The life you’ve chosen vs The life you can change

Happy New Year!

This blog has been rusty, sorry for the lack of updates! Been busy with new work, among other things. So much so that for the first time in years, I failed to do my traditional year-ender post in my journal! Whew! That makes me feel really guilty, because with everything that’s happening in my life… Our lives… It’s always important to pause and reflect, to pick the stones that carry important lessons instead of burdens in our hearts and souls.

Before I move forward, I must look back.

In my New Year’s Eve prayer last night, I remember telling God that in 2014, I rose from nothing to something. I had no job during the first half, but I remembered how to dream, and I remembered a dream I once had, something that I never thought I could fulfill, but now I’m seeking to.

A company took a chance on me, and I took a chance on it, too, hoping for new things to learn, new people to meet, and new things I could contribute. For all of these and more, I am grateful.

One of the quotes on the pretty walls of Vanilla Cupcake Bakery. 🙂

2014, therefore, was about taking a chance.

Now for 2015, it’s about making a choice. What makes you happy? What do you look forward to doing every day? How much do practicality and stability fare in this game called life? What would you do if you weren’t afraid?

I don’t seek to get answers immediately, but I do pray for clarity. Clarity to see things through, to have an open mind to different perspectives and pick one that is best. So that when I do make a choice, it’s something that I won’t regret, and it’s something that would lead me to where I need to be.

Happy.

🙂

Welcome message at the entrance of Vanilla Cupcake Bakery. 🙂

Belated “The Legal Wife” appreciation post

So it’s been a week since “The Legal Wife” signed off and I must say, I miss it. 😉 Not that I want a Book 2 – please just let the characters be – Monica (Angel Locsin), Adrian (Jericho Rosales), and Nicole (Maja Salvador) did what they had to do. Monica and Adrian patching things up but not really getting back together is as realistic as realistic can get. It’s easier to forgive and to keep loving than forget.

I did have my initial aversion towards “TLW.” Because really, another “affair” story?

So, what changed my mind?

Execution.

At first I was confused about all the family drama. I was all, isn’t this supposed to be about Monica, Adrian, and Nicole? It was really a slow burn until Monica and Adrian finally got together then started to have issues. Nicole eventually “entered” the picture – if you know what I mean. I guess the writers took the time to establish the kind of lives the lead stars had so that the audience would understand where they’re coming from.

It was very crucial that the script was heavily invested on conversations. Because don’t we make weapons or antidotes out of words more often than actually point a gun at someone in real life?

One of my favorite scenes was that of Javier (Christopher de Leon) and Monica juxtaposed with Sandra (Maria Isabel Lopez) and Adrian. Two children seeking elderly wisdom and comfort. Two parents readily giving advice and support. They reprimanded them when they had to, but the scenes were touching all the same.

My other favorite (that was a non-verbal conversation) was when Nicole and Adrian “broke up.” They were at a restaurant, saying their goodbyes. Close up shot to Nicole’s hand resting on the table and Adrian struggling between reaching out with his and holding back. Then he finally closed it firmly and walks away. So telling! I loved it!

The dialogues didn’t make any character a hero or heroine. They were just who they were – flawed, human. But they realized their mistakes and strived to become better. Yes, even Monica’s brother Javy (Joem Bascon) grew a heart eventually.

The cast was outstanding. I’m in awe of Angel particularly in scenes where she didn’t have lines but was just venting out her sadness and anger through tears, hitting the wheel, vomiting, even (a. When she finally confirmed the truth about Nicole and Adrian and b. After she learned about Nicole’s pregnancy). How she sustained that kind of intensity just blows my mind over and over.

Also this:

Maja. She’s just so good that her portrayal came off as too true. Too realistic. I had goosebumps when Nicole apologised like a broken record to Monica, finally coming to her senses after the latter saved her son Jacob despite their differences. She put so much weight in every “sorry” she uttered but then you’d feel that she knew she could never say enough.

I wished Jericho had more intense moments but then I guess his character wouldn’t permit so much for it. He was confused. He was mad. He was so sorry. And he’s a guy. He finally had that moment when he broke down in the pre-car crash scene when he was saying goodbye to Monica and letting her go.

Special mention to Matet de Leon because her character is my namesake, haha! Seriously, because Rowena had the best lines (“Hindi mo man lang sinabi sa akin na naiwan mo pala ’yung manners mo dito sa bahay. Edi sana sinunod ko sa’yo doon!” / “Sige na, umalis ka na! Humabol ka kay Adrian. Magpakabasahan ka.”). She’s the kind of friend anyone would be lucky to have. She gave tough love, the kind of love that Nicole exactly needed.

Runner-up for the best lines goes to JC de Vera (e.g., “Kung bastusan lang rin ang pag-uusapan dito, tiyak may mas magaling pa sa akin. Tumingin ka kaya sa salamin. Kung saan-saan ka kasi tumitingin” – to Adrian). ABS-CBN should’ve compiled his quotable lines, too! Max is a subtle kind of fighter who wanted to become Monica’s lover but too bad she couldn’t let him in for obvious reasons. I actually rooted for them.

This blog should only run on 300 words per entry, but I just have so much to say about this show. Kudos to everyone part of “The Legal Wife.” I hope those in the business of doing TV shows took note of the best things that “TLW” brought out  and apply that to their future programs. And to the writers… I hope I could have coffee or tea with you guys one day and exchange stories. 🙂

(From Tumblr.)

Boundless energy and frenzied screams speak for Taylor Swift’s Manila concert

Originally published in the Manila Bulletin, February 22, 2011

Taylor Swift enchanted her Filipino fans during her one-night ‘Speak Now’ tour concert at Araneta Coliseum. (Photos by yours truly)

MANILA, Philippines – To say that the Araneta Coliseum was jam-packed last Feb. 19 would be an understatement of how Taylor Swift gathered thousands of people for her first show in the Philippines, the second to the last leg of her Asian “Speak Now” tour.

From the attendance to the inexhaustible energy of the crowd, Swift’s concert saw one of the best Manila crowds in recent times. She may well be one of the very few artists who can gather kids (mostly tween girls) and their parents, ladies and their boyfriends (who are probably closet – or not – fanatics), circles of friends, foreigners, and local celebrities all in one venue.

Her sold-out concert in Manila proves her global appeal; that even half the world away, people relate to her autobiographical yet universal lyrics and sing along to her ear-friendly tunes. Her honest music is a breath of fresh air in the airwaves polluted with relatively superficial songs. No wonder that her records rose above the dwindling conditions of an industry battling illegal downloading, selling millions of albums worldwide.

So it’s not surprising, but remarkable nonetheless, that lines longer than anacondas began forming at the gates of Araneta as well as in front of the ticket booths (for those hopeful to score one of the “very limited” Standing Room Only a.k.a. SRO tickets which were sold on concert day), as early as lunch time.

We also saw fans who hand-painted “13,” Swift’s lucky number, on their hands or faces, and those who brought large fan-made posters for their idol, one of which says “I was enchanted to meet you, Taylor,” an allusion to one of her songs. Clearly, these kids look up to Swift. And why not? The 21-year-old pop-country darling has a clean lifestyle (she has never been caught partying or drinking), though her love life is trapped in a web of intrigue.

By 5 p.m., gates were opened at last, and the earliest entrants literally ran upstairs with fulfilled looks in their faces as if they were about to find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Excitement filled the venue until lights went out at 8 p.m. and front act Sam Concepcion, hand-picked by Swift herself, electrified the crowd with his four-song set.

The young Grammy winner ceased her fans’ restless anticipation when she finally came out the stage around 9 p.m., dressed in a sparkling gold dress and with “13” painted in her right hand. Fans screamed like there’s no tomorrow as Swift kicked off her set with “Sparks Fly,” a track from her latest album “Speak Now.”

Armed with colorful glow sticks, cameras and ready-for-cheering voices, the fans seemed to have had a duet with Swift as they sang every word and every note of the 13 songs (which consisted of songs from her second album “Fearless” as well as from her latest one) she performed as if they are their own. They did so well that Swift’s singing could barely be heard above the din at some instances.

Nevertheless, Swift was in her element that night, her voice in good condition, hitting the notes in their right places. She twirled, danced and head-banged on the stage (which, by the way, had a T-shaped extended stage and another elevated stage – said to be Swift’s choices as well) as if she’s right where she’s meant to be.

Swift kept the pace, alternating between slow and fast songs and playing piano and guitar (which she changed almost as much as she changed pretty costumes) on some numbers. She also injected mash-ups in her set, such as in “Back To December,” which she combined with OneRepublic’s “Apologize” and her song, “You’re Not Sorry,” and a toned-down, ukelele version of “Fearless,” adorably mashed-up with Train’s “Hey Soul Sister” and Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours.”

“Magandang gabi (Good evening) Manila. Welcome to ‘Speak Now’ tour. I’m Taylor,” were Swift’s first words after singing “Mine.”

She interacted with her fans not only through her spiels, in which she shared her own reflections on life and love, but literally reached out to them, tapping hands of those in the moshpit. In “You Belong With Me,” she went down the stage to shake the fans’ hands and even picked up a bouquet of flowers from one of them.

She further endeared herself to the Filipino audience by saying some more local phrases such as “Salamat” (thank you), “Kumusta kayo?” (How are you?), and “Mahal ko kayo” (I love you all), and asking them if they loved Sam Concepcion. The coliseum was filled with roars of approval.

Manila witnessed first-hand what many might’ve just seen on TV or on YouTube – that Swift is not just a prolific songwriter or an earnest singer – she is a dedicated, intense performer. She wasn’t hailed as the 2009 Country Music Associations’ Entertainer of the Year for nothing.

For sure, Swift’s concert will “Long Live” in the Filipinos’ hearts and minds.

Taylor Swift Red Tour Manila Recap!

Better to have been seated at the topmost section of the MOA Arena, right side of the stage, than to have not sung and grooved and screamed my heart out with and for one of my biggest inspirations at all.

The lines outside MOA Arena were already long when I got there at around 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. of Friday, June 6. You’d easily recognise the dedicated Swifties who dressed up like Taylor. So many people wore fedora hats, cat ear head bands, had face paint and lyrics written on their arms. Many wore Keds and super short shorts. I spotted a few sparkly beings – literally with lights in their outfits! There was even a Swiftie who dressed in a Cornetto black forest drumstick costume!

Several Swifties put the fun in waiting by randomly singing Taylor’s songs out loud. We were like the pre-opening act act. Haha.

It was amusing yet awesome to see parents accompanying their pre-teen or teen children. They excitedly watched and even took pictures of their kids as they made their way inside the Arena around 6 p.m. Looked like a graduation ceremony! Hehe. The scene just validated Taylor’s positive influence to youngsters being acknowledged by parents.

My seat mates arrived several minutes before Meg Fernandez’s opening set. Daryl (I hope I spelled her name right) and Monique are recent graduates of Computer Engineering at the Ateneo de Manila University. Monique confessed that they had to buy the tickets at double the original price from a seller. Imagine that! But then for them it was better than not being able to attend.

Meg, the opening act, was awesome. She has this insane lung power, she could probably sing big songs for hours. As the winner of the Cornetto Ride to Fame contest, last night was her first major gig. One of the three songs she performed was an original that reminded me of Up Dharma Down.

Her set was quick, finishing in more or less 15 minutes. I guessed Taylor would come on around 8:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. tops, but the Arena hasn’t been filled yet! Apparently there were still many people waiting outside the venue. I don’t know what took them long until I saw some of their tweets criticizing the efficiency of the MOA Arena security. Perhaps this is something that the MOA management should reevaluate for future shows.

Honestly, I didn’t want Taylor to see empty seats in the house. That doesn’t spell “sold out” anywhere. To think that there were so many fans who were desperate for tickets. But then I understood that she had to come in at 9:00 p.m. completely filled venue or not. Eventually everyone got inside and I felt relieved.

When Taylor started “State of Grace,” the first thing I noticed was that her voice was husky (minamalat siya). But it was more confident than when I first heard her live in the “Speak Now” Tour (2011). She might have been tired from all the touring and finishing album no. 5 and doing promos for “The Giver” but she is such a graceful pro. It was really a more confident Taylor on stage but the same cute, cool, real, passionate Taylor remains. She still had those spiels that serve as source of wisdom and inspiration about believing in love despite heartaches and being true to yourself even when you feel like you don’t fit in. She still made those pauses in between songs surveying the crowd, smiling and taking all the energy and love in. She still shook hands or high-fived fans near the stage or aisle. Parang tropa mo lang.

It was awesome that she wore a “Manila” shirt during one of her outfit changes and said a few Filipino expressions (“Mahal kita” for “I love you,” “kumusta?” for “how are you?,” “maraming salamat po” for “thank you very much”). You’d know this is an artist who makes an effort to really connect with her fans and give each city she goes to a unique experience.

My favorite performance was “I Knew You Were Trouble” – I just loved hearing live the rock mix they incorporated in the song. It was so electric. And something cute/awesome happened during “All Too Well.” It was supposed to be emotional all throughout but we cheered so hard, chanted her name that she couldn’t help but smile and goof a little bit. Then she wiggled her fingers to signal that she’ll return to the piano. Really loved that moment. And oh, while Taylor was off stage waiting for her cue in “The Lucky One,” we screamed her name and she saw us and waved at us! Reminded me of a similar moment during the “Speak Now” concert. 🙂

One and a half hours is relatively short for a concert, but I expected it (Wanted to hear “Treacherous” live though!) because it had the same length as her “Speak Now” show here. I just wish it didn’t get delayed so that Club Red would’ve pushed through. For a very busy artist like Taylor, I’m sure time is seriously of the essence.

Even if I watched the concert alone, I felt like I was part of this really special community of people who love Taylor. Those folks in my section were really energetic! I never felt intimidated shouting “Love you Teh!” and “Ganda mo Teh!” to Taylor because I know they would understand. Haha.

Daryl, Monique, and I (hiding behind a cartoon lol) 😀

Setlist:

1. State of Grace
2. Holy Ground
3. Red
4. The Lucky One
5. Mean
6. 22
7. You Belong With Me
8. Fearless
9. Sparks Fly
10. I Knew You Were Trouble
11. All Too Well
12. Love Story
13. We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Throwback! My article in Manila Bulletin three years ago for Taylor’s “Speak Now” concert: https://wenggarooism.wordpress.com/2014/06/08/boundless-energy-and-frenzied-screams-speak-for-taylor-swifts-manila-concert/

Worth checking out in Baguio (Part 2): Solibao

Not too far from Vizco’s is Solibao, which offers mostly Filipino dishes at affordable prices. The first time we dined there was last December, for snacks.

With such elegant way of presenting the dishes, you might think that they’re pricey. But take for instance the buttered chicken meal I got. It had a hefty serving of side veggies plus atsara – all for P105. The rice was a bit sticky, like rice cake, with a hint of a taste of coconut. Very interesting.

Mama and Papa went for the P99 sizzling meals – chicken for Mama, lechong kawali for Papa. They came with side veggies and the best puto bumbong Ive tried ever.

Honestly I’m not a big fan of puto bumbong but Solibao’s take on this staple Christmas treat made me an instant convert. The way the butter melted, the crunchiness of the coconut, everything about that puto bumbong was just perfect. I’m yearning to come back to Baguio just for it (plus the strawberry shortcake) as I type this. 🙂

I couldn’t say the same for their native hot chocolate though. It smelled and tasted like the detergent section of a supermarket. That’s weird because I’ve ordered hot choco there during our first time and it was alright. Nevertheless, everything else that I ate there more than make up for the hot choco boo-boo.

At a nearby table we saw newly employed staff being oriented by a person with authority. We couldn’t help but listen to him – the brother of Solibao’s owner. He recalled the resto’s humble beginnings years and years ago, starting out with puto bumbong and palabok until it grew into what it is today. I wanted to join (barge?) in the discussion but we had a puto bumbong to finish. 🙂

Worth checking out in Baguio (Part 1): Vizco’s Restaurant and Cake Shop

In those times we’ve been to Baguio, two restaurants have always caught my eye every time we would walk along Session Road: Vizco’s Restaurant and Cake Shop and Solibao. We haven’t tried the former until during our recent Holy Week trip and I have two words for it: Strawberry shortcake.

Vizco’s has the best strawberry shortcake I’ve tasted – not too sweet, rightly moist and fluffy, and the fresh strawberries on top give it an interesting zest and sourness that you’d welcome. It’s what you’d keep coming back for. We did (the same day and bought two more slices which we ate during our trip back home). It was actually served first so I couldn’t help but dig in. :))

I bet it would go well with Vizco’s special Benguet coffee blend (P40), which comes with one free refill. Papa loved it because the heat, the kick, and the “coffee-ness” were all just right. I regret that I couldn’t have caffeine in my system that day (but well, there’s next time!).

Now on to the other dishes we tried:

I had potato cheese chowder (P70) for appetizer, which I finished in minutes. It was like melted mashed potato with herbs. So creamy and so so good.

For my main course I had Prawns Thermidore (P260). The broiled prawns were oozing with cheese and spiced with onions and peppers. The meal also came with a green salad and pepped up tomatoes. Yummy!

Mama and Papa, meanwhile, chose combo meals (chicken with pizza or pasta plus fries; P165 and P210). Papa’s only concern was that the chicken had a “frozen-then-fried” taste to it.

We were so full afterwards! It was a great first time at Vizco’s, made more pleasant by the friendly staff. 🙂 Now I’m craving for strawberry shortcake!

Escaping the Holy Week Exodus and then some

“Exodus” – this was how media dubbed the influx of people going out of town for the Holy Week. Our family was part of this annual phenomenon. Some three hours before midnight of Holy Thursday, we were there at the bus terminal, bustling more than ever with the long queues and large baggages. I felt bad for the babies who had to endure quite a suffocating and noisy atmosphere.

An hour into the line and we learned that trips for Baguio were already fully booked. Time for Plan B: Take a Dagupan (Pangasinan) trip instead then hop on a bus bound for Baguio. My parents were given priority since they were senior citizens – I sat beside my mother at the front row, right side; while my father was at the back.

The Exodus, Victory Liner terminal, 11 p.m., Holy Wednesday (c) wengkynamoo/Instagram

I barely slept during the trip. I don’t mind traveling out-of-town at night, but being seated in front, much more at the right side, made me uneasy. It felt like a “fragile spot” *knock on wood*.

Apart from praying for a smooth sailing trip, we have to be alert. I remember catching an episode on the Atom Araullo show “Red Alert” about how you can protect yourself and your loved ones during a bus trip-related emergency situation:

Thank God for guiding us all. The driver was very cautious – I salute him! \m/ We arrived in Baguio around 7 a.m., excited to chill in less than 20 degrees, eat to our hearts’ content, and of course, reflect. I hope this simple story could provide you an idea on how to be resourceful and watchful especially during peak-season trips. 😉