Nick Drake - Day is Done

"When the part is through / Seems so very sad for you / Didn’t do the things you meant to do / Now there’s no time to start anew /Now the part is through”

Every song by Nick Drake makes me teary eyed and introspective. This one always hits me on the gut level, especially when I’m listening to it during the gloomy and windy weather. 

HAIM - The Wire

"It felt great, it felt right, oh…But I fumbled him when I came down to the wire.” 

This song is practically stamped on to my head now. I love Haim. Every time I listen to them I can’t help but think that their sound was made from a different decade, more reminiscent of the 80s/and early 90s, but transported into the present time.

The 1975 - Chocolate

Oh my tippy toes. This song makes me wanna dance…as though no one is watching.

Lykke Li - I Follow Rivers

LSS for Lykke Li’s song “I Follow Rivers”, which I’ve heard played/featured in two French films. First in the official bande annonce of “Blue is the Warmest Color”, and secondly, in the disco sequence of “Rust and Bone”.

Six Seasons of Madness

If the U.S. Library of Congress could deemed any show as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant," Mad Men will fit the bill perfectly. Unlike most viewers, I am generally picky with the kind of TV series I watch. I don't fall for the usual crime and action serials, rather I prefer something that would make me think. Watching (movies and TV series) is not just a form of entertainment to me but a way to educate myself, so I screen what I watch and read reviews from reliable news websites, such as Indiewire, HuffingtonPost, New York Times and The Guardian before I jump on the bandwagon. Being a Psychology major, a history buff and some sort of cultural anthropologist Mad Men is my meal ticket to anything and everything 60s. It's been 6 years since its "premier" season and we're now nearing the beginning of a new decade and closing in on a turbulent one. Season 7 next year will surely be a bittersweet experience. Whatever the finale may bring I am eternally grateful for the ride. 

This Guy's in Love With You - Herb Alpert

Sometimes a girl just needs to be loved. So my co-pilot why are you torturing me so? #SeekingAFriendBroughtMeHere

Playlist - Young and Beautiful

Lana del Rey's haunting music from the original soundtrack of The Great Gatsby is my favorite song for the past two weeks. Play this video to be mesmerized.

Books Galore!

There are numbers of books unread piled up on my closet. Looking at them makes me sad knowing that I'm not as much as interested with these choice of titles unlike before. But this also gave me an awakening that the ones I most likely pay attention to or read preferably are children's fantasy books, travel guides and art books. Not because children's books are easier to comprehend but they are more fun and more adventurous in my opinion. With YA (young adult) I am more picky; books that falls in the same story lines with Twilight have no space in my collection. Travel guide books, especially the discounted ones, are basically my must-haves whenever I visit or go to a book store. They got lots of tidbits, from history, places, sights and sounds, local scenes and people, all condensed in one paperback. It's a worthy purchase that nourishes my brain with useful information. 

Lately I haven't been reading much. I went to Powerbooks and Book Sale today and look what I've found. Of course I cannot buy them at the moment due to lack of funds. However, these are now earmarked on my future expenditures once I've saved enough dough to get me through the day. 

(From left to right) Penny Dreadful by Laurel Snyder, The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by Maryrose Wood, Into the dark by Peter Abrahams, The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart,  Sylvie and the Songman by Tim Binding, Jennifer Murdley's Toad by Bruce Coville, The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

(From left to right) Culture Shock! Tokyo: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette by Yuko Morimoto-Yoshida, Frommer's Suzy Gershman's Where to Buy the Best of Everything, The Best of Archie Comics, The Art Book by Phaidan Press, Secret Series by Pseudonymous Bosch

❤ Bali

(Top: at the Pura Ulun Danu /
Bottom Left: Pura Tirta Empul Holy Springs,
Bottom Right: Pura Ulun Danu)

Bali, you are now on my list.

I love to travel. Although at the present I lack the financial resources to indulge on my wanderlust so ever freely. My third grade classmate Moe (through her Tumblr/Instagram) keeps on inspiring me to seriously go for it and visit those places she has conquered, may it be in Europe or in Asia. She recently went to Bali and I ended up lifting these photographs from her blog. One swoop and I fell in love. I'm taking note of these locations so I can visit them when I got the chance.

UCC Blended Coffee

Strong, dark and bitter just the way I want my coffee. I'm not a frequent coffee drinker, nor a serious coffee lover, but this iced cold can got so much pure coffee beans to fire up my senses and give me some serious palpitation -- or in my case, I'm already in between drowsiness and dizziness due to its strong effects. UCC trumps Nescafe. However, this type of concoction is not recommended to those folks with lactose tolerance and saccharine preferred taste buds. #UCC #NipponSuki #Evangelion

#dvdcollection - Seven Samurai

Hard to find cinematic gem from Criterion Collection finally landed in the palm of my hands. Got this yesterday after traipsing around in the busy concrete jungles of the metropolitan. Finished my European phase, now moving forward with Japanese cinema.  (22 May 2013)

Playlist: I Can't Make You Love Me / Everblue

There are so many songs I have been listening to for the past few months, I feel sorry for not being able to put them on a playlist the way I used to like last year. Most of the song I've been listening to are in Japanese by the way since I've been enjoying a lot of Nippon Rock, mostly from artists such as Suneohair, Nothing's Carved in Stone, nano.Ripe, Tommy Heavenly6, 99RadioService, and etc, the list would go on and on. There are two songs that has been reverberating on my player since last week - they've been helping me keep in line with my hopeless emotions. Both songs are melodically emotive and the lyrics are just meaty, it's no wonder it's easy to find some solace in them.

For your listening pleasure, please press the button to play.

I Can't Make You Love Me
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt - Luck of the Draw
After episode 21 of Robotics;Notes I started listening to this song non-stop. I'm always the emotional type so I easily get affected from stories of unrequited love. The lead characters in that anime confessed their love for each other and kissed, but I wonder, how about Frau Kojiro? It's always the same story, weird girl's never gets the cool guy, but weird guy's gets the hot girl's. Maybe it's just my own experience being reflected here blatantly. But no matter, this so is very therapeutic. I could listen to versions by Bon Iver, Adele and piano instrumentals from YouTube and yet, the same feeling remains. 

Everblue
Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore - Amanda Leigh
In my iPad I have Everblue played before '"I Can't Make You Love Me" and it gives me continuity on a story that I've been struggling to write. This is probably my third favorite song from her album 'Amanda Leigh' but I think it all changed after I learned what the song was about and for whom she had written it to. In my opinion, it's about a person who is contented being miserable in his/her own little world. Every time happiness comes along he/she views that feeling as a burden rather than an opportunity to be loved or to be cared for. This song tells that person that there is nothing wrong about that and he/she should accept that love being given to him/her. 

#MyBoys 2012

These guys made me swooned like a little schoolgirl, made my heart skipped a beat and made me giggle inside. For some reason I fell for them -- hook line and sinker. Even though I had created this collage for the sake of fun (and inspiration) itself, my selection surprised me that each one or two of these characters have something in common. Somehow, I was unconsciously speaking about the kind of guy I fancy in real life. Like this collage is a vague representation of that. But do not take me seriously for it because reality is a completely different ball park from the fictional world of anime and manga. Boys always have the grandest of time with their panty shots and big breasted female characters. So I am taking one for the girls' team, because we also just wanna have fun.

Behind #MyBoys

(From top to bottom/left to right)

Yoshida Haru - A badass with a surprisingly sweet facade. And it doesn't hurt that he is a smarty pants.

Nizuma Eiji - Artistic, weird and loud. However, do not get fooled by his eternal boy behavior because he is very much serious with his career, hence, his confidence and conviction to become the number one mangaka exudes naturally. Although he has a competitive streak he remains friendly and fair to his colleagues. 

Sakata Gintoki - Every girl loves a bad guy, especially if that guy happens to be as hot and as good looking as Gin. Aside from the physical and the obvious, this saccharine loving, manga-reading samurai won my heart because of his sense of humor. 

Okabe "Okarin" Rintarou - The mad scientist. Just like Eiji, he is loud and weird and makes the most dubious facial expressions and sound effects. I guess the weirdness part gets me every time because the feeling is mutual. 

Asaba Yuuta - Quiet, smart, athletic and caring , a girl's dreamboat indeed. 

Orihara Izaya - His nefarious side can be quite dangerous, but interesting, too. With his excellent conversational skills you could talk to him about anything and everything under the sun -- the sky is the limit. 

Oreki Houtarou - Although he is a low-energy type of guy I can not resist liking Houtarou because of his cleverly beautiful mind and his very gentlemanly instinct. Clearly, he won't ignore or turn down a girl when she needed his help. 

Kanda Sorata - He represents the truth that "chivalry is not dead". 

Kirigaya "Kirito" Kazuto - He would fight for you to the depths. 

Mashima Taichi - He is in love with his best friend but she is head-over-heels in love with someone else. Well, it's your loss Chihaya because you're a fool. Taichi is too good for you anyway. 

Yashio "Kai" Kaito - With his game addiction he is just your average and typical kind of guy, but his curiosity about things and his unwavering concern for Akiho wins me over.

Miyagishi Tohru - Girl's would always love a guy who can cook, who is ambitious, hard working and yet simple, and above all, who values friendship and family relations. He stole my heart when he cooked a porridge for Ohana when she got sick. Wow!

Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait

I just love this band, with an exclamation mark. Since listening to their song "Little Lion Man" I've become a true convert and a fan. I was floored right away upon hearing their new single online. Mumford & Sons put the "cool" back on banjo; giving the instrument a new-found respect it deserves. You have to pack your iPod with their music -- it is the perfect travel buddy on the road. 

Mumford & Sons new album "Babel" is truly a worthy wait.

To buy the album click the image/CD cover. 

Sweet Paris

Always a sucker for any pieces that features my 'City of Lights,' I come across this TVC by Lewis & Pearl today and fell in love more with my Paris -- as the beauty and charm of the city is exquisitely highlighted by the commercial. The cinematography for Sweet Paris TVC reminds me of Sofia Coppola's Miss Dior Cherie. However, never mind the resemblance, Paris is all that matters to me.

Sole Mates

I do not consider myself a shoe horse, but I love a spectacularly one-of-a-kind, not-your-everyday footwear whenever I see one. I used to have a thing for Chuck's and Vans, before its revival in the early 2000, and well before my cousins from Milan started to be crazy about them. Then came my penchant for espadrilles, especially the ones that were made from Liliw, Laguna. I was over the moon for them last year, until...my attention shifted to Oxford shoes. It all started early this year because of my fascination for Jazz, the 1920s and 30s,  the glorious fashion of the silent motion picture"The Artist". My mind was all wrapped up in those tap dance shoes that I am dead set to buy my own pair as soon as I saw one. Luckily, I bought my first kicks last May.

My first Oxford's from Rusty Lopez.  

Aiming to buy two of these Oxford shoes
(at the front row) from Primadonna Philippines.
Expensive, though!

A pair of Oxford from Cole Haan

Cole Haan New York
is probably the best brand
around to shop for your Oxford'

90210 star Shenae Grimes debuts her new
Cole Haan digs in her official website.

Officine 904

While reading Marion Ravn's official website -- I bumped into a real beauty that she was lugging around during her trip to California.

Meet Officine 904...

Officine 904 is an Italian brand that consists of stylish purses, bags and wallets made in authentic Italian leather. The products were hand made in Tuscany from the finest and the most delicate soft calfs.

I am not a leather-type of person, as much as possible I try to avoid purchasing products that are created or manufactured in leather. The structure of the bags is the real eye-candy, and the contributing factor that made it look appealing to me. I selected four designs from their creation: the Tracolla shoulder bag, 36 Ore Col. Verde Ramarro, the Nero Market Bag and the AVB Bluette. I prefer the Tracolla bag in green or blue tone, however, the image is unavailable, so I have to make do with the Cognac.

You know a genuine leather when you see one. They won't peel off as the years go by. 
Even if you kept them in a closet or a storage room, they would stand the test of time. 

Playlist: Series No. 2

Goodness gracious! Two months had passed since my first playlist. There are several songs that I'd been listening to at this span of time. In fact, I could not recall every single one of them, but for the most part, my choice of sound seems to lean to instrumental pieces from motion picture soundtracks. I discovered diverse musical artists all over the world and had probably collected some noteworthy compositions by Nino Rota and then some.

To listen to the following tracks press the play button. Enjoy!

Shimbalaiê (2011)
Maria Gadù
Maria Gadú - Som Livre
The perfect summer song to listen to, at the beach or on a road trip. Portuguese language music seems to have this uncanny, rejuvenating feel. I was supposed to use this as a background music on my short film project, but my video was too short -- it didn't fit with the song. 

Skinny Love (2008)
Bon Iver
For Emma, Forever Ago - 4AD/Jagjaguwar
I've been hearing a lot about Bon Iver but I came across with this song just two months ago. A very polarizing song, indeed, as the music sounded happy, but the lyrics is about unrequited love or a relationship that is one-sided. 

La Dolce Vita (Finale) (1960)
Nino Rota
La Dolce Vita OST - RCA Victor
Like is an inferior word to describe how much I love this music by Nino Rota. I've seen the film because of the music. And I love playing it over and over again on my iPod and laptop.  The combination of jazz, dance and the flavors of old Italia makes me want to put an all night-er to a party, with this as the ambient sound. 

The Sweetest Thing (2009)
Camera Obscura
My Maudlin Career - 4AD Records
Finally, had my first serving of Camera Obscura. The song is sweet and the video is subliminally fun. This is one of the few indie songs you could really dance along with. 

The Way I Am (2007)
Ingrid Michaelson
Girls and Boys - Cabin 24
One of my favorite love songs, although there are so many. A wedding video from Sweden, with a couple using this tune for their first dance, got me hook all over again -- that I ended up using this music for my short film. 

Ue o Muite Arukō (Sukiyaki) (1961)
Kyu Sakamoto
Sukiyaki and Other Japanese Hits - Toshiba-EMI
I always love the cover version of 4PM, but after hearing the original recording by Sakamoto, I've had a change of heart. Every time I listen to it a feeling of resurgence, a reverie -- of youth and innocence -- of the 1960s contained in a time capsule -- carries me right back there. 

Bo nae ji mot han ma eum (Piano Ver.) (2006)
Alone in Love OST - EMI Music Korea
A simple piano tune to relax my day. Quick enough to make me sentimental like the characters in the Korean series that it was written for. 

Because (2006)
Kim hyun chul
Il Mare - Korean Music
There are several music from this soundtrack that I like, but this is the one that stays with me -- above anything else. Maybe it has to do with the emotive violin part or "the three things a person cannot hide" scene, where it was played. Either way, I love it. 

Unchained Melody (1955)
The Righteous Brothers
Just Once In My Life - Philles
I'm sending this one into the void for someone out there, "darling wait for me." 

I Will Wait For You  (1964)
Michel Legrand
Les Parapluies de Cherbourg
Not every love stories has a happy ending, but there is always its beautiful music that gives the film its memorable moments and its haunting quality. 

Every Single Night

Seven years after the released of her third album, singer-songwriter Fiona Apple, one of the great female musician's of the 90s (along with Tori Amos), is back with her fourth studio album aptly titled as The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do. 

I was in my puberty when Fiona Apple's dark debut album "Tidal" debuted in the music scene. My musical choices those years veered off from the seriousness of the alternative genre -- just like any other ordinary teenager -- who enjoyed pop music 97% of the time. Because I was born on the 80s and raised in the 90s, the music available to us depends on the playlist imposed by the radio stations and MTV, the internet is not accessible to anyone's perusal, no Napster, no iTunes -- just plain old cassette tapes and CD's. But the 90s prove to be the decade for 'women in rock music'. There are no other era in the history of modern music that could boast a list of talented musician/singer/songwriter women (except the 70s, of course) when pitted against the 90s.

Although pop music dominated my record collection during those years, my comparable angst-driven self secretly pays attention to the sound of alternative music -- fronted by women singer-songwriter -- such as Fiona Apple. Who could forget her "go with yourself" speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, her post-grunge waif look and smoky eyes, her brooding lyrics, and those pounding piano keys played along with her powerful contralto. Fiona Apple doesn't do music just for the sake of doing it. Some of her contemporaries might have give in to selling-out, but Apple never wavered her own convictions when it comes to her art. In fact, she is one of the rare few who doesn't yield into the "strike while the iron is hot," saying. She takes her time to write her songs wherein, the purpose of it would serve her best. Through the years, her careful meditation and bravery to expose herself (via her music) lead us away from our comfort zone, and yet, it takes us to a beautiful place of powerful (and random) liberation.

Gucci - Forever Now (Fall 2012)

Gucci's hot-off-the-presses campaign for their Fall 2012 season -- shows a more relaxed and laid back Charlotte Casiraghi -- wearing comfortable pants and button-down blouses. The black and white images of Casiraghi also features Gucci's iconic metal horsebit and their trademark loafers. On a likability status -- this is an A+ for me, because it reminds us that Casiraghi is not fashion model, but as an endorser and fashion icon-in-the-making, herself. It is nice to see something like this for a change, given that most of the fashion campaigns were dominated by sultry, thin bodied fashion models, clad in stilettos and heavy makeups. This type of ad is more realistic and appealing to women of all ages. Bravo!

To quote (from Gucci's official website):

Gucci is pleased to reveal the second installment in its “Forever Now” icons of heritage advertising campaign series conceived by Creative Director Frida Giannini in collaboration with Charlotte Casiraghi. The two new portraits celebrate the iconic metal horsebit featured on the classic Gucci Loafer – the hardware that has inspired a legacy, since it was first introduced into the House’s vocabulary nearly sixty years ago.

Shot by Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, the vivid black and white photographs portray Ms. Casiraghi in a natural, spontaneous atmosphere full of details. A testament to the equestrian imagery that has embraced Gucci designs across generations, the campaign takes its cue from the brass bit that Guccio Gucci first used on the House’s saddle-stitched handbags in the Fifties, before he applied it to Gucci's signature loafer in 1953.

The new images from the “Forever Now” campaign will appear worldwide from August, in newspapers and fashion and lifestyle magazines complementing the House’s seasonal fashion campaigns. Unveiled this past March with a first installment dedicated to Gucci’s signature green and red stripe, the campaign series sees Charlotte Casiraghi portrayed by the world’s most respected fashion and portrait photographers in a series of sittings celebrating the House’s icons.

The first “Forever Now” advertising campaign series was launched in Autumn 2010, in the run up to Gucci’s 90th anniversary, and featured original black and white photography of Gucci’s Florentine Artisans from its Archive.

All video and photography of the campaign was shot by Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin.