Jonathan Pierce's "I Didn't Realize" and an upcoming solo album!

I gave out a little squeak of delight when I first saw the promo photo for Jonny Pierce's solo album which will be released soon! Jonny also released a video for one of the songs to be included in the upcoming solo album. 

Of course, there is no denying that there is still a giant The Drums flavor in the vocals of the song, however, shot in a claustrophobic brick alley in haunting black and white, offers a more purified self-estranging  darkness that we all love from The Drums.

Verdict: Jonny Pierce is mature enough to stand on his own, however The Drums is still a gift that humanity isn't ready to let go of so no one dare talk of a break-up!

Guesting on RX 93.1!

Last Saturday, at around 1:40 PM, I was on-air at RX 93.1 promoting my organization's party which happened later that day. I was on the radio!

I would like to say thank you to the guys at RX because they are so awesome, so warm and nice I was actually having fun beneath all the nervous trembling! Hmmm... what if I do this professionally? I've been forcing my friends to tell me that I sounded good on the radio and they yielded fast. I might have a future in this field. Ehem. 

Taxing smoke: luxury sticks

A screen cap from a fashion film by Ruth Hogben:
There is no denying cigarettes, a major target of the bill, is a cultural phenomenon. 

With the senate voting for the Sin Tax Bill, a great number of anti-smoking individuals are rejoicing the predicted curbing of smoking in the Philippines by a sharp increase in the prices of tobacco products.

Well, while I am one in the cause of dramatically decreasing the incidence of smoking-related health problems in the country, I can't deny the fear of some other less attractive complications with the indoctrination of the bill. A very obvious one will be the more defined gap between the rich and the poor. Smoking will be less accessible to those who belong to the lower echelon and the rich will be the primary consumers of the products.

This will propel the stronger symbolisms behind cigarette use. It is very noticeable that the use of cigarettes (and alcohol for that mater) are more prevalent in creative groups - an explanation would be the more liberal and experimental approach creatives have towards substances. Smoking is not only a vice, it is a shared experience that pulls a crowd together. Like it or not, it is very symbolic as it is detrimental.

And with this new bill, cigarettes will not be only a display of liberality but also of luxury. Yes, on a national level, a significant decrease in the demand of cigarettes will most likely occur but in a more sociological space, it will strengthen the connotation of smoking. A stick will not only be more expensive, it will replace/compliment a Keepall 45".

Andrea's 18th: Friends and being almost emotional!

Andrea's 18th Birthday from Leo Lutero on Vimeo.

Fun!

There is no point in denying that we have communal insanity. The public place becomes our institution but of course, only when we our in a good number (more appropriately, in a herd).

Andrea has been a wonderful friend and she has been a classmate since first year high school. We would often fight over trivial things and I remember making her cry over a silly argument when she accused me of wearing fake glasses ("I'm not one of those people!"). She consistently performed well in  school while I failed at balancing academics and hormones. Come college, she was accepted in the country's most selective medical degree program and triumphantly remained humble.

The peak of our relationship was reached around second year when she got comfortable engraving my forearms until they bleed with her teenage nails. She gets that annoyed when provoked. Haha. Also, I like it when she finds things funny and tries to hide her giggles because she always fails. For her 18th birthday we all concluded that she should get a guy.

It is awesome to still be with friends from high school. Especially someone you are sure will be successful but will never forget you. 

I've been wanting to work with video again for a long time and dropping by the vicinity of UP Manila for one of our closest friend's 18th birthday was just an awesome opportunity to get back to shooting and editing. We had a lot of fun albeit the commute being very taxing.

PULSE - November 24 at Fiamma, Makati. Party for a cause!

If you're looking for a night-out on November 24, 2012, head down to Fiamma in Makati for a night that will be fun no doubt! The PULSE 2012 party is organized by the Pre-Medical Society of the Ateneo and will benefit the programs of Ateneo Gives Back and the number of medical missions initiated by the organization every year. It is definitely a party for a good cause so be sure to go!

You can contact me at 09064986672 (Globe) for tickets. Check out the ClicktheCity.com page here and don't forget to like it! Also, click "Going" on the Facebook event page here. 

This event is brought to you by:

L'Oreal Paris

Garnier

Asianic Knitting

Greenstone Packaging Corporation

Monster Radio RX 93.1

Tommy Hilfiger

The PMSA

***

Due to a recent change in my college schedules, I am able to volunteer and participate more in events around the campus that I am really interested in. I hope you guys will get tickets for the party and enjoy a great night with the Pre-Medical Society of the Ateneo. See you!

Philippine Fashion Week 2013 Favorites: PART 1

Well, I've been intending to make a round-up of all the Philippine Fashion Week Spring Summer 2013 shows (for a more popular Filipino website) by focusing on the crowd favorites but also with regard to my personal biases but time has been nothing but all too rare. All I could do was browse through the photos archived in StyleBible.ph and pick my personal favorites.

The collection that immediately caught me is  Dodjie Batu's SS Collection for Men. There is no denying that it can be more challenging to make clothes for the men because if you intend to make something wearable, it will be far less imaginative as what you can do with womenswear. To make a good collection for men, there is a need for infinite fine tuning and ingenious creativity at the right things and the collection reveals just that.

By taking advantage of sharp cuts to provide that clean-cut luxurious flair, the collection was able to remain manly and very wearable without giving up its forward flair of plaid patterns in earthy colors with pastel accents of flowery vintage print hemlines.

There is something very luxurious about earthy, muted colors and crisp fabric on men. 

Although it isn't perfect and the vision still kind of hazy (but who am I to say?), it is a good collection and if I had the money I would probably buy pieces. The spring summer collection could have done with a few cardigans or blazers here and there which will couple wonderfully with the aesthetics used.

Odelon Simpao S/S 2013

Aris Pico - Luxury! Vera Wang anyone?

There are a lot of designers who showcased their collections at the PFW 2013 and it is my goal to go through each of them. This list is, of course, incomplete so I am making this the Part 1 of a series with a still unknown number of installments. 

If you are interested in any of the designs showcased, just research the designer's name and I'm sure you will be able to find their contact details easily on a designer phonebook somewhere here on the internets. Remember, it is always better to buy local pieces and promote the scene!

PFW 2013 might not be as big as its Milan, Paris, New York, London etc counterpart but I am very confident in saying that it is getting there! And it will soon with the help of undying enthusiasm towards the growth of the industry.

PS: I'm thinking of doing a podcast/videocast about my Philippine Fashion Week picks however I have to overcome the disabling disdain I have towards my own recorded voice and fussing with video-audio editors. I will try but there is no guarantee for success.

Lana del Rey and why prejudice sucks

It is very heartbreaking for me to admit that only a few months ago, I dismissed Lana del Rey as a talentless wannabe and altogether removed her songs from my playlist. If it is right to prejudge an artist or a person in general, Lana del Rey's talent can be easily misunderstood. The brilliance of her songs is just not very apparent upon first contact. It is probably that antipathetic quality in her songs which can be easily mistook as sloth.

Yep, there is also the theory that she is faking her way into the industry with her elegant, all-American glamour look but Lana del Rey does deserve a few more replays and when you start unearthing whatever context from your personal memories that can relate to her songs, you will understand that quality of untouched, almost cruel laid-backness and realize how much you love it.

I can't write music reviews which makes me wonder: What can I actually write?

I have a link to a Grooveshark playlist of four of my favorite Lana del Rey songs (one a remix). Consider it an Introduction to the Appreciation of Lana del Rey. Enjoy! (click here)

Pitch Perfect Comedy - You'll hurt laughing

After lusting over trailers and GIFs I could find on Tumblr tagged with "Pitch Perfect" I finally was able to watch the whole movie. 

Unfortunately, the gargantuan movie house chains in the Philippines decided not to show the film so my friend had to do additional research. She found out it was only showing in Robinson's Galleria (you can do a double check if you doubt her research skills). With Rebel Wilson as our new master, we were giggling our way to our movie seats twenty minutes early with a third friend who had no idea what she was in for.

Pitch Perfect is a good movie. The plot line was kind of worrying as it was kind of overused. A new girl who doesn't want her (free) college degree wants to produce music in L.A. She is stuck in college then ends up with a bunch of girls who sing a cappella. But...

we flailed our extremities laughing and although it was sad to see the cinema almost empty, it was for the better so no one was hurt from our physical exploits.