Guam, here I come!

Were you wondering about the lack of movie and restaurant reviews in this side of the internets? Well, that's because I'm trying to save up some money -- yes, the credit card bills are a part of it, but there's something else...

I'm off to Guam next week! Yay!


I don't know what to expect when I get there, but what the heck. It'll be an adventure, right? Can't wait to get out of this blasted place, lest I end up in hospital due to burnout.

The boyfriend has gone ahead because his family lives there, so I'm actually going to visit him. It'll def-o be a nice change. Too bad you can't see my ear-to-ear grin. Hehe!

Now, if only I knew how to swim.

FS Picks of the Week, Mar 30 - Apr 5

Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week.

If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so pfttt. =P



Much like last week, the movies this week leave much to be desired. The only one I think that's worth my time to mention is Fast & Furious -- but even that franchise has outstayed its welcome.

Fast & Furious


Starring
Vin Diesel
Paul Walker
Michelle Rodriguez
Jordana Brewster


Plot
Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reteam for the ultimate chapter of the franchise built on speed -- Fast & Furious. Heading back to the streets where it all began, they rejoin Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster to blast muscle, tuner and exotic cars across Los Angeles and floor through the Mexican desert in the new high-octane action-thriller. When a crime brings them back to L.A., fugitive ex-con Dom Toretto (Diesel) reignites his feud with agent Brian O'Conner (Walker). But as they are forced to confront a shared enemy, Dom and Brian must give in to an uncertain new trust if they hope to outmanuever him. And from convoy heists to precision tunnel crawls across international lines, two men will find the best way to get revenge: push the limits of what's possible behind the wheel. --© Universal Pictures



And you know what? I don't have anything else! Sure there are more movies coming out, and if you really wanna know what they are, scan the list:

• They Wait (Yeah, keep waitin'. - FS)
• Wolfhound (If you're in the mood for Russian roulette - FS)
• Ace Ventura Jr (As if the dad wasn't enought - FS)

Looks like hollywood is hording the good ones in time for US summer. So if I were you, I'd settle for Monsters vs Aliens instead.

Blah blah

What a day, Saturday.


On Friday night, spent the evening with my sisters because the youngest is being sent to the US for training and will be gone for a couple of weeks. She needed to be at the airport at 2AM the next day, so we just decided to try and stay up as late as we can before we take her to the airport.

So we got back to the flat from the airport at about 3am and the leftover sister and I went to bed -- only to get up at 630am because my friends wanted to go to Enchanted Kingdom (theme park) early in the morning. Sheesh.

Sooooo, theme park all day yesterday. Meaning loads of walking, some screaming and getting absolutely soaked in the process (hello, Rio Grande Rapids and your doubtfully clean waters).

Got home at something like 8pm, had dinner and I think that was it for me because at 1030 I couldn't even sit straight.

I hardly stirred and had 12 hours of sleep, at least.

Wonder what Sunday's got in store for me?

What's inside yours?

I've gotten a very interesting meme sometime ago, and I've decided to play along. I don't like memes very much, unless it shows something very interesting about the person writing it.

And this one is all about what's inside your bag.


Recently, I've been using this cream one. My sisters gave it to me for my birthday and I've been using it a lot lately.



As you can see, I've got loads of stuff in it on a daily basis:

1. wallet
2. mobile
3. makeup kits (2)
4. perfume
5. alco-gel
6. notebook
7. pen
8. eyebrow pencil
9. lotion
10. keys
11. 2 ID's
12. Tic-tacs
    
13. an empty envelope (don't ask)
    

And although they're not in the photo, I also always have my iPod Touch and camera all the time (well, no the iPod I leave at home sometimes).

Wondering why I've got two make-up pouches? One's for the essentials and the other is for leaving at home (when I feel like it).


The Essentials

1. oil control film
2. cleaning cloth for eyeglasses
3. earring (in case I leave the house without a pair -- for emergencies)
4. hair band
5. lip balm
6. lipstick
7. eyeliner (I don't know why that's in there, I've never used it!)
8. camera stylus
9. comb
10. cold tablets (to take when I suddenly get the sniffles)

The Can-Leave-At-Home Stuff



They are ok to leave at home when I don't think I need to retouch for the rest of the day:

1. concealer
2. face powder
3. liquid eyeliner
4. blush brush
5. mineral powder blush
6. compact mirror (my powder doesn't have one)
7. eyeshadow
8. bobby pin
9. nail clipper (for when I compulsively want to clip my nails. haha!)
10. tweezer

And there you have it -- the contents of my black hole of a bag. No wonder my back aches sometimes, there just too much stuff in it!

I would very much like to know what's in yours, so please please let me know if any of you have done it, yeah?

Barack Obama interview by Jay Leno

I've seen this clip where US President Barack Obama is being inteviewed by Jay Leno on The Tonight Show and I have to admit, I am pretty impressed. I was never into the US elections, because if something is overhyped, I get turned off -- and I thought that election was definitely overhyped.

After having watched this interview, however, I thought "Jeez, this guy has charm oozing out of every pore in his body." So yes, loads of charisma -- but that doesn't mean I think he will be a good president. He's quite a smooth one, that's for sure.






He's taken a bit of flak from critics about his "special olympics" joke during the show, but that just proves how hard it is to be a president -- you can't even crack a joke anymore. Tsk.

High and dry

Eversince that hectic couple of weeks when I couldn't manage to draft a proper post, I think I've let this site down a little bit.

Maybe it's writer's block? Can you really call it writer's block when I'm technically not a writer? It's probably just creative drought, or maybe it's just because I'm plain tired.

Apart from that, I had been wanting to change my layout for a yonks. With limited design knowledge, I've tweaked an existing one I've picked up somewhere in the internets and made it my own. I'm still not entirely happy with it, but it'll do for the meantime. I was getting sick of pink.


Also, I thought it was time I gave thanks to the lovely people from Entrecard who never fail to drop something in my inbox.

Here are my Top 3 Entrecard droppers --

Rosilie





Pinay Mom Blogs





DJ Tammy

Many thanks, ladies!

Built like a pear

I was in the mood for bazaar shopping with my sister some time ago and thought I'd buy myself a pair of short shorts.

Ok, I know I'm not exactly slim but I had wanted to find out if God had helped someone succesfully design a pair that would match my ginormous legs.

So there I went to this tiangge place in Ortigas to find that magical pair of shorts.

The first stall I saw selling them, I tried out 2 pairs in medium. One of them fit, thank goodness it was stretchable. However, I didn't like the bulging pockets on the side. They make my hips bigger than I would like them to look.

When I tried the other pair with flatter pockets, I couldn't even zip it up! "Was this also medium?" I asked, and the saleslady says yes and gave me the large size of the same design.

It still wouldn't close! Can my hips really be that big??

I tried a few more in other stalls, but nope, the large size shorts won't really fit me. This situation did not help my self-esteem.


I have come to the conclusion that only tiny people shop there and that I should be looking somewhere else for clothes to fit the lower half of my body. Pfttt.

Wonder if Kylie would swap bums with me, even for just a day? Hehe!

FS Picks of the Week, Mar 23-29

Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week.

If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so tough. =P


I won't be recommending any movies today because I think ALL of them are rubbish! For the benefit of everyone, though, here are the films opening this week:


12 Rounds (Starring John Cena of WWE fame)

New in Town (Starring Renee Zellweger in a 17% Rotten film rated by Rotten Tomatoes)

Knowing (Starring Nicholas Cage and face it, it has been slim pickings for him lately).


If those movies didn't make you agree with me, then I don't know what will. Pfttt.



BUT, the shows this week are a whole different story. Just take a look --

John Legend Live in Manila
Evolver Tour
26 March
Thursday
8pm
Araneta Coliseum

Ticket prices between Php 1,045 to Php 5,250 (via TicketNet -- damn expensive!)


And that's just for starters. More shows after the jump!





Craig David Live in Manila
27 March
Friday
8pm
Araneta Coliseum

Ticket prices between Php 893 to Php 4,568 (via TicketNet).





Side A Live
with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and
Karylle

27 March
Friday
8pm
CCP Main Theater

Ticket prices between Php 515 to Php 4,120 (via Ticketworld).

I love changes!

Well sometimes, I do.

But hey, do any of you regular visitors notice anything different here? New layout, helllll yeah!


So whaddya guys think? I personally think it needs a bit more work, but I'm happy the way it is now. The old layout wasn't working too well for me, so maybe a change would me good.



Happy weekend y'all!

Over and under

Spending 14 hours in the office working non-stop is not attractive. Especially if you're not getting extra for it.

So, thank goodness for great boyfriends!

I was just about to leave for work today when he called me up. He was going to surprise me by taking me to have breakfast together, but it's a good thing he called or he may have missed me at the flat. Hehe!

I ended up being an hour and a half late, but I guess that'd be okay because I did stay nearly 5 hours over last night. I slept the sleep of death and it's so lovely to follow it up with a lazy morning.

Looking forward to that 1-hour full-body Swedish massage at a spa tonight! Goodness knows I deserve it.

For the meantime, think relaxing thoughts.

Ain't jokin' 'round

Guess what?

It's the first time I've seen my blog today.
It's 11pm ang I'm still at work -- it's that bad.


Hugs?

So damn busy

... it's not even funny. Couldn't get paid on time, and a raise is out of the question.

And this blog is a mess!

It needs cleaning up, big time. But. Could. Not. Find. The. Time.


Darnit!

FS Picks of the Week, Mar 16-22

Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week.

If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so tough. =P


Not much is happening this week (or so I think).

Punisher: War Zone

Starring
Keram Malicki-Sanchez
Larry Day
Ron Lea
TJ Storm
Tony Calabretta


Plot
Six years into his quest vengeance, the Punisher accidentally kills an undercover FBI agent while trying to take down a notorious crime family. Wracked with guilt, he considers retiring from his vigilante work, but a disfigured hitman's thirst for revenge makes the decision more difficult.

The Secret of Moonacre

Starring
Dakota Blue Richards
Ioan Gruffudd
Natascha McElhone
Tim Curry


Plot
A young girl is forced to move away from her luxurious London life when her father suddenly dies. She is sent to live with her eccentric uncle out in his country manor, where she discovers a secret world full of magic and adventure, and a family legacy that she was never prepared for.

Wolfgang: Two Sides Live

19 March
9pm
Music Museum

Ticket prices are between Php 560 to Php 1,236 (available via Ticketworld).

To host or not to host?

I think it has been 6 months since I have started this blog and I don’t see myself stopping at updating it anytime soon. I may actually keep it for ten more years, at least.


Now I am not really sure if Frustrated Sosyalera is ready for it, but I have been definitely considering knowing more about web site hosting. I am such a noob when it comes to technical internet stuff, and it does not hurt anybody to look around first before I jump into getting domains and things for my site. I don’t exactly know what web site hosting entails and what I need for it or if I need to do any maintenance.

Webhostinggeeks.com provides all kinds of information that novices like me need, like who are the Top 10 Webhosting Companies. If you just want to know more about web site hosting in general, just read up on Web Hosting 101.

I don’t really know when I will make up my mind about getting site hosting, but I do know that I will eventually get it (one way or another). Maybe I will get it before Frustrated Sosyalera’s first blog anniversary, to celebrate, you know. But before I go do any of that, I need to do more research.

Rockwell Urban Bazaar

Uno (youngest sister) and I are going to the Rockwell Urban Bazaar today.

So if you see someone at the Rockwell Tent that looks like a frustrated sosyalera, that could be me! Hahaha!

Cheerios!

Minus one

When people you like leave the country, it's something you never get used to really.

You're happy for them if they're leaving because it's going to help their career, but sad if they're migrating or just doing it because of the money.

We didn't have time to give Mai a better going-away present, but looks like personalised wooden ice cream sticks from YellowCab had done the trick (my stick is labeled 'Mikee' -- it's a long story). We even made one for Gusgus.

Such a heavy feeling, this.

Perfume woes

I have bought a big bottle of Lacoste por femme from my cousin sometime last year and have been using it nearly every day since. I bought it because I thought it was a bargain, as it was nearly a thousand Pesos cheaper than if I buy it at a shopping centre.


Then one day, I’ve noticed that the smell had changed. It became all stinky and smelled like rotten wood. It dawned on me that it could have expired in that short period of time. I thought that it was impossible, but then again I wasn’t really sure where that thing came from. So that’s the last time I will ever buy a dodgy perfume. I would much rather get my perfume from proper shops like Scent from now on.

Enter Gustav

Mewp*!

Mommy is very busy lately and does not have time at night to think about things to write, so I'll be guarding her blog today while she is up to her armpits in paperwork.

Aside from posting, she also wants to update her template. But as she's a little technically-challenged, she has to do a lot of trial and error, so she doesn't have time for that either.

There's also a mountain of bills waiting to get paid, but she's worried she may miss the due dates because her pay is also late. It is such a mess, mewp!

We will also be missing her vodka-buddy, Mai, mewp! She has left for Dubai, and we wish her all the success that's possible in the middle of the desert.

Anyway, I'm going back to my chewtoy. Bye!

Mewply yours,

*Mewp -- Gustav's version of barking.

FS Reel Review: The Watchmen

The Watchmen


Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Carla Gugino
Director: Zack Snyder (of 300)



My take on it

As the opening sequence rolled on, I thought The Watchmen was going to be promising. I loved how artistic it looked and how the scenes contrasted with its soothing music. The first action scene between The Comedian, one of the Watchmen, and his attacker was brilliant. I thought it would set the tone for the rest of the movie.

Sadly, it didn’t.

In my opinion, the plot premise was good, but a little weak. The actors weren’t mesmerising at all, and couldn’t hold my attention for very long (except for the guy who played Rorschach). Carla Gugino, who played Silk Spectre, was more watchable in the few minutes that she appeared than all the rest of the lead cast combined.

I understand that The Watchmen were only police officers in costumes and should not be classified as superheroes (which might explain why they look so plain), but I wonder how the director will explain the broken walls and counter slabs in the fight scenes? For ordinary people, they sure are awfully strong.

I hadn’t read the comic, but I don’t think the movie convinced me to read it. A friend said that the director had been faithful to the story (except for a little alteration in the ending, apparently) but if that’s all there is to it, then the hell with it.

The makers of The Watchmen have done what I thought was impossible – to make a (super)hero movie so gawddamn boring.

FS Picks of the Week, March 09-15

Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week. If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so tough. =P


This week we've got movies, Journey, Natalie Cole, BigFish shows and a stand-up comedy workshop.

~oOo~ FILMS ~oOo~

Taken


Starring
Liam Neeson
Famke Janssen
Maggie Grace
Xander Berkeley


Plot
A former spy struggling to reconnect with his daughter after a divorce reluctantly allows her to go on a trip to Paris with her friends. When she gets kidnapped by human traffickers, he uses all the resources and skills at his disposal to get her back, stopping at nothing to find her.







Race to Witch Mountain


Starring
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Alexander Ludwig
AnnaSophia Robb


Plot
A Las Vegas cab driver finds himself in an adventure of a lifetime when two teens with superpowers get into his cab and direct him towards a mysterious mountain in the middle of the Nevada desert that may hold the secret to saving the world. With the government, the mob, and extraterrestrials on their trail, the cab driver must race to protect the two teens and save the world from peril.

~oOo~ SHOWS & EVENTS ~oOo~

An Evening with Journey
14 March, Saturday
8pm
SM Mall of Asia Grounds

Ticket prices between Php 515 to Php 3,605 (via TicketNet)






Natalie Cole - Live in Manila
11 March, Wednesday
8pm
Araneta Coliseum
Cubao, QC

Ticket prices between Php 1,575 to Php 5,775 (via TicketNet)






BigFish Presents: Innovation Black Party with Gatecrasher
13 March, Friday
10pm
A.Venue Mall

Ticket price is Php 500 (call 638 8268)




Stand-up Comedy Workshop
Instructed by Tim Tayag

Classes every Saturday (starting 14 March), from 9:30am to 2:30pm at Suite 202, Sierra Centre 8, Libertad cor. Sierra Madre St., Mandaluyong City

Fees: Php 4,500

For inquiries, please call eCircle Entertainment at 533-9316 or 531-2547 (look for Rochelle or Joyce). Only 12 slots available.

Corregidor: Battery Way

Oh man, I am soooooo terribly busy and I don't think it will change much for another couple of weeks. Jeez.

And just when you guys thought that the Corregidor tour posts have finished -- think again! We've just had lunch during the last post, remember??? This is the beginning of the afternoon tour, so have a crack at it.

Frustrated Sosyalera has somewhat made it her personal mission to show the world how awesome Corregidor Island is, and that's why this series of posts on it seem never ending! She just went on a day tour, but ended up taking hundreds of photos to document it and it would be a waste not to share with everyone.

Creepy photos after the jump!

The next stop after Middleside Barracks was Battery Way.





I'm inserting this photo because I'm so proud of my panoramic shot. Vanity at it's finest.





There isn't much to say about it really, except for the fact that they got damn creepy rooms in there. See that door? They've got bullet holes all over them. Geez.





What'd I tell yah?





Creepy, creepy, creepy. I can't even get through to the other end. Only til the point where the light still hits.





They've also got damn big guns.





You will also find guys poking metal detectors all over the island looking for old coins like this. They're worth quite a bit, I've heard.





Never ask your boyfriend to take your photo while smoking. The boyfriend claims this is intentional, however, I'm not sure what he is trying to achieve here. Lame pose from me as well. Some model I turned out to be. Pfttt.


If you want to know more about the tour I've had, just go to the Travel category of this site.



Next stop: Battery Hearn

Wanting to make yourself look amazing

I've always wondered what it would be like to have something surgically done to my face or body. Every girl has their moments of insecurity -- having cellulite, being fat, being a monolid (that's a big one for girls of east asian descent), being flat nosed, wanting bigger breasts, and so on.

But then how would you know if any of the procedures to fix those problem areas will be right for me? Or if there are any reputable surgeons near where I live? And if there are so many choices, how would I compare them with each other? I don't want to do anything rash, so I would definitely want to seek Plastic Surgery Advice from experts at MYA.

I have had a relapse

I have been so good with my diet, but my weight had not gone down past the 8lbs mark...

... and I've had a McDonalds meal the other night (the spaghetti with chicken nuggets one) and boy, did I feel guilty and happy at the same time. Life is always a mix of emotions.

Depriving myself of comfort foods actually drives me crazy because I start to crave the darndest things. I've gotten tired of having fast food all the time, so I've decided to grocery shop for canned goods. But as I've gotten tired of those as well, it drove me to do something I nearly never do...


...to cook actual meals.

It's the end of life as I knew it!




Behold my Bicol Express made with menudo-cut pork!


I've cooked before sure, but only because I've got guests coming and I'm too embarassed to make them eat pizza again and again.


This is the beginning of Frustrated Sosyalera's cooking career. Hehe!

Food, glorious food.

All I seem to do these days is talk about food! It seems as if dieting had triggered a dormant obsession. I can’t stop thinking about Thai curry, big hamburgers, pasta in all sorts of sauces, cakes and Jamaican patties! I came across this seafood bisque recipe only recently and it had made my mouth water just reading through it. If this keeps up, I may be forced to go to the gym and I really do hate exercising. What’s a girl to do? I think I’m going to have to go to the supermarket later to get me some apples or something.

Chris Brown assaulted Rihanna because of herpes?

Rumour has it that the reason why Chris Brown assaulted Rihanna, is because of herpes. Rihanna was apparently seeing another guy and got infected with an STD, therefore passing it on to Chris Brown.

This 'other man' is supposedly Jay-Z.



Rihanna & Chris during happier times


If this is true, then does Beyonce also have herpes?

Other reports say that the rumour is false and only came about because Rihanna was recently photographed with a cold sore around her mouth.


Therefore, the story is fiction unless proven otherwise. However, even if this is true, that's still not reason enough for a man to beat a woman up.

Join Manila Lifestyle

Hey folks! I've created a topic aggregator called Manila Lifestyle using a blog aggregator hosting site and since I'm the only one in there at the moment, I'm inviting everyone who has anything to share about the Manila Lifestyle to add their blogs to it. It sort of functions the same way RSS feeds do (don't quote me on that though, I'm still a noob when it comes to technical stuff.)

What exactly is the Manila Lifestyle? It's about eating out, clubbing, activities, events and even fashion -- as long as it happens in Manila, it should be included. The more of us in it, the merrier! I'd like to see this grow, so join up, yeah?

FS ChowNow: Bellini's, Cubao Expo

I've never been a fan of Cubao. I lost a bracelet there (got snatched) and nearly lost another one, if it wasn't a bangle. This guys who went past me tried to snatch it, but as it was a little bit unbreakable, he ended up dragging my arm instead. Had a bruise as big as my palm the next day. I know, I know, I shouldn't have been wearing proper jewelry in Cubao, but I was young and stupid, ok?

So when my friends asked to meet up at the old Cubao Shoe Expo, I wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect. But my, how things have changed in there. It has become an artsy haven in QC, and I was well-pleased. Especially when we had dinner at Bellini's.




It's the first time we dragged ourselves to eat fancy.





The foccacia bread was freshly baked -- so soft and lovely. I'm all smiles just thinking about it.






The pesto spaghetti was nice and fresh.





And the Four Cheese pizza was crispy and quite tasty.







The decor is homey and makes you think of sunday dinners with the family.





Group photo! Damn, forgot to take a photo of the guitar man that was singing the whole time (yes, there's live music -- good for a date, perhaps).





It would've been a nice shot if it wasn't so blurry.



Wallet damage
Prepare to splurge on food here, roughly around Php 300 to Php 400 per person. The food is nice, but the servings are on the small side so you might be tempted to order more.


Will I go back?




Definitely!

FS Picks of the Week,, Mar 02-08

Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week. If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so tough. =P

This week's picks include The Watchmen, The Eraserheads' Final Set Concert and Warehouse 135's Closing Party.

~oOo~ FILMS ~oOo~

The Watchmen


Starring
Malin Akerman
Billy Crudup
Matthew Goode
Carla Gugino


Director
Zack Snyder (of 300)


Plot
A complex, multi-layered mystery adventure, Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society, and the Doomsday Clock -- which charts the USA's tension with the Soviet Union -- moves closer to midnight.

When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the outlawed but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past and present superheroes. As he reconnects with his former crime-fighting legion -- a disbanded group of retired superheroes, only one of whom has true powers -- Rorschach glimpses a wide-ranging and disturbing conspiracy with links to their shared past and catastrophic consequences for the future.

Their mission is to watch over humanity...but who is watching the Watchmen? --© Warner Bros

~oOo ~ SHOWS ~oOo ~

Eraserheads: The Final Set


7 March 2009
Saturday, 8pm
Mall of Asia Concert Grounds


Ticket prices
Php 5,000 VIP
Php 3,000 Gold
Php 1,300 Silver
Php 300 Bronze

Tickets are available through Ticketworld (891-9999).






Warehouse 135 Closing Party


Warehouse 135 will be temporarily closing for renovations and decided to give a party just before they go!


6 March
Friday
Warehouse 135
Yakal Street
Makati City


Entrance fee is Php 200 (ladies enter for free all night!)
50% off on all drinks until supplies last