On Tulips, Spaceships and Hot Air Balloons

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My dream date is a tall, dark, handsome, blue eyed man with a bubble butt who will whisk me away to Paris in a hot air balloon to wine me, dine me and… – Karen McDougal

Some girls do dream of a hot air balloon date. I thought the idea was cool when I read a lot of fairytales and books as a kid. Now that I am a grown-up, idealistic woman, I figured out that a hot air balloon date is expensive and it can also be dangerous. Well, I am worth every penny and risks. Chos!

Hot Air Balloon Fiesta - Clark, Pampanga

I was able to catch the last day of the 18th Hot Air Balloon Festival in Clark, Pampanga with my grandfather last Sunday. It was a short, tiring yet fun trip. If I remember it right, around 31 Balloons flew for this year’s fiesta. I saw a number of familiar balloons which I saw in 2010. The new ones were really cute and appealing specially to the young crowd.

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The Big Reunion: 5ive and 911

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It’s all in the number. 5ive and 911 are two of the most popular boybands Britain produced in the 90’s. I figured out recently that post pop bands would do a Southeast Asian tour first before invading their own country and if they make it big in the rest of Europe, they’re set to conquer the United States of America!

5IVE and 911 - British Boy Bands we loved in the 90's!

5IVE and 911 – British Boy Bands we loved in the 90’s!

5ive… when they were introduced to the media before, they were dubbed as the ‘Spice Boys’ by the press because they were discovered by the people behind ‘Touch’ (original name of the Spice Girls). Aside from their good looks and dance moves, their music is a fusion of pop and rock. 5ive is the boy band with an edge. When I got accepted at the school dance troupe in high school, ‘Keep on Moving’ is our ‘premiere’ dance presentation. Good times!

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‘A Moment in Time’ with Coco Martin and Julia Montes

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Star Cinema is the rom-com giant of the Philippine movie industry. They were able to produce a number of patterned films that make hopeless romantics like me get kilig while sitting inside the cinema.

'A Moment in Time' Coco Martin and Julia Montes

Coco Martin and Julia Montes spreading the kilig in the LRT

I was able to catch the movie ‘A Moment in Time‘ with my friend Maki earlier. ABS-CBN’s Walang Hanggan is undeniably the most successful teleserye of 2012. It’s about time to test the box-office  movie charisma of the Coco Martin and Julia Montes loveteam! If I remember it right, the original target showing date of A Moment in Time is somewhere between March and April. The third John Lloyd-Sarah film is not yet finished that’s why the producers decided to screen the Coco-Julia film for the love month.

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The Big Reunion: Atomic Kitten, B*Witched and Honeyz

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The Spice Girls were a big influence to me. The ‘Girl Power’ tagline truly helped me in my most difficult times growing up. I would listen to their records whenever I am down. Because of my fandom, I even learned how to use the computer, surf the internet, make html websites and many, many more! In short, the Spice Girls were the ones to thank (or blame) on why you’re reading this blog now.

B*Witched, Atomic Kitten and Honeyz

B*Witched, Atomic Kitten and Honeyz

Dubbed as ‘the biggest girl band in the world’, the Spice Girls also influenced a lot of popstar wannabes to form a band and try their luck in the music industry. Britain produced a lot of pop bands. Some of my favorites include Atomic Kitten, B*Witched and Honeyz. The Spice Girls didn’t really last that long as a group (unless you include their ‘Touch’ days). It must be really tough to be in a girl band. Instant success might also result to instant downfall when not handled properly.

ITV2, a British network recently produced a documentary on six former popbands namely 5ive, Liberty X, 911, Atomic Kitten, B*Witched and Honeyz. As of writing, the show aired three episodes already and I would like to reminisce my love for these pop royalties. Let’s focus on the girls first!

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A Dubai tour top three

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Nobody could accuse Dubai of hiding its lights under a bushel, and some features of the desert kingdom – like a miniature world map made out of artificial islands – might seem kitsch. But that is also part of the appeal. There are loads of great Dubai holiday packages out there, and if you go for one, why not just embrace the pleasures on offer in this most unlikely of places. Here’s a top three of things to see and do if you get a chance.

Wild Wadi Water Park

Wadi means valley or dry river bed in Arabic, but there is nothing dry about the Wild Wadi Water Park, one of Dubai’s best active holiday destinations. Located just in front of the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel, the park is one of the largest and most sophisticated of its kind anywhere in the world. There are thirty rides, all themed around a tale from Arabian folklore. Among them is the Wipeout Flowrider, a surfing experience that blasts out more than seven tonnes of water per second in a thin stream across a moulded foam sheet – perfect for body boarding without having to worry about the timing to catch the wave.

Dubai Gold Souk

There are many souks (traditional street markets) in the downtown area of the city, selling goods such as spices, textiles and fish. However the most amazing is probably the gold souk. With every trader competing to offer the most glittering display, it feels like walking through a true Aladdin’s cave of treasures. Arab countries have a well-known tradition of bartering, and nowhere is this more in evidence than in the gold souk of Dubai. If you are used to paying the price on the label, it can feel strange at first to come in with a lower offer, but soon you will get used to it and be bargaining with the best of them.

Jumeirah Mosque

Alongside the wealth and hedonism, Dubai has a fascinating culture that’s crying out to be explored. The beautiful Jumeirah Mosque is a good place to start. They operate an open-doors policy meaning you don’t have to be Muslim to go inside, though modest dress is recommended. Combining the 75 minute tour with a meal hosted by an Emirati guide is a superb way to get to know more about how Dubai has preserved its traditions amidst the boom of the past decade.

* This is a Guest Post

 

Starting 2013 with a Plan – Evaluating January

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My Belle the Jour Planner 2013 Planner - Thanks, Mama Ru!

My Belle the Jour Planner 2013 Planner – Thanks, Mama Ru!

“If you don’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?” – RuPaul

Most bloggers publish their New Year Goals and Plans within the first seven days of January. For a change, I am publishing mine on the last Monday of the month. Why? Because I want to! 😛

I don’t know what made me check the Facebook page of Velvet Channel last December, but I did. I scrolled down the page and saw a status message regarding a contest. All you have to do is answer this question: Which Velvet show do you love the most and why?

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Richard Gutierrez: Let the Seduction Begin!

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Richard Gutierrez is everywhere nowadays. For weeks now, he’s been busy promoting his new film entitled ‘Seduction’, which serves as Regal Films’ opening Salvo for 2013. The movie is the movie comeback project of veteran director Peque Gallaga. It is a sexy-drama full of love, lust and desire.

Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati

The Seduction of Richard Gutierrez

Chard started out as a child actor (together with his twin brother Raymond, who is a successful TV host now). He took a brief hiatus from showbiz and emerged as one of the most important homegrown talents of the Kapuso network. He was re-introduced via the Saturday teen-oriented show, Click. I remember his character name was Enzo and he was paired with Mimi (played by Chynna Ortaleza). Can you still remember who his twin sister in the show is? Yep, Angel Locsin as Charley. As an avid viewer of the show way back, I wished they never casted Richard and Angel as siblings because they’d make a good onscreen couple.

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The Wreckoning: Willam Belli’s Debut Album

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Drag Queens rock my world. When I am not working or traveling, I spent my idle hours watching drag queen videos, reruns of Rupaul’s Drag Race, reblogging squirrel quotes and listening to drag queen music. I don’t care if some friends of mine are annoyed with my constant mention of drag queens. If they do really care for me, they would understand and love me no matter what. #drama

I won't Rupologize for loving you, Willam!

I won’t Rupologize for loving you, Willam!

I’ve written several posts on my Manila Luzon addiction. I really love the Gaysian queens, but I also love the other talented graduates of Rupaul’s Drag Race. One of them is the workaholic Willam Belli.

I can’t remember exactly how, but I accidentally saw his music video for ‘Love You Like a Big Schlong’, a parody song inspired by Selena Gomez’ ‘Love You Like a Love Song’. The video went viral and I honestly didn’t like it at first. I find it trashy and not safe for work lol.

Among the drag queens who stepped in Rupaul’s Drag Race, I can say that Willam Belli stands out – he is extremely talented (check his acting and singing reel) and his ideas are crazy, yet he can produce a good output.

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Bonggang Tribute: Pinay Drag Queens of Rupaul’s Drag Race

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Last month, Filipinos from different parts of the world rejoiced when Janine Tugonon placed first runner-up in the Miss Universe 2012 Pageant. The truth is, a lot of beauty queen enthusiasts feel that Miss Philippines should’ve won.

Pinay Drag Queens

While most fans were busy rooting for their favorite beauty  queen, I was drafting a tribute post for the Pinay Drag Queens who made it in Rupaul’s Drag Race. No, the show is not about the risky drag racing. It is a show where drag queens are given the opportunity to showcase their talent for the world to see!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gdbbHr1d2A&w=560&h=315]

I first heard about Rupaul’s Drag Race when an online friend shared the music video ‘Hot Couture’ by Manila Luzon. I instantly feel in love with the video and look for information about this drag queen. Apparently, she placed 1st runner-up in Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 3. She lost to Raja Gemini, who is also Asian (Indonesian). Love the fact that the gaysians invaded the third season!

I admitted on my YearEnder post that the latter part of 2012 was quite rough for me. Instead of traveling or doing something productive, I end up watching Rupaul’s Drag Race Season 2, 3, 4 and the All Stars edition. It is fun to know that the Pinay Drag Queens who were introduced on the show continues to make their loyal fans happy with their gigs!

While beauty queens like Venus Raj, Shamsay Supsup and Janine Tugonon get all the mainstream media attention they deserve, it seems that our internatinally-acclaimed Pinay Drag Queens don’t. Oh well. Let me make the first move and introduce some of the Filipino guys who made it to Rupaul’s Drag Race!

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2012: A Year of Travel, Movies and Drag Queens

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While enjoying some ‘alone time’ in a deserted park in Subic on the last afternoon of 2012, I silently browsed the pages of my planner and recall how my year was. Obviously, my year was dominated by meaningful travels – I visited five countries and managed to visit the best my home country has to offer.

One Day in Paradise – (El Nido, Palawan)

It is also the year where I saw some really nice films – mainstream and indie alike. I chose to be an audience and appreciate every character I get to know. My love and devotion for drag queens – particularly Manila Luzon and other Rupaul’s Drag Race contestants made the rest of my ‘ber’ months happy and gay. In times of depression, go and turn to drag queens! Werk!

I’ll try my best to summarize my 2012 – the year a turned 25 years old.

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