Arnel

© Joselito Briones

Am not sure if I've ever told you about Arnel. He's a very good friend, since uni, and we worked together in Singapore for a short while. He has recently moved to China for a job, I hope he's adapting well.

It's his birthday today, hence the timing to the introduction. This photo of him, above, was taken in Singapore a loooong time ago, when we and our housemates didn't have anything to do one new year's eve. I like it particularly because it's one of the first pictures I took when I started exploring photography.


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A pause

© Joselito Briones

I took it easy today, knackered from all the cooking the past two days.

Our new cleaner also came today for the first time. Cathy Rose, nice as she is, is a bit clumsy and is always dropping things. This new one is called "Näke" and is local (Cathy Rose is originally from Cebu). She ironed clothes and cleaned today. I hope it works out with her.


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The picture is of one of Inay's orchids, in Carmona, taken last month.

How do I melt this snow?

© Joselito Briones

This is just an extra photo of the past snow weeek here in Erlangen. The snow has since melted, of course. It's bright again. Luckily this kind of snow reacts to changes in the weather. The other kind, the personal kind, it keeps one cold long after it's melted.


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Powdered Pebbles

© Joselito Briones

This is a photo of the landscaping pebbles in the driveway downstairs. It's not even powder anymore. More like iced, except not completely yet. Yep. One of those days when there's really nothing worth saying. At least there's this picture to show.


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Gil

© Joselito Briones

Here's a picture of another one of my nephews. His name is Gil, "bunso" to Irma. It's his birthday today. I've shown him this photo and unfortunately, he doesn't like it. I suspect, from the pictures that he does like, that he prefers to look tough or reserved in his photos. He's at that exciting age where projecting an image counts more than anything.


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I guess it's never easy walking in somebody else's shadow

© Joselito Briones

Well now, I get low and I get high,
And if I can't get either, I really try.
Got the wings of heaven on my shoes,
I'm a dancin' man and I just cant lose.
You know it's all right, it's OK,
I'll live to see another day.
We can try to understand
The New York Times effect on man.

- BeeGees, "Staying Alive"


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Announcement

© westerndesign

Dominic, a friend and colleague from Hong Kong who has since moved back to Paris and cofounded "western design " with his friend, especializing in retail shops (including Nickel in Chelsea, Manhattan, among other equally fabby ones in Paris), has announced recently the creation of "Building", its "filiale de Maîtrise d’œuvre". I won't even try to understand what that is. Sounds exciting though, doesn't it? I guess it's because it's in French with all those weird letter combinations and accent grave, and I don't understand it. I'll ask him to explain later.

Here's a portrait of him, from when we still worked together in Hong Kong.

© Joselito Briones

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Snow

© Joselito Briones

We got snowed in! I didn't think this place could have so much snow, but it did. First thing we saw on TV are videoclips of kids playing in the snow, so early in the morning. I guess they've been waiting for this one. The city looks so different and feels so different. It's so nice and bright and pretty.

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More of Taal Volcano

© Joselito Briones

Here's a digitally enhanced film version of the photo of Taal Volcano, as viewed from Tagaytay. I think last time I showed you the digital version of this, it was accompanied by complaints about food there, so I'm making this one into another foodie, with a recipe for fresh fennel atsara (more like a salad).

Fresh fennel salad (for 2)

Ingredients:
1 bulb fennel, finely sliced and thoroughly washed,
1 small red onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, diced or cut into decorative shapes
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
fresh chillies or pepperoni - as hot as you can take, optional
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp. vinegar
palm sugar to taste
salt and pepper

Mix fennel with vinegar and lemon juice with hand thoroughly, squeezing the fennel slices. Add ginger, palm sugar, carrots, chillies, and onions. Toss. Add salt and pepper. Chill before serving.

It goes really well with any grilled or roasted meat.


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Don

© Joselito Briones

I'm sure by now you're probably tired of my Hong Kong photos, so I thought I'd change it a bit by showing you a portrait I took recently. This one was taken in Carmona, in the Philippines. This one is of the oldest among my numerous nephews, Don, or Dionisio (he was named after my paternal grandfather, the only grandparent I knew).


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