Remember ‘Blonde and Blue Eyes’?

A local fashion chain for teen girls is set to launch a new campaign featuring the recognisable face of Russian model Natalia Vodianova, the latest in a list of international celebrities that the is brand is known for having as endorsers- Alicia Silverstone, Natalie Portman, Petra Nemcova and Kate Hudson to name some. (Cue another slew of indignant ‘patriots’ questioning and demanding reasons why the brand doesn’t use a Filipina endorser.)

Pretty.. I like how light, airy and fresh it all looks.

Well, I certainly see no reason why they shouldn’t use foreign endorsers. Which endorser they want is completely their choice and it doesn’t mean they are being ‘unpatriotic.’ Business decisions are just that – business. The brand does not sell baro’t sayas and ternos for anyone to insist that they use Filipina endorsers, it would only be common sense in that case (although predictable). I don’t know if anyone has noticed but SM, one of the leading department stores/mall chains in the Philippines have foreign models on their posters inside and outside their department stores and malls. And it’s no biggie. Simply put, just because a brand or product is Filipino doesn’t mean a Filipino endorser is a must.

That a Filipino brand did not use a Filipino endorser is not the issue. The only problem I see with this particular fashion chain’s endorser choices is that their target market might have a hard time connecting with the image they portray – at best. Worse, this might distort young Filipino girls’ sense of self-image, identity and even concept of beauty. None of the girls milling about in their stores during a typical weekend look anything like Natalia or Kate Hudson, although I’m pretty sure the brand does not intend to mean their clothes are made for caucasians – majority of their stores are in the Philippines, afterall.

Clothes that look great on a blonde, fair skinned model who’s almost twice as tall as an average Filipina may or may not suit, say, high school girl named Carla in Davao. Girls go through an awkward phase when they are most impressionable and a significant portion of their target market is in the middle of that phase. Heaven forbid that little girls in the Philippines, by this ad, are affirmed in believing they can only be considered beautiful if they are tall, blonde and thin (like models Petra & Natalia and actress Kate Hudson). I hope Carla understands that when she wears that yellow cardigan, it will not look on her the exact same way it looks on Natalia and more importantly, it shouldn’t be something negative in itself. We shouldn’t buy those clothes so we can look like the girl in the poster. More often than not, it would just be an excercise in futility.

This brings to mind the Barbie syndrome (little Asian girls, please don’t get depressed if you do not grow up to have large blue eyes, blonde hair and an 18-inch waist). Constant exposure to and subliminal suggestions coming from such ads may lead to mistaken interpretations of ideas and concepts by young people. Remember that while Ally McBeal can be funny, it was no laughing matter when cases of anorexia and bulimia skyrocketed in places as far away as Fiji when the show gained popularity.

So mothers take care of your little girls. Daddies teach your little boys. Ads are ads I know, you know, and maybe the person beside you knows but make sure your children understand that, too. This is not just about this particular brand’s ad. Plenty other ads, movies, glossies and etc. show ideas and images that young people might interpret as a promise- upon purchase. But buying a pack of cigarettes doesn’t mean you’ll end up on a yatch surrounded by scantily clad women having a good time. So instead of hoping a product can change you, instead of you needing to fit into clothes, try to live a life in which you are so comfortable in your own skin that clothes end up fitting you, becoming you. Fashion is meant to be worn, not the way around.

To read ‘Blond and Blue Eyes’ speech by Patricia Evangelista: Link

How to Send Donations to Ondoy Victims if You’re Outside the Philippines

During a Skype conversation today with my aunt who lives outside the Philippines, she told me how she was reduced to tears when she happened on the UERM video with a woman escaping from inside a car onto its roof while more than a dozen other floating vehicles all around are being carried every which way by the flood. I showed her this video of a family of around eight+ surfing on a roof made of galvanised iron as it rushes towards a bridge, with only one man resurfacing on the other side. She saw that only today, and my aunt said “grabe, grabe, grabe … i did not realize … the devastation was massive.”

Then I realised that many don’t know the extent of Ondoy (Ketsana)’s damage to Manila. My aunt offered to send some donations and she said it might take some time if she were to send it via door-to-door service. I remembered a FB friend posting details about Filipinos collecting donations in a certain country to send to the Philippines and I sent her the details for her area.

The following list is a compilation of some locations outside Philippines where you can drop off donations in kind, cash or both. Please take care when partaking in monetary transactions, use the contact details listed for your place (if applicable) before you send anything. Verify – email them, call, or visit their websites. Some of the meet-up schedules listed may have already expired, please take note and contact the person/s concerned whether they are still receiving donations.

Although this is for a good cause, don’t let unscrupulous people take advantage of good intentions just for their own personal benefit. Please exercise caution.

Arranged alphabetically by country:

UNICEF: Now accepting donations for Philippine flood victims. Link.
UN World Food Programme: Link. For US citizens who want a tax deduction for this donation: Link.
Philippine National Red Cross: Link
Habitat For Humanity Philippines: Link

Australia (Melbourne): Drop-off donations near the Melbourne CBD through Coco Quizon’s residence @ 8 Vale St., North Melbourne. You can contact Coco through 0458603723
Australia (Sydney): Deliver donations to 303/5 Stromboli Strait, Homebush Bay 2127. message twitter.com/allorange for questions. If possible, please give donations in unsealed boxes. Thank you! Contact: allorangefilms@yahoo.com to check if you can deliver at another time or date.
Australia (Sydney): PAL shipping donations from Australia FOC! Sydney Delivery point for donations in kind: Revesby Press 3/50 George Street Granville. Ph:9760 0933. Urgently seeking donations of clothes, blankets, canned goods, medical supplies. …Please …segregate clothing according to: infants, girls, boys, women, men, shoes! Please call 0414-736-231.
Australia: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1100222/Philippines-floods:-How-you-can-help
Australia: Filipino students in Australia are also helping out by collecting 5-dollar pledges. Contact Coco Quizon 0458603723 (Melbourne), Aiya Buendia 0437 967 259 (Sydney) and Michelle Leonardo michelle.leonardo@gmail.com (Canberra)
Austria: Cash: message Charmaine Taus (sacki@taus.us). she’s having a benefit concert on October 22! concert details to follow.
Belgium: For those based in Belgium they can contact Shiera Catalan at +32485328811 if they want to donate goods for typhoon relief
Canada: http://byncan.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/bayan-canada-appeals-for-help-for-typhoon-ondoy-victims/
Canada (Montreal):http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Local+Filipinos+mobilizing+help+flood+victims/2041585/story.html
Canada (Toronto): Filipinos and Friends in Toronto, here’s how to help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy (intl name Ketsana):http://pidctoronto.com/projects/typhoon also see: http://bit.ly/28PDXfThank You!
Canada (Vancouver): Just wanted to give you information about drop off points here in Vancouver, BC Canada: Multicultural Helping House, E32nd Ave. And Fraser. Or Goldilocks Bakeshop, E11th st. And Main.
Dubai: EROS Group will be holding a fund raising activity on Oct. 4-6 for thevictims of bagyong Ondoy. To all my kababayans here in Dubai who wishto donate (cash/kind), you may send your donations directly to EROSCorporate Office(HITACHIBLDG) located at Juction of 108/1 Al Khabeesi Rd, Near Al Bhakit Centre or you may contact them at this number +971-4-2650026
Germany: Contact Denise Matias at denise.matias@gmail.com or +63… (text only, no calls).
Hong Kong: Ateneo Almuni Association HK is calling for donations to support relief efforts for the victims of Typhoon Ketsana (Ondoy) in the Philippines. Contact: Mike Reyes at +852.67131869
Hong Kong: People in Hong Kong,you may help by going to Cathay Pacific City, 8 Scenic Rd. Lantau Island. A collection box on the second floor is being organized by the Staff of Cathay Pacific. Please continue to send as much as you can. Cash donations are also accepted.
Israel: The Federation of Filipino Communities in Israel (FFCI) will have fund raising campaign/donation drive to help Filipinos affected by the Typhoon Ondoy. Those who wish to give financial donations may come on Friday, 02 October 2009 to Dr. Gonen’s Clinic (near Takana Merkazit). Or you can give give your donation to Phil. Embassy. You may also contact your community officers.
Japan: Japan Red Cross: http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/index.html. They’re acception donations from September 30 until October 30. More info:http://www.jrc.or.jp/kokusai/news/l4/Vcms4_00001289.html
Malaysia: For those in Malaysia, LBC is accepting donations in cash and kind. Their numbers are: 2026-8536 / 2070-0557. The office I know is at Kota Raya in KL.
Malaysia (KL): Pauline Warneck is gathering donations for Ondoy to be sent by Fri c/o CebPac. Email pcfeliciano@yahoo.com for details.
Netherlands: Donate (bank transfer) to: NFS – Nederlands-Filippijnse Solidariteitsbeweging (’Dutch-Filipino Solidarity Movement). Location: Leiden. Postgiro: 8118425. Subject: Support for flood victims / “Steun aan slachtoffers van grote overstroming”
New Zealand: For people donating from New Zealand go to:http://www.tearfund.org.nz or phone 0800 800 777
Qatar: Meet noli perez dq ramada parking 6:30 today 9/29 for ondoy donations, call him 5642942.
Saudi Arabia (Eastern Province): Please collate your donations and bring to Al-Ettifaq Club gymnasium, Sports City Dammam this coming Friday, 2 October 2009.
Singapore: Drop-off point for donations is Afreight Cargo, #03-09 Lucky Plaza, Orchard Rd. Contact Maureen Schepers 6235-1011. Get more information here:http://www.pinoysg.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=664644#664644
South Korea: For the Filipinos and concerned citizens in South Korea: Pease support PIKO (Pinoy Iskolars sa Korea) fund-raising campaign for the Ondoy flood victims in the Philippines. Let us all help by donating to KOOKMIN BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER (498101-01-232756). Your help counts!
Thailand (Bangkok): The Philippine Embassy will be receiving only donations in kind (ie., used clothing, shoes, blankets, and the like, and canned goods) …anytime between 9am-5pm until Fri. For queries, please contact the Philippine Embassy at (02) 259-0139 up to 40 or (08) 992-65954, or at bangkokpe@gmail.com.
UAE (Dubai): Lingap Kapwa – Ondoy Victims: We need to unite once again to help our Kabayans back in the Philippines that were badly affected by typhoon Ondoy. Current requirement: Clothings, Food, Money. Please get in touch with Pres. Jo (050-7456452josepha@perceptgulffz.com). 3 Drop Off Points for the donations: West Zone Supermarket (Karama, Satwa and Deira)
United Kingdom: Visit the OXFAM website
UK (London): Lourdes Faberes can pick up donations in kind. Txt 07788 921 432. Alternatively, you can drop them off at the Philippine Embassy (6-8 Suffolk Street, London, SW1Y 4HG ).
USA (California – Burlingame): MANILA BOX USA is now accepting donations in kind & will provide FREE shipping to Manila. Items will be sent by Sea Cargo and will delivered to the Whitespace Relief Center/Mar Roxas Headquarters in Cubao. Please drop them off at their warehouse: 361 Beach Road Burlingame , CA 94010 or call (650)342-2858. Please pack them in boxes for easier handling. Business hours Mon-Fri 9am-6pm
USA (California – Carson/Hermosa Beach): We are collecting donations to send to flood victims in Manila. Our goal is to fill up a 40ft container in one week with new or used clothing,shoes, blankets,medicines,canned food items, etc. Dropoff Location : 205 West Torrance Blvd, Carson, CA 90745. We will be setting up a booth on Oct 3, 2009 at the Substance event in Hermosa Beach CA. THANK YOU and God Bless Manila. TWITTER (Socal4Ondoy)
USA (California – Cerritos): Our house is temp drop off point while we find a bigger venue. We’ll facilitate immediate shipment to Manila. Thank you in advance for your help. Pls pass. Dino & Jan Home:16622 Amberwood Way Cerritos, CA 90703; (562)404-0625
USA (California – Hayward): Fil-Am Invitational BasketballLeague(FIBL) will send out relief goods in the philippines for the victims of the floods cause by typhoon ondoy…. if you want to make a donation clothing,canned goods or money please bring it on sunday 10/04/09 @ el rancho gym 541 blanche st. hayward ca. from 2:00 – 6:00pm please visit our website for direction
USA (California – Daly City): Please contact Ryan Leano (626)534-4971. Liwanag Cultural Center, Hillside Park Clubhouse, 222 Lausanne Ave., Daly City?, CA? 94014.
USA (California – LosAngeles): Relief goods accepted in LA! ANSWER ofc, 137 Virgil St, Rm 203, Los Angeles, CA
USA (California – Los Angeles): Send your donations to Dexter De Vera 818 357 3242. There will be Balikbayan Boxes on site if you want to donate clothes, towels, thin blankets, and canned goods. MANILA FORWARDERS will ship directly to Marikina Red Cross for FREE. PLEASE HELP
USA (California – LosAngeles): TULONG SA PILIPINAS (STP): Accepting donations cash or check. Send to People’s CORE, 1610 Beverly Blvd. Suite No 2, Los Angeles, Ca 90026. Donations more than $50 is tax deductible. Material donations drop off ( donations; shoes, clothes, canned goods. medicines etc. ) at ANSWER LA office at 137 Virgil St. Room 203 , Los Angeles, CA 900042.
USA (California – Oakland): Please contact Ryan Leano (626)534-4971. Asian Pacific Islander Youth Promoting Advocacy & Leadership. Attn: Armael Malinis, AnakBayan-East Bay. 310 8th Street, Suite 215. Oakland, CA 94710
USA (California – San Francisco): Stanford’s Pilipino American Student Union (PASU) is also collecting donations to be sent to the Philippines to help victims of Typhoon Ondoy (international name Ketsana). If you would like to make a donation, please contact AV David atavhdavid@stanford.edu or (650) 491-4561.
USA (California – San Francisco): http://naffaar8.com/typhoon-ondoy-ketsana-disaster-relief-efforts-in-san-francisco-ca/
USA (Illinois): This Sat Oct 3 and on Oct 10, 11am-3pm @ Little Quiapo in Lincolnwood, IL – donate clothes/blankets/canned goods/money for Ondoy victims.
USA (New Jersey): Sinugba Cafe – 561 Westside Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07304; or Casa Victoria – 691 Newark Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07306-2803 You can send CASH through Metro Bank acct. 3 189 14540 1 For BAYAN’s “BALSA” (Bayanihan Alay sa Sambayanan). For donations in New Jersey please contact: (201)621-3156-Yves Nibungco or (917)476-7855- Nick Cordero
USA (New Jersey) (Central): We are organizing a donation group for ondoy…we got drop offs to be put up by tomorrow afternoon or morning (9/30) ……contact me at 908-644-9889 or email me atray_bugarin26@yahoo.com, or ym ray_snoop_doggy02
USA (New York): Ondoy New York Disaster Relief drop off center @ Pandayan Center, 406 W 40th St. Between 9th and 10th Aves. New York, NY 10018 or call 212.564.6057.
USA (New York): NAFCON (Nat’l Alliance for Filipino Concerns)/SANDIWA Nat’l Alliance of Fil-Am Youth are now receiving relief donations (clothes, blankets, medical supplies, monetary). NY drop-off @ BAYANIHAN Filipino Community Center, 40-21 69th St. Woodside, NY 11377. Call (516)901-1832 or email sandiwa.national@gmail.com if you would like to help.
USA (Oregon): Cash: message Welo Chuidian Rivera (welo_rivera@yahoo.com), or check out her note:http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=143295770052

We love our pets, and a lot of animals were also affected by Ondoy (Ketsana). Visit PAWS website to donate.

Rude Awakening

Was still wiping the sleepy cobwebs from my eyes when I woke up at 6.30 am to check on a certain package I had sent last Wednesday.

I took this package to the post place Wednesday at 6pm. I forgot the fedex hub in Subic had been closed.. which is why the package only started moving the next day at around 3pm. What it is, is a fashion design drawing, a flat pattern drawing and fabric swatches for a contest I am joining to be held in Japan. I just really really hope it gets there before this day ends.

Clicked absentmindedly on the Stumble button as I waited and landed on this nothing website with a post about Michael Jackson passing away. It seemed a mean-spirited joke. And just to make sure I checked on ever reliable TMZ. And I couldn’t believe it. He really is gone.

I believe the first bit of news out was that he suffered a cardiac arrest. And the things people said!

“Cardiac arrest? He shouldn’t have looked at the man in the mirror!”

“His nose fell off!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“I think he’s been anorexic for many years, this probably had something to do with it..”

“I just read somewhere else that he has been pronounced dead. Overdose of sleeping pills. Apparent suicide.”

“Let him rot.”

And as a commenter said, “This could be very serious. I cannot believe people would be that cruel. Fan or not, have compassion for a fellow human being.”

Michael Jackson concert tickets for an arm on ebay. Maybe they could turn them into a tribute concert instead.

He went to the Philippines way back in the 90’s I think, but I was too young to be allowed. All I remember was seeing that concert on TV and that there was a lady with glasses who got up on the stage with him but was quickly escorted off. I always thought I’d see him in concert, not anymore. Rest in peace Michael Jackson, there are no users, no papparazzi in heaven.

“Dame Elizabeth Taylor is too devastated by the passing of her dear friend Michael Jackson to issue a statement at this time.”

Elizabeth Taylor first dubbed Michael the King of Pop

on michaeljackson.com

Chinese New Year Fashion Show

at the Heritage hotel as part of their Chinese New Year celebration. Some students and teachers from school were asked to design and sew modern Chinese inspired outfits for a fashion show during the event. We only had one week to make the clothes. Our models were the hotel’s sales/marketing representatives. The real bodies (as opposed to the standard model sizes) were a good challenge for us. My garment originally was supposed to be peach with charcoal trims but peach was hard to find apparently and so I was given old rose and silver satin. I got inspiration from an ancient Chinese dress called shenyi, more specifically the quju form of it. It was worn by women and I tried to do a more modern version, incorporating other typical Chinese clothing elements like frogging (those lovely swirly buttons) etc.

Photos from the show: (you may hover over photos to see the captions or adjust slide speed)

The gold house..

Since we don’t have street names yet, as this village is new, it gets interesting how people tell visitors to get to our house. Ours is usually described as (at night) “the house at the end, the gold one with all the lights.” I guess our orangey walls and warm lights make it look golden. I think warm lights are much much better than stark white lights that wash out all the colours at night.

Mom and dad were walking Igor and Tassja earlier and passed by some landscaper/gardeners. Mom talked to them to find out their rates.

Mom: Which houses here have you worked on?
Gardener: *describes the houses for which they’ve done landscaping for*
Mom: To work on our garden, what would your estimate be?
Gardener: Which house is yours?
Mom: The golden-orange coloured one.
Gardener: Oh you live there? We thought Jericho Rosales lived there! (Btw, Jericho Rosales is a local celebrity.)
If it was me the gardener was talking to: *toink* huh? Ew no.

And our place being a bird sanctuary, there’s a lot of strange bird calls and cool looking birds. Before taking Santi for a walk, I saw this one on our wall:

Unwordy

It’s raining right now. Been raining for a few days now. I can’t remember a time when it rained during Christmas.. But then again, I have terrible memory. Funny, as wet as it is outside right now, in my head I’m all dried up word-wise.. Which you might have noticed with my weather opening line.

I haven’t written anything in a long time and everytime I have the time to sit down and write, I come up with a nice shiny blank. I like shiny; blanks not so much (unless it’s on a signed cheque). Somehow talking about how I can’t think of anything to write about comes easy. But I can only do so much of that before I sound all whiney. It’s just really puzzling. I used to be able to write once a day. There are a load of times I’d think of something to say but never getting around to actually putting it down, being busy and all, and when I do get the time to sit down, what I thought of before- events, musings whatever- they are all, by then, expired and unpublishable. But I like writing. I miss writing.

Which reminds me: New Year’s resolutions time. I guess for the coming year I’ll have a lot on my list. You can guess one which would definitely be on there.

So. Enough about not being able to write. I’ll force myself if I have to, but I will write more. I’ll be promising to do a lot more this coming year. But that’s for another entry. So for now..

I hope everyone is enjoying their own versions Christmas. I certainly am, the first in our new home and one of the best I’ve ever had.

It’s beginning to look a lot like..

Christmas.. =)

Draping Midterm

10 sketches by Sir Dan, 10 students. We drew lots, I got #7, didn’t like it and swapped with Kacci so I ended up with #3. Not as easy as I thought it would be. 4 hours, a few yards of red and black chiffon/georgette and about a bazillion pins and pinpricks later, I finished.. the front part.. sort of. Theres still some wrinkly bits in the front part that I will redo later. Here’s how it looks so far:

There’s just no escaping maths..

Quantum of Solace Premier Party

We were told to wear stealth black, and most did.. I got the invite last week and I completely didn’t understand what it was saying. It said “Flash the pen across the surveillance photo.” I saw a pen with 2 laser light thingies and an envelope with a picture inside. I thought the instructions meant we have to shine the pen at the surveillance camera at the party. Haha. I just peeked inside the envelope and it never crossed my mind to take the pen, get the photo out and shine the light on the photo. Which was what we were meant to do, as there were further instructions on the photo that appears only under the blue light. I found out just that night at Amanda’s.

So we arrived at the Ascott poolside, registered and were given 5 chips and a numbered paddle for the auction. Amanda didnt take her chips. Had plenty of ice cold Coke Zero and finger food while listening to the jazz band. We had photos taken with “James Bond” while waiting for the auction. We pooled all our chips upon being told the corresponding value for each color.. around 58k in total. And we almost got the first item, the sony camera, and we were bidding against the guys right beside us.. but they had more. haha. then sonja asked the guy for the extra chips they have and he gave it to us in one condition: that we go to their gig at mag:net at High Street this november 21. Of course sojna said yes but we still didnt get any of the items because by that time, there were many people who have collected enough chips that the bids were at 100k+ haha..

Anyway, after that we were escorted through secret passages going to the cinema.. where we played with the laser light on the screen with a dozen other people. That was more fun than I expected. Then the movie came on, I dont know about the others but I didnt like it that much.. But everything else was great, and we had a lot of fun.. So, thanks Steph!

Spiral

Celebrated our parents’ anniversary a few days ago with a dinner buffet at the Spiral restaurant in Hotel Sofitel. It was one of the best buffets I’ve ever tried. It could even be the best. It was ‘international’ in every way, from the diners to the cuisine served up: Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, French and much more than I can remember. It was all a blur of food of every kind. We all tried a bit of everything, I think, well at least I did. But I didn’t even get to sample the Chinese, Italian, Spanish bits or the steaks and fish. I was full after salmon sashimi, sushi, tempura, oysters, hummus, cheese and crackers.. and of course the desserts.

mom and dad blowing the candles on their cake

XD

fresh oysters, shrimp, crab on ice

a bit of the dessert strip..
there were lil pots of chocolate mousse, creme brulee, flan, lil glasses of chocolate dip for the churros, two chocolate fountains: milk chocolate and white, fruits, marshmallows, so so much more.

camembert on crackers

rolls, crackers, bits of brie, camembert, veal, nicoise, hummus, feta, oysters XD

desserts galore

this chocolate mousse thing

peppermint tea

That was a good dinner. I mean, 400-700 diners every night can’t be wrong.