20 Years Later
Posted by: Kiki on: November 8, 2009
20 years ago this happened.
I remember watching this in the news and wanting to go to Berlin to knock off a piece of that wall. Now I am curious to know how much would a tiny piece of concrete from that now non-existent wall be worth. To commemorate this historic event, the New York Times has an interactive feature of the Berlin Wall. Here are some amazing before and after pictures that I grabbed.
The cobble stone column outlines where the wall once stood
Then...
...and now.
Then...
...and now.
Brandenburg Gate then...
Refurbished Brandenburg Gate now a thruway.
Do you think that the Germans from our generation look back at that moment with the same same mixed feelings as we do EDSA?
I Love Lunch, Only In New York
Posted by: Kiki on: November 7, 2009
Check out the latest production of Improv Everywhere. More about them later.
I wish my lunch break were half as exciting as that. Yes, that was Ann Curry. So Improv Everywhere is a group based here whose mission is simply to “create scenes and chaos of joy in public places”. I’m sure you recall this video they did last year.
This city is never want of people doing strange yet creative things just to get noticed. Only in New York…love it!
It’s About The Bike
Posted by: Kiki on: November 5, 2009
I am aware that you have to search deep deep in you to find your interest in bikes but I thought you might find this interesting, or not! Lance Armstrong was recently in the neighborhood to auction off a number of his bikes with the intention of raising funds for his Livestrong Foundation. He managed to get six world renowned artists to design his bikes for free! And this is what they came up with.
Shepard Fairey, who was thrust into the minds of the masses thanks to his Barack Obama Hope poster, came up with an interesting bike design using the yellow and black livestrong colors (Cory! Cory! Cory!) and playing with italian inspried architectural designs. Check out the bike and his Obama Hope poster below.
This next one is my favorite. Designed by Damien Hirst. He is famous for integrating once living animals into his art. For his bike design, he applied real butterflies to the frame and rims of the bike. Its my fave because its pretty to look at. I just hope he didn’t have to kill butterflies for this!
The next bike is by a Japanese artist named Yoshitomo Nara. He is supposed to be a famous contemporary artist in Japan. He is known for his illustrations of cute looking kids doing dark and not very kiddie things. For Lance he incorporated these kids wearing boxing gloves and riding UFO’s (huh?) into the frame of the bike. He also inserted a secret message – “Never forget your beginner’s spirit” – that only the rider can see when he tucks his head to be more aerodynamic. Nice, no?
This next design is by an artist named Kaws. He is supposed to be some reputable pop artist. And for some reason he transformed the wheels to look like two mouths lined with teeth, yes teeth. This is the bike Lance was using when he crashed and broke his clavicle, but you probably don’t remember…or care. Check it out below anyway.
Another pop artist named Kenny Scharf designed this next bike. He transformed the bike to be a space machine as you will see the stars and comets in the frame and wheels of the bike.
Finally, there is the bike designed by Marc Newson. He’s done work for brands like Nike, Qantas and Dom Perignon. The polka dots in the bike’s rear wheel actually has a purpose. It creates the illusion of the wheel pulsating as it spins.
Lance also auctioned off his bike known as the “stolen bike” as it was recently stolen…obvious ba?
Question: What does 1274 and 27.5 mean? It seems to be a recurring theme in the bike designs.
Answer: Watch the video below to find out. Heeheehee! Oh c’mon, being a Gemini, you should be excited about learning new things! Enjoy!
Following Bad Banana
Posted by: Kiki on: November 4, 2009
I’ve been following this guy called Bad Banana (Ooh, tell me more, tell me more!). He is the founder of some ad agency in Nebraska (Nebrask-huh?!). Apart from his witty, bordering on hilarious tweets, he has a really cool blog. Being an ad man, he has access to all kinds of visual treasures (art, architecture, ads, etc.), which he shares with all in cyberspace. Here is a sample.
This is a really cute wedding invitation.
Check out this very clever ad. Being an “accident” myself, this simple statement really makes me laugh!
This is a brilliant print campaign for Monopoly, which I think you will like.
He also features artists and their amazing works. Here are some I found interesting. This series is called Broken Things by a Chilean artist called Livia Marin.
These are street art recently taken in Tehran. I guess they resorted to this form of expression as a result of extreme censorship and repression.
There are many more interesting photos in his blog so check it out and be entertained. You can also follow him on Twitter. His tweets are very entertaining as well.
Caddie Woodlawn
Posted by: Lala on: November 3, 2009
As you know, I am trying to get Rocio off the crappy offerings tv has these days. Especially that of The Worst Celebrity Influence of 2009.
So we were in the bookstore a few weeks ago and strangely, she picked out this book.
I was so surprised because it wasn’t the usual shiny, trendy, ultra colorful kind of tome she’d normally pluck off the shelves. She simply said she remembered seeing it in the library at school. I started to read it to her and she was hooked.
Caddie Woodlawn is the title character inspired by the author’s grandmother who was actually called, Caddie Woodhouse. The story is set in the 1860s and centers around the tomboyish 11 year old and her pioneering family in Wisconsin. I’d never heard about this book before. I was very much a Little House In The Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder kind of kid. But Caddie Woodlawn was written before Little House and it apparently won the Newbery Award in 1936. (Laura just got more famous thanks to the TV series).
How my pop music-loving, rock star-idolizing 6 year old is so into this story about a girl from another time who is fascinated by Native Indians, runs wild and free in the woods picking berries and hazelnuts, gets around in a canoe, wrestles with the school bully and can’t relate to her prim and proper older sister is a pleasant development. Not just that she is intrigued by the content but that she never complains there are no pictures to go with the story.
I do have to stop once in awhile to explain in more contemporary language about what’s going on but we’ve been averaging a chapter or two a day and it’s become something she (and I!) look forward to. Who knew?
Oh and if you’re ever in Dunn County, Wisconsin, Caddie’s 1856 house is still standing. It’s been moved from it’s original location but you can visit it at what is now the Caddie Woodlawn Historical Park.
Lusso
Posted by: Lala on: November 2, 2009
Look at me trying to make up for the past weeks’ inactivity!
A few weeks ago, I ate at Lusso with LittleTwinHK-er. It was actually my second visit to the place but this time, I remembered to bring a camera!
Lusso is Margarita Fores’ newest resto and the concept this simple – it’s a champagne bar that offers luxe comfort food in Greenbelt 5.
It’s a tiny space with champagne colored seats, travertine walls and chandeliers. I thought it was cozy and not overdone.
There's an outdoor area but it is just way to hot to be there when the sun is out.
The menu is printed from an inkjet on unassuming bits of paper – a reminder perhaps that the food here may be luxe but it’s not pretentious.
So we started with an amazing appetizer of salmon tartare on fried bits of pasta. Sorry, I can’t remember what it was called on the menu.
These tasted as delightful and refreshing as they look. But we couldn’t help feeling there should have been more on the platter considering the price.
Next we dove into their Cesar’s Salad which I forgot to take a picture of. Such things happen when catching up with an old friend. It was a good salad – tangier than the usual Cesar’s but one order was good enough for the two of us.
Our main course was Lusso’s undisputed best seller. The Half-Pound Foie Gras Burger!
We halved an order and it was more than satisfying. I didn’t actually see a separate piece of foie gras but I could taste it so I think it was worked into the patty somehow. It needed no condiments whatsoever. And the side of fries with Asiago cream was perfect. It was all so rich but I had no problems polishing off everything on my plate – greens included.
The best dessert at Lusso is the Berry Trifle which I got to try on my first visit but it wasn’t available this time so we went for the Mocha Sans Rival.
It was a bit too sweet, especially for LittleTwinHK-er who is diabetic. But honestly, with it just sitting there in front of us, we just kept picking at it and it shrank considerably in size as we were chatting.
We spent about 1k each and left with very satisfied stomachs but I still felt I should have gotten more bang for my buck. I can’t explain it but I was still bitin. I liked the place and the food but it’s not where I’d go all the time because I know I could get a lot fuller by spending less elsewhere. And it’s certainly not a place to bring big hungry boys who demand rice and copious amounts of everything else.
It’s a place to go with the girls. So when you coming home?
Fine Furniture
Posted by: Lala on: November 1, 2009
I was thrilled to be at LittleTwinFurnitureMaker’s sale last weekend. There weren’t too many folks when I got there on the Saturday morning. Apparently – as in past E.Murio sales – the Friday teeming with people.
I went fantasy shopping and here’s what I got. Apologies for the less than stellar photo quality.
Totally loved this bed. It’s sleek and simple but has a tropical, resort-y flair to it.
These nesting side tables were cute too. They’re sold separately but I think they look better together. I’m a fan of the lamp too.
These dainty little tables reminded me of origami…
Here’s the mommy version of the little tables…
Can you tell I’m drawn to the dark-stained crushed bamboo stuff?
Moving on…
Check out this loooooong bench/sofa/lounger… We need a beach house for this baby, ya think?
And this unique “surfboard” coffee table…
Back to the crushed bamboo, look at this bathroom caddy. Totally something I need for all my girly accoutrements. But sadly my bathroom lacks the space.
I was attracted to this writing table and matching chair because of their versatility. I can picture them in a house with western decor but also in a space full of orientalia.
The U-shaped bade of this dining table is so nice and airy somehow…
This simple baul is made fresh with a lighter stain of crushed bamboo. Love it!
So there… a quick look at my fave things from the sale. Would you like us to ship you anything?
Costuming Without Cost
Posted by: Lala on: November 1, 2009
I was determined to do this Halloween without spending a centavo – and I must say, I succeeded. Thanks not so much to my creativity but to Rocio’s choice of character and Mikel’s inability to verbally protest.
Rocio just HAD to be Hermione Granger and there was no way I was shelling out for some Hogwarts robe that she’d never use again. So I whipped out my white Giordano blouse, Luigi’s black linen Giordano polo and a gold and red tie he never uses. Then I googled the Hogwarts patch, printed it out on sticker paper, cut it out and viola! Like magic…
The magic wand she’s holding is an old wooden chopstick she found in the kitchen. She also slept with braids the night before and once in full costume, started speaking with a British accent. Emote!!
Now for my little boy. This was a great suggestion by you (clap, clap). Mikel doesn’t have a grey onesie so I used his blue/brown pinstriped one, googled a spider image, printed it on sticker paper and stuck it on the onesie. But the real fun was his hair and make up. Thanks to the long locks I’ve kept on him, it was easy to part in the center and hold in place with his Pappy’s sculpting wax. Then I used my eyeliner brush and Benefit creaseless cream shadow/liner in a smoky shade to draw on his mustache and eyebrows – while he was napping. (Re-touching was trickier but he was co-operative overall). Presenting Pubert Addams…
Pubert got a tan...
I don’t normally post faces of their pics on the blog… but he’s almost unrecognizable! Hahaha 
Now it’s your turn to tell me about your Halloween, Kiki!
Show Me The Money!!
Posted by: Lala on: October 30, 2009
Dear Kiki and Donors,
I do apologize for the delay…
Finally, here is the story of where all your generous contributions for the flood victims in Rizal province went exactly.
Kiki sent me $350…
…which as you can see came to P14,444.09.
LittleTwinBokal also gave me another P3,000 from a LittleTwinTita so I had a total of P17,444.09 to use! That is NOT bad for a LittleTwinBlog such as ours.
I gave P7,000 to LittleTwinBokal’s office to cover the cost of gasoline for the van and to buy rice.
So P17,444.09 – P7,000.00 left me with P10,444.09 to shop for relief goods!
I went to two supermarkets.
In Makati Supermarket, I spent…
…P6,239.45
The items on this bill included approximately:
- 60 instant noodles cup
- 100 cans of sardines
- 44 toothbrushes
- 30 packs of biscuits
- 10 packs of toothpaste sachets
- 50 bars of soap
- 6 packs of diapers
The bag boy got creative at the checkout counter.
There were no small bottles of water in Makati Supermarket so I headed to S&R.
My total bill there was… P4,366.45
And with that I was able to buy:
- 210 bottles of water (350ml each)
- 100 cans sardines
- 84 noodle packs
- 102 tetra packs of milk (110ml each)
And when we put all that together… this is what it looked like…
So thank you once again to our donors – you know who you fabulous people are! – for opening your hearts and pockets for the people of Rizal province. As you can see, a little can go a long, long way.
Rizal is still recovering from this disaster, there is still a lot of work to do and we hope you can help us help the people there.
Maraming salamat, po!
Coast To Coast Chris
Posted by: Kiki on: October 29, 2009
His name is Chris and in these last 30+ days he’s been doing something extraordinary. He joined a group of cyclists to ride across America. They started in September, in Santa Barbara, CA and will bike all the way to Charleston, SC all in 40 days, covering an average of 90+ miles per day! Pretty amazing, don’t you think?
Well it doesn’t end there. He chose to make this “pilgrimage” a meaningful one. Recognizing the fact that he is a superstar in Twitter and the in blogosphere (I’ve linked his resume above. He’s a web 2.0 God) he decided to make this journey interactive. How? If you are part of some charity or a non-profit org and would like to create a buzz about your cause, you can print your logo on a jersey and he will wear it on his 40 day trip. He will also feature your cause on a tweet to his 1 million and growing followers. He will do the same for for-profit entrepreneurs who want to gain some twitter mileage through his ride. All they would need to do is send him a jersey with their company logo printed. They would also need to send him $5,000. That money will be donated to LIVESTRONG and CHARITY:WATER. But that’s not all. He takes it a step further. Since his whereabouts will be known through his tweets and through his blog, he is inviting everybody, anybody to ride with him for a few miles. For every person that shows up he will donate $25 each to Livestrong and Charity:water. Can you believe this guy?! Here is a picture of him that I grabbed from his blog.
So I’ve been following this guy everyday as he pedals hard and documents the majestic landscape his country is known for. Here are some pretty awesome shots he’s taken in the last few weeks.
Pacific Ocean - if he crossed this, he'd probably end up in Quezon!
You most probably won’t know the guy he is posing with below. He’s just a living legend in the cycling universe who showed up in one of their rest stops.
I think this journey will not just transform him physically. I can imagine this to impact him on a spiritual level too. You can’t ride through this scenery and not think about the Source of all this expanse, this splendor.
Apparently this guy is like a Renaissance Man. Among other things, he’s a venture investor, a lawyer, a Google alumnus, a Twitter advisor and early investor, an Obama advisor in media and communications and an Iron Man triathlete. Please excuse me while I flush my mediocre and unfulfilled life down the toilet. But seriously, its always inspiring to read about people who have found a way to “suck the bone marrow of life”. So as we trudge our way through our daily lives, remember that every moment should be a carpe diem moment.
Tulong Para Sa Rizal
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