Seeing and Believing

I know, I know, it's been a while since my last decent posting. Somehow, being without a camera has dulled my eye and staved off the hunger for blogging.

"You don't have pictures? Then it didn't happen." My mini adventures tend to tread the fine line between fiction and non-fiction that, without the evidence of photos, they just don't seem believable. Hmph! So my Snuffleupaguses have to share the back burner with imaginings for now.

"Everything happens for a reason." The past week was occupied with camera-hunting, vacillating from a Lumix to Powershot to Coolpix. Everyone had an opinion and unfortunately, a budget more opinionated than mine. Then there is DPreview, exhausting all possible concerns (and me) with their extensive reviews. Well, just as my heart was breaking from realizing that Hidalgo, camera-haven-in-Quiapo, didn't have stock of my TZ5, I recalled that former student Jan Tan was the JT of JT PHOTOWORLD! A few clicks on the cell phone, a bit of egging and bargaining then groveling later, I had my camera ordered from Hong Kong AND at a beloved-teacher deal!

"We all are blessed with certain gifts." But whereas some people are blessed with the gift of discernment and others the gift of tears, mine is the Gift of Parking. Seriously. It may be a jam-packed garage or a full lot, but a slot-- the BEST slot-- magically opens up for me every single time. It can get eerie. It is non-transferable. I just look up at the skies and with a glitter in my eye, I give thanks. It's an intimate running joke between me and God... and the patron saint of traffic, St.Habakkuk.

Some things don't have to be seen to be believed. Trust me.

Choices, choices, choices

Having catered to the wedding industry for 15 years, I have never before seen brides with as many choices to make and as many selections to make them from as today. And lucky are the modern couples for the quality of products and the level of professionalism of service out there have also risen to international standards.

September saw yet another wedding-dedicated magazine enter the market: WEDDING BELLE. This brainchild of the young group from Bella Luce Publications is fresh, quirky and hip. The articles, features and columns are presented and come across like advice would from a sister, cousin or close friend, reflective of the way the editorial team actually is in real life.

For this maiden issue’s Looks of the Season segment, I prepared a white lace-against taupe-coated cake to complement the pink, green and orange color palette of the set-up. The intricate piping, appliqués and sequins that took almost 6 hours to finish were based on the fabric Joyce Lasam wore as she walked down the aisle with Bobing Tongco.

Giving Back

I swore my first term teaching to be my last... that was 5 years ago. 15 terms and many colorful promises later, I still wake up happy that I took on the challenge to become and stay a teacher. Even now as I have grown older and as my students seem to have gotten younger, the most important lessons-- that which span the virtues, cardinal or otherwise-- have remained the same. And I am learning them right along with my students.

Today I gained two new inspirations. In their golden years as a married couple, Antonio and Mila Puyat have taken under their wings and into their hearts an advocacy for literacy of the youth. Rotary Club International’s CONCENTRATED LEARNING ENCOUNTER aims to equip children with proficiency specifically in the English language, giving them valuable edge in their globalized future. As testament to the success of the CLE program of Mandaluyong, it has now been adopted by other cities, spreading the spirit of paying forward and giving back. Their passion, wisdom and sincerity has revived a deflated spirit and renewed my faith in the goodness of people.

To learn to put the A’s and B’s and C’s together to make an argument is short of miraculous. To give the gift of expression is empowering. To be an instrument for another’s education and to be a witness to their evolution gives me the heebie-jeebies… there are no words.

Premier Edition

Any Filipino gathering can easily turn into a celebration. Weddings are an obsession.

Around 40 years ago, my parents Dennis and Evelyn Magdaraog- Juban set up what must have been the very first wedding coordinating service in Manila, Wedding Philippines. And their very first project: their own.


*cover cake by Baba Ibazeta-Benedicto

The Philippines' extended family network provides a deep pool of assistance from parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins of cousins, neighbors, even cousins of neighors, everything is made a community effort. WP attempted to infiltrate what was a mostly DIY culture and professionalize it. But then, the pace of life was more laid back, and it was not only impractical but unheard of to loosen grip on a very personal affair and entrust it to strangers. In the 60's it was firmly so, which made Wedding Philippines ahead of its time.

These days, the wedding industry thrives like never before. Evidently so, for MARTHA STEWERT WEDDINGS has joined the local picture. A collaboration of foreign expertise and local talent, this Philippine issue is a warmer version because it strikes home. The Real Weddings section showcases actual brides and grooms and their uniquely styled affairs. Very well received was our POTS DU CREME made for Dino and Criselle Panlilio-Alejandro, sugarpaste terra cotta vessels for dreamy layers of cake and cream topped with hand-piped spring flowers.

The wedding scene just got more interesting.

Peachy in Wonderland

MARTHA STEWART has arrived! THE premiere magazine MARTHA STEWART WEDDINGS awarded their very first international franchise to the Philippines! And the young and talented Summit Media team led by EIC Tata Mapa threw a launch like no other.

Today's tea party at The Peninsula Manila's Conservatory was a feast for sugar addicts! Gorgeously styled by Margarita-Fores-with-the-golden-touch, the mother of all dessert buffets awed and wowed. No one wanted to touch it and yet everyone wanted to attack it. A diabetic could have keeled over at the mere sight of scones, biscuits, vol-au-vents, cucumber-salmon-sun dried tomato-crabstick-ham sandwiches, piles of cookies, macarons, bars, cakes, cupcakes, tarts, puffs, even local favorites halo-halo, tocino del cielo, pastillas, yemas, polvorons-- specialties from over 30 top suppliers! FORGET THE TEA!

Shortcrust rendered 200 pink monochromes of its featured Pots Du Creme in Mandarin Ganache, Raspberry Swirl and Dulce de Leche. These all-edible handmade creations (yes, even the pots) were gone in a zip, thanks to confessed hoarders!

It is a rare opportunity to gather and sit down busy industry practitioners, and in this scale of fun. Caterers, coordinators, photographers, musicians, printers, couturiers, stylists, make up artists, florists, cake designers do not often get together as guests. The occasion certainly called for a champagne toast!

Martha would be proud!

Figments

Now that I'm back to the grind and especially after a tough few days, the past week's juicy little bits seem like just a very colorful dream. And without proper pictures, I have been ribbed to pieces that that's all it was. WHATEVER!

I finally had the disposable camera photos processed. Only half of the 24 exposures came through anywhere near decent. Sad. But these will have to do.

A French-Canadian friend here for his Philippine stop revealed that on his second tour of the world, he stopped shooting pictures. He resolved that a camera-- choosing subjects, composing
the frame and considering the lighting-- stymied the fullness and fluidity, the spontaneity of his experience.

Maybe I'll stop taking photos too... after I've circled the world a few times.

Cake Makeover 101

With just 2 hours sleep, I headed to Anilao, Batangas to keep a promise. Inday was getting married and no way was I going to allow budget to constrain her cake from being memorable. With just one tutorial, Larry admirably fashioned a miniature of BALAI from sugar for a topper. And after a tweak here and a rearrangement there, the 3-layer Red Ribbon was then bespoke. Good job, team!

*photos by Ninong Eric Pambid




(Balai Resorts in Anilao and Laiya, Batangas;
www.balai-resort.com)

LUCKY is my middle name

My Top 5 Must Do's in Shanghai were:
(1) Attend the Sweets China Expo (2) Ride the Maglev (3) Eat Xiao Long Bao (4) Go to a water town (5) Watch Tai Chi. Since the first two were uneventful and the next two bombed, I was on a mission when I set out for Fuxing Gongyuan, the only thing that got me out on the street before 8am.

The Parisian-style park was alive with random activity-- kung fu and wushu, ballroom and traditional dancing, kite flying, top twirling, singing, and yes-- TAI CHI, lots of tai chi. Amongst the thousands of locals, I was the lone foreigner, a voyeur. It was almost religious.

I took a while to meander through the tree-lined streets for the very last time and take it all in: the early mornings sights, the distinct Chinese smells, the nippy autumn feel, and I gave thanks.

Queuing up at the airport departure counter, the last thing I expected was an out-of-body/in-a-movie experience. On the same flight was the AL JARREAU & GEORGE BENSON touring posse. YES WAY!!! Let it suffice to say that I got more than just an autograph.

Kirk Ngo said today was to be a lucky day. At an earlier post, my former student and lone blog reader revealed that the Gregorian Calendar's 080808 when reflected on the Chinese Lunar Calendar actually fell on 090708-- TODAY. I am now a firm believer!

Back to basics

WHAT IF MY CAMERA FOUND ITS WAY TO LOST AND FOUND? Guess what? I found myself at the police station. Are you sitting down? I cried. OH YES.

Losing the camera is not what devastates me, I am already looking forward to a Lumix. My bubble has been burst. On my solo travels, I have trusted and drawn confidence from the kindness of people. It breaks my heart to lose THAT.

In my desperation I turned to a disposable camera and stubbornly retraced my steps. I forget how simple things used to be. With a limit of just 24 exposures, every shot mattered. God only knows how those pictures will turn out-- there is no playback on those boxes, no zoom either. But I can go home now, I've moved on. ZAIJIAN.

Shanghai-ed, literally

My camera got stolen last night. Devastated? I am bordering catatonic! MY PICTURES!!! Is it just me or doesn't this sound like a re-run? Over and over I play back the events and places my Powershot and I last shared... Pudong, Pearl Tower, River Promenade, The Bund, Nanjing Dong Lu ALL ON FOOT!!! And that was just yesterday! There was Sweets Asia and Xintiandi the day before! My blisters are inconsolable.

I am trying hard to focus on the beauty and the good I have witnessed and experienced here. A young man (probably thinking I was a young girl) came to my aid at the Metro. "I'm sorry, my English is bad.", he apologized. Don't worry, my Mandarin is worse.

I feel like a hangover with barely a wink's sleep. Am forcing myself to snap out of this slump and head to Yuyuan Gardens for the elusive XIAO LONG BAO. One can wallow in milk tea for only so long.

Shanghai-ed!

I couldn't be happier having gotten rid of August, the funky ghost month that had more than just the planets misaligned. In the end, the forces of the universe proved too much to be reckoned with and I folded. It was a waiting game with the hours and the days crawling past until I could shake off dust and set out on my next adventure.

Beijing’s initiation served to dull the anxiety of heading East again. Despite lacking my usually stringent pre-prep, I loaded up just a few hours before flight and took off with my trusty Mini Shanghai Explorer tucked beneath my arm.

An airplane, Maglev and Metro ride later, my 10kg backpack and I are finally back in China.

LE TOUR TRAVELER's REST off Jiaozhou Lu is home for now. A former factory then vegetable market, the renovation managed to maintain its charming character with brick and medi-walls, rooftop dining area, internet lounge and entertainment hall. Online research landed me the cleanest of the hostels I have stayed in, plus I have the penthouse.

I actually get luckier. Eric Pambid and Tim Fortaleza, friends from Manila who have made the former French Concession their home, are not only proficient in Mandarin but are Chinese food-ies as well. Last night was a Sichuan feast and my introduction to more varieties of chilies than I thought existed. Then there are the egg tarts.

Equipped with NI HAO and XIE XIE, I now venture out into China's largest city.