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‘I haven’t met a FilAm bridezilla’
By Cristina DC Pastor A $40,000- to $80,000-wedding is not unusual for a Filipino bride in the U.S., just as a request to keep the mother out is quite common. “Funny,” said event planner Lyna Larcia-Calvario, who has organized hundreds of matrimonials for Filipino families in New York. Along with a reminder for her to […]
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Home is where the heart is
By Cathy Rose Garcia Struggling with two ‘balikbayan’ boxes on a trolley while trying to find the exit at San Francisco International Airport, I knew I didn’t exactly look like the George Clooney character in “Up in the Air.” It didn’t help that I just had a near anxiety attack while being questioned by U.S. […]
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In princes William and Harry, Filipina nanny sees enduring humility
By Ludy A. Ongkeko, Ph.D. She made it a point to physically witness the wedding of a real-life prince and his bride although she no longer continues to reside in the United Kingdom which was home to her for 14 years. She doesn’t belong to the crème de la crème. But as far as her […]
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Bloomingdale’s today, N.Y. Fashion Week next?
By Cristina DC Pastor The t-shirt was the beginning for designer Robin Tomas, son of Imelda Marcos impersonator Tessie Tomas. But, boy, was it a jumpstarter: The shirt he designed for Supima – marketing unit of American Pima cotton — won in 2009, impressing the likes of New York Times fashion editor Horacio Silva and […]
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Wine with Coke? Wine not
By Cristina DC Pastor Whoever says sweet wine is for beginners hasn’t met Tim Hanni, wine educator from Napa, wine columnist for the HuffingtonPost, and a rebel among wine industry puritans. Or my hairdresser, Connie Lee. Let me tell you why I love Tim and Connie. They do not know each other, but they speak […]
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RN finds his passion in beauty pageants
By Cristina DC Pastor The beauty pageant bug bit Felix Manuel at age 6. A registered nurse, he’s been photographed with international beauty queens around the world, and can actually predict the winner even before the swimsuit comes on. TF: Isn’t 6 a bit too early to get hooked on beauty contests? FM: It is […]
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• Banana fashion from the republic • Angono artist holds painting workshops
Designer Dita Sandico Ong, known for her diaphanous banana fiber — or abaca — clothing collection opened an exhibit, With a Touch of Green, at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center on March 15. The lobby exhibit runs through April 8. Dita has worked vigorously for the past 25 years, enjoying a reputation for […]
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‘Dance, dance, dance till you can no longer move’
By Janet Susan R. Nepales The 1980s top Philippine model and one-time Balenciaga mannequin in Paris Bessie Badilla lives in the two best possible worlds: tranquil Connecticut and pulsating New York where all her gay friends are. Beauty-brains-body Bessie Badilla is one rare gem. She is one of the most humble and outgoing persons I […]