Cruisin' is made for love

When I think of cruises, I usually end up with scenes from the movies “The Poseidon Adventure” or “Titanic” in my head. I imagine large, spacious ballrooms with giant, sparkling chandeliers and the guests waltzing around in their glamorous formal wear. Of course, the Poseidon and the Titanic both sank into the bottom of the ocean. So those stories definitely did not have happy endings.

Thankfully, those were just the exceptions to the rule. I am certain that most people go away on cruises because they enjoy it and not because they want to drown. Otherwise, the business would have gone bust a long time ago.

If I were to go on a cruise, I would like to go on one that will tour the Caribbean. I like going to exotic places and particularly enjoy going to the beach, so island hopping would be the ideal cruise for me. If I feel like partying during the cruise, I would set the mood by listening to Lady Gaga songs on my iPod playlist. I might even listen to songs like Tick Tock by Kesha, because they’re very upbeat. To unwind during the cruise, I might play some reggae songs like those by Bob Marley or maybe UB40.

For now, I can only dream. But someday, I will definitely make sure I get on a big boat with ballrooms and chandeliers.

California Pizza Kitchen, Greenbelt 5

It's not my first time to eat at there, but it is my first time to try California Pizza Kitchen branch at Greenbelt 5. We meant to eat at Chili's at the time, but there were too many people waiting to be seated and I was starving, so we went next door to CPK. There were hardly anybody eating there at the time, but I should have known why.





We took this nice table outside. The waiter took our order after we had to flail our arms frantically to get his attention for about 15 minutes! Terrible!




Peach Italian Soda, Php125

At least my drink didn't take long. I didn't expect my soda to have tons of whipped cream on it -- forget the diet, that topping is worth Php50! It was good, but it may leave you feeling a little to guilty.




Sesame Chicken Dumplings, Php195

Our appetiser took another 15 minutes to arrive. Actually, the appetiser arrived with the main course! That's just ridiculous. Plus, the dumplings were cold.




Marinara Linguini Chicken (Full size), Php545

If you order a full-sized dish in most restaurants around Manila nowadays, you expect to feed at least two people with it. This dish is a flimsy meal-and-a-half. The portion is simply not enough. So despite the fact that it was good, we weren't very happy with it.




Four-cheese Pizza, Php525

Because the appetiser and main meal wasn't enough, we had to order another dish. The pizza was nice, if only we didn't have to flail our arms for the whole duration of the dinner.


I AM NOT EATING AT CPK AGAIN IF I CAN AVOID IT!!! The service was just so abysmal that we didn't get the chance to enjoy dinner. The food wasn't bad, but because the dishes arrived too far in between and the wait staff totally ignore the balcony diners, the experience was just ruined to shreds.

So sod their pizza, I'd rather wait to be seated at Chili's next time. Hmp.

FS Picks of the Week, Jan 25-31

For some unknown reason, a couple of the most anticipated shows in Manila have been cancelled recently. The BF and I were looking forward to seeing Jo Koy live last week, but it wasn't meant to be. Jo Koy is a Filipino-American stand-up comic, that we would've loved to watch perform here.

Another disappointment (for most, but not much for me), was the cancellation of The Killers concert. I'm pretty sure a lot of people are pissed off about that. I know quite a few that have been itching to go since last year.

At least there are a few new movies out this week. I see them as fillers until the summer blockbusters arrive. As for shows, at least the Beach Boys Live concert is still pushing through. That should keep the old folks happy, while their children sulk in a corner, wishing they were watching The Killers instead. Tsk!





The Blind Side
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw
Synopsis: "The Blind Side" depicts the remarkable true story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in by the Touhys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. At the same time, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own. Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. As a football player and student, Oher works hard and, with the help of his coaches and adopted family, becomes an All-American offensive left tackle. --© Warner Bros



MORE MOVIES AFTER THE JUMP!







Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Starring: (voices of) Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Bruce Campbell
Synopsis: Inspired by Ron and Judi Barrett's beloved children's book of the same name, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS follows inventor Flint Lockwood (voice of Bill Hader) and brainy weathergirl Sam... Inspired by Ron and Judi Barrett's beloved children's book of the same name, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS follows inventor Flint Lockwood (voice of Bill Hader) and brainy weathergirl Sam Sparks (voice of Anna Faris) as they attempt to discover why the rain in their small town has stopped while food is falling in its place. Meanwhile, lifelong bully Brent (voice of Adam Samberg) relishes in tormenting Flint just as he did when they were kids, and Mayor Shelbourne (voice of Bruce Campbell) schemes to use Flint's latest invention--a device designed to improve everyone's lives--for his own personal gain. Mr. T. voices by-the-books cop Earl Devereaux, and James Caan voices Flint's technophobe father, Tim.





Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Starring: Chris Massoglia, John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Salma Hayek
Synopsis: 14-year-old Darren (Chris Massoglia) was like most kids in his suburban neighborhood. He hung out with his best friend, got decent grades and usually stayed out of trouble. But when he and his buddy stumble upon a traveling freak show, things begin to change inside Darren. That’s the exact moment when a vampire named Larten Crepsley (John C. Reilly) turns him into something, well, bloodthirsty. --© Universal





Solomon Kane
Starring: James Purefoy
Synopsis: Solomon Kane is a fictional character created by the pulp-era writer Robert E. Howard. A 16th century Puritan, Solomon Kane is a somber-looking man who wanders the world with no apparent goal other than to vanquish evil in all its forms. His adventures, published mostly in the pulp magazine Weird Tales, often take him from Europe to the jungles of Africa and back.





The Beach Boys Live in Manila
January 27
Wednesday
8pm
Araneta Coliseum

Tickets start at Php 530.

The idiot award goes to...

... Me!!!

I think the most embarrassing thing that happened to me in 2009, is something that happened towards the end of the year.

One of my best high school bud was getting married and I am one of her bridesmaids. I was so proud of myself because I did my own hair and makeup for the occasion. I only used to do makeup and not hair, because I just couldn't do it. I'm now expanding my mad hair-raising skillz, y'all!

Anyway, I was so preened up and ready to go, but guess what happened?

I was err... 45 minutes late for the ceremony.

No wedding march for me, then. I was so ashamed, as I quietly weaved my way to the bridesmaids' pew in the church. The wedding coordinator suddenly lurched beside me, handing me my bouquet and quietly hissed at me "Why were you late???"

*sigh*





At least I arrived in time for the photo shoot!

Seriously, my friend is never gonna let me live it down. She said to me "How DARE you be late for my wedding?!" I was scared she was going to tear me apart!






As it turns out, the other girls were late too (worse than me). But they're not bridesmaids, so I still got the most flak. Hehe! We had a great time catching up -- it has been something like 2 years since we last saw each other.






Embarrassing moments aside, I'm still might proud of my styling efforts. It's very simple, but it's a hell of a lot more than I would have normally done.

Dakota Fanning's all grown up

Dakota Fanning has bloomed right before our eyes, hasn't she? I still remember that the last movie I've seen her in was Uptown Girls with the late Brittany Murphy.





She was this tiny little thing with a very articulate tongue. Really cute!

As she's 15 years old now, she's in a hurry to show the world that she has matured (like all teenagers). She was given this totally different adult look for V Magazine.





It screams 1960's. Her makeup is ok (as ok as it will ever be in black & white), but the girl got lost in all that hair. I don't know a thing about high fashion, but I'm not too crazy about all that teased up hair. It just looks messy.





She looks much better here. Golly, she has really become this sophisticated young lady! I only wish I was a little bit like her when I was 15.

Smashing Sherlocks

As a child, hearing about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories about Sherlock Holmes always puts me to sleep. I've tried reading The Hound of the Baskervilles, but I never even finished the first chapter. For me, the stories of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson are absolute snorefests. The way they were depicted in movies and animated versions as well were sooooo... boring. Holmes was this stuck-up know-it-all and Watson was his wimpy sidekick, who sometimes seemed rather stupid.

But the movie was great! It portrayed that Holmes as an eccentric and an underground fighter (a touch of Fight Club right there). He's still too smart, of course, but at least he has character issues. Watson, on the other hand, was this charming ex-military and doctor, with penchant for adventure.

If I had known that Guy Ritchie directed the film, I would've been more excited to see it. Curiously, it wasn't marketed like that. I still love his work, but I think the pre-Madonna movies were a lot better than his more recent ones.


There's just one thing I didn't like about watching Sherlock Holmes at the cinema... the deleted scenes! I'm pretty sure it was MTRCB's fault again. Tell me, did you guys see how Holmes ended up like this?





I didn't.

Unless I was asleep, I'm pretty sure I didn't see the scene in time the trailer below. Forward to 1:20, that's what I mean.

I'm a male! *gasp*

Well no, not really.

I'm physically, 100% female. However, I think some parts of my brain are more masculine than most girly girls. I say that because I've only just realized that this diagram of female shopping habits does not apply to me.




I will not take more than 3 hours to buy a pair of jeans EVER. I won't take 6 minutes either, though, for practical reasons. Fitting into a pair of jeans with my hips is going to take at least double.

Bottomline is, I'm really lazy when it comes to shopping. I go into a couple of stores and if they don't have what I want, I simply give up and go another day.

Online shopping fits me better. I would look at websites for hours, just browsing. Which is dangerous, because I find too many things that I want in online shops. That credit card sitting inside my wallet is always nervous when I log on. I used to have a boutique store card once, but I had to cut it up because I ended up ordering too much! However, it does help a little if I have Coupon Codes when I'm online shopping, at least I get to save even a little bit.

FS Picks of the Week, Jan 18-24

Aside from the Parnassus movie, other films like Old Dogs, The Tooth Fairy and Legion are also showing this week... but I don't want to recommend them. Hehe!

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is Heath Ledger's last film before he suddenly passed away, I believe. Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell took turns finishing his role in the movie.





The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Starring: Christopher Plummer, Heath Ledger, Lily Cole, Andrew Garfield
Synopsis: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a fantastical morality tale, set in the present day. It tells the story of Dr Parnassus and his extraordinary 'Imaginarium', a travelling show where members of the audience get an irresistible opportunity to choose between light and joy or darkness and gloom. Blessed with the extraordinary gift of guiding the imaginations of others, Dr Parnassus is cursed with a dark secret. Long ago he made a bet with the devil, Mr Nick, in which he won immortality. Many centuries later, on meeting his one true love, Dr Parnassus made another deal with the devil, trading his immortality for youth, on condition that when his first-born reached its 16th birthday he or she would become the property of Mr Nick.

Super Sale Bazaar, Rockwell

Meanwhile, if you've still got dough to spend, do it at the Super Sale, Rockwell Tent this weekend!



Super Sale Bazaar
Rockwell Tent
January 16-17
10am to 9pm

A month-long hangover

The holidays are long gone, but why do I feel like I'm still on holiday mode? I had been going out nearly every night, spending all my cash and nearly drank myself to a stupor quite a few times since the New Year?

I'm not sure if I'm celebrating or mourning something. Go figure.


Still,I'm hanging on to that positive outlook that I've convinced myself I should take this year. There will be so many changes and I'm a little annoyed at myself for not being able to share them here. I'll post about them as soon as they happen next time (more promises!).

I'm so out of it recently, that while taking a sip of my morning coffee today, the mug had gone off balance as I set it back on the table.

The result? Coffee all over my left foot, the left side of my trousers and the lower left end of my blouse. Thank goodness I was wearing leggings and a grey top. Hooray for dreary clothes!

G-lish Eyescream

I still can't get away from food, even when it comes to makeup. I walked past the G-lish stall at Megamall (near the cinemas) one day and got me a couple of creamy, metallic eyeshadow pots.




Eyescream in gold and metallic brown (which is, what, rust?), Php60


Did you see that pricetag??? It's Php60 EACH, damnit! It can't get any cheaper than that, I believe. You can stack 'em up like building blocks too, if you get bored enough.

I've tried these also and they're quite good value for eyeshadow that's worth less than a McDonald's meal. I especially love the gold for nights out.

Bon appetit!


UPDATE: A friend of mine told me that well-known Filipino makeup artist Patrick Rosas collaborated with G-lish to produce a makeup line. This makes it an even better bargain!!

FS Picks of the Week, Jan 12-17

Remember what I said last week about foregoing alcohol for two weeks? Of course, I couldn't manage a week without! I disgust myself. Sheesh.

There's nothing much going on this week. There are a couple of movies -- Daybreakers and The Spy Next Door. I think Daybreakers is quite intriguing. If we had Zombieland last week, this week is all about vampires. We already had werewolves last November, it's such a shame they couldn't make a comeback next week. Maybe we'll have more aliens or something like that.





Daybreakers
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, Michael Dorman, Claudia Karvan
Synopsis: It's 2017, and the undead far outnumber the living in this horror film starring Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke (TRAINING DAY). A virus has spread across the earth, turning its inhabitants into vampires.... It's 2017, and the undead far outnumber the living in this horror film starring Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke (TRAINING DAY). A virus has spread across the earth, turning its inhabitants into vampires. With their blood supply dwindling, the vampires must find a way to sustain their source of food.





6Underground 5th Anniversary
Jan 15
Friday
9pm
Pearl Plaza
Pearl Drive
Ortigas Center
Pasig City

Featuring:
Acel Van Ommen
Alamid
Encounters with a Yeti
Kapatid
Intolerant
Ozawa
Soapdish
Up Dharma Down
and surprise jams...

What are you guinumis from 2009?

Guinumis, geddit? Gonna miss = Guinumis? Hahaha!

Fark, that was a lousy pun. Pfttt.



Anyway, I love merienda. That time between lunch and dinner can sometimes take so long, right? I'm not surprised that I can't keep the weight off -- I'm always snacking!

Whenever The BF and I happen to be around Greenbelt during merienda time, you will most likely catch us at Via Mare. Filipino food there is always good -- there's that homey feel you only get when granny cooks for you.





Bibingka with salted egg and cheese (served with grated coconut), Php105


Bibingka is a Filipino rice cake. I've tried many bibingkas from childhood and this one takes the cake! It's a little on the expensive side, but it's well worth it!





Guinumis, Php50


Guinumis is a sweet Filipino drink, made up of crushed ice, coconut milk, rice crispies, tapioca pearls, gelatin and sugar. I think it's more like a dessert than a drink, but who cares, really?? As long as it's good, then nothing else matters.

Let the suspense begin!

The BF gave me a Domo Qee over the holidays. It's so ugly, that it's cute (if you get my twisted sense of humour).




I wanted a brown one, just because it is the original colour.

But with a Qee, you never know what colour you're gonna get. So I got a blue one, instead of the brown I wanted. But that's okay.





Wonder if using brown eyeshadow will work? (Stupid idea)






But what the heck, he's the star of the New Year's Eve fireworks in our neighbourhood.





Guess the Domo Qee had set the tone for my beginning of 2010 --- you just never know what's around the corner. Life is full of surprises.

FS Picks of the Week, Jan 4-10

Did you think I got firecracker injuries and couldn't type a decent post these last few days? I healthy and well, thanks, just a bit groggy from all the work and alcohol that I had been subjecting my body to.

*sigh*

New Year's Resolution -- no alcohol for at least two weeks (or I may forget to enjoy it).


So anyway, I didn't watch any of the MMF (Metro Manila Film Festival) movies. None of the choices really interested me, so I'm very happy it will be over this week.





Sherlock Holmes
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Eddie Marsan
Synopsis: In a dynamic new portrayal of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous characters, “Sherlock Holmes” sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as... In a dynamic new portrayal of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most famous characters, “Sherlock Holmes” sends Holmes and his stalwart partner Watson on their latest challenge. Revealing fighting skills as lethal as his legendary intellect, Holmes will battle as never before to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy the country. --© Warner Bros






Zombieland
Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin
Synopsis: A cowardly shut-in named Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) is forced to join up with a seasoned zombie-slayer named Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) in order to survive the zombie apocalypse. As Tallahassee sets out on a mission to find the last Twinkie on Earth, the duo meets up with Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), two young girls who have resorted to some rather unorthodox methods to survive amidst the chaos. Reluctant partners in the battle against the undead, all four soon begin to wonder if it might be better to simply take their chances alone.






The Gentleman is Back -- Ne-Yo Live in Manila

January 9
8pm
Mall of Asia concert grounds

Tickets available via TicketWorld.