Why Choose the Right Shoes?

     Part of getting your look right is having the right shoes.  You can ruin a seriously fly style by wearing a beaten up pair of shoes.  You might be surprised at how many people will judge you on what you have on your feet.  Not that you mind what they say, but shouldn't you be mindful of what you wear?

Hip, Not Hipster

       Geek chic and scruffy look, revisited...

     Hipster can sometimes be a bit much, right?  It is a mish-mash of so many things that the eyes may not even know where to look at.  Hipster wear is cool though because it is all about geek chic, which many of us love.  Here are some tips on how to be hip with this kind of look.

David Beckham is known to constantly sport the geek chic look

►TIP:  The right way to accessorize any hipster outfit is with a pair of chunky glasses and a vintage laptop bag or satchel.  These things are perfect for the office but perhaps it’s best to tone down the clothes if you’re going to an important meeting! Yeah, it is possible to be hipster but still look professional.  All you gotta do is create a blend of smart and street that you can wear anywhere.

Accessorize!  That's the key  to the geek chic look

►TIP:  Slim jeans work very well with a fitted shirt or slogan t-shirt.  This kind of outfit will be perfect for any occasion, as you can make it look fashionably scruffy when you go out in the evening by adding some cool layers and accessories like a scarf, waistcoat or pair of trainers.

The Right Hairstyle To Hide Your Flaws (For Men)

     Here's another "GUY STUFF" feature dedicated to all my awesome male readers.  This is in fact just a continuation of "The Right Hairstyle For Your Face Shape" article which I wrote almost five months ago.  There were some important issues which weren't covered by that post that will be discussed on this one.

     And so gentlemen, better pay attention.  Here are some tips on what hair style to get that will minimize your flaws so you can look better -- or at least tone down your weak areas so they won't overpower your other great features.  I've put together some common problem categories (hair cut for receding hairline, big forehead, etc) and the most popular solutions I've learned from the experts all over the Internet and from magazines.  The post also contains some hair style to avoid so you can always look your best.

Floods, Heroes, Memories

The Floods

     It was September 26, 2009 when a flood of this magnitude has visited Manila and people blamed typhoon Ondoy for the properties and lives that were lost.  Almost three years later and several days of non-stop raining, Metro Manila is once again submerged in dirty, garbage-infested flood water.

This is the street right outside our apartment in Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City
Second day of southwest monsoon flood / August 8, 2012, 8AM

My brother Jeb and our dog Yassu on the neighbor's roof  in our old address
in Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City / 3rd day after typhoon Ondoy, September 28, 2009

All About Health, Fitness and Weight Loss

     Health and fitness is a recurring struggle for many of us and at times, it is also a major frustration.  What we need to understand, before engaging in a full-time health and fitness plan, is that there are no short term solutions.  And to succeed, we need to focus, be committed, and stay motivated -- and we need to keep all those in check even after we've reached our goals so we can enjoy being healthy and fit permanently.  

     Getting the body we want is a tough task (I think this is an understatement).  But to put it simply, the keys to getting that hot bod we always wanted are just these two:

A.  Decide to eat right and healthy

     Eating right means feeding ourselves with the required nutrients so we accomplish the day's tasks as well as fuel ourselves to do exercises.  Eating right further means getting rid of food that our body don't need such as sodas and junk food.  Specially if we have weight issues, we should not eat more than what our body needs for the day and more importantly, we should incorporate food in our diet that has nutrients which can help us with our weight loss goals.  Some of Hollywood's weight loss success is attributed to some dieting programs that's been proven to produce results.

The Sweetest Thing

     Hello beautiful people, what's up?  Sorry for not updating this blog lately but don't think even for a minute that I've forgotten about you, my awesome and most loyal readers.  Anyway, I've talked about friendship on this blog several times in the past, particularly on these posts:  (Go ahead, read them if you haven't yet).

• A Piece of My Thoughts
• Some Thoughts on Friendship

[L-R]: Bespren Kent, bestest JayB, MPC Yvette, Me, best friend Tokzzz and sexy AJ

       And so, please allow me to write about the topic once more...

8 Ways To Lose Beer Belly

     Hey guys, I'm back!  How are you all doing today?  Anyway, here's another post dedicated once again to all my awesome male readers.  This time, I'll help you find out how to lose that bulging beer belly and keep it off for sure.

     Just to clarify, beer bellies aren't always caused  by swigging too much beer.  Beer is around 140 calories per 12 ounce bottle and contains a lot of calories thus frequent indulging can indeed extend your waistline.  But fat in all areas of the body develops when calories that are taken in are not burned through regular exercise or physical activities.  The body won't know the difference whether the calories are from beer or from the food you eat.  So yeah, beer belly is caused by having too much beer or just having too much unburned calories.

     So, what are the things you can do to get rid of your beer belly?  Go ahead, read on!

Phillip Phillips, American Idol Season 11

     Folks, America have decided and their new American Idol is -- (dim the lights, here we go!) -- Phillip Phillips!  It's absolutely and without a doubt official:  American Idol Season 11 winner is Phillip Phillips.  And while Phillip Phillips fans from around the world are still celebrating this victory, the rest of us are on the edge of our seats anticipating what's gonna be next for this 21 year old laid-back cool dude from Leesburg, Georgia.

Phillip Phillips takes home American Idol crown for Season 11.

American Idol Season 11 Top 2

     Oh yes, it's down to these two amazing voices.  America have reached a decision and they have voted for Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez.  Phillip and Jessica are officially the TOP 2 American Idols for Season 11.  And next week, the whole world shall find out who will be the 11th American Idol.  I'm actually pretty cool with whoever wins this thing.

Jessica Sanchez and Phillip Phillips for the Finale Night of American Idol Season 11.

     I have not closely followed the show since it premiered on June 11, 2002 but I do remember having favorites like Kelly Clarkson, Chris Daughtry, Elliott Yamin, Fantasia Barrino, and David Cook.  Season 11, however, is of particular interest so I made extra effort to get updates on Twitter and if I fail to catch the performance night on TV, I watch re-runs or I visit American Idol's official YouTube channel.

5 Shoe-Care Tips

     Hey folks, how are you all doing?  I'm back for some really quick GUY STUFF post.  Though if this applies to the female population as well, go ahead and read on.

     Shoes are the last thing I put on when going out.  You might look so fly with your clothes, but a beaten pair of shoes can definitely hurt your style.  I'm here to give you some practical tips on how to care for your walkers so you can strut with confidence wherever your feet (or fate) might lead you.

Jessica Sanchez, MY American Idol

     I was thinking of stuff to write about this sixteen year old girl from San Diego, California -- yet I'm at a loss for words to describe how talented she is.  I'm listening to her video in the background as I type and all I can say is -- this girl can really sing! (Sorry, needed to borrow this line from Randy Jackson).  While enjoying her music, I turned to Wikipedia for some quick facts about Jessica Sanchez.

Name:  Jessica Elizabeth Sanchez
Birthday:  August 4, 1995
Dad:  Gilbert Sanchez, Mexican-American from Texas
Mom:  Editha Bugay Sanchez, Filipino from Bataan, Philippines

The Official New 7 Wonders of Nature

     Folks, it's OFFICIAL!  After being announced last November 11, 2011 as one of the Provisional New 7 Wonders of Nature, Puerto Princesa Underground River is now confirmed and verified as one of the world's New 7 Wonders of Nature.  Yeah, a little out of my blog's theme but I remember mentioning Puerto Princesa Underground River when I wrote about Jeb's trip to Palawan last year -- and now, I just wanna share with you guys this absolutely wonderful news.

On picture:  President Benigno S. Aquino III receiving the plaque from
Dr. Bernard Weber recognizing Puerto Princesa Underground River as
one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.

     The Puerto Princesa Underground River is considered to be the world's longest navigable underground river which winds through a cave before opening up to the South China Sea.  And yesterday, April 21, 2011, this amazing work of nature was inaugurated as one of the world's New 7 Wonders of Nature (N7WN) at the One Esplanade, Open Grounds, Pasay City with the presence of the N7WN President and Founder Dr. Bernard Weber and the President of the Philippines Benigno Simeon Aquino III.  Also present during the inauguration was Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn, Task Force PPUR Chairman and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. and Manila City Mayor Alfredo Lim, among others.

7 Steps To A Great Shave

     Hey guys, what's up?  Enjoying your summer?  Don't forget to read my previous post so you can make the most out of the hottest yet coolest time of the year.  Anyway, I'm back yet again for another article that's dedicated to all my awesome male readers.

     Shaving is a common ritual for many guys.  Let's face it, we shave our facial hair whenever we wanna look exceptionally nice.  Though I look wayyy better with my facial hair on, I still shave my face to start over with my scruffy look or if I wanted to look extra neat and fresh for some special occasion.

     With a trusted razor and a steady hand, most men definitely know how to shave like we know the back of our hand.  What I'm here for, however, is to give additional pointers so we can achieve that perfect shave every time.

5 Ways To Beat The Summer Heat

     It's summer! -- and to those who love the sun and the beach, here's a short list of summer essentials to keep your cool under the warm sunny weather.

BLOCK THE SUN!

     The exceptionally hotter sun needs to be shut out so use sunblock and reapply as needed to keep your skin protected.   Reapplying sunblock should be done every hour or two because it could be washed off by sweat, water, or whatever activity you're engaged in.  A thing of note about skin care:  even if it's not summer, the skin needs protection from the sun as UV rays can damage the skin causing darkening and premature aging.

Home Remedies For Common Face Problems

     Hey guys, how are you all doing today?

     They say to overcome our problems we must face them, but as goes the joke -- what if the problem is our face?  Getting a new face is quite expensive -- so that's not really an alternative for me.  Lol!  Anyway, here are some skin treatments I learned from the Internet (and from an old issue of metro him magazine) to relieve some of the most common face problems using stuff we already have at home.

For Deep Cleansing

     Steaming the face is a great way to flush out toxins from the skin while hydrating and promoting skin turnover.  Steaming cleanses the skin of dirt that's deeply embedded in the pores thus a big help to prevent acne, pimples and blackheads.  However, this is not advisable for those with severe acne as this can trigger more acne breakout -- better consult with your dermatologist first.  But for those with mild acne cases, steaming your face can help clear up your skin.

The Right Hairstyle for Your Face Shape (For Men)

     Judging a book by its cover is simply not cool but nobody can deny the truth that looking good or presentable DOES affect other people's perception of who you are.  They won't exactly know your thoughts, your ideas, what you've accomplished or what you stand for, but the way you present yourself can either draw them near so they can get to know you more, or might just drive them away.  That is why, we should always make the conscious effort to take care of ourselves and make sure that we put our best foot forward every-time. 

     I have started a series of posts tagged as "GUY STUFF" dedicated to all my male readers who, like me, are passionate enough to become the best of who they can be.  I'm not a style guru but I wanna share what I know to help out other guys like me.  We can learn from each other's experiences, right?  So, let's get it on!

How To Choose The Right Hairstyle
For Your Face Shape

     Choosing the right hairstyle is more difficult for men than for women.  Women have longer hair and can have the flexibility while men with our shorter hair can only do a few adjustments.  But overall, the correct cut and styling can enhance a person's facial features, even hide the flaws and just influence the overall image.

David Beckham is one of the few men I look up to when it comes to style.  This guy is awesome.

     Here's a research I made on the different face shapes and collated the recommendations on what hairstyle works best for each type.  In deciding which haircut is right, find out which face shape category you belong to and discuss with your stylist the options you have.  You then can decide on which hairstyle is fit for you which will highlight and compliment your features. 

Angels Brought Me Here

     They say music is the language of the soul.  It is a universal force that celebrates with our joy, laments with our sadness, calms our anger and sometimes, it gives us wisdom when we need it.  It's amazing how music can explain and relate to what we feel when nobody else can.  It is music which keeps us company when everything in this world seems most unbearable and when life feels just so hard to live.  Indeed -- music is life's gift to us all.

     The song 'Angels Brought Me Here' by Guy Sebastian was once someone's song for me.  Well, that was actually years ago.  I got attached to the song because it's just a wonderful feeling when someone tells you that you are an answer to their prayers -- that you are a miracle in their life.  Well, life isn't perfect and even the most beautiful relationship can crumble.  Even so, the past still holds beautiful memories and it deserves to be remembered even if it's just to learn and gain wisdom from it.

     Here's the video I made and I dedicate this to the person who told me once that I am her life's greatest miracle.  And perhaps, you can also dedicate this to someone whom you feel is life's miracle to you.  Enjoy!

Angels Brought Me Here
Artist:  Guy Sebastian
Album:  Just As I Am

Jeb's Hong Kong and Macau Look

     Hey guys, what's up?  This is my brother Jeb...

     My brother and I, we sort of influence each other's style.  And though we are a lot different in many ways, we somehow agree on what looks good on one another.  We share things from the clothes we wear to the accessories we use -- but even if we use each other's stuff, we still manage to put out our own individual personalities whenever we present ourselves to the world.

(L-R) Jeb and myself, year 2009, 2010 and 2011.

     Jeb was recently in Hong Kong and Macau for a short vacation.  Before his flight, he asked me to plan what he'll wear for the entire trip.  Truth is, for most of his important events, he usually turn to me to plan his wardrobe and he oftentimes agree to whatever I come up with.

     And so, let's check out what he wore during his vacation as well as some of the places he visited.

Tribute to A Great Woman

     I wanna share with you this video that my brother and I made as tribute to a woman who, for most of her life, made sure that she lived not for herself but for other people.  Losing someone we love is never easy and remembering the beautiful memories makes it even harder.  What can we do to move on?  The lyrics of the song featured in this video somehow helped us express what our hearts long to say.  And if you're someone who have lost someone in the past, may you also find meaning and peace in this song like we did.

I'll See You Again
Artist:  Westlife
Album:  Where We Are

How Local Businesses Can Benefit from Internet Marketing

     The Internet has immensely changed the way people live as well as how they do business.  Also referred to as Internet Marketing, transacting business through the world wide web has made life and living a lot easier, definitely more productive, and certainly, most fun!

What is Internet Marketing?

     Wikipedia defines Internet Marketing as the promotion of products or services over the Internet.

54th GRAMMY Winners

     The 54th GRAMMY Awards Night is indeed "Music's Biggest Night" as the brightest music superstars were given recognition for their work, talent, and artistry.  It was a night of unforgettable performances, red carpet fashion, and refined culture.  It was also an evening of touching memories as everyone paid tribute to Whitney Houston's musical gifts and legacy that inspired people throughout the world.

The 54th Grammay Awards Night is Music's Biggest Night

     The 54th Grammy Awards officially kicked off last November 2011 with The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live! as the nominees for the different categories were announced.  And leading to the awards night on February 12, 2012, Grammy Live started with the red carpet arrivals at noon and a live stream of the Pre-Telecast Ceremony where GRAMMYs for nearly 70 categories were awarded.

How To Buy Fashionable Clothes For Your Man

     This is a guest post from Stylepilot.com intended for my women readers or for anyone who wants to style up their man.  Get some pointers, read on...

Get your man dressing on trend in stylish, in season clothes.

How?

Behave like his partner

     The most crucial thing to remember when dressing your man is that he’s exactly that.  He’s your man.  He isn’t your son, your father or your brother, and as such you need to put some thought into what you’re buying him.  No offense intended if you’d put thought into buying for a father or brother, although I’d personally be inclined not to.  Before rebooting your partner’s style, it’s important that you factor in what he likes but more crucially what he looks good in.

MAMMA MIA! in Manila!

     From January 24 to February 19, 2012, the global entertainment phenomenon "Mamma Mia!" performed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) in Manila.  I was among the excited audience on their third performance and Gala night in the country which turned out to be quite a cool experience.

I was wearing all black that night with my South Park tie as an accent.

     Mamma Mia! is a stage musical written by British playwright Catherine Johnson based on the classic songs of ABBA, composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, former members of the band (info taken from Wikipedia).  Tagged as "the world's number 1 show," indeed since the first performance night in London on March 23, 1999 up to the present, each night of performance delivers its promise of unforgettable and fun night for the audience.

Dead Stars

     After a relaxing vacation, I'm back with the promised guest post written by my good friend Neriz Cruz Gabelo which features a photo from another good friend Elvert de la Cruz Bañares.  I introduced them both on the prelude to this post.  

Here's the full article:

DEAD STARS

     He was in his mid-life with a successful career and a very supportive long-time girlfriend by his side.  Everything was running on smoothly.  It would just be a matter of timing when he would finally leave his bachelorhood to tie the knot with his fiancée UNTIL he met another girl and their world was never the same again.  Does it sound like I am talking about your love story?  The man in the story was Alfredo Salazar, a serious lawyer, who skipped most of his youth to fulfill his aim of becoming a trial lawyer.  He was engaged to Esperanza until Julia Salas came into the picture and prompted Alfredo to make a crucial choice between what his duties call for him to do as a responsible boyfriend and what his heart really longs to have.  He eventually ended up marrying Esperanza but longed for Julia Salas all his life.  Talk about the song lyrics: “Are you gonna stay with the one who loves you or are you coming back to the one you love?”  But the story did not end there.

*Photo courtesy of Elvert de la Cruz Bañares.

     The story was a classic written by a prolific writer Paz Marquez-Benitez during the post-World War II.  She was one of the few Filipino writers who patterned her works under the tutelage of American writers who enforced their language on the learners at that time.  But what made her such a brilliant writer was her poignant depiction of a universal emotion that knows no age, gender, economic status, race and what-have-you:  THE LONGING FOR A LOVE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN.  The story is entitled, “Dead Stars.”

My BICOL VACATION

     This is an updated version of the old post:  I'm Going on VACATION!

     To my fellow bloggers, friends and supporters (ahurm -- clears throat) thank you guys for your continued support and patronage.  My two blogs  Show Me Your Look Today and The Pinoy Wanderer are nothing without YOU.  Even while I'm away on vacation from January 4 to January 18, some of you folks still kept my blogs alive.  I sincerely thank you, and please know that I am deeply grateful.

     I'm updating this post because tweet random, well, randomly tweets my old posts and it's kinda hard to explain to my twitter followers that I'm already back from my vacation specially with this post's old title.  Haha!

     As I've said on the previous version of this article, I took a two-week break from blogging to spend time with my family in the province.  My flight for Legazpi City was last January 4 at 6AM, and talking about that flight -- ehrrrr -- we missed it.  I knowww, right?  So then we had to take the next flight (which was two hours later) and naturally, spent extra bucks for our new set of tickets.  

At this point, none of us were aware that the last call for our flight
have been made several minutes ago.  Pffttt!

Rose Scented Rosary From The Vatican

     Life is something that's bigger than all of us -- and for me, it's important that we believe and hold on to something so that life can have meaning and direction.  Sometimes we call this faith, other times, the lack of it.

     Hey guys, what's up?  2011 was certainly a great year.  It was not a seamless ride but the bumps along the way were just proof that life, with all its contradictions, is a great life.  It's a journey which presents us with valuable lessons as we strive to find true love, peace, happiness, and as we struggle to give meaning to our existence.

     For the year that has just ended, I shall remember the days with a thankful heart.  I have received countless blessings, and though for most I feel that I am not worthy yet they were still given to me.  I am blessed with many things but most of all, I am blessed with my faith -- for with my faith, I feel that life has a purpose.

     Talking about faith, I am deeply grateful to my best friend tokzzz for sending me these gorgeous rose-scented rosaries from the Vatican which are blessed by the pope.  I got two of them -- one I will give to my mom, and another I will give to Mamats.  They are two of the most wonderful women that I have the privilege of knowing and loving.  I feel that they rightfully deserve to have these rosaries.  Tokzzz is one of my few friends who acknowledges that there is something bigger than all of us -- that there is a God.  Among his many traits that I admire most is his spirituality.  Thank you tokzzz for being a really good friend.

Rose-scented rosary from the Vatican, blessed by Pope Benedict XVI.

     And so, let's begin this year with strong and unfaltering faith.  But though we look forward to the days ahead, let's not forget to look back and learn the lessons of the past because from the past is where we get maturity and wisdom.  To the years before me, I say THANK YOU.  And to the years ahead, I say BRING IT ON!

     Have a prosperous 2012 everybody!