Love and Basketball.

Basketball - I love this game.  Thanks to my dad who left me with no choice but to watch every single conference of the PBA since I was a kid.  Back in the old days we had one TV with less than 10 channels and I was compelled to watch every single PBA conference because my dad was the king of the remote control.  I hated it at first because I couldn't watch those sitcoms and tear-jerkers prime time slots were showcasing.  I didn't know too much about basketball then but there was one team that got me hooked.  That team was the San Miguel Beermen.  Season after season I followed and I couldn't thank my dad enough for not giving in to our pleas to switch channels.


The last "live" PBA game that I watched was about three years ago. It was between Purefoods and Red Bull. Purefoods is my second favorite team next to the Beermen.  I remember how frustrated I was watching that game because I forgot to bring my eyeglasses plus I was situated at the lower box of the Cuneta Astrodome so you can just imagine how obscure the players' faces were.  When I left the Philippines, I found solace in watching the games online and on the Kapamilya channel leaving my friends annoyed with my deafening screams and curses.  


After three lengthy years, finally, finally, finally, the PBA pays Dubai a visit.  If you guys can only see the stupid smile in my face while I'm typing, you might feel the urge to give me a bitch slap hahaha.  Yesterday was miracle day.  Not only was I able to see my favorite players in person but I was able to have short yet meaningful conversations with them over lunch. Imagine this scene inside the restaurant - it was just the staff, me with my friends Rachell and Rona and the entire B-Meg Llamados (formerly Purefoods TJ Giants) team.  When they stopped by our table and they were all smiling at us and I really didn't know how to react.  I just found myself extending my hand out and calling each and everyone with their first names (FEELING CLOSE?).  They were kind enough to pose with us in photos and believe me they were the ones conducting the interview.  I mean, Marc Pingris and James Yap were really interested in knowing what we do for a living, how many years we've been staying here and I thought we were the ones whose gonna' ask all the questions.  


I also had the chance to spend a little time with my ultimate basketball player crush, the 2008  PBA All-Star Game MVP, Peter June Simon.  I really don't think there are ample words to describe how I felt.  Hay. After lunch Rona went to Al Shabab Sports Club to watch them practice.  She had a short chat with John Paul "Pong" Escobal  who nearly missed the bus because he was busy conversing with my friend. PAK.


I''ll see you all in tonight's game.  B-Meg Llamados vs Talk n Text Tropang Texters, 7:30 pm at the Al Shabab Sports Club.  Here are some memorable pictures from that unforgettable lunch.

Rach and I with Marc Pingris

B-Meg Llamados

Oh yeah, the whole team.

Rona with James Yap

The Captain Alvin Patrimonio - B-Meg's Team Manager

Me and cutie Roger Yap

Mahangin ba sa labas moment with James Yap

Ultimate crush PJ Simon. Hay. He's wearing an AE shirt and I'm wearing AE shorts (oo may meaning sa akin yun hahahahaha!)

Practice time

Marc Pingris stretching

Practice, practice

PJ Simon 

Pong Escobar

Roger Yap

Marc Pingris

Game schedules:

June 30, 2011 (7:30 pm) -  Talk & Text  Tropang Texter vs BMEG Derby Ace Llamados  

July 1, 2011 (6:00) - Barangay Ginebra Kings vs Talk & Text Tropang Texter.

All  games will be played at the Al Shabab Sports Club (beside Century Mall, Al Mamzar Area, Dubai, UAE.)

For tickets, check poster below.

Photos taken by Rona Puquiz and Rach Bonanza

Kaya for Superga.

School's in, summer's out.  The school season provokes panic attack for most mothers like me.  We have to bravely march to malls with a list in one hand and a calculator in the other battling hard to stay within the budget.  This season is my daughter, Kaya's first time to conquer big school.  Before school started, she always tell me on phone conversations how bored she was at home and that she wanted classes to begin badly.  


Guilt is creeping out on me because I was away from her for too long.  I know that I left her with no choice but to endure my absence.  That breaks my heart.  Good thing communication has changed drastically, so somehow I don't miss out on important moments.  My brother and I were constantly exchanging messages on BB messenger when they went out shopping for Kaya's school stuff.  Like any other girl, Kaya was highly delighted to shoe shop.  Shopping with her is considerably an easy task. You can just sit on one corner, watch her move around until she grabs something interesting. Believe me, this girl has awesome taste.  Check out her latest find - Superga!

Superga Kids 2750 Cotj Button Canvas Trainer

Superga is an Italian footwear line for sports and leisure which started in 1911, a whopping 100 years in the market.  The most popular model, 2750, was made in 1925. This year Alexa Chung - model, actress and TV presenter, was made muse by this sneaker band.  

Check out the celebrities who sport Superga sneakers.


Katie Holmes Cruise

Violet Affleck

Liv Tyler

Kristen Stewart

Ashley Olsen

Guy Ritchie

Elijah Wood

Zahara Jolie Pitt

Halle Berry's Babe, Nahla

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt

Johnny Depp's kid Lily Rose

Ziggy Marley's daughter Judah

As for me, I have my eyes fixed on this pair. And oh, I'm flying to Italy in a few days (thank you to everyone who supported me and my friend Tine- We are so excited!), I have to grab myself one.

Here's a clip of Superga's photo shoot featuring Alexa Chung.

Kaya's mobile phone photos taken by: JM Madla

All other photos taken from http://www.superga.co.za, http://www.vogue.it/ and http://coolspotters.com/

Going under the needle - my thoughts before ink day.

My baby bro is still confounded, pushing me to think about it a million times.  Hey, I listen to him most of the time, more often I feel his thoughts are more advanced than me - btw, he's 6 years my junior. Finally got my "okay" from my confidant, adviser, counselor, mentor, critic, the perfect guy, my best friend, Bong Malong.  He was actually hesitant at the beginning, reminded me not to act on impulse.  He knows me too well to believe that my occasional happy impulses get me into trouble.  That's one thing I don't understand about him, I mean he's an artist - a director, videographer, photographer, a smoking hot drummer yet he's not really enthusiastic about body art. One day, to my surprise, he talked me through it and thus surfaced his decision to get inked too. Now I'm not alone.  


This whole fuzz started when my gorgeous girlfriend Tine supported this random thought I had months ago that came absolutely out of nowhere.  In fact she will be responsible for the expense, an instant sponsor! I'm lucky to have such a generous friend, what more could I ask for? Come on, this should not fall under the "I'm under peer pressure so I have to do this so I would land a spot on the cool table" category. Okay, so I am nearly pushing thirty so you can say I'm having a quarter life crisis. Boo hoo. Struggling in the desert (everybody's struggling), single (but not at all pressured to settle down),  I've a beautiful girl (thank God!), I have a strong support system (family and friends) - so no, definitely not having a quarterly life crisis.  


So I think I'm done defending my spontaneous thought turned "it's a go" idea. Excuse the excitement, I'm a certified tenderfoot (body art newbie) that's why I can't really help it.  Let's see, what else do I need? 


1. The Slinger - Got my eye on two already (thanks to helpful online information and peer suggestions and recommendations - and daming kunsintidor), I just have to meet them in a few months.
2. The placement - Definitely in a place I can cover when a situation calls for it.
3. The design - I know I have to choose carefully since this would be a permanent part of my skin.  My inspiration hails from a string of influences - my dad, my favorite artists, meaningful words and Kaya.  I've compiled photos of my favorite designs and I somehow combined all of them.  Frankly I was astonished on how I became drawn to this particular element - you'll notice what it is when you check the photos.


A few more months to go.  =D

A Filipino Woman - FIERCE

Birds =)

Birds =)

Destiny = The one (Yes, I received a call)

Always. Always.

 Nice placement

I love cassette tapes! Don't you?

So true.

The BEATLES!

A bit of Natasha won't hurt

This gets me stimulated

A lifetime wouldn't be enough.

A man in dreads, a hot thing! The colorful stars, another thing.

Gorgeous dreads plus I really have this thing for skulls :)

Strumming my pain with his fingers! Love this.

Birds on toes! Terrific.

As my mom always say, CHIN UP!

Beatles all over :)

The silent flight

Nice placement and color, I'm not a butterfly girl though

Oh YES.

So choose the right scars.

Music sounds better with you.

So share it!

Yes Angie, we should.

Another Beatles' hit.

Oh Johnny, need I say more?

Crazy is beautiful

I told you so.

Birds!

And more birds!

Birds!!

I love this.

Perfect

Wild Thing!

Sexy!

Look at them fly!

Birds!!

Roam around the world.

Ágætis byrjun by Sigur Rós - A good beginning : I love this song

"Through hardships to the stars" My friend Len has this tatt on her wrist. :)

Nice touch but I really can't get away with this

I promise, I will.

All photos taken from pinterest.com

“My body is my journal, and my tattoos are my story” - Johnny Depp