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 

Popping the Cemento Cherry

I have always maintained that there is magic in Baler, Aurora. There is a powerful, mystical magic that permeates not only the Sierra Madres but the town of Baler itself. If you respect it and honor it, it will reward you.

This has been proven to me time and time again, one surf trip after another. Never more so than our last trip there when, after almost seven years of just watching from the platform, I finally paddled out to Cementos. Not just paddled out but actually caught my first Cemento wave. Not only caught my first ride but actually caught my first ride on the first wave that I paddled for.

In the line-up with me to share the stoke were Moro, Viva, Doc, Atornz, Roxy, Kev, Jong and two local Baler boys.

It wasn't epic. I never would've paddled out if it had been.
It wasn't a fun size. I would have actually liked it to have been a bit bigger on the smaller sets.
And yet, it was sooo much fun. Partly I think because, even at waist high, Cemento is powerful. And partly too because this was it -- I was popping my Cemento cherry. Finally.

And even though the photos of Manong Boatman did not capture the ride, I will never forget it. I will never forget what the nose of my board looked like as it slotted itself into the wall. The color of the ocean. The tip of my right foot. The sounds of everyone cheering behind me. Even the sensation of the wave finally dying out underneath me. I will never forget any of it.

Other highlights from the trip -
- Fun sessions (albeit in kind of less-than-ideal conditions) at Sabang
- Daily drives to Logbot and Charlie's to check for swell
- The obstacle course right-hander at Logbot that Philip witnessed
- Arvin's secret spot kainan on our way home
- Sexy time with corals nila Phil, Kuya Jayps, Raf, Yuri and Super Perry
- "Pating o. Gusto niyo?"
- Rox and Kev's sunset couple's cruise
- Room service kasi umuulan at tamad na kami bumaba

Spoiled by the North Swell (so far)

In the last five weeks we've been enjoying an amazing run with the North swell season.

Joncy's Birthday
We kicked the first of a series of long weekends with "the event of the year." It wasn't an official MSA event. But it was a major event without peer... Joncy's Fabulous Fete! Loads of food, a big-screen projector, a sound system and over 30 cases of booze. Yan ang birthday party!

Also over the weekend: super stoked sessions for everyone at both the Point and Bacnotan (Dom/Aya: I used Alexa all weekend!) ... Olracs' birthday... ice cream sessions on the beach (Pinipig Brazo de Mercedes the best!) ... and the boys all trooping down to vote for Kuya Enteng on Monday.

Best conversation of the long weekend?
Buji: Ang sarap ng alon!
Nica: What?
Buji: The waves were delicious!

We drove home Monday night to spend two days in Manila then packed our bags again to head up for another long weekend in La Union.

Reunion Weekend/Surfing Break 2
This particular weekend was a major reunion for me. In attendance were my first ever surf buddies (Daddy Alex, Rico, Al, Ter, Gab, Bjorn Pabon, Pao, Killer, Lui, Mama Amanda), the new crew (the Sarmientos, Gamboas, ToPhil, Del, Marky, Tin Terible etc) and most of the apartment gang (Earl, Roxy, Joncy, Viva, Doc, Adda, Olracs, Quito), the weekend ampons (Isa, Aids, Jam, BJ, Lib)... plus basically almost everyone else. Note to Aya and Dom: I missed you girls super much but I'm glad that you guys had an excellent week in Baler!

One day of 11am to 6pm and then two days of 9am to 6pm in Bacnotan. Ginawang opisina ang Bacnotan e. Hehe. Coolers and pink umbrellas rock! "The Colony" sharing ice, beer, food and stoke. Two "comps" with no rules... except no stretching. Haha. Super fun sessions on Alexa, who is still running faster than I am. But we're getting there, slowly... but we are.

The one and only time I brought out the D-200 was also the one day that the Point looked unphotogenic! Haha. Wild waves for the comp ... as in wild with an h. WHILD. Check my multiply account to gaze at the craziness that was the comp's waves.

Congratulations to the winners of this year's event:
Moro for Men's Open
Kaw Kaw for Expression Session
Bilmar for Grommets

Which brings us to the Back to BacNorth Shore weekend!

Yay! Another surf weekend with good friends, good waves and great vibes!

Scored waves in Bacnotan in between shoot sessions with the Aloha team. Special thanks to Phil, Lemon and Doc Mark, the witnesses of my nice Bacnotan rides. Aya's sexy snap. JP dropping in on Aston thrice in twenty minutes. Bic vs Paddleboard? The paddleboard always wins.

Paddle or die? Paddle! Tired from walking around and paddling back out? Find a longboarder and beg them to tow you for a bit. And never forget to bring your snack box and cooler!

Champion of this weekend's comp: Phil "Switchfoot Ampota" Santiago.

post-script: Nagiinarte ang skin asthma ko at tinatanong na ako sa office kung baket ako mukhang leopard. Halos lahat ng meals namin galing sa de lata kasi sobrang budget na yung weekend namin. Lutang sa opisina ngayon kasi puyat sa biyahe. Pero stoked naman! Woot, woot!

And PLUGGING our surf school: Mayat Ti Daluyon offers surf lessons and board rentals in San Juan, La Union. For more information check out http://tajmoro.multiply.com

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

OMG, I'm in Surfline!

Late last year photographer/writer John Callahan asked me to help him out with some surf spots that needed to be covered for Surfline.com. And now, months and months afterwards, the've finally come out!

San Antonio and Bagasbas Beach

Super thanks by the way to certain local groups from both places for helping me with some of the more technical information.

Holy Week in La Union

This year I went up to LU for Holy Week. The weekend before, I rode up with Aya, Philip, JP and Miko. They were there to pick up their longboards, I was there to drop off my Holy Week supplies. There were super baby waves that we kinda surfed but mostly, we were in the water just to keep cool. Until Miko smelled, then spotted, the dead rat floating nearby. Next thing you know, we're all getting showered and clean and heading to CSI for lunch and aircon.

I was back in Manila (and work) for two days, leaving to return to LU with Buji, Nikki, Earl, Migs, Tweet, Heart and Jing late on Tuesday night. Buji drove their refurbished VW Combi. Super cute. Unfortunately it broke down and we were delayed by almost three hours. We finally made it to LU at 9 in the morning.

Mid-week swell led to baby waves followed by the fear of a total flat spell for the weekend. My mom followed on Good Friday with a couple of her friends. I was thinking we'd get her on a board since the waves were super small. But no! She didn't want to try it just yet. Maybe next time daw. She met up with a friend there who took her around and invited her to their beach house. So, at least she wasnt bored di ba?

Easter Sunday we were blessed with 2-3 foot solid waves at The Point! So...

1. nagka-alon and
2. a lot of us had gone home na the night before so
3. I actually surfed The Point
4. with maybe 10-12 other people lang!

First I was using Doc's magic longboard and then after a few rides, I swapped with Joncy and he let me borrow his wonderful fish. (Thankies muchly to Doc and Joncy for the use of the boards). My boards (Pandora, Alex and even the newly named S9 Sage had gone home na ahead of me. Hehe).

In between the surfing: naps in the kubo, episodes of Heroes and Prison Break, nasty jellyfish stings, watching 300 again, cooking at the ancestral apartment of Viva and Doc, adopting Jam in the Yeah, Yeah house, having Mama spend the weekend in LU, the difference between sunblock and suntan, karaoke and jamming with Atty Ely, sushi ala Takahashi and a very steady ride home with Moro, Beej and Perez.

Epic Weekend in Baler

March 3 to 4, 2007 What: Two days in Baler. Epic swell. Epic food. Epic room. Epic-ness all around. With: The Band of Brothers (Sarmiento and Gamboa), Moro, Raf, Marky and Olracs plus Team Dakine, Papajovs, Annie C, Vince "ST" Liwanag, Lets Get Piskal and Earlmoticon Noche.

What an insanely great weekend. We used the epic shortcut and took two hours off our travel time. We booked the epic room at Bay's Inn. The boys got epic rides at Cemento and then the rest of us got jealous so we left them there so we could surf the beach break and, later on, the rivermouth. (Na linakad namin at binato pa kami ng buhangin nung mga bata!) Di bale na na 36 hours yata akong gising at walang tulog... sobrang worth it yung puyat.

We ended that first day with an epic dinner at Gerry Shan's. We had 11 different viands, five big bowls of garlic rice and it only cost us Php105 each! Wild. With an H. Whild. And then a few rounds of Red Horse just to hurry us along to bed.

Oh and Olracs got barrelled at Cemento but we have no photos cos that's when I was back at the beach break. There are, however, many eyewitnesses. So big ups to baby boy Olracs. ;)

SUNDAY:

We set the alarm for 5am... we eventually wake up at 5:30am... Olracs and Vic had a look and came back into the epic room to say it was hella raining and we could afford to sleep for another hour. By 8pm we were all mostly awake. Earl was already out there, the only longboard on a glassy (albeit rainy) morning. And Jovin paddled out to enjoy the inside section.

The Cemento Crew headed off for another epic session while Aston, Raf, JB and I decided to risk hypothermia and surf the beach break first. THATS WHY THERE ARE NO PHOTOS OF THE MORNING. WE WERE SURFING. ALL OF US. And despite the dumpy conditions later in the morning, stoked pa rin kaming lahat. No one though could possibly have been more stoked than Jovin.

Four hours later, it was time for lunch... and then a quick pack up and check out so we could go back to Cemento for one last shoot and surf session. Super high tide (Aston and I should've brought our boards). Super drop in sessions. Super super stoked. Ahon nung madilim na with matching walk through the mangroves and almost getting lost. Dinner at Gerry Shan's with matching internet checking the forecast for next weekend. Back in Manila by 2am. Stoke all around I tell you.

It totally encapsulated what Corey was telling me about during the MSA auction... about how it isnt the shape of the wave or the size of it that counts... but how much fun you have. And from overhead waves that broke over sharp reef to tiny walls of white water that reformed on the inside to a rivermouth that was paddled for the first time... it was the same amount of epic stoke.

For Saturday photos click this.
For more photos click this.

Sunday Sessions in Ter's Front Yard

It was the second day of Rimat Ti Amianan. But since I hadn't surfed all weekend (and some of my friends wanted lessons), Moro and I followed Aya, Philip, Nicola, Ter and the Gabs to a supposedly secret spot.

Well, it's not a super secret but to respect the local boys who call this their "backyard" I am not going to say where we were. Ter calls it the Front Yard. I called it Yeah, Yeah Piggery. Someone else likes to call it Boracay Station 7. What do the locals call it? That's the secret part. ;-)

Suffice it to say we had a great day of sunshine, surf and good vibes. Dont believe me? Check this out then photos