chameleons

One bear, different designs. Below, left to right: (1.) One of Series 12's secret bearbricks is this bat-bear in black from Japanese fashion brand Roen (2.) A blue green surrealistic bear from the 2007 San Diego Comic Convention, by New York Pop Artist Ron English (3.) Pink bearbrick by David Flores for Los Angeles streetwear store, X-Large (4.) Bear in shades of blue with the symbol of singer/songwriter/actress Hamasaki Ayumi to promote the 2003 A-Nation concert tour in Japan.


One babe, multiple looks. (Above, left to right) Dutch supermodel Kim Noorda looks (1.) understated in Bottega Veneta, (2.) glamorous in Christian Dior, (3.) trendy in Emilio Pucci, and (4.) corporate in Moschino.

Because of Kim's classic, soft features, her face is the ultimate canvas for any make-up artist. Her brows can be darkened to convey strength, her lips can be thickened to look more sensual, her eyes can be outlined for that edgy goth look, etc.

That's why fashion designers love her. Just last spring 2008, she walked the runway for more than 50 different brands. From Diesel Jeans to Louis Vuitton. From pret-a-porter to haute couture.

Just like a Be@rbrick, she's the consummate chameleon.

Kim Noorda pics from style.com / info from bellazon.org

the dark, dark world of h.r. giger

Do you know H.R. Giger, the creator of the most famous alien in Hollywood? His slimy, egg-laying monster (below) in the 1979 Sigourney Weaver sci-fi flick is the most ingenious and horrifying one I've seen so far.


Do you know that he also designed the cover of Debbie Harry's 'Kookoo' CD (left), producing an image so psychologically perturbing that it was banned from London's Underground years ago? In Japan, her single from this album made use of a less unnerving picture on its sleeve.

Have you heard of the magnificently macabre Giger Bars that he conceived and built in Switzerland? Spine-like buttresses, skull-encrusted furniture, and warped biomorphic shapes adorn their dim interiors. Just look at the pictures I've posted here – you can almost imagine the walls begin to move. (Right: That's Giger at the door of his bar in Chur, Switzerland.)



I'm quite sure that creatives all over the world have seen some form of his multi-faceted art. After all, Giger has dabbled in film, painting, sculpture, illustration, architecture, interior design, furniture design, graphic design and jewelry design. He even fashioned a special microphone stand for Jonathan Davis, lead singer of the rock band, Korn (below)!

Technically taut. Psychologically profound. Giger art is the best kind of art, if you ask me. :-)

The White Giger Artist Bearbrick (top) is part of Series 12. There is a black version, fyi.

(H.R. Giger pics/info from www.hrgiger.com.)

elephants in bangkok

Before I flew to Bangkok, Thailand for a 4-day Halloween vacation, I packed my Series 12 Animal Be@rbrick, a mini representation of an elephant carrying an apple at the end of its trunk.

You see, I meant to take a nice pic of it within the capital, as the elephant is a very important symbol of the Kingdom of Thailand. During the 18th century Thai-Burmese war, the King rode it to fight for his country's honor and glory. Since then, it has been acknowledged as an animal suited only for royal duties. In fact, a white elephant in particular is a gift fit for a king, and for him to acquire one is supposed to bring prosperity and happiness to his entire kingdom. It is customary for a monarch to own many (even as much as nineteen white elephants) during his reign.

Years ago, domesticated elephants in Bangkok were commonplace and served as an attraction to Western tourists that were hungry for exotic imagery. But many accidents and complaints later, the law prohibited them from entering the city.

Today, the most visible elephant around is the Tuk Chang (Elephant Tower) in the Chatuchak district. See pic below. The yellow protrusion on the right is supposed to be the tusk. It's easy to spot the eye and the ear, of course. However, the thick trunk isn't very recognizable. Nevertheless, I give it high marks for 'effort'. A multi-storey concrete elephant – not many builders will even bother to come up with a idea as 'big' as this!

(Elephant building pic and info from neatorama.com. Elephant info from chiangmai-chiangrai.com & circleofasia.com)

chill out be@rbrick

Chill Out Tip: Cool down with the completely transparent Jellybean Be@rbrick of Series 12 (right). Just drop it in a glass of iced water and admire its shiny, colorless surface amidst the ice cubes. What for? Just silly Brrrrrrbrick fun. :-)

Chill Out Trip: Fly to Boracay, a four and a half kilometer stretch of fine white sand and crystal clear waters in the Philippines (below).


There, get yourself a cool tropical drink and laze the hours away.

Expect an exotic mix of local and international cuisine, drunken parties from sunset to sunrise, and gorgeous tanned bodies sashaying up and down the beach. For me, it's the 'coolest' place to be in this part of the world. Its attraction is mainly due to the proximity of the hotels, restos, cafes, clubs and bars to the water's edge. One always feels close to where the action is!

J, a friend from KL who has been to both Phuket and Bali says, "I'll take Boracay anytime!"

(Boracay pics from Boracay Travel Information Guide. Check out the Boracay event calendar. More pics here.)

b is for brussels

From Paris, Jun and I took the high speed Thalys train to the Belgian city of Brussels. This short (and sweet) side trip was just enough for us to discover what this city was about! Here is our list; all starting with the letter 'B':

B is for Belgian chocolates – from the supermarket staple Cote d'Or to specialty chocolatiers like Godiva, Leonidas, Neuhaus, & Marcolini. Switzerland may be famous for producing the most chocolate worldwide but, according to some enthuasiasts, it was Belgium that introduced the most preferred chocolate concoctions known today, the pralines. But why is the Belgian variety more highly rated? I learned they use pure cocoa butter instead of adding vegetable fat, a small difference that seems to matter greatly to the chocolate connoisseur.

To pay tribute to these Belgian delicacies, I took a pic of Series 12's Basic 'B' Be@rbrick among luscious Godiva goodies (above, right). Brown and yummy-looking, this bear is one of a set of nine that spells B-E-@-R-B-R-I-C-K.

B is for Beer. There are over 500 varieties of Belgian beer, around half of which is available at the store on the left. The biggest brewery in the world by volume is Inbev, a Belgian company previously known as Interbrew (makers of such beers as Stella Artois and Leffe, which merged with the Brazilian brewery Ambev to become the world's biggest).

At a bar, I was surprised to find out that Stella Artois, a well-advertised beer with a premium image in other parts of the world, was the cheapest beer on the menu! Can you imagine the quality of the rest?

B is for Blooms. The Tapis de Fleurs (Flower Carpet), a celebration of Belgium's flower industry, happens every two years around August. During that time, Brussels' main tourist destination, the Grand Place, is carpeted with millions of fresh flowers in patterns echoing historical scenes. However, during ordinary days, blooms still line up the famous square as part of the morning flower market (right).

B is for Beatles songs as sung by Belgian musicians Margriet Knip and Philippe La Grappe (left) who we caught at a corner off Grand Place, performing in front of a small but very delighted street crowd. Their version of the classic "Let It Be' was raw and light – effortlessly nostalgic. For the first time during this European trip, I was moved, not visually via spectacular art or scenery, but audially, by way of a beautiful song. Let's hear it for Brussels!

(Research from Wikipedia, Dorling Kindersley & Epinions.com)

be@rbricks in disguise / part 2

Back in my hometown, Batangas (Philippines), the annual 'fiesta' banquet wouldn't be complete without the popular dish called 'Kalderetang Kambing' (Spicy Goat Stew). Because of this, I've been witness to the slaughter of poor little goats in our backyard, where most of the cooking was done. But when the continuous bleating became more deafening by the minute, I would lose my pity and actually
become annoyed!

Last 2003, I regained my taste for the goat with the Year of the Goat Be@rbrick (above left), a commemorative design issued by Medicom for the Hong Kong Be@rbrick Fan Club. It has a strong 'cuteness' factor, even though its lines and colors are modern and streamlined.

The Series 12 Cow Be@rbrick (above right) wears the distinctive nose ring. Did you know that the ring is there for two reasons? One, farmers tie a rope to it and use that rope to guide them in the right direction during transport. Two, it is attached to the nose to successfully wean the calf. The nose ring interferes with the feeding process, frustrating both the calf and the cow. When this happens often, the calf gets used to the idea of not being able to feed and is successfully weaned without going through the trauma of separation.

Poor animals!