Viva Les Vin!

2004-06-21T11:53:00.000+08:00

Back in the Philippines thank God! I hit the beach the first chance I got, hung out with friends almost immediately. Visited good friend Gulaman Girl first since she promised me Thai Garlic Pork. Yummy! That girl can really cook. Its no wonder Kendo is trully madly & deeply.

The elections are over and *boo yeah* we have a president and vice president. Honestly I dont care. Maybe thats the problem, that a lot of people dont care. Well until they do, I wont lose any sleep over it.

Its great to be back!

2004-06-04T02:20:00.000+08:00

Traipsed around New York over the weekend with Kendo & Melai. According to locals, the weather has been warming up considerably. Being the tropical boy that I am? This is chilly still. Brrr!

We met up on the front steps of The Met, what with Kendo & Melai itching for a visit I just went with the flow. I like walking & sitting around in the quiet atmosphere a museum provides, not necessarily the artwork. Whereas Leslie, Kendo & Melai could get lost in the images within the quiet atmosphere a museum provides. Its both fun and bewildering to watch them at it. I wonder what the fuss is about.

A couple of souvenirs later (most of which I will be lugging off home to Leslie & Reena), we decided to go to The Arch -located on Route 22 in Brewster NY- for lunch. Its one of the best restaurants in New York, creative eclectic French cuisine at its best. One we have all been dying to try out.

Chef-owner George Seitz blends classical French cuisine with the exotic charms of the Orient - black bean sauce, soy-sesame dressing, couscous, beef Wellington and truffle sauce all featured in the same menu. Asian-Fusion cooking has been popular for many years. Yet the nouvelle creations of Chef Seitz do not crash with the root of traditional French cuisine.

The rest of the day was spent exploring SoHo and the shopping possibilities. New York City is a shopper's paradise. Wherever you go, from the designer boutiques of Madison and Fifth Avenues to the chic shops in SoHo to the cutting-edge stores in the Village, shopping in NY appeals to all the senses.

New York, New York. A Helluva Town!

2004-06-01T02:46:00.000+08:00

Movies has always been my passion. Kendo has art & music, Leslie has art & literature (with motor racing & music thrown in for flavor), Melai has graphic design and my sister Reena has fashion & design. So as you can see, our small circle was in for a lot of disagreements on a lot of things.

I like music as much as the next person, but more of an end-user appreciation. I like what I like, "baduy" or otherwise. If I like it, then I listen to it. I suppose then it made sense that I went into the business of movies -distribution & marketing to be precise- and although its mostly a "family" business, Im proud to say the bulk of the success is because of me.

A spin-off of the 1981 french film Le Professionel which stars Jean-Paul Belmondo, Leon is my favorite movie of all. Stars Jean Reno, he is a professional assassin named Leon who reluctantly takes care of 12-year-old Mathilda, a neighbor whose parents are killed, and teaches her his trade.

Im drawn to this movie because of the moral tug-of-war within Leon. It makes for a powerful movie with a lot of memorable quotes. Deep inside I probably secretly wish for his kind of life. I'd probably suck, since I am nowhere near the kind of person Leon is.

Nonetheless, "I am already grown up, I just get older...I've decided what to do with my life."

2004-04-01T06:19:00.000+08:00

Leon is a first-class hit man, but is also a sensitive guy who loves his potted plants. He is moral: "No women, no children" is his professional motto. He is sympathetic to his neighbor, Mathilda, a typically rebellious twelve-year-old who runs to him for help when her family was killed by a drug dealer.

When she discovers he is a hitman, she asks him to teach her the skills to avenge her little brother.

2004-03-13T00:50:00.000+08:00

My mother always said a journal helps you analyze the end of your day, to put things into perspective so the next day will be better. This is what me and my sister Reena grew up with, and I hate to say it but my mom was right. Quiet time before bed meant this activity, and the routine gave me comfort.

Growing up, the entries came to take on more depth and importance. The year of 1996 was when Leslie and Kendo gave me a set of 12 empty books bound in old chinese style, and I was inspired to write in chinese. Mama was surprisingly pleased with that.

Its been 5 years since I managed to do any writing at all. Had to work for a living. Again it was my friends who encouraged me, and I needed no real prodding. I missed the writing, the quiet time. And being on a computer most of the time, I consider this venture practical.

Im just hoping it doesn't jump up and bite me in the ass.