Congratulations to the 2009 Agency of the Year: BBDO Guerrero Proximity

Read up on them on Adobo and Campaign Brief Asia.

Attention Artists!

I came across these online and I thought I'd share. Worth mulling over this long weekend.

I believe this is an initiative by Team Manila to give young local designers a boost up.

Rogue Magazine wants to sponsor visual artists on the verge. Click here for more details.

Musa's Longest Running Christmas Gift List: No. 1 Man Jewelry from Lucky Monkey

The Philippines is notoriously known for having the longest Christmas season in the world- spanning from September all the way to January. Right about now, Filipinos are drafting their impressive gift lists which includes everyone they know from their loved ones to their building security guard. With that in mind, I've decided to compile the longest list of absolutely awesome Filipino made Christmas gifts. 

My first recommendation are these great finds from Lucky Monkey. Because men need their bling too, Dante Dizon and Noli Coronado created a line of heavy duty rings. I think they can double as weapons.

Technically, these things are for men. The perfect gift for biker boyfriends and dads who want to relive their days as bad-asses (before they were whipped to submission by their headstrong wives.) But personally, I wouldn't mind getting one. The character and texture of the pieces are so rock 'n' roll. 

Dante is an old friend from advertising and it's inspiring how he's managed to squeeze time from his busy schedule to pursue his passions. This team up with Noli, an established artist/sculptor is pure win. I think there are even ongoing talks between collaborations with Japanese artists. Fantastic. 

Inspired by the hardware on their bikes, the pair created works of wearable art that reflect their rough and ready lifestyle. Dante even said that the blackened finish is inspired by the burnt oil on his bike. For all its grunginess, these pieces don't come cheap. I think they're selling them for P10,000 + -something you need to save up for but worth every penny if it's for that special somebody. 

Order bling for your lucky monkey by emailing Dante and Noli here.

Re:Vision Exhibit at Vinyl on Vinyl

Vinyl On Vinyl Gallery is hosting Re:Vision- an exhibit built on the theme of getting artists to revise something/ anything/ everything they like. A new perspective on the pre-existing. The concept reeks of advertising. Lovet. It does not hurt that the proceeds go to charity. 

See you all tonight (7 September, 2010) at 7274 Collective, Malugay St., Makati.

Exhibiting Artists:

Argem Vinuya
Brandie Tan
Ian Sta. MariaGe Madriaga-Mapa
Dale Lopez
Katrina Encanto
Jeck Ebreo

in cooperation with the Rotary Club of Urdaneta
for the benefit of children's art education

Manila Bicycle Ride with Carlos Celdran

I had an unexpectedly awesome weekend. My friends and I took part of Carlos Celdran's bike ride to help DOT (Department of Tourism).  Because of a recent incident, our foreign tourists arrivals might drop. So, we need to become tourists ourselves! Why not introduce biking as a way to see the city?


The Movement: Get the government to create bike paths around Manila's famous landmarks. 

The man with the plan: Carlos Celdran. 

Any person who can command people like me to wake up at 5am is a winner! He's gotten people to see that Manila can be an exciting tourist destination. Now, he wants us to consider a breezier more exhilarating way to see the old city.

Mia and Knox in Rizal Park. 

This lovely lady lent me her spare bike. I've been wanting one for quite a while because my dream is to be able to bike to work. But it just seems insane for a person who lives in Marikina to bike all the way to Makati. 

Mia's baby is a Fixie. 

I adore the clean lines and vintage look. She set it up with a leather seat and front wheel brakes. Brakes! Very important. 

Pitstop at Rizal Park

Carlos Celdran attracted a legion of people including media men, runners, and of course bikers. I saw fixed gear bikes, mountain bikes, regular commuter bikes, and even foldables. I was tailing some very chic Strida folding bikes at one point. Drool. 

Stuntmant Vic Down the Slopes of CCP. 

We went from the Manila Film Center, to the Cultural Center of the Philippines, to Intramuros, to Binondo, and then on to Rizal Park.

The last time I biked around in Manila was years ago, in the wee hours of the morning, using those rusty things they rented out near the Film Center. I've always treasured that memory but I didn't know what it would be like to bike during the daytime. There are other forces to contend with like: the heat of the sun, angry motorists, and pollution. But it wasn't that hot, weaving in and out of cars wasn't that frightening, and the pollution was unnoticeable at its best and acceptable at its worst. Soon, I found myself speeding up enthusiastically, waving hellogoodbye to runners, and singing Queen's, "I want to Ride My Bicycle" on the top of my lungs.

It was a good day. One that I'd like to be able to do more often.

Remembering Alexis Tioseco on the Philippine Daily Inquirer

Here's something I wrote about an old friend for the Inquirer. I had hoped they would use this picture of him by Brendan Goco, but they ended up choosing a more somber one. He was one of the most inspiring and prolific people I've encountered. But here he's just young, silly, and fun. That's the Alexis Tioseco I'd most like to remember.

Rest in peace Alexis and Nika.

Justice for Alexis and Nika

This day last year, Alexis Tioseco and Nika Bohinc were murdered.

Tonight, I'm off to Quezon City to join family and friends in remembering their passing and celebrating their lives. I've been trying to finish up an article about Alexis so I've been too preoccupied to post anything original.  I shall just encourage people to pray tonight and also to grab a copy of UNO, an alternative men's lifestyle magazine. They've done something pretty remarkable in dedicating an entire issue to them (with fully-clothed hotties on the cover too!) I can't wait to see what's inside.

For those wondering about their case, it seems nothing has happened. Their murderers are roaming the streets of Manila. To make it worse, the police arrested the wrong guy. I think we have to start demanding more out of our cops. How can they protect us when they're uneducated,  ill-equipped, and unprepared? I'll leave that battle for tomorrow. Tonight, it's about Alexis and Nika. Goodnight friends.