Est. 2009, Hawaii
This is one of my favorite things to do with photoshop. I like restoring old photos.
It’s fun to alter images – remove this person, make shirt color different, add longer hair, etc. etc. – BUT it’s more challenging to preserve the original image.
This was a request from a good friend – ‘Can you please remove the cracks?’
Original image
Well, my secret:
And then… ta-dah!
restored photo
The first time I worked with pageant guru Michelle Santos was on an emcee gig for the Ilocos Surian Association’s installation event. Then I hosted 2012’s Miss Maui Filipina pageant at the Hyatt where 2012 title holder Shelby Bantillan won.
This Sunday, Binhi at Ani Community Center will have 5 young pinays compete for this year’s title. It starts 6pm and tickets are $20.
A few weeks ago, I met these ladies and we took some pictures at the Bahay Kubo at Kepaniwai Park in Iao Valley. I’ve submitted my tally sheets and Miss Photogenic is…. stay tuned!
Ria
Paris
Kaegil
Sheina
Cassidy
It’s that time of the year again. September 21-22 weekend will be dedicated to my art of choice: shotokan karate. This will be the 8th tournament that we’re putting together and year after year it gets better and better.
I think I can fairly say I’ve had some competitive years behind me, battle scars, strict training and diet. Boy, I was so in shape then it’s like a dream (that’s never going to happen again.)
But what joy it is to teach! I get a rush when I know I can help them improve and see actual results. Some of our kids were so bad when they started – couldn’t even reach their toes, couldn’t jump a foot in the air! I feel I’m helping them have the childhood experience all kids deserve to have.
I look at our kids now and boy, they have improved tremendously. You put your faith in a learning mind and wonders will happen.
Anyway, the public welcome to watch the tournament. There are no entrance fees for the audience. Bring your kids and though these tournaments last a whole day, they can be pretty cool. I’ll be behind the mic to let everyone know what’s going on.
Maui Karate Association puts tournaments Maui-style, of course. To me, it’s not really a tournament, it’s an aloha get-together. It should be renamed to Aloha Karate Tournament or something.
Last year, we had a buffet lunch for the participants courtesy of Maui Culinary Academy led by Catering Supervisor Chef Kristin Dougherty. She even prepared a black belt cake!
A day before the tournament, all participants from various clubs get to know each other in joint training and a pot-luck fellowship dinner is held at the Hawaii Nature Center where kids and families can stay overnight.
Bonfire. smores. stories. Deron and I become instant parents.
Well, as for me, it’s a lifelong quest for personal development so dreams of going up the ranks are still there. It’s just goddarn difficult when you’re in the middle of the Pacific to get to our HQ which is based in New York. It’s actually closer I think if we go Japan. But anyway, I still have some years – maybe someday. Maybe someday.
Slash the ‘maybe.’
Someday.
Special thanks to Melissa Gibson for sending me these slides!
My mum, and her family, though she doesn’t speak it all the time, IS ilokano. My Ninang is hardcore ilokano. Lola Pinky of my dad’s side CAN speak ilokano (she’s actually multi-lingual and spoke many Filipino dialects which is pretty awesome).
Anyway, what I’m trying to say is – I wish I took learning Ilokano more seriously and picked up more phrases and words other than ‘diak maawatan’ and ‘mabisin nako’ and ‘awan.’ Because my vocabulary is really ‘basit.’
I have to admit, sometimes it feels awkward when you’re part of the minority in a room of ilokano speakers. Well, refer to graph. Doesn’t matter, they all understand Tagalog so I’m ok. haha
But this is probably an acceptable answer for those who have asked me ‘How come you speak very good english (as a Filipino)?’ Don’t get mad now, it’s really not their fault. It’s always better to educate. In a correspondence with new Manila Tourism executive Carlos Celdran, he told me he tells them the same thing – ‘OMG, Yours is excellent too. How did that happen?’
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Maui FIlipino Chamber of Commerce 3rd Quarter Membership meeting
This is the Maui Filipino Chamber of Commerce’s 2nd event that’s going to be held at Tante’s Restaurant at the Seaside Hotel. As far as I know, the last one with State Tax Director Fred Pablo was very sucessful, so I’m looking forward to this one, too!
Flying all the way from Oahu, Mr. Greg Dunn, President and CEO of Better Business Bureau, has agreed to talk story with us on trends, tips and best practices in business. He was just appointed last June. In an effort to cyber-know him before the actual event, I learned that he was affiliated with the Hawaii Nature Center – whose current Executive Director Dyanna Okazaki was a karate mom in JKA Hawaii.
In addition, our 2013 JKA Hawaii Fall Tournament will have an overnight potluck/bonfire/fellowship event at Maui’s Hawaii Nature Center at Iao Valley. I used to work for a non-profit and we do anything to hit targets for fund-raising, so will help as much as possible.
The second speaker is Ms. Rowena Nikki Baysa, Program Specialist of Maui’s Hawaii Health Connector. Ms. Baysa actually spoke at the Maui County Business Resource Center yesterday to educate about health insurance and business so she may be anticipating the same questions from us. I personally don’t have much concerns about health insurance – which is pretty lame and sad – a chunk of my salary is dedicated for it, I know that.
So I continue to receive notifications from Kaiser – “Hey, Maria! Come and see us!” – wow, they are so friendly. And I continue to ignore. I promised myself I will go for at least a physical this YEAR.
Joe Moore of KITV News once said “People on the quest for wealth and disregards health, end up losing both.” So true.
Join us on Wednesday. The $20 is so worth it – just Tante’s hospitality alone. You don’t have to be a member to join us. In fact, bring your friends with you, THEN you can all join the Chamber afterwards.
RSVP: Brianmoto.moto@gmail.com or Call Alvin Santander at 808-856-2605
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That’s right, I was fortunate to have devoured an exclusive set course prepared by Top Chef Sheldon Simeon (@chefwonder) and Chef Mark Ellman, owner and executive chef of Honu and Mala Restaurants in Lahaina.
The fundraiser was a benefit for Punana Leo O Maui, a Hawaiian immersion preschool dedicated to family-based programming where the entire ohana, makua and keiki, are immersed in the Hawaiian language and culture; and
for the Lahaina skate park – a project that Chef Mark Ellman is very passionate about.
Well, it appeared that the restaurant was non-stop busy tonight so I’d like to extend my Congratulations to the chefs!!!
So moving on, let’s talk about the food.
The menu was signed by Chef Sheldon – and if I didn’t catch on quickly, it just looked like someone was checking whether a sharpie still had ink!
Cocktails – we had drinks. I mean, we had drinks. It was awesome.
The whole course was Filipino-inspired so the starting with the drinks, we had
And going over the course really fast –
Starters: rice cracker (kamaboko, soubise, chive), Brie cheese Inari, RADISH. yes, RADISH with toasted rice, shrimp paste – I’ve NEVER had anything like it.
Tasting Menu includes: Kauai prawns, hurricane popcorn, kampachi and roasted-awesome- pork belly. Of course it’s not just what it seems – there were ingredients like kochujang and veloute. Umm… yeah, sumtn’ li’dat.
Our dessert was coconut mousse with calamansi curd with malasada and mango lemon verbena sauce.
Now, if you know me, I eat anything and everything and most of the time don’t really care about the process of food-making, but I give a damn about the presentation. And taste of course, yeah, that would be the whole point – taste.
Honu and Mala Ocean Tavern have world-class food and it’s always a good time dining out that area with the sunset. All the best, Chef Ellman!
Frequent flyer or not, you’ll encounter these cups from Hawaiian Airlines when you travel inter-island. You’ll have a choice of water or POG (passion-orange-guava).
Now, if you just doze off like me, then all you need to worry about is looking ‘fine’ when the flight attendant passes by. Fine i.e. you have your sunglasses on, mouth not open, and not snore. But recently, traveling has been quite hectic – like arriving at the gate one minute after plane left – and this in-flight treat just let you catch your breath and enjoy 20 minutes of just sitting down until you find yourself on the go again.
Anyway, let’s get on with – darn too much introduction.
On the occasion that you find yourself holding one of the POG cups, you’ll be obliged to peel off the top foil cover. That’s what the instruction says, anyway. Problem with that is, the potential to spill is greater. I know there’s not much content in there, but imagine if you have kids or you’re busy reading the magazine or you only have one hand…
Using your sharp or not-so-sharp nail, poke a hole on one side. You’ll be able to suck the liquid out of the thing. Problem is, you’ll need another hole – anywhere – somewhere other than the existing hole – to let the pressure out while you suck the liquid out.
One sip and you’re done. It’s just more fun. Try it next time.
I turned 28 this month. That’s 4 cat years already.
Anyway, I told myself ‘it’s never too late at tweny-eight,’ and so I’m bringing back my blog – Getting There.
I was a faithful blogger back in college (it was blogspot before they switched to blogger) and I wrote about everything. I remember LiveJournal too and those fun avatars. And who can forget Friendster and Multiply? For some reason I wasn’t as active in MySpace but I remember ‘friending’ some really weird people there.
Anyway, I’ve grown a lot. Re-read some of my blog posts – 2005 era – and it’s like I’m meeting this old friend – a young, bubbly, chatty, no-think-just-write girl who took pictures with a crappy Nokia 6170 (and had patience to download photos via usb, edit them into a collage, then upload on photobucket). But that girl? A few inches off and she’s still me!
Ok, maybe not just a few inches.
Welcome, family and friends. I’m happy to be back!
I’ll write again, starting now. Brace yourselves!