Jax Place

New Year, New Place

2010-01-25T17:20:00.000-08:00

It's a brand new year, time for new beginnings, which means changes.

I've moved blogs and hope you'll visit me sometime.

Check out Last Full Show at two places:

See you there!

Clean Slate

2009-04-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

I've been gone for a few months. A lot of things happened, too much, actually. And I had to sacrifice visiting Jax Place because of it.

But I am back. I can never let go of Jax Place.

I am doing an overhaul. And I will be changing the look of Jax Place. So watch out for that!

Btw, happy 6th birthday to Jax Place!

2009-02-12T19:56:00.004-08:00

I hope they show this movie here!

Please Don't Divorce Their Marriage!

2009-02-12T15:21:00.002-08:00

"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Single Ladies

2008-11-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

It doesn't matter if you like the video or song "Single Ladies" by Beyonce or if you even like Beyonce at all. That is not the point. Shane does this perfectly.

WATCH! WATCH! WATCH!

Endless Possibilities

2008-10-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

The thing I love about being in San Francisco are the endless possibilities of opportunities that come up here every now and then. And one thing that I don't get enough of or take advantage of are the numerous plays, musicals and concerts happening here regularly.

Right now, I've already bought tickets for Wicked (which opens January 27, 2009 at the Orpheum Theare in SF) and will also be buying tickets for Avenue Q (playing from March 2 to 8, 2009 at the American Musical Theater in San Jose). And when I browsed the list of shows playing or will be playing in the Bay Area, I found hundreds of listings! I wish I could watch all of them but unfortunately I can't. There are some shows where tickets cost almost $300. That's not really very friendly for a student budget.

Do you watch plays or musicals? What do you like to watch? What's your favorite?

Win A Moleskine Journal at Wifely Steps!

2008-10-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Visit Wifely Steps to have a chance of winning a Moleskine Journal!

There's only one topic I'd write about in my Moleskine Journal: the hundreds and hundreds (possibly thousands!) of ideas that I have for any and all future screenwriting and directing projects that I may and will have. Need a story? In 24 hours? Easy! Just pick one from the numerous ideas already developed in my very own Moleskine Journal!

It's easy as 1-2-3!

Just like how easy it is to go to Wifely Steps and join the contest!

Whoops!

I shouldn't have said that. Now I have more competition for the journal!

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

Definitely The Worst Best Man Ever

2008-10-19T10:21:00.000-07:00

Worst Best Man Ever @ Yahoo! Video

Twilight

2008-10-09T22:45:00.000-07:00

Twilight opens November 21. I cannot wait!

Eating in San Francisco

2008-10-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

I have been going out everyday, all day since I arrived in San Francisco. It's amazing how there is never enough time to do all the things I want to do here. I will seriously never run out of things to do here.

But one thing I never forget to do in San Francisco is eat. There are just so many great restaurants here in the city. And the surprising thing is I haven't even been to 5% of the restaurants here!

These are just some of the good restaurants I've been to since I got here:

1. Tad's Steaks - good, inexpensive steak. Sure, you'll feel all the fat from the meat flowing through your blood stream. But you don't care. You just want to savor all that meat-y goodness!

2. Japantown - It's not a restaurant but a part of the city where Japanese food is as authentic as it comes. If you want the real deal, go to Japantown.

3. The Cheesecake Factory - Their cheesecakes are to die for. Nuff said.

4. Cafe Lombard - Hands down. Best Mushroom Burger in town.

5. Bangkok Noodles - It's very cramped but very good Thai food. If you don't mind waiting, then come here, eat Thai food. Or have it to go.

Coming soon, more San Francisco posts!

Updates

2008-08-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

I have finally arrived in San Francisco.

It's been one hell of a start. It kicked off with a delayed flight that eventually led to a canceled flight because of the storm. When I got here, I got sick because of the cold weather and have not actually recovered from that.

But still, I'm here! School starts in about two weeks and I am still getting ready. I still have to buy a lot of stuff for the dorm. I still have to get my IDs and get my bank accounts and cellphone plans set up.

But it's alright. Because I'm here! I'm finally here!

The Dark Knight

2008-08-05T06:56:00.001-07:00

Finally caught The Dark Knight last week, a week after its release, and it was so worth it! Chris Nolan and his team did not disappoint.Where shall I start?

The Good:

1. Chris Nolan definitely captures the troubled persona of Batman and Bruce Wayne. The great thing about Nolan as a filmmaker is that he doesn't just give it to you, he gives it his all. With the title of The Dark Knight, you'd expect the movie to be scarier and that the Dark Knight referred to Batman having his dark moments and giving in to the taunts. But it could also have referred to Harvey Dent being the White Knight or even the whole mood of the movie, which never became bright, only grim and dark.

2. The absence of Katie Holmes. I still think the character of Rachel Dawes was unnecessary but Maggie Gyllenhaal definitely gave it her best and if she had played the original Rachel Dawes, I would have had a different opinion about the character. Probably.

3. Detective Gordon and his sneaky ways. He's a very sneaky, sneaky man. That's why he became Commissioner Gordon. I love Gary Oldman.

4. Heath Ledger rocks as The Joker. He simply rocks. We never see his face because of all the make-up but the mere sound of his voice sends shivers down my spine and not in a good way. It's so much different from Jack Nicholson's Joker but so good. It's not better because those are two different portrayals but it was an awesome performance. It was simply wow.

5. Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent. I love Aaron Eckhart! I love what he did for Harvey Dent. Everyone was so focused on Heath Ledger and his portrayal of the Joker that people forgot about Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent.

The Bad:

1. The disappearance of Wayne Manor, which is only obvious since it burned down in Batman Begins. I just miss it. Hehe.

2. The Wayne Enterprises employee who wanted to reveal the identity of Batman. It was kind of unnecessary but relevant in a way. I think it would have worked better if it wasn't done so half-heartedly.

3. The brief appearance of Cillian Murphy. Well, Scarecrow was defeated in Batman Begins so it was highly unlikely that he would appear in The Dark Knight. Oh well, at least I saw him even for just a bit.

Overall:

I loved it! I loved the entire movie! I wanna watch it again and again and again! But I won't because ticket prices are obscenely high now. If you haven't watched it yet, I suggest you run to the movie theater and watch it ASAP! Because I promise you, you will never get bored and you will enjoy yourself. So go now!

Have you watched The Dark Knight? What did you think of the movie? Did you enjoy watching it? Did you hate it? Let's discuss via the comments section.

Moving

2008-08-05T04:40:00.001-07:00

Moving is hard isn't it? Have you experienced moving homes? I've done it before but it was moving to two different cities so if I forget something, it's so easy to go back and get it again.

But this time around, I'm moving to a different country altogether. If I forget something, well, it's hard to go back and get it.

I know everything will turn out fine in the end. And I can't wait for that time to come!

OMG!

2008-07-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

OMG!

Ok. Are you ready for this?

Harry Potter fans, I present the trailer for the newest movie in the Harry Potter Series, Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince!

November 21 is still 3 1/2 months away! Argh!

Moving to the US

2008-07-28T02:05:00.000-07:00

I'm currently fixing everything I need to fix for a smooth move to the US next month. And it is overwhelming! Right now, I am checking out the classes I can take for the fall semester and I am also looking for a house that we can stay at before I start my classes. It's not easy and not cheap, either. We've decided to rent a house because it's cheaper than renting a room at a hotel or inn (there are six of us going to SF).

Do you guys have any suggestions? I'm looking for a place that's a short distance away from SOMA and Union Square because that's where my school is.

Relationships As A Full-Time Job

2008-07-22T00:16:00.000-07:00

Relationships are hard. They can be easy at times but for most times, it's hard because you have to constantly work on it to make it work.

Click here to read more.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

2008-07-20T01:07:00.003-07:00

Have you guys watched Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog? It's a simple web episode about a guy who creates and becomes a villain to grab the attention of the girl, Penny, he likes that goes to the same laundromat as him. Just as he thought he had a chance, in comes the hero who fights the villain (Dr. Horrible) and the guy every girl likes, including Penny.

It's divided into three acts and about 13 to 15 minutes for each act. Joss Whedon, the creator of Dr. Horrible, turned into a musical, which made it even more interesting. The star of the show is definitely Neil Patrick Harris, as Dr. Horrible. Even though he was the official villain, he was the hero of the show. He made his viewers fall in love with him and cheer for him, despite all odds.

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a funny and touching musical that must be watched by everyone. Hurry! The three acts will only be available for free until July 20, 2008 at its official website. After that, it can be bought at iTunes Music Store for about $1.99 per episode. So go go go! Watch it now!

The three acts are available at these links: Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3.

What about you? Have you watched Dr. Horrible? What did you think of it?

Taking Care Of The Skin

2008-07-20T00:13:00.001-07:00

The skin is one of the most neglected part of the body. Most of the time, taking care of the skin is a person's last priority yet the skin if the first part of our body that other can see.

Click here to read more.

Fall TV News

2008-07-16T08:16:00.003-07:00

Some updates on my favorite shows for the fall season:

PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE SPOILERS.

There are a lot of people leaving the fall seasons of my favorite shows. Christopher Gorham, who plays Henry the accountant in Ugly Betty, is leaving the show for another one, Harper's Island. It's so sad. I love the Betty-Henry love story. They're so cute together! I'm just glad they're gearing up Betty for another love interest.
Another character and actor leaving is William Petersen of the original CSI and plays Gil Grissom, the supervisor of the graveyard shift at CSI Las Vegas. I cannot imagine a CSI without Grissom. He's the major reason I love watching the show! Him and Catherine Willows. I hate it that he's leaving. I really, really hate it.
On to some good news, Gossip Girl has come out with new season teasers! I can't wait to Blair and Chuck on the small screen again! Check it out on youtube here.

Gorham Leaves Ugly Betty
CSI Losing Its Main Man

Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

2008-07-16T05:10:00.002-07:00

ACT ONE IS NOW UP!

Go to http://www.drhorrible.com to view Act One!

Life is Goooood!

2008-07-15T07:56:00.002-07:00

I talked about it before and I refused to say something more than that. But now I can!

It finally came true. And now, in a month from now, I am leaving for the greatest adventure of my life. I'll be going to San Francisco to finish my graduate studies at AAU.

I'm excited, over joyed for this new chapter in my life to begin but sad in some ways, because I do love my life here in the Phils.

And I have this to say, the power of prayer is too great for us to even conceive. I honestly believe that the prayers of the people around me was an instrumental part in the results. So, a big shout-out to all those who prayed for me. You can't read this post right now but I still want to thank you all.

Eek! It's really happening now! I can't wait!

Food As Captured By Your Favorite Blogs And Websites

2008-07-14T03:57:00.001-07:00

Everybody loves and needs food. It's always a love-hate relationship when it comes to food, don't you think? We crave it but once we have it, we hate ourselves for having too much of it.

Now don't hate me. But this is going to be a blog about food. If you can't have the food, then this is the next best thing!

Click here to read more!

Best Vacation Places

2008-07-11T01:42:00.002-07:00

Shibuya in Tokyo, Japan

I have been to a lot of places in the Philippines and in the world. So it is hard to figure out the best place for me. The closest thing to this is a top five list and that's exactly what I'm going to give you.

Click here to read more...

Halloween Costumes

2008-07-10T06:51:00.003-07:00

I love Halloween. It's the only time of the year where dressing up as someone else is not a problem. It's the only time of the year when people celebrate dressing up! Every year, my highest priority, during the Halloween season, is deciding what costume to wear. Since I started dressing up, I have gone as a tamago sushi, the creepy guy from Jeepers Creepers, a messed-up fashion icon, a gypsy and some others that I can't remember now.

Do you like to dress up during Halloween? What have you worn in the past?

It's not easy coming up with a Halloween costume though. You have to consider several factors, including availability of materials and resources, the place and time of the Halloween event, the degree of difficulty of making the costume and we shouldn't forget the fact that the costume has to be something we can pull off.

According to Victoria Lau, there are three steps in picking out a costume.
1. Pick a familiar costume - Be sure to pick out a costume about things you are already familiar with. For example, if you're an X-men fan, you can dress up as Rogue, Storm, Gambit or Wolverine. Don't dress up as Derek Zoolander if you don't know who he is.
2. Stick to a theme - If you're going out with family or friends, convince them to dress up as a group. For example, if there are four in the group, go as The Beatles. Or go as the Super Friends or as the nine members of the Fellowship Of The Ring.
3. Get your costumes and accessories - Once you've decided on the costume, start gathering all the materials you'll need. You may need to look all over your house, buy your costume or borrow some clothes. Check out the Halloween Party Store for ideas on what to wear and what to buy.

No matter what your costume is going to be, don't forget to have fun on Halloween! There's no sense having the perfect costume if you're not going to enjoy the time when you're gonna be wearing it.

*Halloween Party Store
Baby hotdog image courtesy of Halloween Party Store.
Halloween Carnival costume courtesy of Flickr.com.

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

2008-07-05T04:20:00.003-07:00

I read her first book, Interpreter of Maladies, because of a writer's recommendation. I saw it in a bookshop at Singapore's Changi Airport and bought it on a whim. I loved every word of it. Its detailed chronicles on the lives of Bengali immigrants in the US are remarkable. It's always a constant struggle to discover your true identity, especially if you're living in a different country. It's no wonder it won the Pulitzer Prize for that year.

Then she released her first novel, The Namesake, about a second-generation Bengali immigrant attempts and struggles to find his personal identity as a Bengali, an American and a Bengali living in America.

And now her latest book has been released. In Unaccustomed Earth, she has gone back to what she does best: short stories. This time, she chronicles the lives of Bengali immigrants after experiencing loss in their lives. What happens when the glue that holds them together leaves them forever? How will they move on together? Or will they break apart? Some characters were able to move on successfully while others had to go through so much pains before they can even think of moving on.

It's amazing how Lahiri was able to give her readers a clear picture of what her characters were doing and feeling in her stories through the sheer power of words. You'll be wishing she continued writing the short stories after it ended because you want to know what happened to her characters. It's quite amazing how she can also change from one view point to another without losing focus on the big picture.

Try to get a copy of the book, if you can. It's a good and light read. You can read when you've got nothing much to do yet at the same time, you learn snippets about their culture.