Random Shots of Happiness

Wake up and smell the roses…

Hmmm. Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chips + Andes Creme de Mente Chocolate Chips equals…

…Chocolate Mint Cookies.

This is how you start a brand new day.

Filed under: C'est La Vie, Cuisine, Joy

TDP Send Off

Last Friday’s TDP send off was overwhelming. It moved me to tears — like a gallon of them and at least its not just me who cried Muchos Gracias to everyone who gave thoughtful farewell messages. Thank you for the cheesy “We cannot spell the Design People without D-E-S”. It was cheesy but in a good way. Everyone prepared and brought alcoholic drinks and I had to stay away for my own good. LOL. Thank you to my happy bunch, the Lunchies, specially J, who I know orchestrated the whole surprise.

I was trying to hard not to cry during the morning but when the clock striked 3:00 pm Beng started crying, kainez. Hands down the best part was the highlight of the gifts…I will let the pictures tell the story.

Is it a wabbit?

I hadn’t even opened the wrapper but one touch was enough to figure out what was the content.

Literally, rolling out the floor laughing and crying. I can’t breath. Kaloka.

Now what on earth is this? And who is Sister Guia?

What’s Sr. Guia got to do with it? With all due respect to this person who has been subject of this weird fixation.

For almost five years we always had our lunch at Megamall. Part of the lunch routine was withdrawing money from the ATM near the Food Court. While waiting for everyone to go through their transaction there is about 5-10 idle minutes to just observe. Unfortunately I always fixate my observation to a novelty store located just across the ATM machine. The store sells a lot of wooden novelty stuff that I would never put in my home. Haha. They had really cheesy stuff like avant-garde looking Disney characters, Last Supper frames and souvenirs with odd messages. Then there was this unusual wooden plaque with an image of a nun prominently displayed by the window. I was over analyzing it every freakin’ day and what it meant that it became part of my daily habit. Every now and then we would discuss and formulate the story behind the wooden plaque of Sr. Guia.

Who is Sr. Guia? Why would anybody want an award from her? Was there a saint named Sr. Guia (I was never good at saints)? Was this some sort of plaque of appreciation? Did she keep a stock of this so every time she wants to thank a person she draws out a trophy from her bag? It came to a point I seriously wanted to have one made for the TDP The Design Person monthly awards. I even took pictures of it and showed it to random people in the office and asked what they thought of the “design” of the new TDP trophy. Wouldn’t that be cool and fun in a weird way. Imagine the best employee awardee expressing…”thank you …but what the eff is this?”

Now I would like to commend among my Lunchie’s the brave soul who bought the wooden plaque. J, being the decent man that he is apparently said something along the lines of “tangina…I can’t believe we’re doing this”. He then excused himself and went to Fax and Parcel and had some collage printed. I think it was Preck who asked the sales lady how much was it. The sales person said there was minimum order of 50-100 pieces. Oh wow what to do with 100 Sr. Guia plaques?! HAHAHAHAHAHA. They initially thought they wanted a batch made and they were asked in great curiosity “Kilala nyo si Sr. Guia?” Hahahaha. The sales person was baffled why the hell they wanted to buy this wooden plaque when they had no association with Sr Guia or the institution she represents. Intervention had to be made, they had call the owner because they didn’t want to sell it. The persuasion worked and thus my gift. It’s now proudly displayed in my work table. LOL. Every now and then I should be prepared to tell the story of Sr. Guia.

Thank you J, Preck, Joyce and She to go through all that weird trouble and entrusting me to take care good care of our Sr. Guia.

Special thanks to Mike and Tiger for the food and drinks and for giving me the opportunity to work with The Design People. Did you guys know it was a choice between me and another designer. J didn’t want to hire me (you bastard). But I think god made it happen for a purpose. TDP will always remain an inspiration to me specially the story of its humble beginnings in a tiny apartment. It was wonderful that Tiger can still remember my interview and he said he remembered asking me that time where do I see myself in five years. I answered, I wanted to have my own business.

Thank you all the departments – AI, Dev, Designers, HTML/Flash, IMD, Night Shift Dept. and the Aquarium peeps.

I will miss many daily routines. Breakfast in the morning, monthly awards, drunken nights at Stir, design psychological warfare, manita ng late (LOL), my Lunchies, eating, more eating, TL meetings, Owtee’s morning greetings, cooking for my Lunchies, fashion anecdotes with Alex and Camille, crazy TDP Christmas parties (where there is always one drunken casualty), “solid with gradients”, yun crush ko, hehehe and just goofing around.

I will be jogging near that area (Gold Loop) so I guess I’ll see you around.

And in true spirit of Sr. Guia – in gratitude, xoxo, Des.

Filed under: C'est La Vie, Lunchie's Stories, Work , agentimage, friends, ode to tdp, the design people, Work

Why Do We Never Learn?

Another pyramid scheme Royal Manchester Five has deceived investors worth of billions of pesos. Cyrus Hao who was at the top of the this Ponzi food chain fled the country leaving investors dumbfounded. Hao apparently worked for Rose Baladjay of Multitel Scam, no less. Read the news here.

Be wary of “investing” schemes that promises high yielding profits and with no real business to explain how they actually make a profit. You know what they say, if its too good to be true it probably is.

Filed under: Business , ponzi scheme, pyramid

New Life :)

Filed under: C'est La Vie

Carlos Santana Designs Huwwwat?

Carlos Santana designs women’s shoes. Yes, that Carlos Santana. You know, the multiple Grammy award winning Mexican legendary guitarist. He and his wife, Deborah launched together with Brown Shoe Company, Carlos by Carlos Santana

The shoes reflect the same passion, artistry, and energy generated by legendary rock icon Carlos Santana’s music. Carlos by Carlos Santana shoes are designed for women looking for hip and fashionable footwear that captures their style.

Although Carlos does not design the footwear himself, he is part of the design process. The interpretation of the multi-cultural, colorful imagery that surrounds Santana’s music brings the shoes to life. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Carlos by Carlos Santana shoes will be donated to the Milagro Foundation, which partners with the nonprofit community to serve the needs of children and youth. Started in 1998 by Carlos and Deborah Santana, the foundation supports educational efforts to help children and youth live healthy lives, literate lives and culturally enriched lives.

They’re actually not bad. In fact I like the printed ones:

And this one is reminiscent of vintage rock and roll shaggadelic posters of the 60’s and 70’s, the swirly/floral patterns are somewhat Pucci-esque;

Now wouldn’t be nice if I can have the following posters as prints for shoes:

The Who

Pink Floyd

Canned Heat

Canned Heat

Bob Dylan

These posters from the hippie rock and roll era are amazing, wala pang Photoshop nun, no CTRL+Z, everything was done manually and no len’s flare or bevel emboss abuse either. I wonder if those designers have to be on Lucy-in-the-Sky-with-Diamonds to come up with such crazy candy colors.

Medyo na-iimagine ko na yung mukha ng friends kong kilala si Carlos Santana. Hey Des, cute shoes! Then I answer, yes it’s by Carlos Santa… you know…that guitar legend, he’s in touch with his feminine side now. But then again, I rarely find straight men comment on shoes, maybe except for Ego. HAHAHAHA. When a guy says “hey, cute shoes”, we can assume he is straight but when he says “hey, cute cork-wedge-patent-flora-and-fauna-printed-anna-sui-fall-winter-2008-collection shoes” LOL, that’s a red flag right there.

Which reminds me, once I was sifting through a lot of resumes. I read this resume from a guy, about 28 years old, management/business graduate from a top university, with this and that credentials — in short he really sounded “gwapo” then the last section of his resume reads; Interests: fashion and shoes! Oh well too bad he’s overqualified for the position or we could have been together right now…shopping for shoes.

”Don’t tap those little last-season Prada shoes at me, honey”

Enrique, the gay pool cleaner
Legally Blonde

Separated at birth:

Carlos Santana, Woodstock 69 and Chris Cornell, post-Soundgarden days

Carlos Santana, Woodstock 69 and Chris Cornell, totally irrelevant to the topic.

Filed under: Fashion, Graphic Design, Music, Personal, shoes , carlos by carlos santa shoes, carlos santa, hippie rock n' roll posters, santana, shoes, vintage rock and roll posters

Yay or Nay? Rayban Wayfarers

Posting this while watching advertising- induced-much-delayed-telecast of Pacquaio – Marquez bout via local channel.

The trend was seen since last year but still seen in the catwalk for F/W 2008.

The Ray-Ban Wayfarer is a design of sunglasses manufactured by Ray-Ban since 1952. Wayfarers enjoyed early popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, especially after they were worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Though the sunglasses had faded from the limelight by the 1970s, a lucrative 1982 product placement deal brought Wayfarers to their height of popularity.

Audrey Hepburn

Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Madonna / Desperately Seeking Susan

Tom Cruise/Risky Business

Wayfarers were designed in 1952 by Raymond Stegeman, an inventor who procured dozens of patents for Bausch and Lomb, Ray-Ban’s parent company. The design was a radically new shape, “a mid-century classic to rival Eames chairs and Cadillac tail fins.” According to design critic Stephen Bayley, the “distinctive trapezoidal frame spoke a non-verbal language that hinted at unstable dangerousness, but one nicely tempered by the sturdy arms which, according to the advertising, gave the frames a ‘masculine look.’

Wikipedia

Bob Dylan

Andy Warhol

Agyness Deyn

Botega Venetta Fall/Winter 2008

Kate Olsen

You have to have a high bridge nose to get away with this. The Audrey Hepburn version is more chic than the 80’s version. Kaloka kasi yun pic ni Madonna. I don’t think it should be a called a “trend” since it’s already a classic icon associated with John Lennon, James Dean, John F. Kennedy, Roy Orbison, and Andy Warhol.

Filed under: Fashion, Trends , breakfast at tiffany's, rayban wayfarers, shades

Recent Sightings

My leather laptop bags seen at:

• Flair in the City
• Gadget Pinay
• TechnoGraph.ph

Filed under: Fashion , laptop bags, laptop sleeves, Manila, philippines, shopping

Keira Knightley’s Green Dress

Although the movie was dragging till the first half but I thought this dress worn by Keira Knightley was stunning.

It was designed by Jacqueline Durran and was recently auctioned online and sold at $46,000.00 for the benefit of Variety – The Children’s Charity of Southern California.

Memorably worn during the crucial emotional and romantic sequences by Ms. Knightley as Cecilia Tallis, opposite James McAvoy as Robbie Turner, the backless dress was taken directly from the production’s archives and is one of a handful that was made specifically for Ms. Knightley to wear during filming. Multiples were fashioned because of the fragility of the dress. The dress being auctioned off was made under the supervision of, and has been authenticated by, Jacqueline Durran, who is nominated for an Academy Award for her costume design of Atonement.

Filed under: Fashion , Atonement, celebrity dress auctions, green, Jacqueline Durran, Keira Knightly Green Dress

Spitzer Girl Resigns

Now we know what she was paid to do. LOL .

“It has been my privilege to let flaccid self loathing hypocrites pound my private areas like the beaches of Normandy….if I had known that the balding, morally superior client no. 9 was actually the governor of New York…..I would like to apologize to clients…and to all those who believed in what I had tried to stood and kneeled for. For what it’s worth, I believe that our greatest glory consists not in spitting our failures but in swallowing whatever fate has in store for us.”

Filed under: Humor , spitzer scandal

Make it Work! Project Runway Season 4 – Finale (spoilers)

Rather than fierce I think you are majah….your collection, it really made me smile and it’s not very easy to make me smile.

Victoria Beckham
On Christian Siriano’s Final Collection

This is the best season so far of Project Runway when you’re talking about talent. The top three finalists really deserved to be there in Bryant Park. But in terms of cat fights, shouting matches and scandals this by far was the tamest. Who won this season? Whoelse but his “majah” fierceness – 21 year old — Christian Siriano who incidentally also bagged the Fan Favorite award because he was funny and flamboyantly gay. Although he may have limited vocabulary I still love his witty comments. He seems like one fun gay friend to have.

Christian apprenticed for European designers Vivienne Westwood and Alexander McQueen. Some of his dresses and workmanship reflects influence of Alexander McQueen. His Majah Fierceness also used hats for his finale, a known signature of McQueen who uses elaborate head pieces in his runway shows.

Alexander McQueen – Fall RTW 2006

Christian Siriano

Eto na pala yun pinaka-smile nya

Victoria Beckham was one of the judges in the finale. Heidi Klum introduced her as a pop icon and not as fashion icon and that probably annoyed Posh. Mrs. Beckham kept repeating “I love your collection Chrisitian – it was so me.” Me. Me. Me. As if the whole show was about her.

It was rather adorable how Christian’s face cringed when he was announced as the winner. It was seeing another side of him. With all the panlalait he did we never knew he was capable of crying. Hahaha.

You can view the complete PR 4 Finale collections here.

I liked Christian’s final collection the least. It had the wow factor but I don’t know how it will translate to ordinary women’s bodies. My bet and favorite was Jillian Lewis although her collection was very Ralph Laurenish with different silhouettes. It has that right mix of femininity and a dash of edginess. Rami’s collection was very feminine. Chris’ collection was just plain gross. He incorporated human hair as fringes for his collection. I don’t think it was creative or “edgy” as Michael Kors explained, it was just gross.

ETC also licensed the Project Runway franchise so the localized version will be seen in our local boob tubes soon. I’m curious on how will this turn out. Teresa Herrera will host Project Runway Philippines while Jojie Lloren will be play the adviser to the designers just like Tim Gunn. I personally think it’s suicide to make a dress in just one or two days — then do it for 11 consecutive challenges you are bound to break down in front of national television. People will not only judge your work but your character as well.

Filed under: Fashion , Christian Siriano, Jillian Lewis, project runway, Rami Kashou, Tim Gunn, Victoria Beckham