2.24.2012

HAT TRICKS


"I am planning to turn the embassy into a girl's boudoir, but all in white"

And with those few simple e-mailed words, this normally artsy-phobic LLDD gave the imprimatur for turning over the Embassy's function rooms to a couple of high fashion designers as part of a big international showcase. I'm that easy.

Now in case you're wondering why some fashionistas would be turning to moi in particular for permission to hold a design event, it's because I now serve as much administrative as substantive roles at the office -- and gatekeeper to the embassy's premises is just one of the several hats I currently wear.


pictured: said hats


As you can tell, one of the exhibiting designers was a milliner, which is a professional fashion term for "something I need to google to find out what it means".


a Manchester City midfielder who scores three goals? (damn you, autocomplete!)


Credit to the milliner, the Embassy's normally staid functions rooms were indeed transformed into something almost unrecognisable...




...with uber-feminine features and fixtures all around, origami flowers representing a little girl's dreams hanging everywhere, even a Georgina Wilson video casting a classy-cool shadow over the place. The entire area gave off an airy, dainty, delicaaAND NOW EVERYTHING'S COVERED IN BLOOD




Did I mention the other designer featured at the Embassy was of the edgy, avant-garde variety? With a - shall we say - different interpretation of what a boudoir should look like? Um, yeah. I must have failed to mention it because, for all that blood, what really scared and unnerved me was the subsequent arrival of the beautiful people/fashion statement crowd to the exhibit opening. The more the Embassy rooms filled with those black-clad, boot-rocking, hat-wearing chic and trendy guests, the more me, my Jestonic hair, and my machine washable suit, coffee-stained tie and three-to-a-plastic-tube shirt felt all alone.


"Daddy, you're so last pbbbssthththt"



Magsama kayo ni Harper Seven.

2.16.2012

YOU THINK?


Showing that diplomats too can be hip to this interweb fad, the image below has been doing the rounds of FSOs' facebook accounts as the profession's contribution to the "what I think I do" meme.


because "loldiplocats" was deemed too edgy


This in turn brings to my mind a story a couple of years ago when my Fil-Aussie nephews (Oi, Oi and Oi), then aged three to seven, used to visit the Philippines. To endear myself to them and seem like a cool tito, I would never fail to come home from work bearing some food pasalubong, usually sweet baked goods.

One day, their mom thought to ask them "You're uncle is a diplomat. Do you know what diplomats do?"

The second nephew (Oi), without missing a beat, replied "make doughnuts?"

*sigh*


It's a shame that's what they think I do. But I can't reveal my true identity. I just can't.


2.14.2012

TINIMBANG KA NGUNIT FULHAM


Several years ago, the Sports Guy came up with an elaborate process for choosing an English Premier League Team. Having been in the UK for close to three years now, I decided it was high time I too made a decision on what EPL club to support. My own selection system, however, was far simpler and shallower:

1) It has to be a London-based team, because I'm too pretty and delicate to go on crowded coach trips with other supporters/hooligans for hours just to catch a match --- this leaves Arsenal, Tottenham, Queens Park Rangers, Chelsea and Fulham in the running.

2) Under the same reasoning, it may as well be a team right next to my West London "Cheese Whiz" neighbourhood --- that means adios Arsenal and ta-tah Tottenham, ye of North London.

3) It need not have to be a championship contender (so the fans can't be accused of frontrunning), but it shouldn't suck and be threatened with relegation either --- so can't save you, Queen's Park Rangers.


our cab driver agrees


4) Nobody likes Chelsea.


Ok then. That seems to have narrowed things down considerably. But just to seal the deal, I gotta know from the remaining candidate:

1) Does it proudly have an Azkal on its roster?


Check


2) Is the team's stadium possibly the prettiest and most picturesque in the Premiership, featuring among others: a) a riverside terrace with great after-the-match-walk-home views....


Check


....and, b) a papemelroti-esque cottage right on the field, with all the WAGs conveniently gathered on the balcony for easier papera-stalking?


Check (and thank you)


3) Finally, does it pay proper tribute to that great football icon, Michael Jackson?



Che.....wait, what?



That settles it then. Fulham FC, I choose you!




Well I'm hooked! Great atmosphere, friendly fans, good-quality football. I even like to think of myself now as a lucky charm of sorts for the team, as I happened to be recording whenever a Fulham goal-scoring chance came up


Fulham new boy Pavel makes it 1-0



Fulham stud Dempsey makes it 2-0 with a long-distance strike



Right at the end, Fulham stud Dempsey shoots at an open goal....and misses (leading to a decidedly unstudly squeal from me)



Good times, good times. And as the match ends, I get to soak in the great walk-home riverside views, the lively football fan chatter, and everything else that makes my new club great.


Such as the surprising "mamase mamasa mamakuza" football chants


2.10.2012

THIS YEAR'S OFFICE BASKETBALL TEAM RECRUITMENT IS GOING WELL

I mentioned briefly during the last year-in-review that the Embassy actually had the basketballs to field a team in the largest London FilCom tournament, and in the spirit of fostering good relations we..um, chose to lose by 30 points. A game. For five straight games.

Well then. You may be the country's new heroes, FilCom, but every FSO cadet knows the Three Pillars of Philippine Policy are a smart point guard, a quick swingman, and a dominating center. So this year, there's no more fooling around. This year, we intend to kick a**. This year...we will stretch the definition of what constitutes an Embassy employee eligible to play in the tournament to "whoever happens to be in the UK for a series of exhibition games and pays a courtesy call on the Ambassador".











mmmm...I don't know...I count only six former MVPs...I still better put myself down for 40 minutes of playing time a game, just to be safe.



2.03.2012

GOTTA CATCH A CAB / 'EM ALL

You may have heard that our tourism office has been tricking out some of those iconic London black cabs and splashing "Philippines" all over their sides. Hells yeah. And soon they will be retrofitted with the new "It's more Fun..." images, just in time for the Olympics. Represent.

There are now 50 of these bad boys roaming London, and it's become a parlour game of sorts to spot and snap them all over town. I've personally seen maybe 20 of them and been able to kodak eight eleven (updated) as they passed by famous landmarks.


Trafalgar Square



Admiralty Arch



Her Majesty's Theatre



Hyde Park


Westfield mall 


Picadilly Circus*

(*If you think the LLDD is the more famous landmark that should have been referred to, I have no problem with that)


Bayswater (sorta kinda near Notting Hill)


The Ritz Hotel


Knightsbridge (near Harrod's)














Regent Street


Mansion House



It's also very possible tourism says they've got 50 taxis, and I've just seen one taxi over and over and over again.

Either way, Billy Joe...play us out!