Moulin Rouge

One of the few ORIGINAL song from this WONDERFUL & PERSONAL FAVE OF MINE movie, Moulin Rouge: Come What May...SAPPY... SAPPY.... SAPPY.... even set in the CAMPINESS of the whole movie.... AM FEELING IT on this SUNDAY!!! :))

Guess what I have in my Bag???

why... it's Mr Duckie's siblings, of course.... YUMMY!!!

Just something to lighten up and start your weekend with... Friday Funnies!!! Have a GREAT WEEKEND to come, everyone!!!

"Nii Shi Waiguoren Ma?"

"are you a foreigner?" those are the first words this 8 year old boy first uttered to me... without even hearing me speak or anything... just minding my own, taking in the medicinal spa at the pool we regularly swim at... I looked at him and he had the cutest smile and a very curious look in his face... So I replied "Dwei, wo shi" (Yes I am)... then he rattled on and on and on in Perfect English with nary an accent, and introduced himself... his name is YOYO, yes, as in Yoyo (i did asked and he confirmed that he likes to be called that)... I was AMAZED.... for the whole hour left taking in the various water massages and all, he basically accompanied me and talked with me just about everything.... asking questions about America... and swimming in General... then I got to meet his Grandparents, whom he accompanies to this pool - and from them I learned that he is TRULY a friendly boy, who for some reason, loves to talk with foreigners... He would just start speaking with foreigners in ENGLISH on buses and in their neighborhood, which happens to be an area where alot of EXPATS resides.. he also introduced me to other friends of his at the pool... introducing me as his "Meigueron de pengyou" (His American Friend)...

I was so taken in by this boy... his jolliness and attentiveness actually reminded me of myself when I was his age... and after we separated I was SAD that I did not have my camera with me and did not get to take his photo... and was sad that I may not ever get a chance again, as he told me school was beginning soon...

This morning, a couple of days from meeting Yoyo, we were back at the pool.. I made sure I brought my camera - just in case... i looked for him but did not see him... then I saw his Grandmother and we talked and I asked about him, to my delight she said that he was coming a bit later with his Grandfather... and he did! So I got to see him, chat again for a bit... and got to take his photo... after snapping him, he asked "do you not want a photo with me?" "Of course, yes..." and I asked, "who should we get to take our photo?".. TO my surprise, he immediately grabbed my camera... set the timer and position it just so we can be snapped together... WHAT A SMART KID!!! We both looked at our photos and laughed.... and then we said goodbyes... we parted with him saying: "See you next summer!" as he will not be coming back till the school year is over... as I was about to take off, he came running back and said: "well, maybe see you in winter, as I have winter vacation, too!"Looking back I am so HAPPY meeting people like him - young or old - does not really matter... what I love is the HAPPINESS and FRIENDLINESS in people... not afraid to reach out and get to know others.... no pretensions, no agendas, just innocent curiousness for one's fellow man.... all I could think of is that, more people should be like Yoyo... he will surely make a good role model for kids his generation and I hope that he will grow up successful... he already has an advantage - the fearlessness and openness to others...

A Little Bit of WISDOM couldn't hurt....

Dateline: Sat. Aug 22nd - Temple Pilgrimage Part I
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Saturday afternoon, we decided to take in a bit of a Temple Pilgrimage - and decided to see a couple of temples closed in proximity with each other but offers such a contrast in architecture from one another.... the first one being, Confucius Temple.

Confucius Temple is designed much more subtle, highlighted by the sweeping roofs of the buildings. Inside and outside of the Temple& buildings are bamboo groves and sculpted garden, potted bonsai plants and miniature bridges. Though the Temple is rich in details, it holds back on ornamentation which is typical of all Confucius Temples all around Taiwan.

September 28th marks as the very wise Confucius' Birthday, which is also considered and celebrated as Teacher's Day all around the Island. It is celebrated annually at the Dacheng Hall, where the large tablet of Confucius is placed.

Many people come here to pray for PASSING GRADES in their tests... entrance exams to Colleges... and for the mere begging for WISDOM in everything.

CONFUCIUS TEMPLE PHOTOS HERE

The Guards -A-Changing

Martyr's Shrine, TaipeiSpent an afternoon, in the scorching HOT SUN watching the Changing of the Guards at Taipei's Martyr Shrine. This beautiful place is located only 10 mins away via SCOOTER from our home - so how come we never have gone before. Am glad we did though as it was a wonderful seeing the SOLDIERS do their thing - go through the motions for the routinely 2_hr changing shifts.

It was AMAZING how these young soldiers can stand the heat of the sun for two hours at a time.. all in the name of duty... Geez, I was there for 15 mins (the duration of the changing of guards spectacle and I was drenched in sweat - as it was forbidden to wear a hat or carry an umbrella... so we were made to suffer in the HOT SUN along with them... Guess it was just fair as we get to see them in action - up close that we could actually see SWEAT dripping on their faces.


The building are done in the ornate style of the Ming Dynasty. Dedicated to the fallen heroes of the Chinese Revolution and the war against Japan (330,000 in all!) - their names, bronze sculptures and murals of their fates lined the walls in the courtyard building.

COMPLETE PHOTOS HERE

My American Express, My Style!

I could not have put it any better:

"Being married to a rich man is a job. Like I always say, there's no free lunch. And I prefer to put it on my own American Express card."
-Candace Bushnell aka Carrie Bradshaw

COINCIDENCE? maybe....

i was thinking the exact same thoughts walking about one afternoon, a couple of days ago... then I happen upon this poster... not sure if it is for a movie, a book, or a CD but they were my exact sentiments at the time.... hmmmmm......Hope you are all having a GREAT WEEKEND in your own neck of the woods...

If You Are The One - Movie Review

Am awfully glad to finally have seen this movie right from the Poster itself, not even knowing anything about it. After all, Taiwan's Shu Qi starring as an Airline Stewardess - surely, could not be bad at all. Alas, it was not in the cards for me, as I was away on a trip when it first came out. So glad for the 2nd run movie house as am able to catch up on some movies missed.

If You Are The One is a smart romantic comedy that become the highest-grossing Chinese movie of all time. Directed by popular and world reknown Chinese director, Feng Xiaogang, the movie follows Ge You (a staple in numerous Xiaogang films), plays Qin Fen, an inventor who strikes it rich thus making him free to basically just do whatever he pleases. What's next for him? Find a wife. He promptly puts up one of the most hilariously on-line ads you’ll ever see/hear. “To avoid mutual disappointment, no PhD’s should apply. Don’t be too young. Don’t be too complicated.” It would be a sexist screed if he wasn’t also devastatingly honest about his own lack of charms. After spending a decade overseas he reports that he’s a three-strikes returnee. “No company. No stocks. No degree.” What follows is a series of 5 to 10 minute, funniest blind dates one will ever witness. The along came the ever- radiant, and a personal FAVE of mine, Shu Qi as Smiley Liang, a flight attendant with whom Qin shares a disastrous first date - but not until aftetr they shared a few drinks and confessed sob stories with each other - thinking that neither one of them will ever see each other again. WRONG!!! As later on, they happen to all be on the same flight - along with Smiley's married lover and his wife.

The two meets again when she’s at rock bottom, suffering through a tortured break-up with her married boyfriend (Alex Fong) who promised her 3 years, but can’t bring himself to leave his wife. The two wounded romantics decide to become friends & lovers, watching each others’ backs as they travel the road to romance in the beautiful city of Hokkaido. A place that holds dear memories to Smiley, as it was a place where she strarted her affair with the married man, and wehere she would like to say goodbye to it all - literally.If You Are The One pulls you in with its charms - flirting and seducing its way into your heart -- until finally, you fall head over heels in love with it. Clever storytelling, witty dialogues, luscious locales, and both leads pulling you into all sorts of emotional entanglements. You feel what they feel. It is one of those films that in lesser hands and inadequate actors - would have been just another Chinese film. But it is more than a film. Under Feng Xiaogang's direction, it gives you hope that one's past doesn’t matter. That no matter how screwed up it might be, the present is, and will always be, full of possibilities and the future looks brighter all the time.

Lala: Lost & Found

Here's another story to be filed in the : "Believe it Or Not" section.

You all pretty much are acquainted with LALA the Dog already.... I have rambled about him quite a few times on this blog... not the brightest of dogs but certainly one of the sweetest....

Anyway, so the story is that recently he's gone missing for a few days... I mean, really missing... he has this habit of walking away from the house and not finding his way back home... he's done it a few times and he would be found a few hours later at a neighbor's house, the closest 7-11 (catching some needed air conditioning am sure!); or at a park where he usually plays... This last time though, he was nowhere to be found... and days went on... it was looking hopeless and the search was pretty much abandoned...
SIDE STORY:
I was talking to Liya on the phone (still living it up as a THEATRE DIRECTOR in ENGLAND) - and knowing how much she loves Lala, I thought for sure she would have been informed already.... WRONG!!! I was the bearer of BAD NEWS - felt bad but at the same time good that she was told... and here's why:

The following day, Todd, the oldest nephew was walking home from work... he heard a familiar bark at the neighborhood pet store, turned around and looked and was delighted to see Lala!!! It seems that someone has found him and brought him in at the Pet Store to keep for a while - even bought some food for him to eat while he was there.... Todd had to make Lala do the BIANG BIANG trick, to PROVE that he truly was their dog and was able to bring him home... much to everyone's delight...

So I was none too happy (and quickly) told Liya - to which she told me - after getting off the phone with me that nite - she prayed to the GOD's and PROMISED to come home if Lala would be found.... and Guess What? She is coming home tonite to fulfill her promise...Liya with Lala last Chinese New Year

Photos from the latest visit with Lala - PLS CLICK HERE.

a very nice thing to wake up to....

A Beautiful Voice, A Beautiful Song, A Beautiful Man!

One of my all time fave, John Borrowman singing "I made Mt Through The Rain" --aaaaah what I would give to see him sing LIVE once again!!!

Thanks for the LINK Miss Mary!!! Love Ya!!!

Oodles of Noodles

Over the weekend while visiting David's family down south, Kaohsiung - we had a few moments to take a trek at Dream Mall to see the Exhibition of the History and Evolution of the Instant Noodles, presented by UNI-PRESIDENT, Taiwan's leading manufacturer and distributor of Instant Foods.... or for many of us, Cup Of Noodles.... was quite a fun and interesting exhibition.... truly educational for me as, since am not a big fan of cup of noodles, I never really knew how it evolved - it's origins... and the complete process in helping millions of people around the world get satisfy their hunger in 3 minutes!!!
AND YOU GOTTA LOVE THE SLOGAN!
I used to relegate eating Cup of Noodles, in the same vein as I did with the Macaroni & Cheese, to the college students who are too lazy to cook and/or travelers on a thrifty budget... but after seeing this exhibition, am looking at them a whole different way.... okay, tomorrow I must go to the supermarket and grab me a few...

EXHIBITION PHOTOS HERE

disasters*disasters*disaters

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Taiwan this Monday morning, about 8:05AM. This, of course, caused more sadness in the people of Taiwan, as the island is still reeling from the disastrous aftermath of Typhoon Morakot. The quakes's epicenter at the sea 187.7 km southeast to Hualien, and was felt around the island, according to the Central Weather Bureau.

my kind of GARAGE

1 Year and 6 issues later, GARAGE magazine, still manages to thrill and excite me...
Never, ever thought I would say this about any Men's Fashion Magazine, much more, one that is produced in the Philippines for the Philippine market..

To think, I passed on it when I first saw the Premier issue with Jake Cuenca on the cover... thinking I did not need another, Men's Fashion Magazine... back then I was only reading HIM, Metro (which have since ceased in publication)... the 2nd issue had the AKIHITO on the cover, then the Japanese/Brazilian IT BOY model in the Philippines... so I picked it up and actually liked the contents... filled with nice informative & usable articles on a variety of topics... Photographs and Styling that can rival those of the ones in many European and American magazines.... and coverage on clothing ranging from HIGH to LOW; LOCAL to FOREIGN brands; from CASUAL to DRESSY and everything else in between.... I TRULY anticipate each and every issue during my trips to Manila...

The Anniversary Issue boasts another BONUS for me: PIOLO PASCUAL on the cover - accompanied by lots more great photo inside. I actually had a hard time finding one in Metro manila as all the National Bookstores I normally picked these mag up were SOLD OUT... finally getting LUCKY in the Greenhills area buying theit last copy. Am told that this is the BEST SELLING issue so far and that there is an alternate cover available, too... still PIOLO but a more close up shot... KEEP IT UP GARAGE, and I PROMISE, I will be HOOKED FOREVER!!! Now if I can just find that alternate Anniversary Cover Issue....

Just Do...

"For what it's worth... it is never too late to do whatever you want to do..."
-Benjamin Button

Back From Another Trip!!!

was away for a little over a week.... monthly trek to MANILA... just got back last nite... did not have much net connetion so am a bit out of touch - and DEFINITELY - SOOOOO BEHIND in emails.... so very sorry guys... will get to your emails - for sure!!!

and THANK YOU ALL for the concerns regarding the recent Typhoon and Floodings here in Taiwan... we fared nicely but sadly, alot of people did not... OUR THOUGHTS & PRAYERS to them, their families & friends...

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS!!!

Been traveling again the last couple of weeks... not much NET connection so am a bit late on this -- Still, I want to make sure I get to greet all you, AUGUST babies.

Happy Birthday To You All!!! May All Your Wishes Come True!!!

A Yellow Ribbon In Memorium

Former Philippines President Corazon Aquino, whose "People Power" revolution toppled dictator Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy to the nation, died Aug 1st, after a battle with colon cancer.

"Cory" Aquino was propelled into the political spotlight in 1986, leading millions of Filipinos in protests against the corrupt regime of Marcos, who jailed thousands of dissidents during his brutal 20-year regime. As people across the Catholic nation woke to the news, President Gloria Arroyo declared a 10-day period of mourning for Aquino, whom she praised as a "national treasure." Aquino's family announced her death on Aug 1st.

A VIGIL has been held the last few days at La Salle University, Manila with thousands and thousands of people gathered to pay their final respects. Wednesday is declared a National Holiday for her funeral.