C! rocks!

Yes, the number one car magazine in the Philippines rocks not just because of the mag itself, but because of the people!! aww they're the sweetest...

First of all can I tell you that the best, the absolute best place to have a car accident in is right infront of the offices of C! Magazine on Sedeno street. And that is precisely what happened to me today. which makes me the luckiest motorist in the entire universe.

So there I was minding my business, I had just turned from Valero Street into Sedeno...I was daydreaming about the many bills I had just paid in the banks along LPLeviste Street (still hate doing it online)...and then...BANG!!!.. a huge grey monstrosity of an armoured truck suddenly came out of nowhere and started kissing the left side of my car...and it wouldn't stop!! The kissing was quite.. passionate as it shattered my side mirror and left a HUGE dent on my left side.

And then silence. I sat inside my car and didn't know what to do for a good five, ten minutes. In the meantime the traffic was building up, and I could feel the fury of the other motorists, how they must have hated me for spoiling their Thursday lunch (they had all just probably come from lunch I suppose, on their way back to their offices. Sedeno street is the ONLY way out of Salcedo Village into Paseo. And I was queen of that street for the moment, blocking everyone's passage.) I didn't want to step out of the car because then they would all see - Ay BABAE PALA. KAYA PALA. See? they would immediately think it was MY fault. I didn't even look like I was a street-smart kind of girl because I was in a stupid dress and heels. To think that this was MY FIRST ACCIDENT! Excuse me, I am proud to say I think I am one of the better female drivers that has travelled the streets of Manila. Parallel parking, blindfolded -- two seconds. Esquinitas, mane-obras, and all sorts of tricky situations -- piece of cake. Singit, wedging, overtaking, you name it...I do all these on auto pilot, you know, with brain at rest. AND.. I have NEVER bumped, scraped, sideswiped, made 'sagi' any piece of moving or non-moving metal in all my 23 years of driving. Have never hurt a street child, never even run over a balut or sampaguita vendor's tsinelas.

ANYWAY.... The cops finally arrived, the driver of the van got out. While I - after carefully checking my lipstick - finally stepped out of the car in all my female glory AND who should I see but an angel! ...no, two angels! Kevin Limjoco and Mayette Asis of C! magazine! I found out that C! mag's offices were just in the building upstairs, and as I looked up, I saw an entire tropa of C! guys waving from the balcony! And there was James Deakin clicking away. Oh what fun! The accident turned into a comedy...a fashion pictorial as I gamely posed against the hood of my car.. Deakin, who has taken pictures of the most beautiful cars in the world, found himself suddenly focusing on a sad looking 16-year old toyota.

Mayette, Kevin, James and some other guys were there with me throughout as I spoke with the cops, they offered me coffee, they photocopied my documents, kept asking if I was alright, I was never left alone even for a second .... Kevin spoke with the cops, he checked the sketch that was made to see that everything was fair.. And oh the photographs!! The photographs which I later on submitted to the police station were all "photos courtesy of James Deakin" --- beautiful aerial shots taken from their balcony, the print out was as big as a double spread ad, with little insets showing more photos of the car close up. It was almost like a page from their magazine.

I felt babied, I felt cared for, I felt protected. And that's very very important when you have your first car accident.

I said goodbye to the C! guys when I had to leave for the station, since Mang Rod was with me anyway (Toddy sent him after he got my SOS call). And Kevin handed me their July issue, something to read while waiting, he said...and what should I see featured on the cover but a Z4!! Sigh..that shoe-ka-han episode still haunts me.

At the station, I met up with the driver and we both did our statements...AND I ended up giving him a sermon on Karma and the Ten Commandments and Thou Shalt Not Lie and Gulong ng Palad... BECAUSE he LIED in his!! He said I bumped him...which was so totally NOT TRUE! So after I went on and on about his karma and how 'malas' it was to lie, the driver just got fed up and asked for another blank form and totally re-did his statement according to how I wanted it. hehehehe...

What a wonderful non-boring day it was today!! You know, sometimes harrowing experiences are meant to happen, but I think before they reach me, they go through some giant filter in the sky and get mixed up with bits of comedy, excitement and a generous dose of...angels. And that's exactly what God sent to me today during my first car accident, C!s angels!

One word

All work ceased when we downloaded this nakakainis shampoo commercial as sung and danced by a popular actress named Kim Chiu.

one word, only one word describes this, we all agreed. ay two pala -- "shet sobra".

yun lang. Corinne says I should let all the applicants for her position dance an excerpt from this...this... classic...

Cruisin' Corinne and mystery brand A

Corinne's now just cruisin' along... waiting for her big day when she officially transfers to SSI's mystery brand A. In the meantime, everyday seems to be party time within our sweet little office family. All of us have been through so much together, and have built our own little culture, our little republic right there in that 60 sq m space called the "marketing communications department". And so everyday, we laugh together eat together crack jokes, sing, and dance together, but most of all we engage in our favorite past time which is makin' memories by taking pictures! So here are my angels May Anne, Corinne, Eliza and Miciel... and of course the princess of SSI... Sunday Alcaraz... This is the team behind all those fantabulous shows and launches... the Gucci store launch in 04, the S.Ferragamo Gala in 05, the Lacoste 12/12, Alexandre Charriol's exhibit, the grand GRAND ZARA launch in 06... the many many press events in 07...the shoots, shoots and more shoots... Corinne is leaving us soon to join mystery brand A -- which is going to be so big, they require their own rah-rah girl, and thus Corinne. I've honed her I've trained her I've prepped her...and now she's ready to take on the role of being a mini-me but exclusively for mystery brand A... which is going to be by the way yet another fantabulous launch...so watch out for it! We're behind you, Corinne!!

rah rah girl

I was just talking to Pivi of Ayala Malls yesterday regarding arrangements for our forthcoming press event at Tod's..and it dawned on me how the company I work for is their biggest tenant to date, in terms of number of stores, sales, no. of sq.m in Greenbelt 3,4 and now 5.... and how, as the company's rah rah girl, I should always project an image of professionalism, poise, grace and dignity at all times.. reflective of the very prestigious image our brands carry. ESPECIALLY when within those grounds at Ayala Malls. Yeah...I owe it to my employers and to our foreign principals to do that. At ALL times. What happened on the bridgeway between Greenbelt 3 and the parking lot close to midnight on June 22 doesn't speak very well of this rah rah girl. I wonder if I should seek out that security guard who saw everything .... maybe he needs cellphone load or something. hehe. kidding. cheap ko.

Suka sequel

The Ratwak gang strikes again! It was a mistake to say they had forgotten the shoe-ka-han incident. We were all together again, this time at the house of the Godfather, the Don Vito ...Mr. Q.. who else. And the suka story was further embellished, told again and again like some urban legend, each time gaining a colorful detail like the way I held my hair to one side in a ladylike gesture while the liquids gushed forth in a projectile motion... Carmi imitating my squatting- with- maria clara knees-to-one-side motion infront of the porcelain altar with the Jessica rabbit hair twirled around one hand, me sobbing uncontrollably amidst her shrieks of "Sungkitin mo na!"... Nilo even choreographed an instant dance step patterned after this very graceful sukahan motion... AND I was forced to re-enact that leaning-on-the-post- scenario - that precise moment when Mr. shoe owner probably decided he had had enough of this dysfunctional middle aged woman who had the mind of a teenager. And finally, the stories reached the other guests (some very powerful or soon-to-be-powerful people) in the party, up to now I have no idea why Mr. Q was so proud of the fact he had a friend who had no suka scruples - like it was some special talent. Of course we were all on our best behavior infront of these people initially, but the minute they left, it was back to our usual rat rat and wak wak minds as we thought of names for Q's new bar, Banana Q...Q's Banana...really, sometimes our brains turn into mush with each tick of the clock when we're all together... And to think it was only Monday!!! so many more ticks to go before the weekend!!

Shoe-kahan

Miriam Quiambao tripped around 4 or 5 years ago in front of millions of televiewers and redeemed herself by still rising from the floor like a queen. Ms. America also had her few seconds of shame in the recently concluded Ms. Universe pageant yet still ended up with a title. Supermodel Noemi Campbell, same thing. Ok - closer home - my friend C made a spectacle of herself one evening many many years ago when, while tipsy she almost somersaulted thru the air and ended up lying down on the floor infront of three ambassadors during a formal dinner. And YET she redeemed herself by being cute, and the host invited her again and again after that.

The point I am driving at is, there was nothing at all cute, or regal, or remotely redeeming in what happened to me recently. Blogging about it makes me feel better, but I shall not go into detail. The images are there -- a warm evening...the Greenbelt bridgeway ...walking slower, slower.. seeing a post.. blacking out...a pair of shoes... and Robert Palomar, the owner of the shoes.

The last time this happened to me was way back when I was 23... over two decades ago!!!... 3am, infront of Manila Manor, bent over a canal, with two gay friends helping me, and one shrieking that he/she actually saw eggshells (the eggshells were already in the canal to start with). As a result, I became the "Suka Shell Queen" of that little disco in Malate, and the gays loved it. Since then I have taken care never NEVER to place myself in a situation like that again.

This recent incident has yet to give me a similar title. No eggshells this time, and no gays, but the shoes have been irreparably damaged, as has the friendship with the owner. My friends, the ratwak gang of Mr. Q who else, laughed about it for three hours straight...I guess the crispy pata joke was getting stale, and we desperately needed something, anything, to laugh about again..the shallower the better... After a while, it seemed like it was the coolest and the funniest thing in the world to do the suka-on-the-shoe thing.

Now, with everyone sober and with the laughter gone, we all know that it's not. It definitely is NOT cool. The uncoolest, un-funniest thing in the whole wide universe has happened, and no way, no way, absolutely no way shall I ever be able to redeem myself-- my poise. my grace. my elan. -- the way Quiambao and Ms. America and Campbell did.

Looking at the brighter side though, things could have been worse - what if it were those leather seat covers and all of the BMW Z4's interiors.. you know, right into the aircon vent and all? I would not be alive today as shoe (and car) owner would have killed me. So...mustn't feel bad about the shoe thing. Or of the public spectacle in the middle of Greenbelt bridgeway. It was either that or the car. You can see at the height of my delirium I was still capable of making very wise split-second decisions!

ANYWAY, by blogging this, I am acknowledging this shoe-kahan to have happened and I therefore give it my final blessing and remove it completely from everybody's memory... poof! it's gone!! Friday night (or was it Saturday morning?) never happened.

MEXX and Match

photos courtesy of Alex Van Hagen

MEXX, the clothing brand from Scandinavia, was launched last Saturday via a fashion show right smack in the center of Mall of Asia. So it was a working Saturday for Corinne, Sunday, Missy and me... here we are.. the 'stars of the show' posing by the stage..

More pics.. this time with showbiz personalities Paolo Paraiso and Bianca King inside Mexx store
And finally , me with my two angels May Anne and Corinne...

After this ...a very satisfying dinner at Prince of Jaipur.. an Indian restaurant that had Filipina belly dancers -- how odd...(like having the tinikling danced by indian women). We had curry, curry and more curry. Langka, Atis and Macapuno icecream afterwards at Cafe Via Mare.. and then headed for home...but NOT without the usual car engine trouble. YES.. it happened again!!! Perfect day, perfect everything..only to be spoiled by a very very imperfect car. why oh why oh why oh why.. NO I do not want to go into detail.

Surprise surprise

Last Friday was yet another momentous occasion in my crazy office family of simple joys (and simple minds). We decided to throw a last minute surprise birthday party for dear sweet Corinne who turned twenty something last June 12 and already feels over the hill (where does that place the likes of ME???!) So, in keeping with our very childish hearts and minds we decided to throw a kiddie party right in the office. May Anne and I went merrily shopping at SM Toy Kingdom, where we loaded up on the kiddie hats, masks, a birthday crown, and buntings.
The food was ordered from McDonalds... and we really did maintain the surprise element -- well orchestrated, am impressed! May Anne brought her to the employees sale next door... while we hurriedly decorated our mini meeting room..laid out the food...we put on our masks / hats... and waited for Russel the security guard to give the pre-agreed signal -- a very loud COUGH. And cough away he did! one long asthmatic bronchitic sounding cough that called us all to action... crouching low , with lights dimmed we waited for that moment ... SURPRISE!!!!

(photos courtesy of Liza. My camera still in ICU)

crispy pata et al.

Actually, apart from 'brain' under construction, it's my camera too. That accounts for my blog lag..no recent entries of note except for the announcement about being on blog leave. My camera, for everybody's information, has died and gone to camera heaven, and thus no photos. But will try to resuscitate it and bring it to megamall tomorrow to see what can be done.
Must mention last night - what a crazy wacky evening, complete with sound effects like rat rat and wak wak - too embarrassing to explain what these are...anyway...reminisced again as usual, with my eightees friends -- Mr. Q and the usual gang from Hyatt / Calesa. This was at Mr. Q's home over dinner, and we had a hilarious time talking about the silliest shallowest things... Without divulging too much about our own personal experiences, we tried to recall if one orders the crispy pata before or after, if the ad of the crispy pata was indeed found on the headboard as what one girl claimed, or if that loud buzzer sound was really meant to wake you up by announcing the arrival of the crispy pata (which was normally placed in the ante room). There was actually a very heated debate - girls vs boys on the proper timing of the arrival of the crispy pata. or the lumpia shanghai. or pancit canton. or chop suey..which ever was applicable. Usap-busog, usap ala una, usap lasing.. super babaw...TO THINK ang tatanda na namin!!! Baby boomers all. Of course we were talking about experiences 20 years earlier.. "ang sabi nila"...Nilo's most oft repeated phrase, as he was the one most vocal about the crispy pata's proper timing. Another highlight of the evening was when I blamed Mr. Q for being instrumental for some major turning points in my life that eventually led to my pag-ka desgrasyada... Strike 1: incident in 1984 when Michel Jauslin, then the GM of Hyatt Seoul..newly widowed..super dashing and eligible..asked his permission to have dinner with me...my my, quite proper, asking permission from the boss! Q consented, but not without leaving me with those fateful words of advise...KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED. hahahahahaha!!! And so the door remained closed....and the rest is history. Michel is now some top notch hotelier in the city of Paris with a Korean girl as his first lady.. while me... nevermind... Strike 2: the sales manager private line is in tears, after having been on the phone with lover boy in brisbane...sales manager calls the boss, who by then was not just her boss but a confidante and advice-giver as well...Boss and Rita (his squeeze then, wife now) invite the sales manager for some drinks in order to console her. Boss and Rita give her the wrong advice ...Go Go Go for it Malu ... And again, the rest is history. The ironic thing is.. sales manager DID go, go, go for it (as in go on AWOL for love!), and the boss actually fired her for 'going' too much.. So there was a lot of pent up recrimination last night, released in such hilarious fashion.. I mean, all this took place over twenty years ago at that building by the bay (see photo.. awwww ...this is such a nostalgic, lump-in-the- throat moment for me) - all the AWOL-ing, the crying and the firing -- and we had a blast going over every detail, with everything exaggerated 10 x for effect of course.
Frankly I found it difficult sleeping last night as I was still laughing when I got home. I was the earliest to go home though. I understand they served longanizza and rice (breakfast??!) after I left...but I texted them that I had had too much 'crispy pata' already. Yeah..the taste is still there after twenty years.