last metrowear gala 2008

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Our Metrowear Gala 2008-grabbed photos from Bianca who grabbed them from Erica- thanks girls!

The Atigas!

Tinabu, husband Nelli and baby Naz surprised be by saying they were in town. Luckily enough, my Sunday was free and I was able to meet up with them at very colorful Martha's Cakes in the Fort. It was nice seeing this Singaporean based couple after so long. Baby Naz is not even two years old but she's certainly looking like she's going to have a growth spurt for a long time. This I bet is thanks to her Samoan dad! Am pretty sure she will grow up to be as wonderful as both her parents and that she will be able to eat cupcakes, a whole bunch of them with us adults very soon.

Social Networking Like No Other-in Shanghai

MANILA, Philippines—In these techie times, social networking is easily associated with finding your super friends (or making them) via Multiply, Facebook and Friendster. But for Ros Juan, area manager of Figaro Coffee Shanghai, nothing beats social networking in the flesh.

“I came to Shanghai in 2005 to study Mandarin for six months and after that, it just seemed a waste of time to just go home and not practice it.”

Then she was given the task to develop the market for Figaro in China. “You can say that I have to be an all-around kind of person,” laughs Ros.

Her greatest challenge was to get more people to come to the two-storey coffee shop and spread the word. Her initial desire way back in college is to be a librarian—“I wanted so much to fill my library card, what a nerd!”—found some fulfillment here—she devised a book swap. Bringing together people via books was the most natural thing.

“In China, it’s rather difficult to get English language books or foreign books, so I got inspiration from Oprah’s Book Club and decided to start something similar to that, using my store as venue.”

What was even more successful was a book swap that also finds a home every third Saturday of the month. People come in, not just Filipinos, with books they’ve read and they do an exchange. Not only do they meet more people with similar interests; they also have a rare opportunity to build their friendship pool.

Literary events are definitely the passion of Ros, as the book club is held every second Sunday. She even started a writer’s night every Monday. This is the only regular weekly group. Writers—be they freelance, aspiring or professional—hang out, start discussion groups and do writing workshops.

“Before,” recalls Ros, “It was me going out there looking for events or activities to generate business for my store, now it’s people approaching us for events.”

Socializing has gone beyond books and writing. Every second Tuesday, they have “travel guy” John Mckenna, who is known for making custom-made tours to China. There are so many kinds of people visiting Figaro Shanghai that it has been given the amusing nickname of “mini-consulate.”

Growing network

How big exactly has her personal and professional network grown as a result of all her social networking?

“Shanghai is a very transient city, so the groups pretty much maintain an average number of five to 10 people per meeting. So we can’t actually measure growth in terms of numbers of attendees. My growing name card collection is a good gauge for professional contacts and Facebook for more personal contacts like actual good friends and an acquaintance here and there. If you want numbers, I can tell you that more than 1,000 books have been swapped at Figaro.

“We’re very close to the Philippine consulate, and it helps that they make us a must-see when they’ve got guests. I’ve been able to meet and even tour people around which I would not have had a chance to do if I had chosen to work in Manila.”

So what does this 26-year-old “ambassador” have planned out to unite nations?

“I plan to start a Camera Club. All the activities we have at Figaro and events I get involved in are all my interests—books, literary events, writers’ groups, etc. Photography is a passion so a camera club will be a great way to meet other photographers and learn from them.”

What made her successful at being a “Friendster in the flesh”?

“Shanghai’s really been a great city to meet all sorts of people and to get involved in so many different things. Maybe it’s the whole expat culture of being in a new place where people don’t know you and you don’t know anyone. So you have to burst out of your shell, comfort zone, and make an entrance. Have the courage to try new things, pursue your interests and passions and be ready to make new friends. It’s nice to have a fresh start.”

If you plan to visit Shanghai, check out what else (besides coffee) is brewing in Ros Juan’s mini-consulate.

A Charmed Life

By Katrina A. Holigores
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Last updated 07:01pm (Mla time) 12/21/2007
MANILA, Philippines—A New Year is approaching and a lot of internal and external spring cleaning is in order.

The “industry” of new age, or eastern as opposed to western philosophies have been on the rise in recent years, regardless of the fact that the belief in most of the practices have existed for centuries. Recently, I have picked up an interest in feng shui, which is not an uncommon word nowadays and when Wikipedia-d means “wind-water” ( literally) and when described it is the ancient Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment. Curiosity got the best of me even more when a friend came over one day accompanied what may best be described as a jingly-jangly sound (and no she wasn’t on Santa’s sleigh). She was wearing bracelets made out of semi-precious stones, crystals and some even had rather peculiar, mythical animal figurines on them. “They’re my ‘anting-anting’ (talismans) she gleefully exclaimed and proceeded to tell me how her luck had taken a rather positive, almost divine turn after a feng shui consultation and acquisition of bracelets. Having studied western astrology, the enneagram and other (ok weird) similar subjects, I made an appointment to visit Chains and Charms proprietor, Joy Lim, who had been (I later found out) practicing her feng shui craft for almost eight years.

Waiting auspiciously

Getting to Joy Lim’s Quezon city office (although she has other branches peppered all over GMA) was a rather complicated adventure for my Makati spoiled being, but, I got there and “prepared” myself for what would be the outcome. Perhaps I’ve just watched one too many movies that depict these geomancers or feng shui practitioners as aging, grumpy, wild-eyed soothsayers so I was really trying to hold my rather wild imagination at bay. I was though, surrounded by as many Buddha figurines, chimes, dragons, red and gold as far as the eye could see, which was amusing. “She has never renovated or changed this place,” explained Vangie Kua, her publicist and longtime friend. “It is where she found her first success.” As I looked around and took in walls that needed a paint job and floors that needed some loving I figured that there may be truth in “Don’t fix what isn’t broken” as this is a woman who sometimes has a waiting list of clients for weeks, even months and people are willing to wait hours for their appointment. Thankfully, my wait wasn’t very long and it was certainly worth it because when Joy Lim breezed in my grumpy-lady-with-too-much-black-eyeliner notions were dispelled. I was greeted with a woman of vibrant, warm and happy energy and found my own energy buoyed as I was ushered into an extension of the building that was her current office.

A different kind of bling

A tip: you need to come equipped with your birth details and from there, your Chinese Zodiac animal is identified and what number or “star” corresponds to you. Things may get a little technical at this point, but you are shown charts, photos and you can ask a barrage of questions.

“It was my grandfather who used to practice feng shui,” confides Joy. “I would just know about it as a hobby, the only time I started believing in it was when my first business failed. When I started applying proper feng shui techniques—things changed and since then I’ve been a convert, but always with the intention to help others by providing them with what they need to change their luck. First and foremost, none of this will happen if you don’t have faith in God-or a Supreme Being.” What she is most known for is her chains and charms bracelets, which she started making-using customized designs for her friends, and when they started to tell her that things were also changing for the better, she decided to go into it full-time. “The bracelets are like portable auspicious items that you can take with you—they help with personal energy and then I can recommend other things for the energy of your house.” Depending on your life concern at the time is what she will base what kind of bracelet to create for you. All her creations are made out of crystals and semi-precious stones and even the figurines she attaches are made of the same material. Rose quartz for example is good for attracting love and relationships, yellow citrine for money and success, a crystal sculpted golden rooster may be attached to a bracelet to attract your peach blossom luck in that particular area, or you may benefit from bracelets that have the “heavenly” DZI Tibetan charm. ( Rumored to have fallen from heaven and what is used by Tibetan monks) The bracelets, at the very least can make you feel more positive and if you are still unsure of what your concerns are there is always the Blessed Lucky Animal Sign Charm Bracelet. It is unique to the wearer and is created according to your sign, and carries with it blessings from heaven—this was her very first creation and technically her “best-seller.”

Luck be a lady

So, as I ended my session and walked away—jingling jangling all the way—armed with my new bands of luck and power (Wonder Woman would not have stood a chance) I couldn’t help but think that at the very least, I made a new friend, had some new accessories that would certainly be conversation starters and hey, if 2008 turns out to be bigger, brighter and better due to my wrist warriors then I would definitely be a very happy feng shui follower for life.

For information or to make an appointment: call Charms and Crystals at 742-2597. Or check out www.charmsandcrystals.com

For the backburner

It has been agreed by Jeannie and I that we will first put the documentary idea for Banahaw in the archives of our minds. Although we know that the project could have turned out beautiful, it is probably not the right time due to the depressed economy and the difficulty we're having in acquiring funds and equipment.
Til the next time.

On Hold

Looks like Banahaw documentary will be put on hold due to the lack of funds and lack of equipment not to mention the lack of time from the people involved. It will be shelved first into our memories and will hopefully have a rebirth sometime this year when times are a bit more favorable.

Nothing moving

Today I'm going to vent my frustrations. It's hot enough to blow off some steam without really trying too hard. There has been no movement sponsor wise on the documentary and I'm beginning to get agitated and pretty deterred by all this. With no money and no free camera am not quite sure how we can move. I'm not even "moved" enough to really get into mulling over the script. It's a bit difficult as I want to shoot something already, but money is a frustrating thing too. Everyone I know is getting into a financial bind, and we all have to tighten our belts. Anyway, we've given ourselves til the end of May to get this party started. Soldiering on...

Getting ready

Today starts the first day of "production" for a 45 min. documentary entitled "Vanishing Voices" the Plight of a Sacred Mountain. What is going to happen this morning is that me and my co-producer and editor are off for an ocular to plan logistics on how to shoot. It's been many years for me since I've been to what is known as The Power Mountain and I haven't slept a wink. It's now 4am and we're supposed to set off in half an hour. I am extremely excited and there is everything hopeful and prayerful and wishful in my thoughts that this will be a beautiful, touching and enlightening documentary. The third co-producer, who is also going to be writer and researcher cannot join us today. Maybe it's better that way as she is so well versed with the way of the mountain and this should be a discovery for both me and the other producer. This will be a whole day affair and I am equipped with my trusty and reliable Nikon Coolpix 5700. Later perhaps I may be able to post photos.