Buy Local This Christmas! :)

A personal list of stocking stuffers... a mix of things I think friends/family will like as and things that are on my own wishlist (*cough* broad hint *cough*).

In no particular order: 

1. Lagu Beach Towel: Locally made beach towels that are allergen-free, quick dry and (this is the best bit), sand-repellent. I've put mine through its paces and they really deliver on their branding. I've used it as a mat, a blanket and sometimes line my beach bag with it so that I can just turn the bag inside-out afterwards to remove all the sand. 

2. Kape Maria: Kape Maria sources all their beans locally from different cooperatives around the country. There are, to date, four different blends of different strengths named after areas in the Philippines (Calauit, Apo, Sierra Madre and Pulag). By Christmas, they plan to release their "Coffee Bags", a neat packet of ground coffee, non-dairy creamer and coconut sugar. 

(As a certified coffee snob, I am constantly on the look-out for locally-grown and roasted blends. And since I began drinking my coffee black, I have been looking for that perfect brew that is not acidic, but still bold and strong. Kape Maria's "Apo" blend is the answer to my prayers.) 

3. Panda Sunglasses:  PANDA was born in a small town in Georgetown and has since come to the Philippines. Made from bamboo, one of the most sustainable and renewable resources, these sunnies are not only pro-Earth, they are also really fashionable. 

4. Too Many Things At Human <3 Nature: Pro-earth natural products made with the help of Gawad Kalikasan and Gawad Kalinga communities at a price that is definitely more affordable than imported organic products. I've given their products as presents for years now and also have a toiletry bag that looks like their catalog.  

Personal picks: 

- All the baby products

- Natural Moisturizing Shampoo (in Lush Vanilla) 

- Natural Moisturizing Conditioner (in Lush Vanilla)

- 100% Natural Bug Shield (soooo much better than Off lotion)

- Balancing Facial Wash and Balancing Toner

- 100% Natural Moisturizing Day Fluid with 15 Vitamins & Minerals

5. Echo Store's 'Spa in a Bottle': Every single bag in the city should have a bottle of Echo Store Body Basics' 'Spa in a Bottle.' Made from all natural ingredients (VCO, orange, peppermint, musk, and lavender), this little magic formula helps alleviate dizziness, congestion, and nausea.  Rub the oil on your palm, create a cup over your nose and inhale the goodness. Or apply some to your pulse points. 

*While you're at the store, you might as well check out: 

- Messy Bessy's full range of natural home cleaning products

- Island Baby's sunblock for children

- Theo and Philo's artisan chocolates (I have a personal weakness for the siling labuyo variant). 

- If you're at Echo Market, you should grab a pint of the dairy-free ice cream made with coconut milk and coconut sugar.

6. Declaration Shirts makes a black hoodie that has the word "Happy" written across the chest. Soooo cute. 

7. Quiddity is home to "The Bitter Critter", a notebook-slash-one-of-a-kind cloth creature that is anything but happy.

8. Zenutrients' Barako Coffee Body Scrub is a bathroom staple. And the Goat's Milk Body Butter and the Cocoa Butter Body Butter are amazing  if you have hypersensitive skin.  

9. Dalisay Bamboo Soap is made with coconut oil, carabao milk and bamboo crystals. Great for hypersensitive skin. And it is made by a Gawad Kalinga social enterprise so you'd be giving back by buying.  

10. Timbre Headphones are locally-made, combine art with music and have become a must-have accessory. Support the local music scene by listening to OPM with locally-produced headphones. ;) 

11. Give the gift of surfing this Christmas!

a. You can buy vouchers for free stays at The Circle Hostel (San Juan, La Union and/or San Felipe, Zambales. 

b. The Philippine Surfing Academy runs lessons on weekends at Club Manila East in Taytay, Rizal. 

12. The Bambike is made by Gawad Kalinga builders from one of the most renewable   resources: the humble bamboo. Get on the green revolution and order yourself -- or a special someone -- one of these stylist bikes. 

13. Yes, I am one half of Brown Belly and so of course, I'm going to suggest you order from us this Christmas! ;) Our runaway best-seller for the last two years has been our bed jackets. Great for dressing up a casual outfit or as a cover-up on the beach.

14. Comfort Zone makes some of the yummiest treats this side of Luzon.  Banana bread, cupcakes and - get this - chocolate chip bacon cookies are among their best-sellers. But if you've got something savory in mind, order the chili con carne. You wont regret it. 

  

The 7th Manila Surfers' Cup: sunshine, surf and free ice cream!

The Point at Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union was peeling 3 foot rights as the 7th Manila Surfers' Cup: Para Sa'yo 'To Kid (This One's For You Kid) kicked off over the weekend.

The Manila Surfers' Association, Aloha Boardsports and LUSC present: the 7th Manila Surfers' Cup: Para Sa'yo 'To Kid! Co-presented with Vans "Off the Wall" and Antonov Vodka (Vodka on the Go).

66 participants paddled out, divided into 10 divisions, all with one thing in mind: the top spot. Several familiar faces were the obvious top bets for the spectators who came down to the beach to watch. Longboarding sisters Nicola and Carla Sebastian along with shortboarder Takamura Ishikawa were among the surfers expected to do well. But, as the heats progressed, it became clear that some newcomers were emerging as dark horses in the competition. Among them were Nicky Ancheta of the Men's Longboard Open and shortboarder Jasher Villaruel, who moved on to the semis of their respective divisions as the day closed.

DJ Ameline kept the beats going

Keeping the crowd entertained was DJ Ameline, who set up her station right on the beach and kept the beats fresh. And keeping the beach supplied with free scoops of ice cream was Fruits In Ice Cream whose "Ice Cream Machine" had been driven up to La Union from Manila. The truck was parked on the beach, providing the heated crowd with a variety of their ice cream flavors for both days of the event.

Free ice cream from FIC!

A raffle was also held during the evening's beach party. The proceeds went directly to the second MSA Medical Mission, scheduled on April 21st in Urbiztondo, La Union for children between the ages of 1-13. Among the items up for grabs were loot bags from Banana Boat/Schick/The Body Shop, 3 MyPhone mobile phones, gift certificates from Vans and one Contour Camera.

Sunday morning saw more excitement as the semi-finals of all divisions got underway. Also a big draw for the Sunday crowd was the FCS Manila Surfers' Invitational divisions where handpicked Manila surfers - mostly past champions - would be competing in four winner-take-all divisions. Among those invited were Paolo Soler, Bjorn Pabon, Lor Lapus and Nikki dela Paz.

Nikki dela Paz, FCS Manila Surfers' Invitational: Wahine Shortboard

When asked about his take on the event, Lemon Dines, La Union local and previous president of the La Union Surf Club, said "Natutuwa ako na madaming bago. Tsaka na gumagaling ang mga taga Manila (I am happy to see many new faces and that the Manila surfers are getting better)."

The swell picked up, with the occasional overhead set coming through, just in time for the specially requested Technical Team Expression Session. The judges, marshals, flagmen, hosts and runners of the La Union Surf Club paddled out for a much-needed 20 minute session before resuming the competition.

Masuno Naito, FCS Manila Surfers Invitational: Men's Shortboard

As with the previous day, dark horses Nicky Ancheta and Kathryn Esguerra outsurfed their competitors to secure spots in their finals heats. Shortboard finalist Tin Terible, found herself a slot in the Wahine Longboard Open as well.

The finals heats were quite close, showcasing the increased level of surfing of the Manila surfers and giving the judges quite a headache. And as the final scores were tabulated, the beach was given another treat from the Manila Surfers' Association - the annual Costume Surf Session.

The Circle Hostel's Ziggie Gonzales in costume in front of the FIC Ice Cream Machine

The brainchild of former MSA officer Kage Gozun, the Costume Surf Session has evolved to become an FIC-sponsored event where online voters have a say for best surfer in costume. Past participants have included surfers dressed as Dora the Explorer, Shrek, and Manny Pacquiao. This year's notable entries were a cross-dressed Marilyn Monroe, Adam & Eve and a family dressed up as space-age skiers.

Results from the Costume Surf Session will be announced at the post-event party in a few weeks' time.

When asked how he felt about his first event as MSA's newest President, Tonet Jose said "I am stoked to hear nothing but positive remarks about the comp. I am thankful to everyone who made the event a success."

RESULTS:

Wahine Novice: Gene Villapando, Lor de Jesus, Michelle Romano and Kathryn Esguerra!
Men's Novice: Benj Pacia, Terence Concepcion, Jeff Ortega and Melf Kuhl.
Wahine SB Open: Lalai Catipon, Carla Sebastian, Camille Post Santiago and Tin Terible
Men's SB Open: Takamura Ishikawa, Sadri Dulay, Ejay Ventura and Jasher Villaruel.
Men's LB Open: Sadri Dulay, Ejay Ventura, Dodong Korea and Nicky Ancheta.
Wahine LB Open: Rozie Laurel Delgado, Tamara Benitez, Tin Terible and Nicola Sebastian.

FCS MSA Men's SB Invitational Champ: Bjorn Dizon Pabon
FCS MSA Wahine SB Invitational Champ: Nikki Arce Dela Paz
FCS MSA Men's LB Invitational Champ: Buji Libarnes
FCS MSA Wahine LB Invitational Champ: Nikki dela Paz

- Photos by Kage Gozun

For more stock images of surf, travel and lifestyle please check out: Kage's Online Portfolio

Bali Boarding

As published in a magazine that has since folded and thus, will not be named ;)

Bali Boarding

It happens to all surfers. After x amount of time paddling familiar breaks and taking off on the same peaks, the feet begin to itch. No, it’s not a bad case of reef rash. What’s happening is a surfers’ built in need to travel and look for better waves. Or, if you happen to think your home break has the best waves, then it’s the search for different swell.

Surfers are, by nature, wandering nomads. Always in search of the perfect session, the ultimate ride. The bar for what constitutes the next best thing is raised as a surfer’s skill level increases. And the search, goes on ad infinitum. Crowded line-ups, irregular seasons, and a general wanderlust drives a surfer ever onward. Two surf movies – The Endless Summer & The Endless Summer 2 – are devoted to that very theme. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been surfing or how good you’ve gotten, at some point, the itchy feet kick in and the search begins.

I find that this is especially true for Philippine-based surfers. We don’t have waves all year round. There comes a time during the summer months when neither Habagat nor Amihan is delivering surfable swell. And instead of drowning my sorrows in beer below zero or taking off for a hedonistic weekend at an island resort, I do the most sensible thing – I plan a trip to Bali.

Bali, Indonesia is one of the best options for surf outside of the Philippines for several reasons. It is closer to the Philippines than, say, Hawaii or Puerto Rico. Filipinos don’t need a visa to enter the country. And, best of all, Bali has waves all year-round. So when things have gone flat on this archipelago, it’s high time to set your sights on another.

The eastern side of the island receives near consistent swell. Without any other countries or islands to break up the surge of the incoming tides, Bali is a guaranteed wave magnet. If it isn’t working at one spot, it will surely be working at another. All you need is a good guidebook, access to the internet to check for swell and a few tips from the friendly surf locals.

Bali has three major seasons, each with their own pros and cons. Depending on your skill level, you can adjust your date of departure. Swell is fickle and can change in an instant but there is a general guide that you can follow.

December to February is the rainy season, although actual rainfall can fluctuate from strong windstorms to minimal downpours. The winds come in from the west side so you’ll want to be on the eastern coastline.

From March to May is when I personally prefer to book my Bali trips because swell tends to be a bit smaller. March can still be a bit wet so I like to book towards the middle to end of May. Breaks such as Keramas, Serangan, and the Bukit Peninsula can still deliver big waves so if you’re traveling with a big waver, tell him he won’t be bored by your hunt for four foot waves.

The water temperature begins to drop come June and goes on til almost November as winter swell from surrounding countries come rolling in. It’s enough to turn your lips blue if you aren’t used to it. When planning a trip for the winter season of Bali, invest in a shorty wetsuit or a thick rashguard. Winter is also when the swell begins to really pick up and breaks such as the legendary Padang Padang start cranking out double overhead waves on a good day. Not for the faint of heart or low of skill. If you don’t think taking off on a 10 foot wave is your speed, rest assured, your friendly local guide can point you out to more manageable surf. Breaks to check out:

During my last trip, which was May of 2010, I fell in love with a little visited break known as Balian. An hour and a half west of Kuta and accessible by land transport (rent a van for the most comfortable ride), Balian’s away-from-it-all vibe combined with consistently clean waves was perfect for our little band of adventurers. And despite the seemingly isolated environment, Balian’s small resorts are actually quite nice. Splurge – at these prices, you’ll still think it’s a steal – and book your self into one of the resorts that has air-conditioning (the dry season in Bali is hot beyond belief), a pool & a fully staffed kitchen.

The best part is that Balian is on the same side as Medewi, which can be friendly or ferocious depending on what Mother Nature’s mood is on any given day.

Closer to the hub of activity, Airport Lefts and Airport rights generally work during the dry season. Paddle for waves while flights take off and land meters from you. Crowd factor can be high so be prepared to fight for your waves. Balangan, less than an hour out of the city center, is also a good bet. And of course, there’s always the rest of the Bukit Peninsula with breaks lined up along the coastline – Impossibles, Padang-Padang and Uluwatu.

Mostly geared for backpacking surfers, there are definitely more basic rooms as compared to luxury lodgings that are angled for waveriders. If you want to stay away from maddening crowd of unwashed and rowdy backpackers on their gap year, ditch Kuta and head for Seminyak or Legian instead. The hotels are better appointed, the crowd more upscale and the levels of comfort more lavish. Most will also offer you cars for hire along with an English speaking tour guide who’ll know his way around the island’s many breaks. The Legian Logo, a five star hotel, is one of the most popular hotels in the area. In Seminyak, check out Le Jardin Boutique.

You can also choose to spend the night at many of the other breaks, leaving you with less time for road travel and more time to surf. And rest assures, it wont be all beach bungalows with no running water and threadbare mats on the floor. The Bukit Peninsula does offer some pretty lush accommodations . Those closer to Uluwatu, such as the Alila Villas Uluwatu , often offer stunning views from the mountainside, 3-bedroom villas &, if you book ahead, private pools. And there are a handful of privately owned villas that are stand alone and can be booked for private groups.

So grab a guidebook, go online, check out flights (Singapore Airlines flies from Manila to Bali with a brief stop at Singapore) and figure out when you’re going to to chasing after those Indo waves.

10 Essential Things to Pack for Every Surf Trip

I admit sometimes I leave without checking if I have my fin keys. Oops. My list of essentials items as published in TravelBook.ph is right here so make the jump :)

Samar Only We Know

Photos from the recently concluded national competition held at Calicoan Beach, Guiuan, Eastern Samar:

To get to Calicoan from Manila by air:

Fly to Tacloban

Hire land transport or take the communal bus from Tacloban to Guiuan.

From Guiuan town proper, ask about renting a motorbike or a jeepney to take you to Calicoan.

The Donavon Weekend. Sanuk's Opening Act.

Incredi-weekend. Glassy 3-4 foot right-handers, solid morning sessions, non-stop sunshine, the Donavon show on the beach, cold beer, random laughter, photos galore... good vibes all around. Love these trips where I not only get to hang out with old friends but meet new ones as well. ♥

It started on a Thursday afternoon when - through the kindness of Vangie and Ruby - I was given one-on-one time to interview Donavon Frankenreiter. See, I have been a fan of both his music and his philosophies on surfing/life since before I even learned to make the drop. So that afternoon? A good 10 years in the making. Brought Elaine with me so she could interview as well and we could maximize exposure for Sanuk. :) A few hours later, Donavon and Matt played at Gweilo's where good vibes and smiles were aplenty... and I won a pair of Sanuks! :D Just in time for my baby bro's birthday too!

Then it was off to El Yu at midnight on Friday. Left at midnight, arrived at 430am. Slept at 5, was putting sunblock on at 6:30. In the water by 7:30. Suffice it to say that it was three hours of super stoke -- friends in the line-up, 4 foot glassy peelers, sunshine, no jellyfish. The afternoon was filled with the costume surf contest, a lot of hanging out and prepping for the evening's concert... which by the way was likely the most amazing thing to happen for many a sexy surf beastie in the country.

Sunday: three hours at the Point, then got hit by the lazy stick and just hung out most of the afternoon with various peeps, using Kahuna's wifi to live Tweet photos.

On the road by 10pm and in Manila by 4am.

Missing Balian

Back in March of 2010, I was recovering from a bout with viral arthritis, an auto-immune illness and a break up. A trip to Bali had been booked months before and it was with a lot of excitement that I boarded that Air Asia flight to the Island of the Gods.

We split into two groups - mostly based on where we were all booked. We spent the first two days apart - constantly in touch via SMS and Facebook. One evening Dom, Annie, Wiwi, JP and Tin texted us to say they were heading to Balian in the morning. So Philip, Miki, Ja and I hooked up with Nata, rented an extra board for Jam, woke up at 5am and made the trip up.

And fell in love. If I could have married a surf spot during this trip, I'd have come home as "Mrs Balian."

We hit Balian twice all in all where we all scored fun rides, cheered for each other, had epic siestas on epic beds, ignored the annoying needle thingies in the water, stayed away from aggro haole boys (where is your aloha?!) and had the best time ever.

Jam and I weren't able to do a Balian trip this year though so my reunion with the spot I wanted to marry is going to have to wait.

For photos of my future husband, the Surf Spot, check out my gallery on Facebook.

*BALIAN is located halfway between Kuta and Medewi. There are accommodations in the area ranging from upscale to mid-priced. As of 2010, there were no backpacker-budget friendly lodges though. You can hire a van to take you there (I highly recommend Nata, hit me up for his contact deets) or rent motorbikes and make the drive up yourself. Leave early in the morning to beat the traffic.

Vitamin D from Vitamin Sea

Sunday day trip to one of fave new spots. I was scared we would get totally skunked and be drenched in rain. But it was peeling and sunny... the perfect combination for a day trip.

Paolo holds ground lessons for his students

Morning sesh: 2-3 feet for us (scored fun little right-handers as well as a few lefts), and further down the beach, perfect baby waves for the first-timers.

Pia takes off at the smaller section of the beach

Lunch: scrambled eggs, luncheon meat, cheese, peanut butter, brown bread, bites of Migui’s incredi-sandwich, bananas with Nutella, some spag from Pao, a sip of milk, lots of water and Golden Oreos. Random. Yummy.

Afternoon sesh: 4 feet with some close outs, what felt like never-ending sets (“Lull! I want a lull! I need to rest!”).There are no photos (from my camera) of the afternoon sesh because I was in the water trying to catch as many waves as I could before I started cramping.

Ting Pats, Pao and Julienne decided to paddle to the reef break at the tip of the cove. According to them, it was slopey, overhead and just the teensiest bit too shallow.

We were packed up and showered by 5pm. Had a really good catch-up conversation with my friend Raf - who I hadn't seen in at least 5 months that was largely about religion, spirituality and opening yourself to the universe.

On the road by 6pm. Slept the whole way home. :) It wasn't my best day trip this year but it was still super fun. A day at the beach, on your board... very few city options can truly compare.

Long Weekend in Baler: End of August 2011

Started the long weekend with quiz at Pivo where we once again dominated the rounds. :) Good job to our very own Rainman - Vincenzo Giorgo Armommy Tagle. Then went to Senator's house to wait for everyone to trickle in so we could be on our way to Baler for the next two and a half days.

Baler was... amazing. In sunshine, in rain, in glassy conditions and horrifying close-outs... for some reason, Baler always finds a way to be good to me. And I would like to think that Baler was good to first-timers Jako and Will as well.

We surfed mostly at the beachie and once in Lobbot with waves varying from head high close outs to waist high peelers. The weather went from overcast to sunny to sunny but drizzling. Scored my personal best rides during the Sunday afternoon session -- clean drops on waist high left-handers with green walls just peeling down the line. Gill was able to stand on Pandora, Will and Jako were able to get waves and Senator was dominating on his 9'6. :) Stoke for everyone.

Hidden in between surf sessions (and sometimes during) were moments, hirits, conversations and jokes that I'm not likely to forget and I pray I never take for granted.

Ended the weekend with Casa Nami sing-along night -- sunkissed, stoked, kinda tired but ready to rock it out in celebration of Gill's last hosting night.

One Day I'd Like to Do This For Pinay Surfers

Record numbers turn out for the Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing days in Bali

29 May 2011, Double Six beach Legian – Bali.

Bright sky’s and perfect 2 -3ft waves decorated Sunday morning at Double 6 beach Legian, Bali for the 2011 Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing day.

A record breaking 130 girls of all ages and nationality turned out from as far away as Malaysia and Thailand to register and join the annual Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing Day now in its 8^th year.

The day began with registration at 9.30 followed by the first class of the day ready hit the surf at 10.30. Joining the lesson were Rip Curl facebook photo competition winners from Jakarta who had won an all expenses paid trip from Jakarta by posting pictures of themselves to Rip Curl’s fan page. Girls started out with a warm-up and stretching followed by basic standing, positioning on the surfboard and how to paddle. The introduction was made by Rip Curl School of Surf Pro instructor Jonathan Deaker who made all the girls feel right at home with his relaxed and fun spirit before they took to the perfect clean waves.

While the first group was getting amongst the action on the water, the beach scene was hotting-up with fun and games to win top prizes, girls having manicures, body massages and temporary tattoos in the specially designed beauty booth.

As the third and final session of the afternoon came to a close around 3pm, live music kicked-in on the stage and the crowds of girls gathered to dance together to a hot salsa music lessons with fun choreographer and dance instructor.

A beach BBQ added to a perfect afternoon of fun and games in true Rip Curl style with hot dogs and cold drinks ready to feed the hungry girls.

To end the day on stage, the prize giving of the Coca Cola ISC Women Division Tour was announced with Rip Curl team rider Diah Rahayu Dewi taking first place starting her 2011 campaign on a high note. The presentation was followed up with some special awards for best wipe-out, best ride and best style that was won by Rip Curl’s media guest’s form Thailand and Malaysia.

“It was a great start for the women's pro tour. We had some good waves and the girls were challenged but showed that they are more than motivated and are frothing to compete. We are looking forward to a tough and challenging competition for the 2011 women’s championship.” (Tim Hain - Media Director- Coca-Cola ISC Tour)

Thanks to Rip Curl’s co - sponsors and media partners; GUS, All Seasons Legian Hotel, Rip Curl School Of Surf, Coca Cola ISC, OZ radio, JUICE, Magic Wave, Sister Girlfriend and Go girl.

Stepping Down.

Hey sexy surf kiddos!

It is with a very grateful heart that I step down from my post as your VP for Membership. It's been a long and sometimes trying ride but I don't regret a single year I spent working with and for MSA. Many of you have been asking me why I've chosen to do this -- and it's simple: I'd like to rest and be a civilian na. I've been doing this for almost 7 years. Time for someone else to learn the ropes and help steer the ship.

I can only hope that whoever is chosen to come after me also has the same vision in mind as I do for the direction of MSA. But if s/he doesn't, there is nothing I can do about that except lend support where I can as a member and as one of the B.O.D.

Which brings me to this: be awesome to your new membership head. Cooperate. Comply. Wag kayong pasaway. :P

To all the sponsors and media peeps I've had the opportunity to work with in those seven years, many thanks for the continued support.

See you guys in the line-up and watch out for news on the El Yu comp from the remaining officers.

Bestest vibes,

Momma Kage 

35 Before 35

In no particular order - and inspired by the incredible Celine Novenario - here is my list of 35 Before 35. Some are goals that I intend to achieve while others are habits I would like to cultivate. A lot of them entail willpower, self-discipline and the support of my peers.

I had to edit a lot - there were items on the original list that are dependent on factors out of my control. Those ones are on a mental list (parang The Secret).

1. Swim at least twice a week if I don't go surfing.

2. Do "Yoga for Surfers" every morning.

3. Capoeira at least once a week (should budget allow it)

4. Finally take that pole dancing class with Djong and Pia!

5. Surf at the very least once a month, using mostly Pandora and Alexa Jazz over WC.

6. Try that all female gym Ria told Binky about.

7. Go sugar free for a month every quarter

8. Stick to the "1x a month for fast food" plan.

9. Surf Cemento's peak on a shoulder-high day and make the drop consistently by the start of the late North Swell.

10. Go on one photo walk every month, even if it's just around the city.

11. Finally organize and publish my online photo portfolio.

12. Get back in the publishing game - freelance more.

13. Update my blog weekly.

14. LITERALLY inch my way back to the 2005 body or a close approximation thereof.

15. Attend SpinDependence at least every other month to spin fire and light.

16. Learn to make bread.

17. Get my driver's license.

18. Dive Cebu.

19. Go to Bicol.

20. Swim with the whalesharks again -- this time with a proper underwater camera.

21. Manage my finances better than I did in 2010.

22. Visit the Pahiyas festival the day BEFORE the actual fiesta.

23. Put the "No more split ends" rule into full effect. ;)

24. Do or try something new -- something I've never done before -- once a month.

25. Learn to make pasta from scratch.

26. Drink 8 glasses of water a day. For real na talaga.

27. Do a 5k "run" with Djong

28. Join every single free contest and raffle I come across.

29. Get Brown Belly into more stores in more cities.

30. Dive Palawan.

31. Get to the office before noon. All the time. :P

32. Get inked.

33. Own more than two pairs of "grown up" shoes and two sets of "grown up" clothes.

34. Be more involved with charity and outreach work.

35. Begin - and end - each day in prayer.

Too tired to paddle, too stoked to stop

One of the best all around sessions ever, ever, ever.

The Point was 6 foot on the face and kinda scary so we (Manang Mi, Roxy, JP Ong, Moro and I) opted for the milder waves at Bacnotan. 3-4 foot sets breaking both left and right. The left was sometimes giving 4-5 foot sets but those were closing out. The right (the one near the pier) was smaller but peeling. Waves barely had any juice but the walls were clean, the line-up was composed of friends and there was music blasting from the shore due to an ongoing competition.

Mia had a new (old) 8'1 balsa that is what I like to call a fun gun (okay, so I'm inventing my own terms). I was on Alexa Jazz, my 6'0 kite/hovercraft/fish. She and I swapped boards for a bit... and fell in love with each others' boards. So yes, we are board swingers! Haha.

I was out from 11am to 3pm... then back again from 4pm to sunset. And, like Vic said, I'm usually never that masipag. Unless I really, really like the conditions. (I'm kind of picky in that sense). I also have ZERO photos from that day. Hahaha.

It was one of those sessions where you catch a fun ride and, as you paddle back out filled with stoke, you watch your friend make the drop on yet another really fun wave... and you just know how stoked your friend is... so that adds to your own personal stockpile of stoke... and it just keeps going on like that until sunset. Too tired to paddle, too stoked to stop. Then you all pile in, drive back to San Juan and almost fall asleep while eating popcorn cos you're just that exhausted. And you know your body is going to be mean to you in the morning but you dont mind. It'll hurt... but it's the good kind of hurt. Those twinges in your back and shoulders that silently remind you of the session from the day before.

Good times.

Sakit vs Surfing: LU Weekend Sessions

Finally made it back to La Union!

Saturday morning surf check showed blown out beach break with strong current. You'd start paddling in front of surf camp and end up in front of Surf Maid if you werent careful. So... no. Breakfast na lang muna while the big boys paddle out.

After lunch we checked out Carille. Unfortunately it was working. Dammit. I dont like Carille cos the water tends to be hella dirty. Especially after a big rain has just washed debris downriver. Syempre, ulan ng ulan di ba? So ang dumi nga nung tubig. To top it all of I was on the second day of surfing the crimson wave. Hello open cervix!

But no... ang ganda nung alon!!! Long rides, uncrowded line-up, clean walls. Aaaargh. Double Dammit. It took me an hour to convince myself that one session was not going to be worth the hassle of having to buy meds. So yan... chinika ko na lang lahat ng tao doon while watching enviously as people took off on waves that were not scary. Hay.

Sunday morning we loaded up and decided to do a swell check. Kung saan saan kami umabot. Hanggang Poro Point naghahanap kami ng alon ("mas mura daw babae pag umaga") but no. So we ended up heading to my favorite La Union beach break... also known to forum posters as "Aldrix's backyard."

Sobrang panalo!!! Steady, mellow waves with occassional overhead sets. Clean walls. Easy drops. The tiniest hint of a current. Uncrowded line-up. Lefts AND Rights. CHAMPION.

Even Lor was stoked and temporarily forgot the loss of her bag. Jong was back in the line-up, test driving his shoulder (welcome back Jong, well done). Attorney Ely was cruising on the smaller sets plugged into his tunes. Plus Olracs and I had many Guarana moments (as well as nice long right handers).

It more than made up for my non-session Saturday. No photos cos... well, no photos.

This was the kind of session I had been looking to have for almost a month na. The search for fun waves... yun na yun. Saya man.

Aldrix - Sa uulitin!

Bali 2007: From Kuta to Uluwatu

Landed in Jakarta well past midnight and spent the rest of the night at the house of Aya's tita (we slept girls in one room, boys in the other). Breakfast was thin slices of proscuito and heaping spoonfuls of nasi goreng. Then... off to Bali!

Arrived in the Island of the Gods after lunch and spent the first day getting settled in. Moro, JP and I were booked at Taman Ayu Bungalos -- really cheap place with clean rooms, comfortable beds, and a super friendly staff. I found out about Taman Ayu through Denver, who stayed there last year and made friends with one of the staff... this super nice local named Juli. Juli is the best.

Aya, Phil and Terence stayed down the street at Masa Inn. We heard about this place naman through Paolo and Cat (later backed up by Vince and Andrew). Value for money. Really great digs for a price you wont find in the Pinas.

Across Masa Inn is a restaurant called Nusa Indah. Yummy food at really low prices. Most of our meals were eaten here. Most of our Bintangs downed right after those meals. We made friends with one of the waiters pa. Komang (I know, whattaname!) became our command central... "Hey Komang, did you see Phil and Aya?" and he'd go "Yes, they just ate and went back to Masa Inn". Really convenient.

Oh... I took everyone to Legian Street the first night and introduced them to the Surfer Girl and Quiksilver store there. Third floor = sales floor. Little did any of us know that this was going to be a very small portion of what our shopping was going to be like. Hehe.

Surfing happened the second day. COLD water. So cold that after a while our fingers were going numb and our toes felt like they were going to fall off. But, since the swell had dropped off, we at least managed to have a fun session. I got long rides and got to practice my turning. Timing lang cos a lot of the waves were closing out and the sections that were consistently working were filled with locals we didnt wanna hassle.

Ano pa ba? Ah, Moro scored a board! He sold his 6'3 before we left for Bali so we were on a mission to find a a good deal on another board while we were there. The Kuta area is awash with surf shops so it took us a while to make a decision and to wrangle a good price. But on the third day of our stay, we made a choice - a 6'0 pintail Barreira board.

After we found our bearings, we decided to stick around the Kuta beach area for a few days, braving the cold water and the often close out waves. I made friends with some local instructors and they picked waves for me to take. Nothing great but deffo long fun rides. By this time, we'd all developed a taste for Teh Botol, a locally bottled tea drink. And we were starting to make friends with the vendors on the beach... getting discounts on our Teh Botols and Bintangs... and earning a safe place for us to leave our bags while we all surfed. (Most of the hangin' and surfin' Kuta pics are with Terence).

Moro and I took an afternoon off to head up to Uluwatu. We rented a motorbike (Rp80,000 with insurance for two days), asked Juli to draw us a map and took off. Ulu was small that day - small for typical Indo standards. As it was, waves were head high, peeling and perfect. We watched the line up at Ulu and this cool guy taking off on double overhead waves with his paddleboard at Temples. Then up to the temple itself to catch the sunset... and lose sunnies to a cunning macaque.

Terence joined us in the motorbike brigade the next day and we went off in search of... sales! Hahahaha. Really chill day lang using the bike, surfing a bit and then checking out Joe's Place for the first time. Think Big Sky but chiller pa.

Next up! Ubud and the Monkey Wars!

Left Ako Kage, said Vic in Zambales

A year ago a certain spot in Zamba gave me one of the biggest and most painful bruises I've ever seen on anyone not involved with boxing, URCC or in prison.

So it was with more than a little trepidation that I returned to the spot last Saturday. Thankfully instead of a horrifying repeat, I had a really good session! Waves were a fun size, no scary wipeouts, no close encounters with the reef and even managed to get off a few blurry shots before the D200's battery ran out.

Del waived the "we drop in on each other all the time" edict and gave me a wave all to myself. And Vic switched gears by warning me that he was going to go left instead of letting me drop in on him. Heehee.
We were here for close to seven hours and then decided to turn a weekend trip into a day one. Giant pizza sessions. Moisturizing sessions and trying-not-to-fall-asleep-at-the-movies sessions.

Halina't Sumayaw sa Ilalim ng Araw ng Baler

This is a long ass intro. But I'm going to write it out anyway. ;)

You know how you learn a new skill? And then later on you realize you've lost the touch and you arent as on the money with that skill as you used to be? It could be a grande jete, or a 3 point shot, or an au sem mao... and it frustrates you cos you know you can do it... you've done it before... how come it's so hard to do it now? Well, that's basically how I've been feeling lately with my pop-ups and my walls.

So the mission for the weekend was to relearn those skills, fix the mistakes I am making before they become bad habits. The first morning was frustrating and then after lunch we saw that the beach break was working... and even though Dom and I hadn't slept for over 24 hours, we went out to play. Aya stayed near me to make sure I stayed focused. And I fixed the problems!... the popping up, the turning so you slot yourself into the wall... committing to those drops. All of that. To make it even better, everyone was getting good waves too. Aya's frontside is looking better and better. Dom is dialing into that retro fish so well. Nicola, Tin, Kim, Mons, Aerika and Raf joined us later and made the line-up even more fun. Too bad there are no photos cos the boys were all asleep.

By far, one of the most memorable trips to Baler with the Band of Brothers.

These are just the snapshots taken with the Pentax OptioW30. The action shots taken by Coy and JP will be in another album.

Super highlights?
1. That Saturday afternoon session. I stayed out until it was too dark to see. "Too tired to paddle, too stoked to stop." Nica and Aya win for coming up when the stars were coming out. :)
2. Trying to hang on to six boards on the back on the pick-up with Philip.
3. Raf getting smacked by a center fin... and snapping the center fin clean off the board with his cheek.
4. Dom to Aerika "Paddle!" (Aerika paddles) Dom again "You're not paddling!"
5. Watching Saddam demolish waves AND a bottle of Nutella
6. Vic playing along with "Astro" by Sago on the car horn as we sped through the Sierra Madres
7. The group photo with Gerry Shan the Man!
8. Pop up Close out sessions at "Lubot"
9. Using Pandora again. First time since November.
10. Twenty people for one Baler trip, a record breaking cast.

Photos of it are here.

Indie Long Weekend in La Union

Where do I even begin? Hmmm...

1. Moved out of the Yeah, Yeah house and across the street to Surfers' Inn
2. Used my new Pentax Optio W30
3. Surfed Bacnotan Saturday and Sunday then scored big time at the "isang spot natin" on Monday.
4. Turned over photog duties to Coy

Lent my Tamron lens to Coy for the long weekend and he was nice enough to shoot us surfing in between his own surf sessions. Next time Coy, take turns tayo para may kuha ka din sa tubig. :)

Memo to self: next time, don't think of Coy shooting! Nakaka-conscious pala... I was more invested in making sure my tummy wasn't sticking out than I was in turning my board. Hahahaha. Next time, next time.

Again... big ups to Coy for shooting these excellent images of stoke in action.

5. Got Mang Bong to finally have a surf lesson!
6. Listened to the Jellyfish song
7. Got sprayed with vinegar in the eye by Phil, then later sprayed with dirty rainwater in the face by Raf.
8. Got to use a 9'1, 9'0 6'6, 6'0 and an 8'4 at different points in the weekend. ;)
9. Pimped Millie's clothes
10. Had an awesome awesome surf trip. Woot, woot!

For photos check out this album

Wahines in the Water: full version

I submitted this article to Elev8 Magazine's second issue. The last few paragraphs didn't come out due to a printing glitch. So here is the full article in all its unedited self.

There was a time that the idea of women surfing brought to mind Gidget, the Hollywood Beach Blanket icon. While cute and perky, she didn’t quite portray the most empowering image of female surfers.

In recent years, the presence big-wave riders such as Layne Beachley, Malia Kamisugi, power wahines the likes of Sofia Mulanovich, Keala Kennely and new talents like Chelsea Georgeson have made it quite clear that there is room for bikinis in the land of boardshorts. Whether it is in Australia, Hawaii or as far south as Brasil, women are definitely holding their own in the liquid arena.

Here in our neck of the world, more and more women are paddling out and taking waves in a sport more often than not designated for men. Point in case – the Philippine Surf Federation’s 2005 Circuit included an all-women’s surf competition was held at Siargao island’s Cloud 9, a right hander famous for its hollow barrels.

Anyone who watched these Filipinas charge Cloud 9 that year came away with much respect for them. These girls grew up in a line-up peppered with boys. This is especially the case for Nildie Blancada and Manet Alcala (Siargao) and Mocca Edusma (Daet) where they are often the only females out with the boys.

The event was seen as a gigantic step forward in the arena of women’s surfing. This year, the competition saw an even larger contingent of participants, including Australian pro surfers Sheridan Shields, Lyndsay Noyes as well as local wahines hailing from all over the country. The ripple effect of seeing women taking on monster waves has inspired a younger set of girls to get on a board and get in there. Only months after the comp girls as young as 6 began paddling out with Siargao’s normally all-male grommet posse.

Even back in Manila, the number of wahine weekend warriors has tripled in the last two years. The membership roster of the Manila Surfers’ Association has a nearly equal number of men and women.

On a personal level, it is not only empowering to see more girls in the line-up. It is, quite simply, more enjoyable. I am no longer the only girl on a weekend road trip, having to put up with pranks, fart jokes or actual farts. Now, there is always at least one other female to talk to about the more substantial aspects of life, namely: shopping, shoes and spas.

I am not a professional surfer. I am not even an intermediate level surfer. What I am is a chick with a waxed stick that enjoys every wave that she gets, whether it’s a wall that just keeps going and going or a party wave shared with four other friends. And it’s just fun that now, the chances are higher that those friends I share that one ride with are also fellow females.

From observations and conversations with other female surfers (and yes, even in the line-up, we girls like to yack it up), it seems that The Philippines is among the best places to be a chick in the line-up. The boys are less aggressive, more accommodating and actually quite encouraging. I don’t know if it is the way that Filipinos are raised to respect women, if it is the intrinsically mellow personality of Filipinos in general or a combination of both that makes these local line-ups a good place to be a woman surfer. Granted each line-up will have its fair share of macho men that will never see women as equals in the water. But they are, thankfully, the exception and not the norm.

My good friend Mille Fairhall is a free surfer who surfed competitively in her teen years. She shuttles back and forth between her two homelands of Australia and the Philippines. We were talking once about the state of women’s surfing in the Philippines and she said “There have been a few women who have dared to challenge the stereotype (that surfing is for boys). And I think that gender has no relevance on a wave. If women can get past that intimidation factor, the old guard thoughts and physical inhibitions there would be a lot more of us out there… enjoying surfing for what it is.”

By the way, Millie charges and rips so if you happen to be one of the rare aggro boys, don’t even think about asking her to move to the shoulder.

Surf Videos from the Pinas

Surf videos by my friends Paolo and Kerwin. All shot in various breaks in the Philippines and featuring some seriously hype local talent:







Big ups to them both. Watch out for the video Pao is putting together of our sick surf session at a secret spot in Siargao.