Globe Go! Vol. 5 Bianca Gonzales

Super Summer!

Best New Apps, Vacay Spots, and More Are You Ready to Get HOOQ’d?

Bianca Gonzalez Talks Marriage, Must-Haves, and Movies Kate Torralba: Singing A New Song Update Your Playlist: Wanderland Acts to Watch Out For

Volume 5 | APRIL 2015

go!

Snaps

HOOQ’d UP! Get ready to get hooked on HOOQ, Asia’s online entertainment service that gives users access to thousands of movies and TV shows—it’s finally here! The SingTel, Sony Pictures Television, and Warner Bros. Entertainment joint start-up has partnered with Globe Telecom to bring Pinoys online video streaming and offline viewing of both local and Hollywood content, on any platform— be it your smart phone, your tablet, or your desktop.

In just weeks after its launch, HOOQ announced its plans to come to the Philippines, citing Pinoy’s inherent love for movies and TV shows and our digital adeptness as obvious reasons. “The Philippines is a natural first market for us.

Filipinos’ dual love of local and Hollywood content combined with their digital-savviness makes the Philippines a perfect place for us to start,” said Mr. Peter G. Bithos, HOOQ Chief Executive Officer.

HOOQ’s partnership with Globe just makes it even more accessible to Pinoys. Imagine: over 10,000 blockbuster movies and TV series, both local and international, will now be available to Globe customers for as low as ₱199 a month (way cheaper than going to the movies!)

HOOQ is also available to GoSURF customers starting at GoSURF299.

Tattoo Home customers can also avail of HOOQ with the new home broadband plans starting at Plan 1299.

Finally, myLifestyle Plan

Launching the partnership are (from L-R) Warner Bros. Digital Distribution Vice President for Business Strategy Anuraj Shavantha Goonetilleke, HOOQ CEO Peter Bithos, Globe Telecom President and CEO Ernest Cu, Globe Telecom Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Dan Horan, and Sony Pictures Executive Vice President for Networks George Chung-Chi Chien.

postpaid customers can add HOOQ as an entertainment pack bundle for only ₱299 monthly.

Visit www.HOOQ.tv for more details.

Nikki Gil

Edu Manzano

Ernest Cu with Kris Bernal & Benjamin Alves

Letter from the editor

GET ACCESS

Wonder, Lost?

Top Summer Apps Must. Download. Now!

2

#BizSavvy Why Fiorgelato is your fave ice cream

8

Fashion Essential summer gear to keep it cool

16

Gadget Guide How to win the Game of Drones

4

People You May Know The Strange Creatures

12

Fitness Be LaBoracay-ready!

20

ON THE COVER

Playlist Populators The skinny on Wanderland’s acts

6

Hack It

Sports 7 Epic Moments of the NBA Season

14

Travel Best vacation spots, all year round

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When was the last time a moment took your breath away? We often get too stuck in the rut of our daily routines that we rarely get a chance to experience the amazing and the awesome. Traffic, deadlines, drama—there are way too many things that dull our senses to the world around us. This summer, let’s all promise ourselves a moment of pure wonder— be it in the thick of the swaying crowd at a music festival, or right as your plane lands in a place you’ve never explored before, or even as you discover new apps, games, and even movies and TV shows you can enjoy right on your phone. Let yourself be drawn in; life is all sorts of wonderful!

Mich Lagdameo Editor-in-Chief Get HOOQ’d!

Get in on the latest in entertainment.

You wouldn’t wanna miss this!

24

Bianca Gonzalez On her summer plans (hint: they involve lots of moviewatching!)

26

Kate Torralba The fashion maven returns to her first love: music

10

facebook.com/globeph Twitter @enjoyGLOBE Youtube.com/globePH Editor-in-Chief Mich Lagdameo Managing Editor Bubbles Salvador Art Director Paula Pangan

Contributors Gail Bitoon, Dairy Darilag, Neps Firmalan, Jing Lejano, Happy Lopez, Diana Madelo, Jun Pinzon, Gerry Robinson, Lamar Roque, Mari-an Santos

1

Get Access

APP-SOLUTELY FRESH!

These latest apps sound too good to be true? Well, they’re not—and they’re everything you never thought possible but are now essential to your daily life.

Moju It’s the photo feed from the future. Much like IG with its photo-sharing capabilities, but much more fun because the photos are all holographic! The app takes different still photos to create a 3D-like image. Shift or move your camera from left to right to see the cool 3D effect.

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Manual Photography purists will love this new app that practically turns your smart phone’s camera into a DSLR. Imagine shooting in manual mode, playing with and calibrating your cam’s white balance, aperture, ISO and shutter speed, but still taking photos with a tap of a finger.

LIFE ESSENTIAL

Side Chef Foodies, don’t stress over scrolling your screen down when your hands are busy because Side Chef reads out pre-recorded instructions. Even cooler, simply call out “Next!” and it will prompt the app to turn the page for you. Handy kitchen assistant!

Neato iPhone iOS8 users, take note of this! After jotting down your thoughts or reminders as you usually do, Neato embeds your notes into your Notifications panel so you can easily spot them with a swipe. Plus, the apps integrates with Evernote and Dropbox!

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES/ WORDS: LAMAR ROQUE

PHOTOGRAPHY

Enjoy these latest apps with a reliable and strong mobile internet connection.

Globe GoSURF 299 is a consumable mobile internet plan that lets you surf, tweet, Facebook, download apps and more!

With GoSURF you can visit all your favorite sites and apps whenever, wherever.

Available to Globe Postpaid, Prepaid and Tattoo on the go Postpaid and Prepaid.

Text GOSURF to 8888 for more info.

ENTERTAINMENT

Sing Are you the next big thing?

Prove it with Sing, the app that lets your sing along to a library of top hits and that records your vocal stylings in both audio and video. DIY karaoke videos and an export-to-video feature makes impromptu sing-along sessions even more fun for the barkada.

Camoji Sometimes, only a perfectlyplaced GIF can liven up your group’s iMessage thread.

How? Camoji lets you takes a series of photos and converts them into a GIF. Cool and quirky, make your own memes or animated selfies, too!

TRAVEL

TravelButler All packed for your next adventure? TravelButler creates itemized packing lists (it even takes the weather into account and suggests appropriate clothing!) and taps into Foursquare to recommend points of interest and resto/hotel reviews just for you.

Hopper Every peso must go a long way if you want to see the world! Hopper price-checks and compares flights and pricing trends (you’ll find out when it’s most affordable to visit a certain place) and points you to more sulit routes.

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Gadget Guide

Game of Take your video-taking skills to new heights—literally Ask any techie in town and they’ll tell you that drones, a.k.a. those flying/jumping/rolling toy-like gizmos of awesome, are “in.” Fact is, they’ve already, umm, landed (pun shamelessly intended) here in the Philippines; so if you’re serious about taking your photo or video skills to the next level (or way up in the air) here are your best bets.

Parrot MiniDrones Jumping Sumo

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chassis provide the needed power to make it jump as high as 31 inches while a pair of rubber wheels gives it more protection from the pounding it will inevitably take.

WHY YOU NEED ONE: To entertain your folks, of course! Seriously, the Jumping Sumo can be used for remote surveillance of areas that are too small or too tight for a human.:

Jumping Sumo

OPTION 1: Yours At ₱999: • 1.5GB data allowance • FREE Mobile WiFi • FREE tablet • FREE Jumping Sumo OPTION 2: Get any Tattoo TABLET Offer and add a Jumping Sumo for a one-time fee of ₱6,999.

WORDS: NEPS FIRMALAN.

WHAT IT IS: It can’t fly unlike most of its kin; but you’ll forget that fact once you see it run and jump around like a nextgen grasshopper with wheels.

WHAT MAKES IT GEEK-TASTIC: The Jumping Sumo boasts Wi-Fi connectivity for wireless control and is top-rated for both indoor and outdoor use. It can also take photos and videos of you looking proud as its owner at 15FPS (frames per second). Springs within the

Drones MisFit Flash

Misfit Flash WHAT IT IS: The Misfit Flash is a sleeklooking fitness tracker that helps you get trimmer and toned with its slew of techie features.

WHAT MAKES IT GEEK-TASTIC: Compared to other fitness trackers, the Misfit Flash won’t ask you to frequently plug it in since it comes with a built-in battery that lasts for a good six months. It also lets you set daily goals (in the form of points that you need to “score” by doing stuff like running and walking) and tracks your progress along the way (which is displayed via the Misfit Flash’s app on the tablet it’s wirelessly connected to). You

can also use it to “compete” with your friends—a leaderboard feature on the app displays who among your buddies are really active or slacking off. The Misfit Shine is waterproof (up to 30 meters), so you can use it while you’re sweating like a pig in the gym or burning the calories off in the swimming pool.

WHY YOU NEED ONE: How’s your “get fit this 2015” resolution coming along?

Also, plus points for its versatility in terms of style (you can wear it as a watch or simply clip it on your collar).

OPTION 1: Yours At ₱999 • 1.5GB data allowance • FREE Mobile WiFi • FREE tablet • FREE MisFit Flash OPTION 2: Get any Tattoo TABLET Offer and add a MisFit Flash for a one-time fee of ₱2,999

5

Get Access - Music

Playlist Populators Kid Cudi

Augustana

Must listen: “Pursuit of Happiness”

Must listen: Latest album Life Imitating Life

After reinterpreting hip hits from Phoenix and The Temper Trap, Andre Anjos returns solo with new and original beats.

Cool collabs: Foster the People and Bloc Party in the early years, lately Tegan and Sara Must listen: Hit drop “Let Go”

The Jungle Giants

Sinyma

Youngblood Hawke

Top-tier rapper Kid Cudi has sold over 5 million digital singles and regularly rubs shoulders with hip-hop greats like Jay-Z and Kanye.

Cool collabs: Haim, Kendrick Lamar (on album Indicud)

Featuring high-energy catchy beats perfect for a road trip, Australian group The Jungle Giants have performed alongside Arcade Fire and Disclosure.

Cool collab: They toured with fellow alternative/indie fave Two Door Cinema Club in 2013.

Must listen: “Mr. Polite,” “I Am Who You Want Me To Be”

The hit “Boston” propelled the band to popularity in 2006, revealing the group’s unique, piano-driven sound that’s truly heartfelt and anthemic.

Cool collab: Jacquire King, the same guy behind Kings of Leon’s successful breakthrough album.

A collab between Abdel Aziz, Silver Filter, and singer Jess Connelly, their sound is eclectic and sophisticated, but always smooth. They’re bringing electronica back to the local scene in a big way.

Cool collab: They opened for international act Kimbra.

Must listen: The smash hit “About It”

RAC

Who hasn’t heard “We Come Running”? This group’s sound is fun indie pop that’s infectious.

Their hit album, Wake Up, was released in 2013.

Cool collab: Fellow Wanderland A-lister RAC remixed their hit, “Wolves” Must listen: “Wolves,” “Pressure”

Catch them all here!

Proof that YouTube is the home of undiscovered talent, British singer Lewis Watson used to upload covers of Bon Iver and Bombay Bicycle Club in 2010 before releasing his own EP in 2012, to much critical acclaim.

Cool collab: Artic Monkeys, Florence and the Machine Must listen: “Into The Wild”

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Hale

Back with their latest album Time and Space, it seems Hales’ had enough of both and are ready to rock the scene again.

Cool collab: Rico Blanco (in advocacy Treehouse Productions) Must listen: “Saint or Sinner” and “See You”

WORDS: LAMAR ROQUE.

Lewis Watson

Get Access

Are You

2

You frequent sites like Allkpop.com, or Koreaboo.com to

know everything your idols,

Crazy?

Has the Hallyu wave turned you to the ~brighter~ side of life? How to tell:

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height, hometown, even down to their diets, their promotional

around felow Sones, Blackjacks, and E.L.F.s!

a send a random text to a friend with just “sowon-eul

5

3

Watching weekly shows

(or reruns; or YouTube) for live performances of your bias, from comeback stages to goodbye

MCountdown, Fridays- Music

those dance moves? They suddenly just manifest themselves

your vocab, and sometimes

(a must for you to copy on IG!)

them. From Girls Generation to T-ara to 2NE1, there has to

with a free poster when it’s hot and fresh off the studio! And

oppa, saranghae, eottokei to

malhaebwa”.

You have a bias. Everyone in the K-Pop world has

two weeks for the delivery of their album—the one that comes

start introducing words like

schedules and their best aegyo

stages. You already have alarms

be one that catches your fancy the most, and you patiently wait

WORDS: LAMAR ROQUE.

from general things like age,

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You start brushing up on your Hanggul,

set on your phone: ThursdaysBank, Saturdays- Music Core, and Sundays- Inkigayo. Plus every guest appearance they have...and hating their guesting on Guerilla Date.

Kimchi has never tasted this good! Plus beef

stew, Bibimbap, Tteokbokki, and Pajeon cakes are all now staples in your diet. Yum! 5 out of 5? You’re a certified K-Pop fan!

We bet you can’t wait for your next (or very first!) trip to Seoul, your second spiritual home.

Keep warm and take that Seoul-selfie!

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#BizSavvy

The Sweetness of Success Richie Cuna, the entrepreneur behind pure Italian ice cream brand Fiorgelato, shares the winning ingredients of a successful enterprise.

PHOTOS: JUN PINZON. WORDS: JING LEJANO.

“If you have a particular idea, you should push it!”

If Richie Cuna’s Fiorgelato has more than 50 outlets nationwide today, it wasn’t by accident, nor was it pure luck. Fiorgelato is a successful brand because of its founder’s dogged determination to stay true to his vision.

Growing up, Cuna was fascinated by two things: he loved ice cream and he wanted to have his own business. By the time he was all grown up, and a banker at that, Cuna decided to take the plunge. In 1989, he established Milkin Corporation, a company specializing in designer ice cream. In the same year, the company was granted exclusive rights from Italy to manufacture, sell, and distribute Fiorgelato. Eventually, Cuna gained full rights to the Fiorgelato brand, making it a purely Filipino enterprise.

So while Cuna went about his duties as an executive of one of the country’s biggest financial institutions, he perfected his gelato and drew up a 25-year business plan. Today, more than two decades after he put his thoughts on paper, Cuna is proud to say that he is still following his vision.

Foresight is a key ingredient to success, he says. By focusing on what he wanted to be, the premium provider of gelato in the Philippines, Cuna was able to determine his deliverables, finetuning his strategy in order to achieve his goal.

Human resource is another ingredient. Cuna says, “We’re very much focused on people development.”

Milkin is a close-knit organization, and most of his staff have been with him since the very beginning. He adds, “Everybody came from the ranks, practically all the officers. They’re all battle-tested.”

And the company has had its fair share of battles. Growth can be a painful process for any burgeoning enterprise, but it does carry with it some valuable lessons. Cuna says, “A good entrepreneur should learn how to fail. Entrepreneurs are risktakers. We learn from our mistakes. Sometimes we have to fail to succeed, and experience how to do things wrong. That’s how you correct them.”

As his 25-year plan draws to an end, Cuna is more than excited to see what the next 25 years holds for him and his company. He is currently drafting his plans for Fiorgelato’s Asian invasion even as he continues his expansion strategy through franchising across the Philippines. Together with his staff, Cuna

is perfecting their production process and strengthening their logistic capabilities. Of course, it helps that the organization is fully connected.

A Globe user since 1995, Cuna is grateful for the many benefits of connectivity especially when it comes to running a 24/7 business. Issues are managed and operations monitored, even from a distance. He says, “We are connected to each other through Globe, through our mobile phones and the Internet.

These communication facilities make our lives easier.”

Connectivity also suits Cuna’s lifestyle perfectly. An expert multitasker, Cuna can conduct several meetings at the same time, thanks to the wonders of modern technology. He is not wont too to shoot his staff “Good morning” text messages, directing the order of the day.

Yes, Cuna truly believes in the “now,” and has this to tell aspiring entrepreneurs: “If you have a particular idea, you should push it. You should not be planning for tomorrow; you should have done it yesterday. Most entrepreneurs hold back. But inspired ideas, they don’t come too often. When it pops up, you go for it!”

Right on Target

Globe hits a bull’s eye when it comes to fulfilling the needs of the entrepreneur, says Richie Cuna, proprietor of Fiorgelato.

He is particularly fond of AdBlast, a group text messaging service which allows targeting of specific markets.

AdBlast Profile: This is a hypertargeted SMS sendout that target consumers according to a preferred profile based on gender, interest, and mobile usage, among others.

AdBlast Zone: This is a geo-targeted SMS blast where your message goes out to consumers within a minimum of 400-meter radius of a specific location.

9

Be Inspired

On Her Way to Conquer The Globe Music – not fashion – is Kate Torralba’s first love.

And it is music that she pursues in her amazing journey across the world.

She was exceptionally good—at age nine, she was part of a group of Filipino prodigies that played in a concert in Los Angeles, California. She was offered a scholarship there, but her family thought she was too young to study abroad on her own.

A sponge for music

“What makes me relish the experience even more is that it’s been a long time coming. I really had to chase after it and be brave.”

If, upon hearing Kate Torralba’s name, you think: “Isn’t she the designer?”—you aren’t wrong. She did gain fame as one, but all that is in the past now. Kate is a singer-songwriter.

Music is Kate’s first love. At age four, she would watch as some of her relatives took piano lessons every Saturday at their grandparents’ house. “They were all learning how to play ‘Moon River’. At one point, I just went up to the piano and played the entire song,” Kate says, who eventually took formal lessons three years later.

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Her musical influences are a mix of pop, rock, folk, and country. Her extended family helped her appreciate a whole range of sound: Frank Sinatra, The Carpenters, The Beatles, Natalie Cole, Astrud Gilberto, Basia, The Cure, Depeche Mode. “I was very precocious and I was like a sponge, just absorbing different kinds of music,” she shares.

Kate also learned how to play other instruments, like the guitar, mostly after listening to Nirvana. She quit the rigorous piano lessons at 13 and in high school, was the rock chick playing the guitar. “I wasn’t really good, but I had guts. The piano is really my instrument,” adds Kate. When she heard The Corrs, she wanted to play the violin too. Thankfully, Tori Amos set her on the right path. “It blew my mind that the piano could be cool.”

While studying management in University of the Philippines-Cebu, she played for the band Hard Candy, which gained quite a following and won many awards. She also had a small business, a patahian, foreshadowing her entry into fashion.

Reading the signs

On her free nights during a stint as head of the media department of Senator

Loren Legarda, she would hang out at Manila indie music haunt Sanctum, where she met and became friends with many musicians. Kate eventually left the political scene, and on a fateful night, attended the Preview Magazine Ball in a dress that she designed. That gained attention, and overnight, she began her rise up the Philippine fashion scene.

At a frenetic pace, she was doing a variety of fashion-related activities with hardly any time to keep still or even sleep. The occasional music gig was her de-stressor.

In 2008, she started working with musician Malek Lopez on her album, which would take five years to complete.

A few events cemented her decision to shift from a lucrative career to become a struggling musician. In 2010, she qualified for the ELEMENTS National SingingSongwriting Camp, organized by Maestro Ryan Cayabyab. Among her mentors were her idols Gary Valenciano and Rico Blanco, who both saw her potential.

PHOTOS: GAIL BITOON. WORDS: MARI-AN SANTOS.

While on sabbatical in the US the following year, she went to an albumsigning event of Stephen Malkmus, formerly of the band Pavement, of Mirror Traffic, produced by Beck.

“Stephen was giving away posters of the album art and there was a statement at the bottom: I want to __________. Stephen asked me what I wanted, and I just said: ‘I want to quit fashion and just play music’. He wrote that on the poster. At that time, even I doubted it.”

But in March 2014, while on holiday in London, she managed to find a spot on the lineup of Sessions58, a musicians’ showcase night. Kate played her songs Pictures and Monkey Song, and the reception was

overwhelming. As many promoters were in the crowd that night, she got many offers.

Kate was soon granted an artist visa, and moved to London in July 2014. Since then, she has been playing various venues, not only in the UK but also in Paris.

Her album Long Overdue is distributed in the Philippines by MCA Universal, and is available worldwide on iTunes and Spotify.

An amazing journey

Interestingly, now, she is getting a lot of invitations to come play in her home country. “How perfect that I got booked to play in Wanderland and therefore, I get to experience a Filipino summer,” says the artist who is set to perform in Australia,

New Zealand, USA, and South Africa in the coming months.

Kate has adjusted from living with her family and Nanay Lina, her yaya, to learning to do errands and chores on her own. Now, she lives out of a suitcase, but Kate is living her dream: “It’s been a really challenging, amazing journey. What makes me relish the experience even more is that it’s been a long time coming. I really had to chase after it and be brave.”

Catch the 2015 Wanderland Music and Arts Festival in April 2015 at the Globe Circuit Event Grounds, Circuit Makati Follow Kate on Instagram: @katetorralba

11

People You May Know Dreamy and weird

True to Sound

Wanderband 2015 winner The Strange Creatures is making waves here and around the world with their unique brand of music.

The six-member band The Strange Creatures describes itself on their Bandcamp profile as a “weird indie pop band from the Philippines.” No, they do not look extraterrestrial, but the way this upcoming band has evolved will have you believing in the forces of nature.

Sometime in December 2012, a group of musician-friends from different bands went out and asked singer-songwriter Jon Tamayo about the materials for a boy and girl acoustic duo that he was planning to put together. After hearing the songs, the consensus around the table was: “Let’s just put up the band,” Jon recalls.

Hitting the first notes

The group started jamming in January 2013, first under the longer name “The Charmless Man and his Strange Creatures.”

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Of the original group though, only Jon and Tobit Rubio remain. Their last gig with the original band members was at B-Side, right where the pictorial for this story was held.

They went on hiatus for a month, after which, Jon sought the consensus of the group as to who else wanted to continue with the band.

They “discovered” vocalist-keyboardist Steph Coojacinto when she joined the “Xx” Contest. “One of our friends from another band heard her perform and sent me a message: ‘Jon, I’ve found your girl,’” adds Jon. Jon checked out samples of Steph’s performances on Sound Cloud and tried to have her sign up for the band. The graduating Dentistry student relented.

“She has really defined our sound with her excellent abilities as a musician and a vocalist,” Jon says of their frontwoman.

Jon, the main songwriter, describes how The Strange Creatures come up with their own music: “I think of the melody and lyrics, then I record the acoustic demo and send it out to the band members. During rehearsal, [we go through the song].”

Bassist Bam Butalid says: “We have a theme: dreamy and weird.”

“We’re just trying to live up to our name, The Strange Creatures,” Jon says.

Their songs have European indie pop and new wave sounds. “Most of my influences have influenced them,” Jon points to the rest of the band.

Among these are Camera Obscura, Belle and Sebastian, Of Monsters and Men, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and of course, The Beatles.

The band members draw on their previous experiences as part of other bands to land gigs. “When we started, we

“We have a theme: dreamy and weird.

We’re just trying to live up to our name: The Strange Creatures.” submitted demos, but we also banked on our connections,who already knew us. By word of mouth,we became known to more people,”Jon says. It also helped their reputation when they won as Wanderband 2015.

PHOTOS: DAIRY DARILAG. WORDS: MARI-AN SANTOS.

Online and worldwide

“The Internet has helped us reach a wider audience,” Bam says. To this end, exposure in sites like Southeast Asia (SEA INDIE) Indie and Vandals on the Wall has helped. In 2013, they were even featured in the Kuala Lumpur edition of TimeOut Magazine. “We are also on Bandcamp and SoundCloud. We’d like our music to be available on Spotify and iTunes as well. But we still need to sign up with artist aggregators like Tunecore and CDBaby to do that.” They are also on Amplify.ph and Ndfy.me.

They released their EP in May 2014, and through their online presence, they caught the attention of Duffelcoat Records in the United Kingdom.

Before long, the record company was distributing the band’s first EP, and sold all 100 copies.

Jon has collaborated with some members of the band for songs, particularly with Steph and Tobit.

They are set to release a new song, which, coincidentally, is also their first Tagalog song. “Whenever I would write Tagalog songs in the past, they would turn out ‘baduy’ for me. But now, finally, I made one without the traditional Pinoy lyrics,” Jon says.

Guitarist Tan Evangelista says: “Our goal was to write a Tagalog but still stay true to our sound.”

The result is Palipad-Hangin, co-written with Tobit, which is a love song at the core.

Stargazer, their first song with the original members, was their breakthrough song, and helped them penetrate the Southeast Asian market.

The band recently launched their music video for the single “Despite Everything.” This is upon the advice of their musician-friends, who also reaped the benefits of launching and releasing a video, and increased their fan base.

The Strange Creatures continues its lucky streak this year. Jon says, “It will be our first time to have concert in front of a big crowd at Wanderland [Music & Arts Festival]. We are excited. Maybe we’ll get nervous when we get there.”

Catch the 2015 Wanderland Music and Arts Festival in April 2015 at the Globe Circuit Event Grounds, Circuit Makati Follow The Strange Creatures on Instagram: @thestrangecreatures

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Sports

14

7 Reasons Why The 2014-15 NBA Season Is The Most Epic Ever 5

near? Michael Carter-Williams now calls Milwaukee his new home. Odd trade, really, but the Bucks could be on to something for next season? Kevin Garnett’s career comes full circle as he dons the “#21” for the Minnesota Timberwolves. “The Kid” is back, and true-blue KG fans couldn’t be happier.

How will the Hawks fare in the Playoffs?

You may not be a fan, but the

Atlanta Hawks have been absolutely

The Playoffs is coming down to the wire and it’s turning out to be a dogfight to the end. Catch up with our list of season highlights and notables

1

Who Do You Got Your Money on?

It hasn’t been this neck-to-neck since

Chuck, MJ, and Magic went at it back in

Chicago Bulls guards Derrick Rose

is coming back from a meniscus tear injury.

consistently cohesive and unselfish team and they’ve been so good basketball fans everywhere (us included) can’t wait to see them take on teams in a 7-game series.

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George Karl is back on the captain’s chair

The Sacramento Kings’ season is over. But,

1990. Golden State Warriors’ guard Stephen

The world wonders: “Will D-Rose dominate

what a sight to see one of the hardiest

Curry has been putting on a shooting clinic,

the game of basketball like he used to?” This

coaches in the game’s history overcoming

not to mention putting opponents’ defense

season’s other sidelined superstar warriors:

his battle against thyroid cancer and

to shame via killer handles. Houston Rocket

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (torn

running a team again. Interesting though,

guard James Harden has been bringing

rotator cuff), Miami Heat Power forward

he said he was willing to to move the

home the W’s, all without star teammate

Chris Bosh (blood clot in lungs), New York

team’s superstar DeMarcus Cousins to

and dynamic big man Dwight Howard. The

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (left patel-

better fit his move-the-ball and push-the-

ever-explosive Russell Westbrook has been

lar tendon partial tear), just to name a few.

tempo strategy.

dropping insane stats in a Durant-less OKC

4

squad that’s dire need for firepower. And of course, when did LeBron James ever leave the discussion?

2

That Weekend Though

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES. WORDS: LAMAR ROQUE.

3

Back on broken knee. Again?

amazing this season. They’ve been a

The All-Star Weekend definitely

Same Skill, New Squad These are three most interesting

trades of 2015: From the Phoenix Suns,

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LeBron is just an unbelievable dude It’s no secret: When LeBron James

steps on the hard court, he owns the floor

Goran Dragic takes on point-guard duties

and takes control every facet of the game.

for the Miami Heat. Can he provide that

Now holding tje NBA record for career

extra push as the post-season draws

assists, what’s left for him to do, really?

wasn’t lacking in memorable moments. The 3-point shootout had everyone holding their breaths with Minnesota Timberwolves guard

Can’t get enough of the NBA highlights?

Zach Lavine defying gravity just like dunkers

Stay tuned and catch your favorite NBA players with NBA League Pass on Globe.

of yore; Spanish bros Marc and Pau Gasol made history with a first-ever brotherly tipoff; and the always eager-to-score Russell Westbrook went off. Sheer awesomeness.

Register to NBA 50 & enjoy 24-hour access to LIVE and ondemand games for 1 day. Text NBA50 to 8888.

15

Fashion

Summer Essential Whatever the weather or your adventure, look stylishly ready with these must-haves of the season.

Photographs by Cyrus Panganiban

Photos by Gerry Robinson Styling by Happy Lopez.

Equip yourself for your next adventure with multi-tasking mustpacks that keep you organized and puttogether.

Scarf and hat, both Parfois.

Passport holder, Lacoste. Sneakers, Piola. Sunglasses, Fly Shades. Lip balm, EOS. Earphones, Sony.

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Fashion

Stuck in the city? Be king of the concrete jungle by picking brighter basics to add a little life to your daily gear.

Sneakers, Nike. Poloshirt and shorts, both Uniqlo. Cap, H&M. Watch, Parfois. Sunglasses, Sunnies Studio.

Enjoy the sunny outdoors!

Excessorize your staple summer basics with vibrant tribal prints and florals.

Into the Blue

Tee, shorts, espadrilles, floral headband, floral bracelet, and sunglasses, all H&M. Bracelets, L’Indochine.

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Fitness

Are You Ready for LaBoracay?

Your bags are (nearly) packed and you and your friends are all excited. But are you confident enough to strut your stuff in your #LaBoracay selfie? Look your fittest (and keep your energy levels high) with these fitness hacks

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FIT ON THE GO:

5 Apps To Move Your Body, Right At Your Fingertips

RUNKEEPER: If you want to take your evening jogs to the next level RunKeeper tracks your runs, walks, and bike rides using GPS and provides you with cool stats like pace, distance, and heart rate so you can better monitor your progress. It even syncs with your headphone to give your audio cues to push you just a little further! This app even measures your running prowess over time, recording your personal bests and favorite routes. Even if you love to run alone, RunKeeper is an essential companion.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES. WORDS: MICH LAGDAMEO.

PACT: If you want to crowdsource that push to do that workout Consider this the digital version of that Biggest Loser-style challenge you and your officemates did.

Pact takes note of a fitness goal you commit to do (be it a kind of workout or eating more veggies) and how much you’re willing to shell out if you don’t complete your goal. Once Pact verifies (via GPS and other proof like photos) you get your share of the pot, too! Nothing like a little cash as motivation, right?

STRAVA: If you want to keep track of your naturally active lifestyle Like RunKeeper, it measures and times your bike rides and runs, along with a host of other adrenaline-pumping activities like swimming, your CrossFit sessions, rock climbing, and surfing. The

great thing about Strava is the community: if you opt to, you can view and comment on others’ fitness activities and take on Strava-set challenges and compare fitness goals.

FITOCRACY: If you want your own personal trainer right on your smartphone Get free workouts customized for any fitness level, read up on the latest in nutrition and exercise, and view your progress, straight on this easy-to-use app. Tips and motivation are easy to come by too, because Fitocracy’s users are rated as one of the most supportive online fitness communities.

Want to level up? The paid version assigns you your very own virtual coach who will create your own workout and meal plan.

7 MINUTE WORKOUT: If you want a complete workout but can’t spare the time Think you can’t get a good sweat in 7 minutes? Think again. This app proves you can squeeze in a full, totalbody workout even in the comfort of your living room.

Animated instructions and voice prompts clue and cue you in, and before you know it your 7 minutes are up and the endorphins are flowing!

GADGET SPOTLIGHT:

The Garmin Fenix 2

What it is: A top-of-the-line but user-friendly GPS watch for people who love their active, outdoorsy lifestyle What it does: Track your outdoor activities: running, hiking, swimming—whatever gets your heart rate up! You can then upload your stats via the Android or iOS app so you can keep tabs on your performance. Whether you’re training for a triathlon or just want to improve your indoor swimming skills, the Fenix 2 gives you lots of options for customizing your program and the data you want to see.

Added bonus: Aesthetically, the Fenix 2 is a hefty but lightweight watch that looks classy but durable. It’s a must for serious athletes who are keen on letting the latest tech work for them and their fitness goals.

EAT MORE (OF THE GOOD STUFF)

Getting fit is not about eating less, it’s actually about eating more... of what’s good for you. Diet delivery services save you time and effort in food prep. 3 to try: Diet Diva (www.dietdiva.ph) is a 1200-calorie/daily meal plan specially formulated by nutritionist Clark Dela Riva.

They posit that 1200 calories is a healthy limit to observe when wanting to lose a few pounds (without sacrificing taste).

Paleo Manila (www.paleomanila.com) is a great place to start if you want to try a high-protein diet with no refined, processed grains or gluten—great for those with food allergies and sensitive tummies, too. Everything is made from scratch with zero preservatives, so this literally defines “eating clean.”

The Sexy Chef (www.thesexychef.ph) one of the pioneers of the customized meal plan, celeb fitness and nutrition advocates Chef Barni Alejandro-Rennebeck and Nadine Tengco create deliverable meals to suit any fitness goal.

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Travel

Travel 365

The fun doesn’t need to stop once the rains come. It’s more fun in the Philippines indeed. Don’t let the inclement weather dampen your travel plans. Here are a few locations that will let you enjoy 24/7, 365 days a year.

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PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES. WORDS: MARI-AN SANTOS.

HIT THE BEACH— EVEN DURING RAINY SEASON

CHILL OUT IN THE MOUNTAINS—EVEN IN THE SUMMER

SEE EXOTIC ISLANDS—DESPITE THE RAINY SEASON

WHERE: SAN JUAN, LA UNION

WHERE: BAGUIO CITY

WHERE: CORON, PALAWAN

WHY GO: Sure, summer is great

WHY GO: The summer capital of the

WHY GO: Palawan is still so lush that

for soaking up the sun in any of our

Philippines is also alive when it’s at its

typhoons pass but it stands unscathed.

beautiful beaches. But the rainy

coldest. Catch an art show or concert at

Coron rarely gets hit by storms anyway,

season is, even more so, enjoyable

a folksy Session Road haunt or huddle

and even during the height of the

for surfers who want to catch great

next to a fireplace at a cozy hotel.

season, rains only come in bursts during

waves. Swells are high during this

HOW TO GET THERE: Take the six-

the day.

season, so it’s guaranteed to be

hour (or less) bus ride or convoy with

HOW TO GET THERE: Take a flight

exhilarating for first-time surfers as

your friends.

from Manila to Busuanga. Or maybe a

well as expert wave riders.

WHERE TO STAY: Mount Tepeyac

12-hour ship ride, if you fancy.

HOW TO GET THERE: Go north!

(www.Mount-Tepeyac.com, 0906-

WHERE TO STAY: With an

Take a bus or drive to La Union. It

3715532) is set in a wooded area that

elegant garden setting, the

takes 6 to 7 hours from Manila.

still feels and smells like “old Baguio”.

homey Sophia’s Garden Resort

WHERE TO STAY: Flotsam and

We won’t blame you if you want to stay

(http://sophiasgardenresort.com,

Jetsam Artists’ Hostel (www.

in bed, wrapped in your blanket, staring

sophiasgardenresort@gmail.com) a

flotsamandjetsamhostel.com, 0917-

out at the rain. But get some great grub

cozy place to unwind after a long day of

8021328) is so laidback, you wonder

from their in-house Ebai’s Restaurant

nature-tripping. Take a dip in the pool

why you weren’t born living the

that serves freshly-cooked food and

or jacuzzi with a drink. The restaurant

beach life. Comfortable areas to sit,

delicious cakes best enjoyed with a

meals are delicious and affordable too.

proximity to the beach, delicious food,

steaming cup of Benguet coffee.

BEST FOR BUDDIES WHO: love diving

and wonderful crowds are just some

BEST FOR BUDDIES WHO: Want to

or hate crowds. Coron has the beautiful

of the reasons to stay here.

cherish the cold. Keep your bonnets

beaches that are common throughout

BEST FOR BUDDIES WHO: want to

and boots on, because air conditioning

the island but it’s more well-known for

try out a new adventure/passion or

is really no match for the natural

wreck diving, so you don’t need to fight

just want to chill.

mountain air.

for swim space. You can also go trekking or dip in the hot spring.

Go travel with Explore Lifestyle Pack and discover the best places in the Philippines.

With Postpaid Plan’s Explore Lifestyle Pack, you get all-month, all-day access to TripAdvisor, Agoda, Cebu Pacific, PAL, Zomato & Looloo for Php99/30 days.

Get it now via the new Postpaid’s MyLifestyle Plan.

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Main Feature

Are You Ready to Get HOOQ’d?

Stream or download Hollywood movies, local films, and TV series via WiFi or 3G right on your mobile, tablet, or PC. Imagine Asia’s largest online entertainment service, availableto you right where you are!

Hollywood films or regional hits, TV series and shows, even educational kids shows are available for unlimited download. Read: unlimited entertainment for the whole family!

Share the fun with friends and family—register up to 5 devices to one account!

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Know Your HOOQ

Find something new to view right away. HOOQ’s Discover page shows the latest and the greatest blockbuster movies and TV series for you to explore.

FILTER YOUR SEARCH. You can search for specific content via genre or audio language, or use the Search bar to find your favorite titles or actors.

CLICK TO PLAY. Simply click Play to stream your chosen track and choose your preferred subtitle language or audio track.

ONE-CLICK DOWNLOAD. After selecting a movie or show to download, it will automatically be added to your My Downloads queue.

ON YOUR DESKTOP Go to HOOQ.tv and fill in the info.

Either charge to account on your Globe mobile phone or get an activation code with promos from the new Tattoo Home plans or GoSURF.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES. WORDS: LAMAR ROQUE.

Sign Up! VIA DOWNLOADING THE HOOQ APP

On Android? Sign up after downloading the app on your mobile or tablet.

VIA MOBILE WEB Go to HOOQ.tv and click “Sign Up.” Then download the app from the App Store or Google Play.

MULTIPLE DEVICES, MULTIPLIED FUN! One download per device will be be prioritized at time, but you can connect up to 5 different devices to one HOOQ account. Login and download on two separate devices simultaneously!

Want to know more about HOOQ? Visit www.tattoo. globe.com.ph/products/ home-broadband-plans#hooq

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Cover Story

Media Maven, Movie Fan We all know about Bianca Gonzalez’s glam life as host, writer, and social media superstar, but here’s one thing we didn’t: Bianca’s just as excited to come home to a good movie after a long day, just like the rest of us

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On her magical beach wedding (and life after the big day) I really wanted a destination wedding because I’m a major beach lover! It was also me who really wanted a small wedding, and as we were looking around for places, El Nido seemed to be the perfect fit. It was paradise-like, private, could house our small group, and had great service.

Everything turned out so much more awesome than we could’ve planned it.

How are we planning to enjoy the summer? Well, because of the nature of my work, I really have no “summer break.” My husband JC’s work—since he has basketball conferences all year round—also doesn’t have a real vacation break. So we will probably just find the time to go on a trip, hopefully soon.

Every year I try to go to one place I’ve never been to before. We haven’t even gone on our honeymoon yet! We both went straight back to work after the wedding!

On her musts for summertime fun—and what she’d rather do without Any beach trip, definitely. Whether it’s just a drive to Batangas or a plane ride to Boracay, the beach is always a must. Drinking extra water to compensate for the heat is also always a must.

Going to see the summer blockbuster movies are also always a must. Exercising and staying fit is another must.

But what I like least is the heat, and the heat. Ha ha! The summer heat is perfect for the beach. But the summer heat can get bothersome on a full workday when you’re trying to stay cool and productive.

Wedded bliss on the beach

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Cover Story On how being a media personality changed her view of the digital world

I think everyone feels the change of how media is now being digested. It’s crazy how much has changed over the past three to five years. Everything is literally available even if you’re mobile, whether through phone or tablet or laptop. Although traditional media will always be here to stay, new media has just given all of us another way of consuming it. Social media definitely impacted both my personal life and career. It opened up a lot of opportunities, but it has also made me more open to vulnerability and criticism. It has connected me to people so much faster and easier than it would the traditional way. And I’ve gotten news much, much faster, which is important in my line of work—the more updated I am, the more effective I can be.

On her not-so-secret passion for film

I prefer traditional books to e-books, but I do love streaming movies and series in the convenience of my own home, to unwind after a long day. I love all kinds of films! All of us want to catch the blockbusters, if only to be in the loop about what the hype is about. I don’t have a particular actor or director that I follow, but I do tend to get hooked on movie series, animation, and I always would want to see work related to Baz Luhrmann, Wes Anderson, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, plus local and foreign films. I was a Communications major because I was convinced I was going to be a filmmaker. Life may have led me to a different direction, but I still am a big fan of the movies.

I don’t consider myself a techie, but I do consider myself in-the-know. I’m not so much into having the best and latest gadgets, but I am all for using tech to make my work and my life easier and more enjoyable!

With technology now, we all want to watch things on demand, when we want to, wherever we want to, so I definitely think that anyone who learns about HOOQ and what it can give, would want a piece of it!

HOOQ yourself up by subscribing to the new Tattoo Home Broadband Plan 1299 with speeds of up to 3Mbps.

Beach bunny!

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Bianca: Book author

“ I do love streaming movies and series in the convenience of my own home, to unwind after a long day. I love all kinds of films!”

Connected Commmunities

Jr. NBA Philippines 2015,

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JR.NBA/JR. WNBA FACEBOOK PAGE.

powered by Globe

Globe Telecom once again cosponsored the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Philippines presented by Alaska, the league’s international youth development program that tipped off in January and will conclude this April.

The program, now on its eighth year, promotes basketball participation, sportsmanship, teamwork, and the benefits of an active lifestyle for children via clinics and camps that reached over 700 schools and communities nationwide.

This year’s Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA National Training Camp, the culmination of several Selection Camps spread out from Laguna to Puerto Princesa, will cull a group of 10 Jr. NBA and five Jr. WNBA All-Stars who will enjoy the unique experience of meeting, training, and bonding with their peers across Southeast Asia in what will for sure be an unforgettable trip for these talented and hardworking kids.

The country’s youngest and brightest in basketball talent take part in a once-in-a-lifetime training camp

Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Head Coach Chris Summer warms up participants with push-ups.

Young players learn fundamentals along with the Jr.NBA/Jr. WNBA core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude, and Respect (S.T.A.R.) Coach Junjun of Alaska and Coach Ish of Perlas Pilipinas lead participants in a warm-up run

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