I’m sort of a fan of the Film Festivals being shown annually at Shang Cineplex in Shaw. My favorite being Eiga Sai, which shows really cool movies from Japan. But I’ve noticed that we actually lack something that showcases the best from all over Asia. Good thing I found out about the Asian Film Festival, organized by Asia Society Philippine Foundation Inc., which will start this week from May 17 to 21.

The festival will open this week and it’s the first time films from other parts of Asia like Laos, Vietname, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka, together with local faves Korea and Japan.

Two movies from the Philippines are also included with Dinig Sana Kita as the festivals big opener on the 17th. The drama is about a one-of-a-kind love story between a deaf boy and a troubled rocker girl.Another interesting entry is Halaw, which narrates the adventure of an illiterate Badjao and his daughter as they illegally cross the border of Malaysia and Philippines.

The only downside is that each movie will only be screened once. Knowing how film festivals in Shang operate, this means you won’t be able to watch all films as regular fest-goers know it takes an hour or more of falling in line to be able to secure tickets to a screening of just one entry. However, this should not discourage you! Choose the films you want to watch carefully and go there early.

I was lucky enough to catch an early screening of Jakarta Maghrib from Indonesia. A movie composed of six short films tied together by one common element, the Jakarta sunset. All movies that will be screened are said to focus more on each country’s culture so that the Filipino audience will be introduced to other country’s lifestyle.

Click on the images below to see the schedule and read the synopsis of each film.

So heeeeey I’m really excited for this one! I hope this won’t be the last Asian Film Festival and that they include something from Thailand next year. And a shout out to the organizers in Shang, I hope you guys start a Thai Film Festival as well in the future! Thai movies are really a treat. =)

I just came back from a fun weekend exploring the islands and highlands of Davao City and had a blast getting fatter and darker for four straight days. Of course it wouldn’t be a complete vacation unless I force my friends to take countless photos of me. Haha! But seriously, it’s a blessing to have a lot of great photographer friends who’s willing to put up with me. Here’s a look on what I wore for the trip.

Old shirt from Artwork. Shorts from Oxygen. Buff from Headware. Shoes from Kickers.

Nautical striped shirt and gray shorts from Tomato. Green buff from Headware.

Tank top from Bench. Polo shirt from Tomato. Buffs from Headware. Shorts from Dean and Trent. Shoes from Mundo.

Photos by Renz Bulseco and Mark Cabrera. Thanks guys! 

Last Monday, my housemates and I applied for NBI Clearance at Robinsons Ermita which also happens to have a Tomato branch. It was only recently when I found out that they’re also selling clothes for men and it’s a perfect time to get some clothes for summer in time for a gastronomic and fun-filled long weekend in Davao.

I was able to get a shirt, polo shirt, and a pair of shorts in just under P2,000. Pretty affordable pieces, I have to say. They also have men’s shoes and manbags for a little over a thousand bucks. If I had spare cash I’d get a couple more items since I was loving the summer and nautical theme they have for their collection.

However, please note that not all Tomato branches have men’s clothes available. As of today, SM Southmall, SM Bicutan, Robinson’s Place Manila, SM Bacoor, and Market! Market! are the only branches that have Tomato Green.

If you may check out the rest of Tomato Green, you may do so by heading over to their official website or Facebook page. I’ll post about my looks within the week!

About a year ago, I took a chance and applied to be part of the Davao Food Appreciation Tour and was luckily picked as one of the representatives from Luzon. This year, I’m excited to be flying back to Davao again for a second time for this year’s DFAT.

I miss the place terribly since I fell in love with Davao City when I first stepped foot on its soil. Now we get to be fed again by the best restaurants and sample Davao’s famous dishes for 4 days straight!

OUR ITINERARY

MAY 4, 2012 (Friday)
Morning – Arrivals, airport pick ups by Renz Bulseco (Lol. My son is going to pick me up!)
Morning – Optional Tour of Crocodile Park and Buttefly House
2 pm – Briefing, Introductions, and Welcome Snacks at RANCHERO, Abreeza Ayala Mall
4 pm – Optional Zorv and Zipline Ride
7 pm – Dinner and socials with Davao Bloggers at LACHI’S
9 pm – Optional Visit to Magsaysay Fruit Stand

MAY 5, 2012 (Saturday)
7 am – Departure for Kapatagan Valley, Davao del Sur (Optional Trip Cost: +P300)
10 am – Brunch at Fiesta Sorpresa in Digos City
12 nn - Visit to Kublai’s AGONG HOUSE and TIBOLO VILLAGE
1 pm – Visit and Snacks at Mt Apo Highland Resort
2 pm – Departure for Davao City
5:30 pm – Fire Dance Show at Tribu K’Mindanawan
7 pm – Dinner at PiYESya KTv and Restobar

MAY 6, 2012 (Sunday)
7 am – Island hopping with ISLANDS BANCA CRUISES TOUR; lechon sponsored by http://www.EatsTerrific.com
4 pm – Return to Davao City
5 pm – Optional Trip to Sabroso Food Market
7 pm – Dinner and at Crepelato
9 pm – Frozen Yoghurt at Yoh Froz

MAY 7, 2012 (Monday)
12 nn – Lunch at Mam Bebs
2 pm – Snacks at Tiny Kitchen
5 pm – Early Dinner at Rego’s Cafe and Cupcakes at Jonathan’s Cupcakery
7 pm – Send off

Thanks to friends and organizers at Avatar Media for letting me join for my second year of Davao Food Appreciation! Renz, Mark, Ria, Andrew, Dulce, and Anj… see you in a bit! =)

Here’s the official poster for this gluttonous event.

Davao Food Appreciation Tour 2012

AirPhil Express flies daily to Davao from Manila

The Creative Dork will be flying to Davao tomorrow morning courtesy of Airphil Express! I can’t wait to have a weigh in after this whole thing is over. :D

A figure emerged from a small window amidst a wall full of cupboards and shelves, his face shrouded in shadow. He greeted us. I could see his arms and hear his warm voice, but could not make out the details of his face that was still enveloped by darkness. “Guys, meet Jetro Rafael” said Upper, “He’s the owner of Van Gogh Is Bipolar and our host for tonight.“

The sign on the entrance door said the establishment was open. From the looks of several shoes and slippers by the doormat, we were supposed to leave our footwear behind before going in. My military boots were in protest, but I took both of them of for this was a place I’ve been longing to go to for quite some time. Heck, I could be wearing knee-high leather boots and still remove them in a heartbeat.

A couple of years ago, a friend told me about the place, described their experience in full detail, and I made it an imperative to make sure I get to experience dining here. It was, however, ‘difficult’ to find the right company who are available at the right time that it was open. VGIB is indeed notorious for random spontaneous schedules as the owner travels a lot. And it being on the opposite side of where I used to live, the idea of having dinner here with the right people seemed farfetched.

It was a pleasant surprise when I found out that the place had been reserved for us. It was in fact supposed to be closed that day but because some awesome people in our group were able to pull some strings (Jetro’s own strings), my much-awaited supper at VGIB was inevitable. I thank my Scorpio calm exterior for not making me look like a total spaz that night.

A board can be seen right beside the door where you can and must read the House Rules. Only 12 diners are allowed inside at a time, but our merry band of almost-20 were warmly accepted. ‘Stupid & idiots are welcome’, thank goodness! Basically, the rules will explain that everything, aside from cooking the food, is self-service as they have no servers. I’ve been told that in some days, diners get served by Iza Calsado or Allesandra de Rossi, who are friends of the owner. I can only wish that Dennis Trillo is the owner’s friend as well and was our server for that night, but alas, there were really no one there to bring us our food but each other.

The interior was everything that I have and have not expected it to be. I’ve been aware of its eccentric and quirky setting but not in full detail. Jetro shared that he rearranges everything quite often because he gets bored with how things are which makes the place forever changing. Items like the clocks and tea pots were bought from all over the world during his trips. Travelers would certainly feel like they belong there.

After dinner, Jetro joined us and shared his stories of wandering and as a person who’s clinically diagnosed as bipolar. He told us his tales of how he started this restaurant as a way to treat himself and is the first restaurant in the world to cater to people who have bipolarity disorder. It’s just amazing that something this awesome and beautiful came out of what is supposedly holding other people back.

P.S. I have a slight crush on him since because of his overall endearing personality that is genuinely magnetizing. Plus, that awesome hat. He sat beside me after dinner and I was silently gushing. <3

Near the dining table where we sat was another door that the words ‘Asylum: Do not enter‘ painted on its wooden surface. Apparently, it leads to Jetro’s bedroom, where he stays during off hours.

Inside, there were several hats which diners could wear during their stay. I got me a cool bowler hat which I loved so dearly and to be honest I seriously wanted to take it home with me. Hint: Birthday gift.

Highlight of the night would have to be our drink called Courtney Love’s Potion. The first sip I took was just divine and I can’t describe it perfectly except that it’ now my favorite drink of all time. Too much that Chyng, Monette, and I conspired to take everyone’s drink and share them between ourselves… which we somehow accomplished. I read from somewhere that the potion is a mixture of fresh fruits and herbs sweetened by Palawan Honey and that the drink changes depending on available ingredients at that time.

Our main course was not on the regular menu. As Jetro explained, the dish was only created that night just for us, therefore it had no name. Really, I felt so lucky already. It was a combination of 2 pastas, with all sorts of greens and chicken marinated in orange sauce. At least, that’s what I could remember from it. The flavors were really playing inside my mouth as the interesting choice of tastes took a while to settle down on my boring palate. The pasta was good and the chicken was better, perfectly cooked, savory, and tender.

Before we left, we were given a test tube bottle containing vodka and shot glass that had powdered dark chocolate, my favorite kind of chocolate. As a non-alcohol person, I would’ve preferred to skip on the vodka and just down the dark chocolate and almonds, but I was there for the entire experience. A full 360. Char. The concoction, called Mel Gibson’s Darkest Sin, was light and just right. A perfect way to cap off the night and toast to the adventures that lie ahead.

Van Gogh Is Bipolar is located at 154 H Maginhawa St. Sikatuna Village, Quezon City. Best to like their Facebook page to get updates on when they are open.

As for me, I was sincerely elated to have finally dined here unexpectedly. Definitely, this is one night to remember as I was with the right people at the right night. I would love, love, LOVE to come back and try out their regular dishes as well, plus another duel with that love potion. This place was really worth the 2 years of waiting.

It’s an impractical habit of mine to buy new clothes for an upcoming trip and it just so happens that I recently found out that Tomato now has a new line for men called Tomato Green. I saw their recent summer campaign online when a friend asked me to check them out and review their clothes so I looked at their press photos and was pleasantly intrigued.

Of course, the intrigue was initially caused by the male model, with their summer campaign having a 60′s retro vibe with a modern sexy twist. For the men’s collection, the designs are classic and simple which could project either a good guy or mischievous man image, depending on how you wil play around with the clothes. The model obviously seems like a mysterious antihero to me.

I sort of want their Double Placket shirts since it’s a style that I usually don’t go with but I think I could easily put it over a tank top for sumer. It’s also easy to pair it up with some jeans or shorts and casually go around town. It’s a perfect look for my upcoming Davao trip this Friday.

BOOM. Oh hello there!

They also have the cuffed shorts, semi-pants and semi-shorts, and I bet one could stand out form the crowd while wearing something in between like this one. Of course, if you have the same body as the model and you go topless, I’m pretty sure you’d get everyone’s attention.

Then they also have colored chinos that also come in red, blue, and khaki. Now I don’t know if I’m bold enough to wear colored pants since I prefer having the pop of color somewhere else.

You can check out the rest of their style trends by going to Tomato Green’s Facebook Page. One of the best things about their collection is the classic look that makes it less difficult for guys to pair it with the rest of their clothes. Plus, they sell for an affordable price! I’ve already picked out the clothes I want and is excited to try them out in Davao.

Wish I could take home the model, too.

Oh, and they also have a summer collection for women. But since I can’t fit in to their bathing suits (I tried), I can’t write about that here. But you can also check out Tomato’s Facebook page for girls.

About a week ago, I was brought to a province somewhere in the Philippines and in one of the restaurants we dined in for lunch, we were given this popular Filipino dessert to end our meal. Served inside a buko, it was the damn best halo-halo I’ve ever tasted. I enjoyed it so much that my travel buddies found humor in me eating 2 servings.

In the middle of the hot summer days, I am now missing the pleasure given to me by that halo-halo. It’s hard to find a similar dessert here in Manila that could satisfy my palate the same way it did. And for that I was inspired to make this quick illustration to remember how it was like.

Aside from the caramelized saba, all my other favorite sweets were there, making it the best halo-halo in my standards. The taste and texture of the sweet langka, the chewy nata de coco, and gelatinous kaong beans that danced inside my mouth as the ice cold milk refreshed my throat. Yum.

How about you? What ingredients would make a perfect halo-halo?

I’m not the type of person who’s comfortable enough to purchase products online. For me, shopping is still best done inside malls where I could try out the products first before I decide to buy them or not. Although I have bought a few local items online, I’m still a bit iffy with the idea especially for those online shops in the US. But recently, an online friend introduced me to House of Flair.

Online shopping is mostly for girls, but I couldn’t help myself from trying out their service because the website says that the customer can pre-order at any US online stores and have it delivered to anywhere in the Philippines. It sounded great, plus I don’t wanna miss out on any products that are not available locally. So of course, I had to try it out, and since my friend recommended it, they had to be legit.

Shop from any US online stores

For trial purposes, I chose an inexpensive item to order, the Full Tilt Ethnic Sunglasses that’s pictured above. It was just in time for summer and I had no decent sunglasses to wear for my trips. For pre-order instructions, you can check out their page. You just need to cash out an initial 50% downpayment for the product and pay the remaining balance once the shipment arrives on our shores. After that, they’ll ship it to your doorsteps.

The packaged arrived and I’ve been wearing the sunglasses on all my travels ever since! You can order any items aside from cosmetics, books, magazines, collector’s or limited edition items, shoes, bags, clothes, and home items. Pretty much anything except for food and electronics. In fact, I have ordered another product from them and I can’t wait for the package to arrive so I could use it on my future trips! I’ll make sure to blog about said product again because I’m just so excited to obtain it. :D

Free Shipping

If that’s not enough, House of Flair also ships all orders for free nationwide at no minimum order amount. I’m not familiar with the online shopping community but I believe that they’re one of the few sellers who do this.

Blog Giveaway: Prize & Mechanics

And because I’m so happy with my first US online shopping experience, I’m gonna do another Blog Giveaway! What’s in store is a new pair of Full Tilt Ethnic Sunglasses, same design as what I bought along with a P500 voucher which you can use for pre-ordering any item at House of Flair. Cool?

Mechanics are pretty simple:

1. Like House of Flair on Facebook
2. Follow House of Flair on Twitter
3. On The Creative Dork‘s wall, you’ll see a photo of the sunglasses. Share it on your wall and make sure to link it back to this post!

And that’s about it! The winner will be announced after a week. =D

Photo taken 15 minutes before publishing this post.

I’m always letting things get piled up to the point where the situation becomes unmanageable. And when everything becomes too much to handle, I would run away from it all.

My mentor since college, someone who saw the light inside a 17-yr old piece of trash, made me realize that I am an escapist. That instead of facing obstacles head on, I’ve been finding all sorts of means to avoid them and fooling myself into believing that the challenge has been conquered. He guided me all throughout my 6 years of college until today more than my real sister ever could, which is why I consider him my big brother whom I treasure very dearly. I remember crying like a kid in front of everyone when he announced then that he will be transferring to a new university.

Lately, he has been disappointed with me. And I know that I’ve been letting down a lot of people due to my lack of discipline and commitment. Blaming it to ‘quarter-life crisis‘ and other shit when in fact I am the one who lost control of all the garbage that accumulated. I am just lucky and blessed that despite all this, and being bitchy and bipolar to my friends, they have not left me yet.

I’ve fucked up a lot and I know I will keep doing so. In hopes that by the end of my 25th year, I can look at all the mistakes I’ve done and be proud that I have endured a lot and have grown into a better version than I was a year ago.

I need to take out the trash and start cleaning up the mess.

I hope everyone gets inspired from watching this video to leave their fears behind and embrace life for what it is. “Life is not that bad. It’s filled with amazing things and awesome adventures.” It will only take a minute and 40 seconds of your life so I urge you to click play and listen. =)