"Death of Me"

A film by Tasya van Ree
Featuring Amber Heard

Mmmm, noir.

Tagaytay, April 18-20

I don't call myself a photographer, although I do enjoy taking pictures and "capturing moments" often. Especially on my travels. But what's new about that, right? What is the truth in a pretty flower, apart from its perfect face? 

So instead of just the pretty, I've been working on telling stories with the pictures I take. I am an admitted fledgling to the craft, but I've achieved at least the tip of my iceberg goal. 

In case you aren't familiar, here is a sneak preview to my country. A recent trip to Tagaytay, in particular, to celebrate my aunt's birthday. The moon was brilliant one night, and the market was ripe with fruit. Children will do what they need to survive, but not without affording an occasional smile.

Man-made Bitches at Man-made Beaches

For our 2nd annual summer trip, my girls Max, Meg and I hopped on a plane to wreak havoc on Cebu. And wreak havoc, we did with these two unrepentantly getting their freaks on! 

Manila at midnight

A Fine Frenzy, "Lost Things"

Shirley Manson + Elijah Woods, The Kids Are Bored on Sundays

SM and EW for Oliver Peoples' 2010 Collection "Les enfants sennuient le dimanche (The kids are bored on Sundays)"


Directed by Autumn de Wilde

And what a cutie this lady is! <3

I Can't Be Near You; The Light Just Radiates

Hole, "Malibu"

The Lords of Laguna

The family went to a festival in Santa Cruz, Laguna about a week ago to check out their local produce. There's some brilliant stuff over there, a favorite being the shoes from a few towns over; Liliw is the best place for cheap and trendy, but very well-made shoes. I'll take pictures of the pairs that I got in the new blog that I'm planning to birth. Watch out for it!

Sophia, my goddaughter, doing "The Mita," which means her imitating her grandmother. There is "The Abi" also, but that's for another photo.

Soshe, my cousin. He is set to be my godson on May 1st.

A fine Laguna product - University of the Philippines, Los Banos

Arabela's, a quaint cafe whose reputation is inverse in relation to their low ceilings.

Hansom - Kanta ang Panlaban Pt. 1 release

After much patient waiting and about 3 years of fandom, my buddies from Pinoy punk band HANSOM is finally - FINALLY! - releasing their debut album, "Kanta Ang Panlaban" and they're giving it to you ABSOLUTELY FREE! 

Tonight they give you just a taste: crowd favorite "Action Man"; my personal favorite "Landi"; new tracks "Ayos Lang," and "Count To Ten."

I'm also all warm and fuzzy inside to find me and Abi Rode on their thank yous. <3

If you, like me, like what you hear, let's all take our butts to Cafe SaGuijo on May 27, 2011 and buy ourselves a CD of the album in its completion. Excitement all around!!!

In the meantime,
Download Pt. 1 of Hansom's KANTA ANG PANLABAN

Yeah I'm So Jaded, But Baby I'm Afraid of You

I'm currently on a family trip to Tagaytay with my family, leaving early this morning after just arriving from a three-day trip to Cebu with three of my best friends very late last night. And before that, I was on a day trip to a festival in Laguna. 

I'll get to those stories in a few days and I'm excited to sift through the pictures, just give me maybe 2 or 3 to sort myself out. I haven't had much sleep, but a ton of action and alcohol. And yeah, I absolutely think that Las Vegas can't monopolize the "What happens in X, stays in X" adage; Vacation secrets should be kept secret, anywhere they are because man, those photos can be incriminating.

Anyway, here: Have a good song and a fabulous week! I know I did. :D

Aerosmith, "Jaded"

Guess by Marciano Fall/Winter 2010

I really couldn't care much about Paris Hilton or Anna Nicole Smith, but Guess ads - I've always been a fan.

Mountains of hair= √

Cherry lips = √

Black & White photography = √

Sex = √

Style = √
Vintage Glamour  = √
Women who are vulnerable but know what they want = √

It helps to have cute sailors as a bonus feature - because if my time with Spanish sailors has taught me anything, it is that you can never have too many of those - so this is a particularly favored collection. 

Photographer: Alix Malka

Oh, you fool, you've got me started.

In true spirit of transitions, I intend to make this continental shift as seamless as possible by cross-posting my last one on Tumblr.

On April 3rd, I reaped two whole dozen years in my basket.

For the most part, I didn't make a big deal out of it - unlike I usually do every year - because drastic changes were in the air anyway. Like the freak, hyper-extended "winter" that invaded my usually sweaty April, I had been in a rut for too long. There is an ecstatic electricity in the air! I can feel it on my skin! Coincidentally, I truly only felt the Indian summer on my birthday, and with the season is coming good things.

There are floods of internal change and for the first time in a long time, I am allowing physical change to reflect it. Change in space, profession, wardrobe, and appearance - I took 6 inches off Delilah - are all symptoms of a drastic shift in internal climate and tides. Not to make light out of a serious calamity, but these days, I am an earthquake.

So here, have a welcome video to dust your weary sneakers on!

 

The Lightning Seeds, "Change"

The world is full of fools

who never get it right
You don't know what to do

so you do anything you like.

(Put your foot down and drive) Oh, your a silly thing

(Put your foot down and drive) You're such a pretty thing

(Put your foot down and drive) 

You're never gonna be like all those fools,

We're going out tonight.

There's nothing to lose,

you're gonna give it all a try.

Don't ever change.

Don't ever change.

No, never change,

never change.

You better say you're prayers,

or whisper to the wise,

And thank your lucky stars

for coming out tonight.

(Put your foot down and drive) Oh, you're a silly thing,

(Put your foot down and drive) Don't you ever change,

Don't ever change (ever change)

No never change, never change.

When people's eyes, all open wide,

they're still too blind to see.

A change in style, for a while,

is only make-believe.

(Put your foot down and drive) Oh, you're a silly thing

(Put your foot down and drive) You're such a pretty thing

(Put your foot down and drive)

You're never satisfied,

so look for something new

There's nothing to find,

and nothing you can do.

Don't ever change, don't ever change

No never change, never change.

Oh, you fool, you've got me started