the other leaning tower of pisa

During a day trip to Italy's Tuscan region, our group passed by Pisa to see the famous leaning tower. As I had imagined, the slanted erection was an arresting sight. But guess what I saw on my way back to the tourist bus? Check it out below.

It sold for 5 Euros and was available only in L and XL. :-D

(Top) Series 5's Italian Flag Bearbrick.

roma panorama

After seven days in Rome, the Italian capital, what did I take home with me?

2 pairs of shoes, 2 jackets, 2 shirts, 1 belt, 1 pair of sandals, and... 700 (yes!) snapshots of one of Europe's grandest-looking cities. Here, take a look at some of them:

1. A cherub stares out from the inner dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

2. Tourists learn that the best way to see Rome is on foot.

3. Heavenly light shines on the city after a day of rain.

4. Yellow ochre, orange, burnt siena, peach, and raw umber. Who says a metropolis has to be gray?

5. The statue of St. Peter Nolasco, founder of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (whose members offered themselves as ransom in order to save others), glows inside the dark interior of St. Peter's Basilica.

6. After an elevator ride, one still needs to climb 320 steps to the tip of the dome to catch this magnificent view of St. Peter's Square.

7. The only way to see the altar from the dome was through a thick wire fence. :-(

8. Thousands of plastic chairs are still lined up on St. Peter's Square the day after Pope Benedict XVI celebrated Easter mass.

9. The latest Dolce & Gabbana gladiator sandals walk Rome's stony pavements.

10. One may get a glimpse of the crowded piazza from inside the Pantheon.

11. A fragment of the Colosseum's arena peeks through silhouetted buttresses.

12. The only source of light inside the Pantheon is a hole in the ceiling.

13. The sun outlines the beauty of the trees at the Roman Forum.

14. The monument of Vittorio Emmanuel II (united Italy's first king) stands proudly at the center of Rome.

15. The remains of the temple of Castor and Pollux at the Forum rises against the blue sky.

16. Sculptural Italian pine trees are seen outside one of the Colosseum's scenic windows.

17. Bas relief sculptures adorn the entrance to the Vatican Museum.

18. Inside, one has to walk through the stunning Hall of Maps to reach the Sistine Chapel.

19. A formal balance characterizes most of Roman architecture.

20. The Vatican Museum's spiral staircase provides a most dramatic exit.

Tip for those planning on a Roman holiday: The city's grand proportions should be captured on a wide angle lens. I found it very hard to crop things out of a picture. It felt like tearing pages off a Roman history book! :-)

(Top) I took this pic of Series 5's Italian Flag Bearbrick against the dome of St. Peter's Basilica and the Ponte (bridge) Vittorio Emmanuel II. It was very windy, the bearbrick almost fell into the Tiber River!

monkey business

Two weeks ago, I traveled for three hours to Subic Bay, a beautiful port district north of Manila. I went there for the 20th Philippine Advertising Congress, a four-day biennial event that celebrated and awarded the country's best ads. Our agency, PC&V, won two trophies which made the long, out-of-town trip worthwhile for me. :-)

During one of the breaks in between guest speakers (which included writer Neil Gaiman), I went for a short drive along the bay. Aside from being bound by beaches, the place is known as a wildlife sanctuary of sorts. As a matter of fact, I passed by an area where monkeys roamed freely. Some of them swung on trees and electrical wires while others cavorted by the side of the road.

Then. I. Spotted. Two. Naughty. Ones. Doin the nasty! :-D So I whipped out my Canon Ixus 950IS and stole a shot.

On the way back to Manila, I showed the picture to an award-winning art director-friend. He quipped, "That will make a nice billboard for a motel." Then we both laughed. I took his cue and made a layout. Complete with a headline and the logo of the Philippines' most famous motel chain. Just for fun. ;-) The result is right below.

Do you think it can win an award at the next Philippine Advertising Congress? LOL

The Monkey Be@rbricks at the top are: (left) the Cute Be@rbrick of Series 5 & (right) the Monkey Bearbrick from the Medicom Toy Fan Club.

designer toy/pop art/collectible bear

Series 5's green/white TV Club Be@rbrick (right) was designed by a famous Japanese TV host/ actor/ comedian/ singer/ writer/ illustrator/ digital animation star/ bike & car collector.

He is known as George Tokoro/ Tokoro Jyoji/ Tokoro Joji – a fun/ intelligent/ stylish guy whose real name is Haga Takayuki. One of NHK's Top 10 Most Popular Male Stars for years, he became a Mr. Donuts/ Kirin Beer/ Toyota Commercial Endorser.

The 'slash' career of Tokoro (the bespectacled guy on the left) is remarkable, given his successful crossover from the music industry to television/ movies/ graphic arts.

Today, more people are discovering/ experiencing/ loving the joy of having multiple jobs/ interests/ specialties. With the world/ society/ life becoming more complex, the need to diversify/ adapt/ expand seems inevitable.

I, myself, am an advertising creative director/ graphic designer/ photographer/ songwriter/ toy collector/ blogger. Sometimes, my problem is how to cram everything I want/ have/ need to do into 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week/ 365 days a year.

One person/ multiple passions. It's an exciting/ unpredictable/ wonderful life!

(Info from www.japan-zone.com / Tokoro pic from www.buddycom.com)