“Can’t stop crying watching this. This is why I make music. She is the future.” Lady Gaga tweeted.

American talk show host Ellen Degeneres took notice of her talent from Lady Gaga’s tweet and invited Maria to appear on her show on February 21, 2011. She performed “Born This Way” on the piano while singing on the show. Her parents were part of the audience and as seen in the video that recorded the show, they cried in joy as they saw their own daughter’s talent. Before the show on an interview with HOT-103 FM, Maria Aragon spoke with Gaga, and was invited to perform “Born This Way” with her at The Monster Ball Tour concert in Toronto in March. Maria Aragon confirmed she was invited to sing with her on Ellen.

We expect to be seeing a lot more of Maria Aragon and we will be following her career as she grows up.

                          

Sarah Geronimo is one of the Philippines’ most popular singers. Sarah, dubbed as the “Pop Star Princess” started singing at an early age— as early as two years old—appearing in mall shows,singing competitions and the occasional TV guestings. She was briefly a part of the popular 90’sABS-CBN variety show Ang TV.
Sarah Geronimo’s first true break came after winning the IBC-13 singing competition Star for a Night, hosted by famous Filipina singer Regine Velasquez. For the finals night, Sarah performed the Celine Dion song To Love You More, which would go on to become one of her signature performances because of the flawless rendition and stylistic similarity to the original. She wasonly 14 years old at the time.
Today, Sarah Geronimo is not only a singer but also a TV personality, host, actress and endorser.Under contract with ABS-CBN, she is a regular with the noon time variety show ASAP, and has starred in multiple box office hits, more notably films made with matinee idol John Lloyd Cruz.Their latest movie, You Changed My Life, is the highest grossing Filipino film ever made, as of 2010.
Sarah Geronimo is widely known for her masa appeal, and she is widely recognized as being one of the most down to earth people in the Philippine entertainment industry today.

                          

Caprese Salad Appetizer

• 20 grape or cherry tomatoes
• 20 fresh basil leaves
• 20 small balls fresh mozzarella cheese (often labeled bocconcini)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 20 toothpicks

Mix the vinegar and oil together in a small bowl and marinate tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper, set aside for 30mins. Using a toothpick, spear tomato, a piece of basil, a mozzarella ball, and another half of a tomato. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Place on a serving dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using remaining marinade, drizzle over the top of the appetizers.

                          

And then I found out about Digital Traincase , an online make-up and beauty store, which makes it possible for me to purchase nail polish with convenience. The store is managed by Sol and she carries bottles upon bottles of OPI and Orly polish in the yummiest colors. Sol has Zoya, China Glaze and Milani brands as well. What’s great about it is you can place orders from her for items that may be hard to purchase anywhere.

One of my favorite picks from stuff include this matte nail polish top coat which turns any glossy polish into matte consistency, like in this photo to the left.

I am eyeing the Milani Dress Maker from her items next. Women who know their nail polish colors know why this bottle is a treasured find. It’s the exact same color and consistency as the more expensive (much, much more!) but very coveted Chanel Jade polish.

Digital Traincase also has a huge collection of Nyx Make-up which comes with colors and shades similar to NARS cosmetics, a higher end brand.

The online store was set up only this year by Sol, who is a nail polish buff and make-up buff herself.

Photo is from Digital Traincase

Visit her store here or her Facebook page here.

                          

At The Grove, which is located just right across Tiendesitas in Ortigas, is where the SuperSale Bazaar was (or until today, November 21st). SuperSale organizes bazaars regularly, by the way. You can check their Multiply page or their Facebook group if you or a friend is interested in applying for a slot.

The thing to love about these bazaars is finding items that aren’t normally available anywhere. It’s no wonder why shopping for a unique gift this holiday season makes bazaars so popular among Filipinos.

I was able to buy this wristwatch for P400.00 from the Splattstore (you can find them on Facebook) which I thought would be cute for my teenage son. The watches carry one of a kind styles as they come with polymer clay designs and undergo a laborious process of baking.

Because I wasn’t sure what my son would like, I picked the design which was the most safest in a way because some of the other watches looked really colorful and whimsical and wacky.  The shop also sells other items like trendy clothes and gadgets.

I also spotted this specialty shop called Amuse Bouche, which makes the cutest aprons. The aprons come in various designs that don’t exactly look like aprons. Their prices range from P200 to P800. These would be perfect gifts for people who enjoy cooking.

Baghags would probably like to check out these eco-friendly bags from Jacinto & Lirio. These bags are made from water hyacinth (or water lily) which is consider a plant pest that’s mostly found drifting in our rivers. Jacinto & Lirio made use of this as a material to create gorgeous and classy looking bags. They also have other bags made from newspaper, man-made leather and furniture leather.

The bazaar also had a number of accessory booths, clothes & shoes, as well as food.

                          

Photo is from Google Images

Authorities are now on full alert at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport as reports from Hong Kong confirm that avian influenza cases are on the rise. Avian influenza is otherwise known as Bird Flu, a deadly disease. The latest reported case is the first one,since the strain was controlled some five or seven years ago.

Officials have tasked airport staffer to take precautions and they  are supposedly doing their best with passengers who may be deteced as traveling with fever. Scanners have already been placed at the terminals to evaluate a person’s body temperature, and if necessary,  they may quarantine the person and give the proper medical treatment.

In light of this, the Department of Health, is also supposedly on full alert. But no travel advisory by our government has been issued yet. Hong Kong is apparently still safe for visiting and traveling.

And since this is the case, we might as well also take precautionary measures ourselves. The biggest defense we have against this is a healthy immune system that is achievable if we eat right, stock up on Vitamin C and drink water for proper cleansing. There will be thousands of balikbayan coming home this season, as well as families taking a break abroad, during the holidays. I’m hoping that nothing worse develops from this news.

                          

I’d get inside a friend’s car, or visit someone’s house, and there would be her music playing in the background. She was one of those artists that made Bossa Nova mainstream and so popular was Sitti, that it didn’t take long for her career to take off.

In fact, her  first album was a certified hit.

Photo is from Google Images

Years later, and here’s Sitti, back to making more music. But this time, she says, we will hear more of her original songs.

In a press conference for her birthday concert, which will be held at Metrobar in Quezon Avenue this November 21st, the sultry singer said, “Sabi ko sa Warner, ayaw ko nang gumawa nang cover album. Kung gagawa ako man ako ng cover gusto ko all original. Kaya nga natatagalan kasi we’re looking for materials.”

Packaging her as a versatile performer is actually a good step. She did say, however, that the new album will still feature some songs with her signature Bossa Nova style.

The album is expected to be released early next year.

                          

However, not one day after this was soft-launched, not everyone was pleased, including locals who either 1) didn’t like the new logo 2) didn’t like the website’s name: Beautiful Pilipinas; and 3) didn’t like the new tagline, which has replaced “Wow! Philippines!”

Now, I’d like to believe that these complaints aren’t because we Pinoys often resort to whining when change is introduced. It’s just that many of these observations are actually valid, and should be given thought by those at the DOT.

For one thing, there is apparently a porn site already bearing the name “Beautiful Pilipinas”, according to Anton Diaz, owner of the very popular site, Our Awesome Planet. The DOT site has already been taken down following this observation.

Another issue that just came up is that…. while the logo does look festive and lively, some people have noted that this is a direct copy of a logo from Polka or the Polish National Tourist Office.

Photo is from Spanky Enriquez's Site: Manila Boy on Blogspot

It looks as though the DOT has not done their homework with this launch. However, Tourism Secretary Alberto Lim has said in the news that all these ideas are still in the testing stage and no unnecessary expenses were drawn as a result of this.

Yeah, sure.

                          

Her name is Hazel Faith Dela Cruz. And she has just wrapped up her guest spot on, Glee, as the Phil. Daily Inquirer reports.

Hazel appears on the show courtesy of a local contest which ran on a cable channel.

She relates: “Later that day while I was watching TV, I saw the advertisement of ETC’s Glee off to Hollywood Promo. To join, you just come up with a creative video of why you deserve to win the special prize. I told my dad I wanted to join but didn’t think I had any chance to win. He encouraged me to go ahead and join. So, I got a camera and recorded myself singing one of my original compositions entitled Can’t Comprehend. That was five days before the deadline. I submitted my video and didn’t expect much.”

Following her submission, she was shortlisted by the contest organizers and then became one of the four winners. In her entry, Hazel displayed not only her singing prowess but her ability to create her own songs.

Hazel won a fabulous prize package which included Glee merchandise, $1,000 pocket money for her trip to Hollywood, and the best one of all — a walk-in part on the hit series.

I wonder when this episode will air?

                          

The new products include eight “synergistic ways” that give Pinay complexion this fine fairness radiance. These include the following:

• Fine Fairness Cleanser – removes impurities and delivers clarity. It contains Vitamin C, essential oils and skin lighteners and comes in a silky, creamy consistency.
• Fine Fairness Toner – whitener that contains soy bean extracts to help with uneven skin tone and discoloration.
• Fine Fairness Cream – comes in high concentrations of Neutrogena’s especially made Healthy White Complex that keeps the skin moisturized, with healthy, rosy and glowing cheeks. This cream starts working under the skin’s surface.
• Fine Fairness Brightening UV Moisture – helps prevent brown spots. The product is especially useful to those who have an active lifestyle outdoors as this protects the skin from harmful UV Rays.
• Fine Fairness Lotion – with SPF 30, this lotion is not oil based and boosts whitening and even out pigmentation.
• Fine Fairness Serum – comes with retinol extract that brings results by reducing dark spots in three weeks.
• Fine Fairness Deep Whitening Mask – the mask works to make all these skin care products’ result penetrate deeper and lasts longer.

For more on this, you can check out and join Neutrogena Philippines’ Facebook Page.

                          

Pacquaio’s trainer, Freddie Roach, however, confirms that she is already recovering and was only in a state of stress, tension and anxiety.

This was the second time the boxer’s mother came to watch her son fight. Mommy Dionisia would always watch the bout at her hometown, in front of the television, after holding a novena for him. The only other time Mommy Dionisia came to watch Manny in the flesh was in November 2009 when Manny beat Miguel Cotto. She, too, was hospitalized after that.

Perhaps the stress is really something else. I am not related in any way to the boxer and I do feel tense watching him getting the blow or giving the blow. Boxing isn’t really a woman’s sport….but for two women in Manny’s life, his wife and his mother, they have no recourse but  to embrace the career he has chosen. Manny has won for the 8th time in a row, with tonight being his latest victory.

Mommy Dionisia in an earlier interview on TV said, that she came to watch her son at the venue itself, because he promised her this would be his last fight.

                          

Getting to the resort was easy, but the thing with a tour packages is that it gets so jam packed that you have an activity every single hour. There where times that we had to stop and look around which was what I loved most about the trip. My most favorite part of the journey is when I saw my first Tarsier. A Tarsier is a tiny animal that looks like a small monkey with big googly eyes. But don’t let the outward appearance fool you, these creatures are shy in nature and don’t tend to be hyper active because they are nocturnal animals, which means they sleep during the day.

Another highlight of the tour was the short lunch and river cruise along the Loboc River. The river smelled fresh and the songs played on the river boat were calming and cheery! The river cruise ended just as we finished our meal. There were other spectacular sights in Bohol, but of course you can’t leave Bohol without seeing the Chocolate Hills! Seeing the real thing always give me shivers and I did not expect them to be so many! You had to climb the view point which was around a hundred steps before you reached the top.

I always tell my friends that before traveling to other countries, try to roam around our country a little, it helps when one has truly seen the beauty of your own country before appreciating another.

                          

Divisoria has been known for many things. First: you can buy a lot of stuff here which may be cheap compared to other places, not the best quality but still it is cheap. Second: Chinese people own the place. When shopping at Divisoria and 168, I can’t help but notice that majority of the owners are in fact Chinese. The Filipinos are the ones selling but you can always find behind them a Chinese boss.

I’ve been to this area of manila numerous times. It’s always been exciting and tiring at the same time. I’ve been to the day market, the night market, the malls, everywhere! I admit that it is cheap, but it could really be tiring for you feet, a day at divisoria could be pretty exhausting especially if you live far away. But I think that it has become a habit for most Pinoys to come here during the holidays to make the most out of their buck.

But beware, when going to Divsoria or Divi, be sure to dress down a little and don’t put on too much accessories that might attract unwanted people. There might be snatchers prowling around so be careful.

Happy Shopping Pinays!

                          

You wouldn’t notice it at first, because his Filipino looks don’t really pop out. This news was blurted out by Filipina actress/singer Lea Salonga on her Facebook account stating “Just found out that Darren Criss (Blaine on last Tuesday’s “Glee”) is half-Pinoy. Whoa, nice! And he’s adorable”. Criss plays a gay student of a rival school on Glee. But unlike his character on TV, Criss is straight. Criss originally auditioned for the role of Finn, but now he successfully made it into the series and is confirmed as a regular oin the third season. If you are an avid fan of the series, you might say that Criss’s charcter would as the future love of Kurt, we’ll see gleeks, we’ll see.

His rendition of the new hit song “Teenage Dream”, brought rave reviews and even singer Katy Perry said the she’d make the cover her new ringtone. I guess this news will garner new Filipino fans of the said top rating series. So guys, brace yourselves and let’s be proud that our race is really blessed with talent.

Criss was best known for his portrayal as Harry Potter in the youtube sensation A Very Potter Musical. He was born on February 5, 1987 to to an Irish father and a Filipino mother.

Check out Darren’s cut on the last episode of Glee.

Darren Criss on Glee

                          

So imagine what Jinkee Pacquaio, the wife of seven world division champion, Manny Pacquaio, must be going through today, as her husband faces Antonio Margarito at the Cowboys Stadium in the USA, to defend his title.

According to news reports, Jinkee has never gotten used to the feeling of discomfort before her husband’s fights, despite the fact that her husband’s a strong contender and has been winning most of the time.

She arrived last Monday, from the Philippines, to support her husband. But to ease tension away, Jinkee has spent her time shopping at the malls, on an almost daily basis.

She told a sportswriter, “Yeah, the tension is becoming too much as the days go by. So to relieve myself of the tension, all I do is go to the malls and buy small things me and my children need. Only mall-hopping actually. But if I find small things I and our children need, I buy them.”

The mall is her escape, she says, which I am sure a lot of other Filipinas can relate to. After some retail therapy though, Jinkee focuses on one other special thing, which makes her typically Pinay — she prays regularly. She prays not only for her husband’s victory but most importantly, for his safety and health.

Even when blessed with millions of dollars and a celebrity husband to boot, Jinkee does everything else the way a typical Pinay does it.

                          

According to her mother, Ida Henares, who also handles her showbiz career as head of GMA Artist Center, Steph was the “only Filipina who made that walk in that prestigious fashion occasion and got really recognized for her efforts.”

Steph is no stranger to being in the public eye, which is probably why she has the guts and confidence to strut the catwalk and give her best at the runway show. With her mother’s roles so important in honing talents and would be stars, Steph is also the daughter of TV figure Ronnie Henares.

Her exposure to the limelight came early and has since been tapped to become an Ambassador for PLDT’s Watchpad, as well as a VJ for QTV, and then later for Animax in Singapore. She also hosts her own magazine show.

In an interview, Steph was asked who she takes fashion inspirations from and the budding young model says she adores the style of the Olsen Twins and Sienna Miller. Her favorite pieces of clothing include a nice pair of fitted pants, strappy heels and fitted shirts.

                          

Whether it’s a quick taxi ride or a long one, I make it a point to text the plate number and the name of the taxi company to relatives and friends. You can usually find this at the side of the door, just below the windows. Some taxis even put the telephone number of the company next to it. Texting all these information should help appease your family and yourself as well.

Tell the driver to take the common roads. When he starts rerouting through shortcuts and you are not familiar with this, insist that he brings you back to the most familiar road, no matter how traffic it gets. You will be the one paying for the fare anyway, so you have the right to demand.

Some drivers love engaging in small talk. Never divulge information about yourself. Don’t talk to strangers always apply here.

Be aware of your surroundings. Does the taxi have a working door and window? If it’s malfunctioning, be sure to let the driver know you want to know how this works and have him teach you before you ride off with the taxi completely.

Lastly, keep yourself informed and watch out for taxi horror stories from friends so that you can learn from it.

                          

I’ve failed to watch the program but I’ve heard from those who did and the verdict was that the budding TV personality was kinda stiff and boring. It was like watching your uninteresting grade school teacher do her spiels. I guess we can all blame that on inexperience and nervousness and the fact that she’s not really cut out for “entertainment” yet.

But she’s still making the news this week by virtue of her association with certain people. Who is Shalani Soledad? Sources say she is the President, Noynoy Aquino’s, ex-girlfriend. She’s also a councilor of Valenzuela and is the niece of Senator Kit Tatad.

TV5 has reportedly been wooing the lovely lady to join their programs and was keen on doing a public service show for her, since this reflects her line of work more, being in politics and serving her constituents. But the councilor chose to join Willie Revillame’s game show instead although people close to her are saying there will be no singing and dancing for Shalani on the show.

Have you watched her yesterday? What did you think of her debut?

                          

Ponds has since developed other skin care products that work well with different kinds of skin tones and recently, the company has unveiled their Gold Radiance set.

Gold….the word is synonymous with luxury. Who doesn’t want to look like a million dollars, right?

Pond’s Gold Radiance Skin Care set is the first line of products from the company, which contains actual gold micro particles. When blended really well, these particles are supposed to work as an effective anti-aging ingredient, giving the skin a kind of youthful glow.

The gold particles are supposedly safe on the skin…so there’s no cause for concern. These products have been dermatologically tested.

The set includes:

• Pond’s Gold Radiance Facial Foam 100g (Php249.00 or approx $5.79)
• Pond’s Gold Radiance Day Cream 50g (Php799.00 or approx $18.50)
• Pond’s Gold Radiance Serum 30ml (Php799.00 or approx $18.50)
• Pond’s Gold Radiance Eye Cream 15ml (Php699.00 or approx $16.25)
• Pond’s Gold Radiance Night Cream
• Pond’s Gold Radiance Cleansing Mousse

These are already available at leading supermarkets. The last three products will be available by January 2011.

                          

This weekend, between November 12 to 14,  two bazaars are going to take place at  two venues in Makati.

One is at the Rockwell Center, which actually started as early as last month. Every weekend, since mid-October, the Rockwell Center is host to the Moonlit Bazaar.

The other bazaar is going to be held at the Ayala Center from November 12-13. The biggest sales are happening at midnight though, so there will be no sleeping, but a lot of shopping this weekend.

Bazaars are not only great for finding good products with great prices. It is also a chance for entrepreneurs to cash in. In fact, there are stores here that only do sell during the holiday seasons or have special holiday items released. If you have a unique product to sell, you can sign up for these bazaars yourself as it offers good return of investments.

                          

What started out as a social networking site has now become a high traffic shopping venue for many women who love the convenience of online shipping. At Multiply.Com you can find items for sale for almost anything — from clothes, bags, shoes, accessories, baby clothes, toys, books and even food, just to name a few.

The site’s features make it a lot easier to set up an online store. Even those who are not so familiar with putting up a website can have a virtual store in minutes, and can start peddling their items with just a click of a few buttons.

At first, the administration and management of Multiply.Com used to prohibit selling on site. News went around that profiles that had nothing to do with social networking, would have to be deleted, as this goes against their TOS. The site admins were said to have asked users to remove the items they are selling or change their site’s identity. But the venue has become such a favorite go-to site for shopping-crazy women and budding entrepreneurs that Multiply.Com had no choice but to jump the bandwagon and embrace their patrons.  So much so that, they’ve actually set up a Marketplace Directory and have even offered “Verified Badges” for seller sites that meet their standards.

Even with the popularity of E-bay, Multiply shopping is still a potential business venture for many Pinays both based locally and abroad.

If you want to learn more about using Multiply for your online store, you can take the tour and start creating your virtual boutique.

                          

This is Pinoy Rock God, Pepe Smith.

And he’s the latest of a long list of celebrity endorsers with a billboard and a heavy marketing machinery attached to their name.

Pepe Smith is the model for the clothing brand, Mental and if you ask me, they couldn’t have picked a better person to be their brand representative.

The billboard ads have a genius concept, playing on “twisted” styles and design, as the clothing brand wants it represented. Who knew Pepe Smith could reinvent himself into this? Photography is done by Niccolo Cosme, styling, hair and make-up is done by Shahani Gania, Jake Galvez and Buern Rodriguez.

This is package deal though, as Pepe Smith is also joined by her daughter, Sanya, herself a “rocker chick” just like her legendary father.

In an interview with Mental’s brand manager, Erika Bugia said, “We’re truly delighted to be joined by Sanya and Pepe Smith as we position Mental as a modern lifestyle brand. The rocker father and daughter tandem embodies the rock-chic lifestyle of the brand this season.”

The clothes from Mental edgy, deviant and would stand out from a crowd. The materials for clothing apparel, however, are supposedly soft and comfortable, perfect for the tropical weather, all year round.

The flagship store is located at Trinoma Mall and just like everything about it, the interiors are actually quite…uh, “mental”, so to speak, with double deck beds, white tiles and very bright lighting. Store staffers are also dressed in vintage nurse outfits….it’s literally like shopping with the atmosphere of a mental hospital.

The brand is also distributed inside selected SM Stores.

                          

I started Pinay Abroad as a way to reach out to Filipina’s around overseas workers around the world. Bringing them together to read about news from home and possibly discuss topics that concern us. My hope is to make many new friends and that they will make new friends also. I would like this website to inspire the creativity, intelligence and compassion that all Filipina’s have. Feel free to contribute stories and help us build a community.

You as the user will be able to direct the way Pinay Abroad grows and develops. Your input and feedback matter to us. If there is anything you would like to see or a feature that you would like us to add, then please leave a comment on this post to let us know. Thank you for taking the time to read about Pinay Abroad and I look forward to knowing each and everyone of you.

Sincerely,

Josita Farinacci

                          

The usual pinoy breakfast consists of Pan de Sal, which actually means salt bread or bread of salt, eggs, hotdogs, margarine, corned beef, champorado, lugaw, coffee, hot chocolate,longganisa, tinapa,  fried rice, and I could go on and on and on.

Preparing it is always the hard part. No one wants to wake up in the morning and cook, all we want to do is wake up, eat and go to sleep again. If you love eating breakfast in the city, try eating a pinoy breakfast in the province. It’s even better, the crow of the rooster in the morning just completes it.

I don’t know but whenever I go to batangas to visit my family, I just love waking up early in the morning to a feast! I usually have kakanin, which are commonly known as rice cakes. I eat puto and kutsinta which is eaten as a snack in the afternoon. Everything tastes so good, because the food is warm and the air is chilly. See? in a pinoy breakfast there are no boundaries, everything can be eaten at breakfast. A hearty fiipino meal always starts your day right.

                          

The role of a super hero is not new to Marian at all. If you might recall she also did a tv series on Darna, which was shown on primetime at GMA. But in this new character that she is going to portray, she won’t be swallowing tiny pebbles to transform into a super hero. In Super Inday the main character has to consume fresh duck egg, and after she shouts “Super Inday!” she becomes a superhero. Filipinos have a knack superheroes that swallow weird objects to gain powers which sets the trademark of a true Pinay superhero.

After her box-office hit You to me are everything, co-starring on and off-cam sweetheart Dingdong Dantes, Regal has decided to give this project to Marian as well which came as a surprise after she renewed her contract with GMA.

Nothing has been said yet whether Maricel Soriano, the original Super Inday, will make a special participation in the said movie. I bet this will be sure hit in December.

Marian will be donned in a pink suit, which I think fits her well. Other stars that are included in this remake are Pokwang, John Lapus, and Jake Cuenca.

                          

I first discovered the wonders of ukay-ukay back when I was in highschool. Back then, only a few would dare to enter places like these. An ukay-ukay store usually smells like a giant mothball. The stench is that of a shirt that has been kept in storage for ages. The first shirt I bought in an ukay store, was a black plain t shirt. Why? I needed it for a dance presentation. Rather than buying myself a new one that costs around Php150-Php200, I got it for Php50! I never wore it again. Now, I don’t just buy clothes from Ukay just for one-time use. I usually find designer goods that are still of good quality and I get to wear them over and over.

My favorite Ukay shops are the ones in Quiapo, Baclaran, Anonas and Cubao. I just love the thrill of looking for clothes of excellent quality but at an affordable price. Most of the time I get dizzy after looking for clothes, because I get overwhelmed by the number of racks I have to search, and sometimes after hours and hours of searching I only get to buy ONE shirt, sometimes I don’t get to buy anything at all.

In a third world country where people don’t really opt to go for high end clothing brands, the ukay is the best solution for people who want to be trendy. Many celebrities such as Angel Aquino and designer Rajo Laurel have admitted that they do go to the ukay-ukay. Going there isn’t so bad, you just to be fussy and careful with the clothes you pick.

                          

Filipinos abroad are in for a treat as Unionbank unveils its Picture! Picture! promo.
Open to all overseas based kababayan, the Picture! Picture promo allows locals here to see what life is like for our friends and relatives in the USA, Australia, Hongkong, Singapore, UAE and anywhere else.
Photo-enthusiasts will also have a wonderful time showcasing what they have captured — the beautiful places and people they witness each time they go to work, giving us a glimpse of work life abroad.
It is very easy to join the contest. With a camera in tow, our kababayans can just send a photo they have captured in the workplace, between the periods of November 5-December 5, 2010.
The picture should explicitly show the spirit of being Pinoy even while still based abroad. The promo allows creativity in every way, with a matching creative title.

You have to be a part of Unionbank’s Facebook Page as they will be posting your submissions here. You will have to earn as much “Likes” as you can get, tagging away as many friends as possible will increase your chances of winning.

The prize is a ticket for two to any destination in the Philippines, courtesy of Cebu Pacific.

It’s easy and fun to do right?

                          

This whole production is the brainchild of ABS-CBN’s Creative Team.

The video is directed by Paolo Ramos.

My friends from abroad are the first ones to commend at how beautifully made this video is. I am told plenty of them were teary eyed, men and women alike, as the video made them long to be back home to celebrate Christmas with that all too familiar Pinoy atmosphere. There’s nothing like Christmas in Philippines, right?

Upon it’s unveiling yesterday, the video immediately became the trending topic on Twitter. It’s something many Filipinos look forward to each year.

I’ve seen the production and it truly is quite sentimental. ABS-CBN’s Team deserves a commendation for such a masterpiece. What do you think of it?

You can watch the video here:

                          

While I love the idea behind it, the fact that it’s now worn by every Juan and Maria (whether it’s the real thing or the fake kind), has turned me off a bit. It makes balikbayan pasalubong shopping harder because it’s no longer special and unique. I’m sure most of you will agree.

Thankfully, there’s an alternative in the form of Freeway’s National Artists Collection series. Freeway is a local clothing brand that had it’s humble beginnings in Robinson’s Galleria’s department stores.

Launched sometime last year, this collection features prints and designs inspired by Ang Kiukok, Nick Joaquin and several other home-grown artists, dead or alive. The most recent designs are not only fashionable, they look pretty classy and best of all, wearable.

For instance, this pretty empire cut dress has the work of Jose Garcia Villa, a multi-awarded Filipino poet.

Here’s another trendy apparel, a long blouse featuring the work of Ang Kiu Kuk.

I can see teenagers digging this style. The top can be worn with one’s ever favorite jeans.

This National Artists Collection Series is a brilliant way to make these artists, otherwise often ignored by the youth, mainstream.

You can check more merchandise and design here.

                          

It should be recalled that Kris Aquino and Vicky Belo had a much publicized falling out in 2007, following the scandal that involved Kris’ husband, James, and one of Belo Medical’s staff. The issue was very personal, so much so that their business partnership, as well as their friendship, has been marred by it.

But time, and not plastic surgery, has healed all wounds, I guess. The two have long been okay, reports have said. But their professional relationship remained severed. Until recently…

The  Belo Medical Group, in fact, has welcomed her back with a lavish party featuring a five-course dinner and was held at the Red French Restaurant of Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

Kris has declared in the past that she has always been so comfortable getting her body treatments and enhancements done at Belo. The partnership between Kris Aquino and Vicky Belo is one that has actually worked to well in the past. Kris is such a sought after endorser, and Vicky Belo’s clinic is also very popular. Together, they make a formidable marketing team.

Kris is set to endorse not just the clinics but the rest of Belo’s beauty products.