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FEATURED: The Fault in our Stars Movie

So I watched the Fault In our Stars last night…

Just a little background, I’m not really the bookworm type. I don’t read much - just magazines and online Beyonce articles. Before, people would hardly see me reading a novel; but all that changed when the trailer for TFIOS came out. I knew I had to read the book before watching the movie. The minute I started reading, I was already hooked. It was hard to put the novel/e-book down. I didn’t want to stop. Reading TFIOS meant spending hours on the couch. I was so in love with the book. Everything about it was just perfect. That’s why the book means so much to me. Not only was it a good read but also it changed my attitude when it comes to reading.

Weeks prior to the movie, there was so much excitement and at the same time anxiety. The novel was so perfect that it would really break my heart if the movie turns out bad or doesn’t live up to the novel at all. 

Going in the theater, I was so happy, so excited and so hopeful that the movie will give the novel justice… AND I’M SO GLAD IT DID.

The Cast

Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley’s portrayals of the two leads were stellar, to say the least. It was so nice to see Gus and Hazel be brought to life with so much authenticity and so much sincerity. You can see that they really prepared themselves for the movie. They handled their roles with so much love, and care. And not only the two leads but also the other cast members such as those who played Isaac, their parents, Patrick, etc. The cast just felt so RIGHT.

The Delivery

I am so happy they didn’t take the wrong direction and turned the movie into one of those cliché movies that just wants to make the viewers blush and feel butterflies in their stomachs. They delivered the movie just as how the novel was written. They focused on their love story and not their sickness. Also, the script was good which brought more authenticity to the movie aside from the cast’s portrayals. The famous quotes were put in the right moments. It felt well thought of and not rushed. Even though some parts were missing, they were still able to tell the story well. Thank you for that.

The Feels and Realizations

After watching the movie, there was an insane amount of emotions rushing in me. Happy because the movie was as good as the novel if not better, sad because Gus died, disappointed because it already ended, etc. It was the first time I felt like that after watching a movie. The feels were all real.

The movie (and novel) all the more opened my eyes to things not only about love but life in general. No matter what you have or what happens, just live life to the fullest. Be defined by who you are and what you do. Also, treasure those people around you who make you feel loved and special because they won’t be there forever.

The Favorites

I loved the movie from start to finish. I’m not even kidding. But if I were to pick the parts that stuck out the most for me they’d be: Hazel and Gus bumping into each other, Isaac smashing Gus’s trophies, their texting sessions, dinner at Amsterdam, the love scene, Gus admitting his condition, Gus at the gas station, the eulogy and the letter at the finale. I seriously cannot wait ‘til the DVD comes out and I’d just watch the movie over and over again. 

Overall, the movie definitely lives up to the novel. I’m so happy. Congrats to everyone who were part of the novel and the movie most especially John Green. I hope you come up with another novel just as good.

It was such an experience. From reading the novel until dealing with all the emotions after watching it. I love it.

Okay? Okay. 

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FEATURED: Shrimp Bucket

In the mood for some serious marine adventure? Let Shrimp Bucket take your taste buds to seafood bliss… without the sun tan lotion and beach balls.

Last Thursday, April 5th, my friends Ant, Cyrynn, Robert and I decided to go on a spontaneous food trip. Having that urge to try something new, we trooped to UP Town Center along Katipunan Ave. The impressive complex is under Ayala Malls and was opened in September of last year. We anticipated a deluge of food choices, but unfortunately, majority of the restaurants were closed for the Holy Week. After exploring the mall and some careful thinking, we finally settled at Shrimp Bucket.

Shrimp Bucket is located at the ground floor of the UP Town Center beside Café Shibuya and Family Mart. I remember each time I pass by UP Town Center on the way home from Eastwood or Katipunan, I always told myself that I gotta try Shrimp Bucket, because of its eye-catching concept; and finally, that day has finally come.

A “Pirate’s of the Caribbean” vibe welcomes you as you enter the restaurant. Its interior resembles a glamorous ship, with its wooden interiors and yellow lights. I immediately fell in love with the look and feel of the restaurant the minute I walked in. What struck me most were the two grand chandeliers hanging right smack in the middle of the restaurant. I’d say I was also fascinated with the two big barrels made into a washing area. They use paper instead cloth to cover the tables, similar to that of Burgoo. Crayons are also provided, which allows customers to draw their own little masterpieces while waiting for their orders. The servers were very accommodating and friendly, which is a big plus. After much beaming, we finally proceeded with our orders.

The menu consists mainly of seafood delights such as shrimps, mussels, scallops, crabs and the like. For those not into seafood, they also serve pork and chicken dishes. Alcoholic beverages are also available.

We ordered three entrees; each one a different kind of meat, for variety. We had Dad’s Seared Chicken in Coconut Milk (P225.00), Pan-Fried Fish Fillet in Soy Ginger Sauce (P225.00) and last but definitely not the least, Crispy Belachan Pork (P255.00). Dad’s Seared Chicken in Coconut Milk, in my opinion, is their very own version of Bicol Express with an interesting twist – they use chicken fillet. I loved it right away because it had the right amount of spiciness and the sauce was very flavorful. The Pan-Fried Fish Fillet in Soy Ginger Sauce is basically fish tempura soaked in soy ginger sauce. I’d say it wasn’t my favorite, but certainly not bad. Lastly, the Crispy Belachan Pork. Simply put, this is bagnet smothered with very tasty Bagoong sauce. It’s not too salty and the meat really lives up to its “crispy” title. The perfect combination of sweet, salty, and spicy dishes had us ordering a total of 8 cups of rice. Talk about food tripping.

Overall, it was certainly an exquisite dining experience at Shrimp Bucket. Lovely interiors, great food, and very friendly staff. I am definitely coming back!

Open Hours: 10am to 9pm (Sunday to Thursday) and 10am to 10pm (Friday and Saturday)

Contact Details: (02) 625-4603

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheShrimpBucket

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FEATURED: Closeup Forever Summer 2014

Saturday, April 5th, all roads led to Circuit Makati as Closeup Philippines held its much-anticipated "Closeup: Forever Summer" event. It's the very first create-your-own concert party here in the country. Cool!

Circuit City is really quite massive as it was the former Sta. Ana race track – a former haven of horse racing aficionados. True to its theme “Beach Party”, there were dozens of huge beach balls and a pseudo sand castle. Closeup surely put premium on food with the presence of several food trucks such as Chef Broozy, Shawarma Bros., Jamba Juice, and Great Burger. Also, there were grubs coming from ADMU’s Ateneo Management Association like Biguettes, Jasper’s, Around the World in Siksty Days, Great Burger, and Hunger Buster to name a few.

Of course, the sponsors will not be left behind with booths of their own. Brands such as Folded & Hung, Team Manila, Globe and Havaianas were some of the most visited. Flickr and Yahoo perhaps had the most eye-catching gimmick with their own inflatable castle and a massive photo wall set up for those who’d like to keep a photo souvenir from the event.

It only took less than couple of hours when thousands of people started packing the venue. My friends also finally arrived after hours of waiting. Famished, we decided to get something to eat as we knew we’re about to burn some serious calories with this solid lineup of international DJs. The wide array of choices was certainly a good problem. Setting for Sisig Toppers, we had dinner at the picnic area where we sat on the ground like happy campers. Shortly after dinner, we headed closer to the stage to catch the Ace Ramos and Mars Miranda team-up – a personal favorite. Both took turns in playing their sets which drove the crowd wild and pretty much warmed up for the main event.

The awesome twosome’s set was immediately followed by DJ Helena, a prominent name in the international EDM arena. Labeled as one of the fastest rising DJs from Australia and the international club scene, she sure lived up to that label.

Then midnight struck – it was time for the main event. Alesso is about to fulfill every partyphile’s dream. This man certainly needs no fancy introduction. I’ve always been an Alesso fan dating back to his Swedish House Mafia days. His tracks and remixes are a regular fixture on my party playlists. The moment he stepped on stage, the sea of people went WILD. Throughout the set, you could just feel how excited he was to be in Manila. As big as he is, he did look overwhelmed with the unbelievably ecstatic crowd. I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF THIS SET! He played all of my favorite tracks such as Calling, City of Dreams, and If I Lose Myself. I threw away all inhibitions and sang my heart out! It was pure, raw fun. He ended his set with club anthem If I Lose Myself, a track written by brilliant songwriter and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder. A portion of the crowd was willing to call it a night, but weren’t done yet. We screamed for more, and Alesso was gracious enough to oblige. The superstar indeed went back to the stage and played “Under Control”. Everyone was in euphoria and indulged in every second of what turned out to be his final song. It was awesome, to say the least!

Closeup Forever Summer 2014: Calling from Scott David on Vimeo.

It was already past 2:00am and I was absolutely exhausted, so I thought I’d call it a night. It was practically 8 hours of non-stop dancing. As much as I’d love to catch Deniz Koyu’s set, my body just gave up on me.

I would like to congratulate Closeup, Republiq and everyone else behind Closeup Forever Summer for throwing one of the best concert parties in Manila. This will be a very tough act to follow, but I’ll be happy to be surprised. I’m looking forward to the next one!

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FEATURED: Black Light Party 2014

It was your typical Saturday night. The people in Eastwood City were in a frenzy, as they partied and glowed as one for the Black Light Party. It was a post-valentine rave organized by Megaworld Lifestyle Malls. Black light party, topnotch DJs and free admission – who am I to resist?

After a few tracks I decided to head to the Publiko booth and to get some booze and officially kick start the night. I thought it was just fair that I celebrated the success of our Feasib report from my Entrepreneurship class. This certainly deserved a victory dance!

The crowd grew wilder by the minute and nearly everyone was already grooving, pumping and dancing to the beats even before it struck midnight. After Deuce Manila, it was DJ Ron Poe’s turn. He is fixture in upscale clubs in the metro, but it was actually my first time to watch him play live. I gotta say this man is something else! His set comprised of hip-hop tracks, top 40 hits, and even a bit of rock. One word to describe it is that he’s unpredictable – in a very good way. That epic set was shortly followed by Mars Miranda. Like Ron Poe, it was also my first time to watch him live. Not that I’m your good old homebody. Let’s just say my being 20 and a student posed a few challenges when entering these top notch clubs, if you know what I mean. Mars Miranda’s set was mostly composed of my favorite EDM tracks. A total standout was definitely “Calling” because I’m a huge Alesso fan. It got me all the more excited for the Close up Forever Summer Concert! Fast forward to April 5 please!

Just before 1am, the long day finally took its toll and I uncharacteristically felt tired from all the dancing and decided to call it a night. It was a brief but sweet encounter. Great music, excellent concept, perfect location, and a stellar lineup of EDM demigods.

Congratulations to Megaworld Lifestyle Malls for the very successful party! I am definitely looking forward to more events like this.

On a final note, MC Pao did announce that Republiq Club is bringing Steve Aoki to the heavenly shores of Boracay for the Labor Day weekend celebration on May 3. I’d definitely book my ticket now if I were you!

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GREEN

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FEATURED: Guestlist.ph App's VIP Membership

Heads up! Guestlist.ph has released a fun new feature which would make you, party animals, go... WILD.

(Photo from www.blog.guestlist.ph)

Fun Fact: The Guestlist.ph App came from a thesis paper done by Mr. Ron Baetiong who happens to be an alumnus of the University of Santo Tomas (Go USTe!).

There are three different packages for this feature namely Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The Silver VIP package gives an all-access pass to all the clubs in the NORTH of Manila, while the Gold VIP package is an all-access pass to all the clubs in the SOUTH. The Platinum VIP Package is the ultimate membership card that allows an all-access pass to any club featured on the Gueslist.ph app, as well as exclusive invites to the hippest raves and concerts in the metro. 

These packages come with rather affordable prices. One may avail the Silver Package for Php 499 for 1 month, 1499 for 3 months, 2999 for 6 months and 5999 for a whole year. That is value for money.

In addition, members may also enjoy additional “Plus Packages” for their friends to make the night all the more fun -- +1 for Php 249, +2 for Php 499 and +3 for 1499. After all, it’s best to party and act silly with your designated sidekicks.

The Gueslist.ph app is expanding its market as it will be available for Android users this coming March, recognizing the need to reach out to every tech-savvy partyphile in the country.

Silver package is available is now available to the public, while Gold and Platinum packages will follow shortly, with an expected launch by the 2nd quarter of the year. Along with the announcement will be additional perks which include:

Bottle Service - users get to order their drinks before getting to the club/s

Table Reservations - users get to reserve tables beforehand

Party Rewards - users get to receive party points which gives them concessions to enjoy

So make sure you grab one now and make sure you party 2014 away!

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FEATURED: ADHOC: Limitless

At around 9:30 pm, the three of us got to the venue. Being no stranger to the ADHOC scene, I already expected a massive crowd coming to the event. But this edition gave us a rather pleasant surprise. The queues were so long that they stretched all the way to the parking lot. But even with the massive crowd, the organizers were still able to keep the lines orderly and perfectly hassle-free. Lining up was a breeze! After roughly half an hour of waiting, we finally got inside. The very second I got in, I already felt it was going to be a night to remember. Seeing the stage, the lights, multiple bars and booths, and of course, the dance floor got me really ecstatic. The venue was ENORMOUS as it was the three halls of the World Trade Center, no less.

We immediately got ourselves some drinks to kickstart what ought to be a fabulous night. Smirnoff, J&B, San Miguel, and Monster Energy were just some of the sponsors, and I’d say it couldn’t get any better than that. You have overflowing beer, rum, and vodka as you lose yourself to the sick beats and flashing lights; then you have an energy drink to give you that extra lift when dancing won’t let you rest. Bravo, UP JMA. Bravo.

It didn’t take long for the venue to get packed. As early as 10:30pm, international sensation DJ Jason Dewey was introduced, to the delight of the highly appreciative crowd. I could understand all the love – he has already spinned all over the world and has been a support DJ for big acts such as Tiesto (Club Life Podcast), Hardwell, Paul Oakenfold, and the list goes on. This particular set had me dancing likes there’s no tomorrow. This was his 3rd appearance at ADHOC, and definitely his best yet. What made it even sweeter is that he chose the event to be the world premiere of his new single, Overnight. True to his reputation, the track was catchy and had great beats. Definitely a potential hit in the global club scene!

Just shortly before midnight, it was the turn of our very own, DJ Ace Ramos to get the crowd even wilder. He is a rising DJ in the local circuit, spinning for top-notch clubs in the metro such as Prive, Opus, and Republiq to name a few. Like DJ Jason Dewey, he’s also an ADHOC veteran. Now I gotta say that this was the highlight of the night! For one, he played almost all of my personal favorites. It felt like a personal playlist to me! It was so good that dancing became inevitable -- trust me, it was just impossible not to. DJ Ace Ramos is a true star. I can’t wait to see him create original world-class material and launch the Philippines as the new EDM powerhouse.

Just when I thought the night couldn’t get any better, I bumped into some of my high school friends whom I hadn’t seen for a very long time. Quite understandably, we partied like it was high school over again. It was a whirlwind of emotions! Nostalgia and eargasm indeed guarantee an all new level of natural high.

By midnight, spectacular fireworks came on as Swedish House Mafia’s Reload was playing. It was highlight after highlight after highlight! I would run out of adjectives if I were to describe just how awesome it was. It was a party to satisfy all your senses. The party to end all parties. It was overkill in an overwhelmingly good way.

Congratulations to UP JMA for the very successful event! It was the best ADHOC yet, hands down. This will be a tough act to follow, but I know how you are always full of surprises… So I’ll see you in the next edition! I can’t say this enough: Good one, baby. Good one!

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FEATURED: Valentine's Must-Watch

1. Stephanie and Chris: A Wedding in Paris 

2. Tadhana: Coach Rio's Engagement Proposal Video

3. Justin and Emily: The Proposal

4. Meme Proposal: Tim & Audrey

5. Maricar Reyes & Drew Arellano Wedding 

6. Iya Villania & Drew Arellano Wedding

7. Rica Peralejo and Joe Bonifacio Wedding

8. John & Paolo Wedding

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

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sunset beauty

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FEATURED: ZEDD Moment of Clarity

We arrived at the venue around 8:00pm. Since we thought we’d probably get hungry during the concert, we grabbed a quick bite at the Mall of Asia. We then went back to the venue and saw a sea of humanity – the long queue wasn’t a sight to behold as we were both excited to just get in effortlessly. We bumped into some common friends which we saw as the ultimate sign from the heavens – This is gonna be one helluva party. After nearly 2 excruciating hours at the line, we got inside the venue – and mind you, that’s just getting inside the building alone. The organizers did a horrible job with the planning, to say the least. People were all over the place, totally clueless and agitated. Ticket holders from different sections got all mixed up, not knowing where to go. There were no barricades, ropes. It was total madness. After another hour of what felt like some zombie apocalypse, we were so ecstatic to finally get a hold of those wristbands.

We went inside the hall at around 11:15 pm. By that time, Madeon was already playing. We were all distressed and exhausted, but thanks to this act’s mad beats, the mood started to pick up.  Call us warriors or hooligans, but we tried to sneak into the Silver section and made it! We were literally pressed against the barricades, but it was all good. Madeon’s set was awesome. There were a lot of great beats and the background visuals were awesome. I’d say he’s at par, or even better than some of our mainstream DJs today.

By half past midnight, it was finally time for the main event. ZEDD opened his set with Spectrum and everyone went wild including myself. It was one of the best feelings ever! It’s as if every single cell in me woke up from a deep slumber. All throughout the show, people were jumping, dancing and fist pumping like there’s no tomorrow. The crowd was really amazing. My favorites would have to be Spectrum, Stay the Night, Clarity, Lost at Sea, Safe and Sound, I Don’t Care, Push Play, Follow You Down, and of course, Alive. My ears were in EDM heaven. Calling it a kickass concert is an understatement.

The show ended by 2:00am, and everyone was left wanting more. I was a bit sad because it was so good I didn’t want it to stop. I got home around 4:00am and hit the sack straight away. You know what sucked even more? It was a school day and I missed two of my morning classes but went to school anyway with only 3 hours of sleep. It was not something I would normally advocate, but for a world-class dance act like Zedd, I would gladly make an exception.

Thought I'd share with you a glimspe of Clarity. Enjoy!

Clarity from Scott David on Vimeo.

I’m definitely looking forward to his return, and here’s hoping it will be real soon.

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The beauty of UST’s Christmas lights 🎄

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B O N D

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S I L O N G