Richard Gomez: The Original Bench Guy

Before BENCH became the name it is today they had their first image model in Richard Gomez.  

Richard became the BENCH icon that epitomized the image of succeeding male models.  His first TV ad for the clothing company (titled The Sculler http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2KbwgrwbQE) received the Best Cinematography Award in the 1991 Ad Congress.  Needless to say Richard's career  grew with the company---a partnership that still holds true to this day.

Richard Gomez in last night's Bench Denim and Under wear Show
at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Bench Universe: The 2012 Denim and Underwear Show Day 2

I have had my sights on the Bench Universe:  The 2012 Denim and Underwear Show ever since the dates were made official and swore to myself that not unless there is a natural disaster (or my wife not agreeing) this is an event I would not miss to attend!  In order to address the other issue, I brought along the wife with me so there would be no more discussion about it.  

The event was held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay from September 13-14, 2012.  We took the Friday slot so that it won't be a hassle worrying about work the following day.  One thing I failed to consider was the capacity of my 200mm lens to capture quality pictures in a distant vantage point and settled for a general patronage seat.  It was disappointing for me at the very start once I realized this mistake but I still took the pictures and a couple of videos to make sense of all the effort to make it happen.

No, there were no Manny and Jinky Pacquiao to grace the event (like the first day) but I guess I didn't really mind them not attending.  

The show lasted a little more than an hour.  It had great special effects accompanied with music that made your heart pumping but most of all it showcased an army of beautiful men and women in undergarments!  My wife had a blast seeing Jake Cuenca, Diether Ocampo, Dingdong Dantes, and Aljur Abrenica with their six pack abs!  

Jake and his bare ass on t-back undies!

Me, I was sulking because I felt that I was too far off and after Lovi Poe came on stage I just stopped taking pictures.  There were many sexy women but the distance couldn't tell you who really got the look.  The big screens just confused my concentration and I felt my eyeballs looking at different directions! 

Taken outside of the event.

My wife made a very interesting observation---the show seemed to have more male exposure than females!  Well, it IS Ben Chan's company, right?  So what do you expect?

Never Again!

When I was younger, I grew up eating the different kinds of kakanin that my grandmother would bring every time she would drop by our house for a visit.  Puto is one of my favorites.  This delicacy, partnered with butter or niog, is heaven sent!  This taste for our native kakanin persisted up to this day and every so often, whenever opportunity presents itself, I'll buy a slice for my office merienda.  

Along the foot bridge of Megamall, there is a vendor that sells kakanin.  Every time I pass by her perch my craving goes off like an alam!  But everytime, there is a crowd of customers and I'd just pass by without buying.  One rainy morning, I chanced up her customer-less stall and without blinking an eye lash rushed on to get me my treat.  I chose the pandan flavored puto (color green kasi e).  At Php 10 for 2 slices---I got myself a bargain!  Or so I thought...

I was supposed to save it for my mid-morning snack but every time I get a glimpse of it I salivate and no sooner than I got my first cup of coffee for the day, I was on it like ant on sugar!  However, my wanton abandon quickly faded away on my first bite...the thing had an after taste of cockroach!  Pwe!  Pwe!  Pwe!  You won't smell it on the food though.  I guess it's in the plastic they used.  Needless to say, I still ate the damn thing!

Two days after, I found manang handling a manageable number of customers and decided to buy another puto.  This time I ordered for the ube flavored one thinking that the other day was just a fluke---I was mistaken!  Same after taste!  Once is enough, two is too much!  Never again!

Resident Evil's Kick Ass Ladies

Other than the well choreographed fight scenes, the realistic graphic effects, and those bio-hazards that have invaded countless of my dreams, I really dig the KICK ASS chicks that has so far graced the five installments of this movie franchise!

Alice is the main protagonist of this movie.  This character has been played by Milla Jovovich since the first film was shown in 2002. 

Screenshot of Alice in the latest Resident Evil movie Extinction

Rain Ocampo, played by Michelle Rodriguez, was part of the elite commando team who was tasked to secure the Hive in the first movie.  She died in the latter part of the movie but not after some serious mutant ass got thrashed!

 

Jill Valentine.  Oh now this girl not only packs a punch but she's also a beauty!  If Rain Ocampo is the tomboy type Jill would be the bad ass supermodel!  Personally, I think she's second to Alice in terms of fighting skills.  Her character is played by Sienna Guillory.  Oh and by the way, it doesn't suit her blond!

Claire Redfield is the younger sister of Chris Redfield who was the American police officer who played the protagonist in the first Resident Evil game.  Her character is played by Ali Larter and appeared in the third and fourth movie installemnt Extinction and After Life.  She's not a flashy fighter (on film) but she's quite the looker!  She's the BLOND ASS KICKER!

And then there's Ada Wong.  She replaces Claire Redfield on my hierarchy of Resident Evil Babes before Alice and Sienna.  Her advantage over Claire being her get up.  Man, that leg revealing dress sure makes my heart sing!  Her character debuts in the latest Resident Evil movie Retribution played by Li Bingbing.

For the Boys!

I was in the john this morning doing the little boy thing when I realized something---why do I keep on looking at the steady stream of piss whenever I urinate?  Wait!  Is that what I'm really looking at?  My fear is that I'm subconsciously trying to check if I can still see my weiner beyond the bulge of my stomach!  (To which the answer would be---NO!  And that's putting it in a positive light!)  Is it an issue of AIM and FIRE?  Just like a fireman would do it (except that there is no fire!).  Hmmm...I couldn't say for certain.  It's just that.  Whenever I take a piss, I get the precious birdy out, do my stuff and just stare.  Well, there's the occasional looking up the ceiling or the wall but otherwise, majority of the time I'm looking down.  Is this normal?  

To satisfy my sanity, I stalked the men's comfort room to observe and---VIOLA!  All of them do it too!  I asked my officemate to pose for this blog and even while mimicking pissing (as shown in the photo below) he is still looking down.

NFL Cheerleaders

Watching the NFL is like going to car shows---PRETTY GIRLS ABOUND!

Vintage

The last time I saw this was ages ago when I first started experimenting to shave!  It was actually my father's after shave and boy does it sting after a shave!  Same contour, same bottle cap---vintage Old Spice!

The ones you see in the supermarket are no longer in this shape so I thought they don't make this way anymore.  Apparently, I'm mistaken!  A former office-mate left this and it brought back those distant memories!   The only difference from the older version is that this one is already made of plastic.  Before it was glass.  Sigh!