Happy 2011!!!

New year, new beginning. It’s really a cliché, why wait for the New Year to change oneself when we have 365 days in a year to adopt small things to better change ourselves. Wait, why change in the 1st place? Does that mean something is wrong? Defective? Not working? We are trained to see ourselves vis-à-vis the general population, our ego needs to be brushed by our peers, thus the popularity of Facebook and the ultimate demise of Friendster. In the old Friendster, you can’t tag your photos or do daily status updates, a way that made Facebook very cool. Imagine, now you can shout to the whole digital world the places you’ve been, the friends you have, the things you have, how’s that for bragging rights?

It’s been a while since I wrote down something on this blog; blame it to the pressure to churn out articles when I was writing for 2 daily broadsheets. Make that past tense, was, since I think I have given up on writing, or maybe the editors have given up on me. Whatever the case, writing is something that one can do anywhere, something similar to prayers. I was lucky I was given the chance to write in dailies, it was financially and creatively rewarding. I have a compilation of all my past articles, and sometimes I can’t help but feel bad for some bad writing of mine. I have no one to blame but my self, churning out articles in less than 10 minutes.

So today, I am resurrecting this blog and write stuff that interests me on a daily basis. I said that I would stuff doing Facebook, such as waste of time actually, and instead, will use my time in more noteworthy endeavors I missed, like reading, watching movies, running, talking long walks, traveling.

Everyone is saying that 2011 is my year, given that I was born under the Year of the Ox, and with the changing of the calendar from Tiger to Rabbit, I can’t hardly wait. Let’ see what this year holds for me

A tale of 2 seaside retreats

JUST LIKE A SIREN SONG, seaside living is tempting. Who would ever say no to the sound of trees swaying to the sea breeze while sipping a cold beer or cocktail and lounging in a hammock? The idea itself is enough to lull tired souls to sleep on lazy afternoons.

Landco, the purveyor of high leisure living for the past 20 years through notable seaside getaways such as Peninsula de Punta Fuego, is again pushing the envelope. Recently, Inquirer Lifestyle visited its two new developments, Playa Calatagan and The Peak at Terrazas de Punta Fuego.

Calatagan conjures images of polo players in the expansive fields of Punta Baluarte. When industrialist Enrique Zobel (“Enzo”) developed Calatagan as his playground and breeding ground for his thoroughbreds, the sleepy coastal Batangas town facing the South China Sea became an Old Boys’ Club and the upper crust started building weekend houses there.

Lately, marketing pundits have used “leisure tourism” as buzzword to push beach-side developments. Landco saw the laid-back and Old World charm of the area. It is now offering Playa Calatagan, which aims to provide recreational adventures for homeowners and tourists alike: It seeks to put up hotels, shopping centers and restaurants that provide convenience and endless options for residents and vacationers.

The main beach clubhouse is situated next to Playa Calatagan’s famous coastline dotted with overgrown Talisay trees. One can enjoy swimming or relaxing at the pool cabanas.

Playa Calatagan is also putting up an amphitheater park, a bamboo park, a hilltop clubhouse and a central park. And for those planning to build the perfect beach house, there will be Asian tropical-inspired homes that complement the natural, rustic atmosphere.

The model unit lets the sunshine in and has a view of South China Sea. (Big picture windows double as slide doors.)

The living room has cathedral ceiling for that airy effect. The living room is surrounded with infinity ponds filled with lotus and carp.

The open floor plan connects the living room to the dining area and kitchen, and more space for entertaining. The dining room extends to a pocket garden and a reflection pool that is also an infinity-edge pool.

A small powder room is at the stair landing. It leads to the second floor, where the private areas of the house are—a master bedroom and a guest room plus a family living area and the veranda.

The bedrooms have native decor, from bamboo stilts as overheard décor to capiz doors as dividers and wooden four-post bed.

The bathrooms have rain shower heads, bamboo, potted plants, and natural daylight coming in.

Retreat in style

Now that Peninsula de Punta Fuego has become Landco’s flagship high-end development in Batangas, the company has developed seaside residential enclaves in Nasugbu, from Terrazas de Punta Fuego to The Peak and The Ridge.

The view from the house is breathtaking—mountain ranges on one end, the South China Sea on the other, and farmlands and salt marshes in between.

The house adapts to the natural contour of sloping mountain terrain, and an open layout and extensive use of glass panels allow the mountain and sea to be viewed from every part of the house.

Intended to look like a small Asian tropical bungalow, the building is a three-level house with a loft. The 318-sq m layout is creatively done, with stairs leading to the lower level where the main part of the house is located.

The living room is designed to look and feel like an island, connected to the main house by a small concrete bridge over two small ponds. Glass doors and windows providing a 180-degree view of the mountains and the sea wrap around the living area.

The conjoined kitchen and dining area has a spectacular view of the rolling hills of Nasugbu.

The den is a small multipurpose area, which can be quickly transformed into a guest room.

At the ground level is the master’s bedroom with a pocket garden and view of the small pool below.

The showpiece of the master’s bedroom is the wooden bed, placed right at the center of the room overlooking the mountains.

Landco is celebrating its 20th year as premier developer of Playa Calatagan and Terrazas de Punta Fuego’s The Peak and The Ridge.

For details, call +632-8365000 or visit www.landco.ph.

Your guide to the next best thing in bazaars

FOUR months to go and Father Christmas is just about here. Greenhills Shopping Complex’s COD Christmas display is almost done, while Makati has started its dry run for the annual Christmas spectacle along Ayala Avenue.

If Christmas is near, expect the bazaars to take up most of our weekends to complete our list of holiday gifts. As early as August, groups such as Zonta Club of Makati headed by Olga Martel held a weekend bazaar at Rockwell Tent.

Bazaars are actually hotbeds for the next best thing. Entrepreneurs utilize bazaars to market-test their products.

Who will ever forget the success stories of Blued, a college project by trailblazing Ateneans led by Tess Manimtim? What started as a college exhibit called Bluemark became a household name, thanks to the brand’s preppy dose of colorful windbreakers, paisley-printed hooded shirts and cotton boxer shorts. From college bazaars to stand-alone store in the old Glorietta 2 that opened in 1992, Blued became a benchmark of bazaar success stories.

Candles and more

Recently, I did a visit of bazaars and listed possible Christmas gifts.

For candle lovers, Pont A La Ligne, Gien France and Deco Candles are brands meant for export to Europe. They are made at the Export Processing Zone in Rosario, Cavite. Nautical-inspired candles ranging from corals to clams will definitely look good on dinner tables or in one’s private study.

For bag hags, Bags in the City sells everything from magnetic money clips to totes to accessories organizers, while Lulu Virata Jorge’s 1203 Exchange Limited sells trinkets and colorful faux croc-skin minaudieres, perfect for ladies who love to smooch come cocktail hours.

For bazaar veteran Jocelyn Ramos, her Multi-realms Enterprises sell Pucci-printed shirtdresses and clothes fresh from the runway. She faithfully scours fashion magazines for fashion inspirations that will catch the eye of discerning bazaar-goers.

Meanwhile, Vella offers leathergoods from tissue holders, cardholders to notepads. Imagine checking in at Immigration counter using a Vella travel wallet that carries your passport in style.

Everywhere you look – hotels, country clubs, even vacant lots –
a bazaar is happening these days, and it’s still 15 weeks before Christmas. As the world limps out of recession (hopefully) before 2010, let us spread the joy of the holidays by bazaar-shopping.

Thanks for Chikka..

The sunset pictured above was from Baguio. It was the first time I appreciated this scenery despite the many times I have been up there. Maybe I am to busy shopping or the place was too foggy to notice it. I took this one from the Baguio Cathedral deck.

I used to remember, whenever my Globe postpaid line was disconnected, i panicked a lot, that was before, when I had friends and a lovelife, but now, both of them are non-existent, so when Globe disconnected by line, I took it in stride, no need to rush to the nearest business center to have it connected, what the heck, I am not expecting anything important, no calls that I have to place, to messages that I have to send. Thank God for Chikka, at least I get to reply once in a while to some messages, like clients from eBay, or from some people that have decided to text me.

Despite the absence of a working phone line and a permanent residential or office address, I had business cards that were printed just in time for an all important PR briefing/bidding for a Swiss multinational, and it dawned on me that after attending biddings for this client, I just realized that in this business, talent is irrelevant, it is all about timing, not mine nor anyone's else, but God's. If this project is really meant for me, then by all means, I will get this. As I was reading Deepak Chopra's book, he mentioned about the "Law Of Least Effort", which is really the way I should look at things. He specifically made an example wherein one is trying hard to recall something, and no matter how hard we try to remember it ( as they say, "it was on the tip of my tongue..."), when you totally let go of that matter, after a few second without really trying to remember it, then, you will just remember it. That's a perfect example of that law. So I will try to always live by that maxim, i won't put any effort on anything, period. I will put a lot of efforts though in praying and hearing masses, imagine, I even pray that the Lord make me invisible, at least from the building owners, so that they won't notice that i haven't replied to their demand letters or eviction notices, Har!Har! Har! Sometimes, I do pray for the wrong things, so I get them faster, be really careful with what you wish for, for you just might get it, as the adage goes.

While I am still on the topic of remembering, please do check out the latest copy of Time Magazine about the Heroes Of The Environment, a pinoy made it on the list, hooray!!! And check out the last page write up about social networking. The writer succintly defined what I am trying to say. This social networking is really a crap, I don't even see who invented it, I have a Friendster, Facebook, Blogspot, Multiply, Flixster, YouTube, X-Tube, and what-have-you accounts, and yet, not a single friend from these sites do call or text me, hahaha! with the exception of a few friends.

Thank God for Chikka, again, Dennis Mendiola, you are God-sent! Now I have to get my Globe reconnected, and that will be another story, for now, will wait for some stuff to be sold on eBay. My life has become a big sob story, and when the end comes, I will give the author of The Secret a run for their money, because it will be great!!!

Ground Zero Glorietta 2

A picture perfect photo of Glorietta 2 which I found in my files. I held the launch of Dwayne Wade shoes in this site last Nov. 3, 2005 which coincided with the global launch. I took care of everything, from planning, leading, organizing and control, and I must say I was pleased with the result. Tessa Valdes-Prieto hosted the event which was directed by uber-nice Jackie Aquino. Collections by Randy Ortiz, Tonichi Nocom, Vittorio Barba, JC Buendia and Kate Torralba were presented, and I asked them to design their own versions of the iconic Chuck Taylor to which they came produced beautiful renditions. James Yap was present as the image model for the brand and i asked the basketball varsity team of University Of Asia & The Pacific to be his background support. Aimee Marcos, Mariel Rodriguez, Bianca Gonzales came, as well as Town & Country editors Monique Villonco and Mia Borromeo, FHM's Ana Kalaw, Mega's Vicky Tensuan, and host of other writers. Coca Cola Tigers, Sta. Lucia and Red Bull players such as Billy Mamaril, Nelbert Omolon, Warren Ybanez as well as Coach Eric Altamirano came. College basketball players of UST such as Dylan Ababou and College Of St. Benilde's Paolo Orbeta also dropped by.

I can't believe that investigators are pinpointing that the source of the blast could be an accident, a deadly mixture of methane gas and diesel which emanated from the sewerage located at the basement of the mall. The huge crater at the center of the site and the destruction all the way to the third level that blew the glass dome is a sad reminder that anything can happen to anyone. So far, 11 people have died from the blast which hit the mall during the Friday lunch rush hour. I am thankful that I was not there, to think I live around 500 meters from the site and I usually pass by that entrance lobby since a booksale is always held at the atrium. Also, it sits beside Goldcrest, another favorite hangout of mine for bargains. Sometimes, the Lord will really make me blessed despite the odds, He made sure I was hearing mass in Sacred Heart when the blast happened, which I dutifully do everyday. There are times I wanted Him to take me but it seems He has bigger plans for me. I am very thankful for the daily blessings He has bestowed upon me.

Silence...

There was silence. I decided not to blog for months. I felt that people were just looking at my blogs and they did not care if I was still surviving. Some were mocking me, as if I was a leper that was an outcast because I have nothing. I have learned to count my blessings rather than dwell on my misfortunes. By this time, I have known true friends from fake ones. I have become more prayerful, praying for others especially those who are against me. I guess friendship nowadays has become so lax, in this time and age, people won't bother to call you or text you to find out how are you faring, if you have eaten, if you have moved. Well, life is too short and I have decided to make this one be my signature life. I am young, beautiful, smart, and that was Ugly Betty's signature line. Please check out my photoblog at www.jakedeleonramirez.multiply.com

Lucky threesome..

And there was 3. I decided to get a new puppy since I heard that having even and not odd numbers as pets is very unlucky. I need to break the series of unfortunate events in my life. I am already on my 23rd week of hearing mass daily, and it has done wonders. I just received a call that I won P30,000 in cold cash from a promo, not bad. I am a sucker for raffles, and I have joined a lot. The most I got was a rice cooker which I never get to claim, I won an electric fan from a rigged office raffle, and won a gift certificate or two. Due to my addiction to raffle and shopping, which is a bad combination, I raked my credit card usage just to earn points and join in Mastercard or Visa raffle. I already got an overnight stay from Oakwood Hotel due to high points from Ayala Discount Plus. Even if I don’t smoke Philip Morris or Hope, I made sure that I get from the trash bin or from the “takatak’ boys (medicant cigarette vendors) the empty packs. Name it, I have joined it, Myra E Blooming Everyday, Halls Pera Sa Wrapper, La-Cash Tama Extra Joss, BIR’s Pera Sa Resibo, the daily lottery. Out of compulsion, I always place a bet under “lucky pick”, so far, I have won 4 numbers out of 6 combinations, to think the factorial is 1 out of 42 million, 45 million or 49 million, depending whether it is 6/42, 6/45 or 6/49, and I don’t even check out the results religiously, maybe I have won already millions and PCSO just kept my winnings since I didn’t claim the pot prize.

Well, I have named the 3rd dog Alberta, she is a mongrel I bought along Session Road for P500, not bad to think I won P30,000 with just an envelope and empty Myra E packs as capital. The luck continues…