Happy Birthday Joanie!

How time flies and I am writing another blog about my birthday. It was a hard year for me being thirty even though I know it’s a milestone. It took a while before I understood that I am no longer twenty something. Up to these days I still can’t believe that I am already 31.

My being thirty is very eventful. Last year I really had a happy birthday. It was the year that I look forward on a lot of positive things in my life. A lot of positive things did happen. It amazed me and blew off my mind. How I wish I could only cite the good ones. But life is not just about sunny day, it’s also about how big storms will come along and sometimes you are not prepared.

I grieved as the two important people in my life passed away. They are the people who helped me mold who I am today. My Lolo Apo and Lola Nay. They are the people who anticipated the events that are bound to happen in my life. Now they will never witness them anymore. Up to now I still grieve. People grieve not just because a person dies but when something also dies. I’ve been thru a lot of hurting and pains. No one will understand exactly how I feel unless they are once in my shoes.

I realized the more you are being hurt the braver you get. You put courage in your heart and become your weapon. After the storm you will see the sun shines slowly and see the rainbow coming out. It signifies that life is more colorful after tragedies. You begin to hope for good things and start dreaming again.

It was on my being 30 that I became part of Saatchi & Saatchi as a Senior Art Director. Then I left my old condo and moved in to a bigger one. I also won the Jamie Oliver video competition that now opens the door of opportunity going to London. Just recently I accepted a new job in Saigon. I will soon work in a local advertising agency in Vietnam as Head of Creative Group. A lot of doors opened and I see big opportunities. Since I will be working in Vietnam, I plan to pursue a lot of things there. I want to have my Artist Chef in Saigon and at the same time continue my passion for food styling, food installation art and food photography. I’d also love to pursue my graffiti art in every walls of Ho Chi Minh and continue to paint every canvass that I’ll have. They said that a real artist once get hurt, the emotion ignites. They become more expressive and every little thing they do is magic. I hope one day I’ll have my own restaurant and finally have my solo exhibit. Probably in Vietnam when things work out. There are so many things to look forward.

As I move forward being thirty something I know that there will be pains and joys, defeats and triumphs; but as long as I live I will thank GOD for every single breath that I am alive. Now, as I start my new journey, I want to find someone who can embrace my dreams, who can appreciate my flaws, who can accept that life is not perfect and so am I, one who will hold my hand in any battles and will never leave me in any storms. Now that I learned my lesson, I have to prepare and be excited what life brings. I have to live my life now according to my purpose and not according to what I want.

I am happy being 31, and as my new shirt's caption says:
"STILL, LIFE WITH BRACES!" :-D

hugs,
joanie xxx

Cannes Lions

CANNES LIONS 2009
56TH International Advertising Festival
June 21 - 27 / Cannes, France

Tomorrow is my last day at work. I am devoting my few hours to perfect my entry for this festival. Andrew Petch, our Australian Expat from Saatchi Singapore said that my idea is brilliant! If the juries will judge it, it's only a yes or a no. The simplicity of the idea can make me bring home a gold or just be grateful that I had this idea entered in Cannes. Saatchi & Saatchi Manila will have 10 entries and will be entered on different categories. My entry is for our client North Face. One of these days I will post it here and show you how my idea started.

I can't thank Andrew enough. Sometimes he makes me crazy because he is very very particular on details. Uncountable revisions everyday. I have on my desk all the printouts I made and all the Final Artwork's proof. Damn they are mountain of papers now! Well that I have to exaggerate. But seriously, Andrew will push us to the limit and there's this one funny day that I was skateboarding around the office and he gave me that strange look. Maybe he's thinking that I was slacking and not doing my North Face ad. So last Friday, he approached me and said: "Hey Joan, no more skateboarding today. You have to focus and finish your North Face. And this one, will not give you fame and money (pointing on the monitor with the DARI Creme stb I was doing at that moment) but that one, (pointing at my North Face Ad on my table) will make you famous and will give you big money." Oh well, he is God damn right! If by fate I win, it will do give me fame and for sure the money will follow.

So as I count the days before the announcement of winners, I will pray that somehow my idea will be appreciated and will be considered brilliant by the juries at Cannes Lions Festival. I can't thank GOD enough for all the blessings he's giving me. I am amazed everyday about my life and how He works in mysterious ways. I often find myself teary eyed and smiling almost everyday as I see the sky blue during day and how stars glisten every night. I consider my life as a journey full of surprises and lessons that I never stop learning and growing. Now I just don't say I am learning and growing but I make it happen everyday. I will prove to the world that one can change and it's for the better.

Lets go for the GOLD!!!

hugs,
joanie xxx

i heart deviantart!

I'm just happy to have these stress balls from Deviantart. Stuff that I can pinch, squeeze and bite but I can never hug. But it still makes me happy just seeing them. They are among the few things that I will bring wherever I'm going soon...

What else should I bring?

and btw, HAPPY EARTH DAY!

hugs,
joanie xxx

Petal Blossom Rainbow Oliver

No body in this world can be like James Trevor Oliver. The only guy in my life that I will forever admire. I will forever look at his life. He may have flaws but at the end of the day, I will always see him as the person with an exceptional talent, has a good heart and has great love for his wife and children. How I wish I can clone him. But I know one day I can find my own version of Trevor that I can also be proud of. For now, whatever success I will achieve, I will remain humble just like the man I admire. The secret of successful people are, they never forget where they came from and they never look down on people or choose the people they are dealing with. As the famous saying goes: "A humble heart has a continual peace." Someday I will also have my own Petal, it will blossom at my rainbow's end. For now , I want to feel the joy Jamie is feeling–having his third daughter!

Congratulations Jamie!

hugs,
joanie xxx

I cooked for Jamie Oliver (Recipe 1)

This is one of the dishes I prepared when I did the Valentine's video contest for Jamie Oliver. I am happy to share with you so everyone can enjoy the recipe. Most especially to all my readers. I can say that if you cook with passion and love, the outcome will surely be delicious. No doubt about it because if you love doing what you do it will reflect on the outcome. :-)

Here's the recipe:

You will need...

• Red and Green Capsicum (or bell pepper)
• Bundle of Asparagus
• Chicken Breast Fillet
• Turmeric and Cumin
• Salt and Pepper
• Basil and Rosemary (dry leaves)
• Lime or Lemon
• Fresh Strawberries
• Yoghurt and Milk
• Minced Garlic
• Egg yolk
• Soy Sauce
• Butter

Get ready...

Put chicken breast fillet inside a bowl and put all herbs and spices then squeeze the lemon or lime. Marinade for 3-4 hours. Meanwhile cut all your capsicum vertically and rinse with water along with the asparagus. Ready the grilling pan with medium heat. Add butter in the pan and bring out your marinaded chicken along with capsicum and asparagus. Grill them according to your desired crunchiness for the vegetables. Chicken can be grill 5 minutes on the first side and another 3 minutes on the other side.

For the gravy, pour the yoghurt and milk on a blender then add the fresh strawberries. Add a little soy sauce plus salt and pepper. Separate the yolk from the white egg. Beat the egg yolk and set aside. Ready a pan with medium heat. Add butter then saute the minced garlic. Add the blended mixture of yoghurt. Stir carefully then add the egg yolk. Simmer for 2 minutes 'til it thickens. Add a little more salt and pepper to add more taste. Then it's ready, serve it on a plate along with the grilled veggies and of course our main character the chicken!

Cook this for someone you love, and it will surely melt their hearts... the way I did it a hundred times. Enjoy!!!

hugs,
joanie xxx

What a genius GUINNESS ads

In this cluttered world of creativity, there's always a room for new ideas. Having a role as an advertising Art Director, it's my responsibility to deliver an advertising campaign that is not a copycat and will try to make sure it's always new. Quite a very difficult task. So there's a truth in this poster above. I easily got it because I'm a MAC user for almost 10 years now. I think it's a clever poster.

Well these next poster series are my all time favorite award winning campaign. It's the new Guinness extra cold beer. Since I am a black beer drinker, there's no doubt that I wouldn't like this creative execution. I can relate. They say that black beer is best drink when cold. What more when extra cold? Loving it! Oh what if there's a honey in it too? Perfect! Now, I can still remember the last time I drank Guinness. It was July 18, 2008 and I was dying to watch "Dark Knight" the movie that day. Instead, I just went to Murphy's in Rufino street. I had a Guinness but wasn't able to finish the huge black beer mug. I was extremely grieving and sentimental at that moment and left the pub. I felt my pain as I walked on the street and took a glance at Rufino Tower. I hailed a cab and tears fell and I suddenly became furious and at that moment I felt that the life I love was already snatched by a thief.

Let me drink another mug and say Cheers! Good life is ahead...
Happy April Fools!!!

hugs,
joanie xxx