And... Manang Falls in Love

Love is an ordeal that millions can relate to. You can either be the winner or the victim in the situation. Finding it, living with it, until sometimes ending it proves a challenge that we all have to deal with.

The Fashion Designers Alliance (FADAL) Manila gathered a stylish crowd for yet another night of artistic explosion. People anticipated the unveiling of a quirky short film that tells of a struggle for love. The film emphasizes the artistic eye of director Matthew Valeriano, and the styling of Eric Poliquit using pieces from FADAL designers. As you enter the room, the dancefloor of 7th High was surrounded by huge frames covered in purple cloth. Photos taken by Enzo Mondejar were kept from the public eye until it was ready to be shown.



"Dear Manang, I Love You" tells the story of a modern geriatric who, like everyone else, worked her way through the quest for true love.

Dear Manang, I Love You trailer:

After the film showing, the FADAL designers stood beside the photo of their creation. Red was the theme of FADAL as they all were clad in different creations of the color. Enzo Mondejar provided a contemporary twist, telling the love story of Manang through photos. Eric Poliquit then told the different chapters of Manang's story as the designers unveiled the photos.

Dave Ocampo and Cherry Veric

Levenson Rodriguez and Ulysees King

Mike Magallanes and Karl Leuterio for Paradigm Shift 

and Lizanne Cua 

Jaz Cerezo and Cheetah Rivera

The chapters in proper order:




Most memorable was how the film makers were able to shed a comedic light on the different aspects of love. I especially appreciated the peculiarity on how Manang becomes the object of the affection of many young men, while relating the incidents to modern technology and Philippine society. I mean, where can you see an elderly woman still tweeting away with the occasional use of #choosy and #landi? One of the highlights was the grandeur of the fashion pieces, its pivotal role in telling the story, providing a colorful collaboration onscreen. I'd love to share this wonderful short to the readers but I would need to ask permission and acquire it from the production team first. :)

Carla Cruz; Myself; Brian Tenorio, Design Consultant; Jaz Cerezo of FADAL 

Myself; Noelle Llave, Ulysees King, and Lizanne Cua of FADAL; Mic Reyes, Stylist

Congratulations to Matthew Valeriano, Eric Poliquit, Enzo Mondejar, and to everybody from FADAL!

Photos were taken by Mark Alvarez. 
To view his works, visit his facebook page: Mark Alvarez Photography

Food Street - Hong Kong Hangover II

In the pursuit of unearthing treasures, my cousin and I chilled out at a very interesting area that I suggest be a stamping ground for tourists who just want to lay back after a day of sight see and shop.

Contrasting the hustle and bustle of Causeway Bay, we found a calm little avenue of food and drinks. Food Street is located in between Paterson and Cleveland Street, cornered by Kingston Street. There is a wide selection of restos ranging from Thai, Japanese, to restos specializing in steaks or seafood. I was intrigued by how the place had a very casual feel but still exuding sheer class in its façade.

The Different Restos

Scenic Shots

Night and Day Shot

I didn’t have the time to try each and every resto though. During the first day, after we got settled in our hotel, my cousin and I decided to have a quiet time just to relax our minds. It was just hours of us chatting and catching up about anything under the sun. We ordered a Belgian beer called Leffe Blonde and an English beer called Boddingtons to cap the night off.  Simply superb…

Food Finds! - The Hong Kong Hangovers

I recently got back from the glorious city of food and shopping - Hong Kong. I go when possible to find some "me" time and unwind from the diverse stress accumulated in my daily life. My cousin C and I went to Hong Kong to meet my cousin D, not planning to do much but to try to eat more. I wanted to change my usual itinerary of shopping (and more shopping) to finding and eating delish dishes.

I'm featuring the restos we tried first and will follow this post with an interesting center of different restos called the Food Street.


Mak's Noodle

The first stop was Mak's Noodles. They have stores all over Hong Kong but we were able to try this simple resto at Victoria Peak. As explained by our server, Mak's Noodles has been in business for 30 years, serving the same quality wonton noodle soup that they first served to clients. I was excited to know that we decided to step in a Michelin Star awarded restaurant. For more information on the Michelin Guide, click on this - Michelin Guide.

What I loved most about the wonton noodle soup was that it was flavorful. Sad to say, most restos in Manila just mix anything to add color and saltiness to water, and eventually declare it as soup. Up to the last sip, the distinct shrimp like flavor of the soup was full. The wontons and dumplings were made from really fresh ingredients. I felt the crunch as I bit into the shrimp's meat and munched on the pork dumplings. The noodles were chewy and firm. The serving though was smaller than what I expected since I am a voracious eater. Still, I enjoyed it to the last drop.

Even Anthony Bourdain, famed celebrity chef, recommends Mak's Noodles!

Australia Dairy Co.



No, this is not the line for the lottery or the newest blockbuster flick. My cousins and I traveled all the way to Jordan for me to try the famous scrambled eggs of the Australia Dairy Co. We took the MTR and took the Bowring Street exit. Surprisingly, a long queue was outside and we had to wait for a few minutes before we were seated. This hyped up my curiosity on the food being served.

Everything was fast paced inside. It was literally an eat and go situation where they serve the food, clean the table after, and will somehow ask you to immediately pay and leave to accommodate the growing line of customers outside. My cousin ordered the breakfast meal which included a macaroni soup, scrambled eggs with toasted bread, and a milk tea.

The macaroni soup was forgettable since there wasn't anything special about it. But, after the soup, I was really intrigued. I have to say there is something unique about their scrambled eggs. They must've added fresh Australian milk on the eggs. It was creamy and the taste was neither too salty or was it too sweet. The toasts were also a delight since there was a sweet syrup that you can taste as you bite into it. The milk tea complemented this wonderful breakfast experience. I felt that it was close to the perfect Hong Kong milk tea that I'm looking for.


Ngan Lung

Ngan Lung - translated as Silver Dragon in English - is located in the busy shopping district of Causeway Bay. This was an accidental find that my cousin wanted us to try. It's a cozy and modern place to hang with friends and family.

We ordered beef balls and wonton soup, beef curry with rice, and the seafood baked rice. Of course, I had another order of the milk tea. The beef balls were great. The meat was full up to its core with a balanced taste of saltiness. The wontons' light taste was also yummy.

I was so hungry that I wasn't able to take a photo of the baked rice. They used cheese to cover the fried rice and seafood for baking. I didn't have the really awful cheesy sweet after taste. My cousin C who's a chef explained that the cheese they used was white cheese. The taste is quite mild but the sticky texture is still there.

Triple O's

Triple O's is highly recommended. It was my first time to try it and I was unaware that they are available in different countries. According to my cousin, just spot a Citysuper - a chain of supermarkets in Hong Kong - and it's most often that a Triple O's is near the area. They boost of using only Australian meat for their burgers. I enjoyed the diner theme as I was served burger and fries.

We tried the branch at the IFC Mall. The fries and onion rings were crisp. I love how the fries and onions were cut in big portions. It was very tasty, smooth texture in the palette, and not too salty. It went well with the honey mustard sauce, adding the extra sweetness in every bite.

I ordered the roast beef burger. The bun and meat was of big portions. I was biting into 100% pure beef and I loved the fresh taste. I was so tempted to try the other burgers but I'll leave it the next time I go back to Hong Kong.

I really admired the service principle of this place of serving only the best. Restaurants should adhere to understanding what their clients want. It's crucial for these establishments to improve client relations and strengthen customer loyalty.

Travels are magical. Every journey renders me captivated in different life and style, urging me to scout for anything interesting. I'm looking forward to where my trips lead me next, and have a taste of the diversities of life.

My cousins D and C are the best. I love them much... :)