This is a yakitori place
The other one is huge with a grocery/deli and restaurant. Check out the baskets on the floor—the Japanese have respect for handbags—a concept that won’t work in Manila with our culture of thieves.
I’m a sucker for Oreos. This alien-looking thing is called Crash Chocolate Muffin, but I wonder if they meant “crushed”?
Unfortunately I didn’t get to try this. My stomach was always full from all the food choices.
There’s a little Jean Paul Hevin store—but the one in Hong Kong has more choices. I find JPH so expensive—it is best to buy in Paris if anyone is going.
Pond’s isn’t just for women anymore.
As a leader in skin solutions, The Pond’s Institute aims to help Filipino men find new solutions to their skincare concerns. Pond’s Men is a groundbreaking, daily skin care regimen formulated to give men bright and energized skin.
To introduce its newest product line, Ponds recently launched Pond’s Men Energy Charge in a grand launch with brand ambassadors: (L-R) businessman Victor Consunji, director Paul Soriano, actor Xian Lim, singer Rico Blanco, and footballer Anton del Rosario.
So the rumours are true: the Mandarin Oriental, Manila on Makati Avenue is about to close later this year.
While the Mandarin Oriental, Manila has played an important role in the business and tourism market since 1976, the property’s infrastructure and existing facilities are no longer in keeping with the brand’s well-recognized, luxury hospitality offering.
But worry not—a new Mandarin Oriental, Manila, is scheduled to open in 2020.
To be developed by Ayalaland Hotels & Resorts, the new luxury 275-room hotel will be part of a mixed-use development branded and managed by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
The new Mandarin Oriental, Manila will feature spacious rooms and a range of elegant and contemporary facilities, including a variety of restaurants and a signature spa. More information will be released as soon as details are confirmed.
“Mandarin Oriental, Manila has been recognized as one of the city’s most iconic hotels since its opening in 1976, and the Group wishes to express its sincere appreciation to all colleagues for their legendary service and support over the years. All hotel colleagues have been informed of the forthcoming closure and will receive full and fair severance payment and appropriate professional guidance,” said Torsten van Dullemen, General Manager of the hotel.
HOTDOG’s Rene and Dennis Garcia, Gina Montes, Jess Garcia (the original kilabot ng collegiala during the ’70s), Maso Diez, Rita Trinidad and Joy Reyes are reuniting to support the rehabilitation efforts for Tacloban on June 17, 2014, 8:30 PM at the newly renovated Ballroom of Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati.
At the height of their popularity in the ’70s, HOTDOG initiated the first ever provincial entertainment road tour with Pepsi Cola and their first stop was Tacloban City. The group was well-received by the “Warays” and that being the first stop of this milestone tour, Tacloban City remains very dear to HOTDOG.
The concert fundraiser—HOTDOG Together Again for Ayad Tacloban—will be a showcase of original Hotdog hits from the ’70s and ’80s including Manila, Annie Batungbakal, Parang Robot, Miss Universe Ng Buhay Ko, Panaginip, Langit Na Naman, as well as compositions that have not been heard before.
Supporting this cause are W.L. Foods, Dusit Thani Hotel, Smart, Samsung, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star, Purefoods Tender Juicy, Crossover 105.1, Mellow 94.7, The Zen Institute, Federal Land, Petron Blaze, Skinfiniti, Hammerhead, Power V, Creative Minds, Rotary Club Southeast, Don Papa Rum, and Chuvaness.com
For tickets and inquiries, call (0921)293-1784 • 583-6782 • 893-7349.
Kung ako ay binaha, binagyo
Ako ba ay tutulungan mo?
Kung liparin ang bubong sa ulo
Ako ba’y papayungan mo?
Tacloban… babangon sa tulong mo
Tacloban… umaasa nang husto
Tacloban… laking salamat sa iyo
Kung brownout itong paligid ko
(Does it worry you to be alone?)
Sa dilim ba’y aalalayan mo ako?
(Are you sad because you’re on your own?)
Tacloban… babangon sa tulong mo
Tacloban… umaasa nang husto
Tacloban… laking salamat sa iyo
Do you need anybody
Ikaw ang kailangan
Could it be anybody?
Pag-asa ka ng Tacloban
Kung ang tiyan ko ay biglang kumulo
Di ka ba mawawala, lalayo
Okay lang bang ako’y pakainin mo?
Kahit medyo matakaw ako
Tacloban… babangon sa tulong mo
Tacloban… umaasa nang husto
Tacloban… laking salamat sa iyo
Do you need anybody
Ikaw ang kailangan
Could it be anybody?
Pag-asa ka ng Tacloban
Tacloban… babangon sa tulong mo
Tacloban… umaasa nang husto
Tacloban… laking salamat sa iyo
When I was young I used to love Montgomery Clift. I watched all his movies, collected his photos and read everything I could about him—all this before Internet and Google were invented.
I watched him on VHS tapes and bought biographies when I could physically find them in a bookstore.
The photos my dad bought in Japan when he traveled, like this one.
Four times nominated for Best Actor in the Academy Awards for The Search (1948), A Place in the Sun (1951), From Here to Eternity (1953), and Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Montgomery Clift was at the height of his career in 1956 when his car smashed into a telephone pole and destroyed his face.
He suffered a broken jaw and nose, a fractured sinus, and several facial lacerations which required plastic surgery (wiki).
Sadly his looks were gone.
There is nothing scarier than losing one’s face—literally and figuratively.
Last March 19, 2014, my nephew, indie actor Lance Raymundo met a serious accident at the gym when his trainer dropped an 80-lb. barbell on his face.
Lance felt the most intense pain. Blood covered his eyes but he could hear his trainer crying in Tagalog, “I’m so sorry, I have killed you!”
At that moment Lance had the following thoughts:
1) He forgave his trainer. “It’s not your fault,” he immediately told him. “Just take me to the hospital.”
2) He must not fall asleep and kept his mind occupied to keep it alert.
3) He must not die because his brother will kill the trainer.
4) He thought of his parents. He cannot die.
Right after the accident, he managed to call his mom, Nina Raymundo, who rushed to the hospital.
“Mom, I’m gonna need a nosejob,” he told her.
The first day was critical. After emergency surgery when they thought he was sleeping, he heard his doctor tell his mom that he could die.
On March 20, the day after the accident, he began to regain full consciousness.
“I realized the gravity of my situation. I was half blind, the small crack on my skull made me vulnerable to meningitis and seizures. Through my one functional eye, I took a good look at the mirror and didn’t recognize my own face because it was disfigured. I thought I looked like Voldemort—only Voldemort looked better,” Lance said.
“But for some reason, instead of feeling angry, depressed or negative, I just took another look at the new me.
I smiled back at my reflection and thanked God I was still alive. I had personal a moment with God and asked Him to guide me in planning how to live an effective and meaningful life with my current situation. I also found it within me to completely and sincerely forgive the fitness trainer who accidentally dropped the barbell on my face and prayed for his peace of mind.
I must have fallen asleep, but at approximately 5:45 PM, I heard a voice within my head saying, ‘Your suffering will only last for 6 days because on the 7th day, everything will be restored.’
A day after, my swelling subsided. The doctor scheduled my surgery on March 25th and on March 26—SEVEN days after the accident, I woke up, opened my eyes, and realized that both eyes were working and my vision was restored.
The neurosurgeons informed my family that my brain was cleared from danger. I asked Mom for a mirror, and when I looked, it was me again! His Promise, fulfilled!”
Less than three months after the accident, Lance and his family decided to celebrate his birthday with a thanksgiving dinner at Gloria Maris, Greenhills, with about 100 friends, family and media.
Last night, we finally got to see him again.
He likes his face. He looks slightly younger. No more eyebags, with a slightly turned up nose. Because hey, why not??
But what’s more amazing to me—more than Lance’s speedy recovery and faith—is his ability to forgive the one who has wronged him.
“His first instinct was to forgive,” our cousin Ana Coscolluela told me last night. “That really means he’s a good person.
I agreed.
Sorry for the long absence, but time flies when you’re a mom.
We have a virus at home. Christian got better yesterday and went to school today, while Markus still has a 39° fever and is missing school again tomorrow.
Meanwhile, I have so much stuff to give away. I do apologise to all the people who gave prizes eons ago. I’m on it!!
Today I put together five train cases filled with goodies from National Bookstore, my happy place.
1) National Bookstore’s Budget Bundle with pens and paper in a handy envelope
2) Total Girl’s cute school planner
3) Britto notebook
4) Campus BDJ planner with lots of discount coupons
5) Friends Fries notebook (thought it was funny)
6) My favourite Post-It pop-up dispenser
7) Dollar pen case
8) Post-It pop-up refill pack
Mechanics:
1) You must have a Philippine address.
2) Share this entry through Twitter or Facebook by clicking the buttons at the bottom of this post.
3) Register HERE.
4) Contest runs until 11 PM of June 13, 2014, Friday.
5) Five winners will be chosen electronically via Random.org and informed via email or text. Depending on location and convenience, prizes will either be couriered, delivered, or picked up by/to the winners.
6) Winners’ names will also be posted on chuvaness.com.
Inspired by adidas’ ‘#allIn or Nothing’ campaign, adidas Originals presents its Battle Pack, consisting of five iconic silhouettes in bold war-paint patterns. Each shoe is rendered in black and white with fire gold accents to represent the tournament trophy.
It’s a fitting tribute to the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ tournament.
The Originals Battle Pack shoes are available at leading adidas and Urban Athletics stores, while the ZX 5000 RSPN Battle Pack can be found at Sole Academy stores.
Or buy them online at http://shop.adidas.com.ph/.
With Father’s Day just around the corner, I can’t help but think of my own Dad and how I have to stop myself from bugging him all the time.
My earliest memory of my dad was when I was 3 or 4 years old, joining the maids in cleaning the house.
I had my own basahan (rag) and would wipe this dark table in our living room, only to have the dust fall on it again.
One morning my dad was off to work and saw me cleaning. Amused, he smiled and stopped to pat my head and give me 25 centavos.
I had the biggest smile on my face. Little did he know it would be the first of many times to give me money Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
For Father’s Day, Dove Men+Care has released a touching short video that shows the many ways dads care for their children.
Entitled Calls For Dad, the film features real moments that children of all ages share with their fathers—most of which are regrettably absent from media depictions of dads today.
Dove Men+Care is asking dads and their families to submit #RealDadMoments@DovePH on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, which will be heralded on www.Dovemencare.com to celebrate moments of dads’ care.
As sure as my husband will wake up to watch football every four years, I too shall have my pick of hottest football players in the FIFA World Cup.
I’m trying to figure out why football players are the best looking athletes for me. I’ve narrowed it down to the following reasons:
1) I like lean guys. I don’t like gigantic borta basketball players or swimmers with huge wings (no offence!).
2) I like hair. Football players have the coolest hair for some reason. If a guy isn’t that gifted in the face department, the right hair can make him look really dreamy.
3) I like fashion. Football uniforms can look really cool with the zip-up jacket, the shorts, and the knee socks. Whew!! And when they take it all off, we turn into mush!
I actually went through all the pictures of the players plus intense Googling to come up with my list.
Let me know which ones are your eye candy, or in case I missed someone.
In no particular order, they are:
Happy father’s day to all the great fathers in the world.
I am lucky to have married someone who turned out to be a wonderful father to the boys, when they aren’t driving him up the wall.
Some people have tried to put us down—my husband, even my children and I, but those people don’t know anything. They don’t know that love exists in our home every single day.
I’m more than lucky to have Jeroen in my life, and I made this video to let him know how much we appreciate his hard work and everything he does for us every day.
Happy Father’s Day, Jeroen. And thank you, Burt Bacharach, for the music Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Actor Sam Riley stars in Ermenegildo Zegna’s Autumn Winter 2014 advertising campaign as interpreted by the photography of Inez & Vinoodh with creative concept by Stefano Pilati and art direction by Giovanni Bianco.
Eight men in grey gather in a set designed with a minimalist decor.
On the background is a map of the world, the world of menswear, of which the men are the leaders.
In other shots, Riley is photographed in contrast surrounded by others, maintaining the focus on himself, his new elegance and the leadership of the Ermenegildo Zegna Couture menswear message under the creative guidance of Stefano Pilati.
Sam Riley is an actor from West Yorkshire, England. His most prominent works include Control (2007), Brighton Rock (2010) and On the Road (2012).
Most recently, he finished filming Suite Française, starring alongside Michelle Williams and Kirstin Scott Thomas, and The Dark Valley directed by Andreas Prochska, which opened at the Berlin Film Festival 2014.
Sam also played the role of Diaval in the Walt Disney epic, Maleficent.
In the Philippines, Ermenegildo Zegna is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is located at Rustan’s Makati, Greenbelt 4, and Newport Resorts World Manila.
Get a head start on your shopping as S.C.Vizcarra holds its annual Christmas sale this June 20-21, 2014 at One Roxas Triangle in Makati.
Enjoy up to 70% off on handwoven bags in leather and natural materials, as well as home accessories, organizers, caddies, and more. Personalized presents will also be available.
The artisans of S.C.Vizcarra have mastered the art of weaving luxury handbags and accessories. Design and production are all done in their workshop, founded by Segundina Cornejo Vizcarra back in 1925.
The company is now guided by Vizcarra’s only child, Vicky, and Vicky’s daughter, Rita Nazareno.
S.C.Vizcarra has collaborated with the Campana Brothers, Gabriel Lichauco, Wawi Navarozza, Olivia d’Aboville, Sayoko Hokazono and Jose Antonio Nazareno.
The brand will be in Paris this June 27-29, 2104 to participate at the Take Me Out shopping, music, and art festival Out in Les Blancs Manteaux and London Fashion Week in September.
S.C. Vizcarra’s Christmas sale is on June 20-21, 2014
3/F Social Hall, One Roxas Triangle
Paseo de Roxas and Cruzada Street (behind Mandarin Oriental), Makati
Open to the public from 10 AM -7 PM
After numerous emails, tweets, texts, phone conversations, and a cry for help, I decided to pay Php 5,000 of my bill that had grown to Php 15,000 for internet that hadn’t been working since March—just to see if they would fix it.
True enough I got a call a couple of days later checking if my Internet was working.
It wasn’t and I told the sympathetic lady on the phone about my problem.
A couple of days later, a technician came over to check and confirm that my modem was out of order and changed it to this new white one.
Right now I’m just concerned whether they will reverse the charges for the months I didn’t have internet, because as of yesterday I received a bill for Php 11,319.37.
Hoping for PLDT’s help in fixing this.
Meanwhile, when it rains, it pours. This morning the PLDT Fibr at home just died.
Image may be NSFW.
Image may be NSFW.
