060513// DEUX

Posted a few of the first batch of photos in 060513// UNO the other day. Now time for the second batch! I post most of my photos on http://flickr.com/acushlaobusan and the videos go up on either my Vimeo or Youtube account, Cushlalive. More often than not, I link it to this blog anyway for you guys to see. By the way, unless stated, all these photos are taken by me, myself and I, and are post processed by myself as well.

Before anything else, I’d like to thank Danica Lukban for taking some of these really wacky photos for me! Love u lots! So anyway, here we go!

#MedyoMayMuscle jk =)) That’s just me looking madungis after a long, tiring day shooting. Yes, shooting videos and photos can be really tiring but equally fun, haha! Especially if you’re shooting outdoors! It can really drain you. Which explains this photo; shooting kills. I hope you get my point, and don’t think I’m just some emo psycho or whatever. Char. I just can’t seem to find the words to describe it the right way at this moment.

With Leanza Herrero in the photos above! Silly photos are definitely our thing #donth8 haha I try to embrace my inner weirdo when with her! As for the last photo, I really don’t know why that pose stuck in my head. It’s like, my signature thing already haha I’ve started to always do that pose! No deep meaning required to explain it. It’s just what’s so!

With the most annoying, yet one of the most talented and hard-working videographers our age that I know! I’ve worked with Danica for a handful of other projects within the year and it’s always been a breeze. If you think I’m hard-working, that means you haven’t met Danica. When I work on videos, I usually stay up ’til around 2-3AM everyday just to finish editing. While she can almost always pull off an all-nighter just to get the job done! When we were working on this project, I was probably on the phone with her for a total of more than 2 hours a day, and we’d often meet up to collaborate. Right now actually, we’re collaborating on a short film, just like the one I shot a few weeks ago, Tadhana with my friends from the UP Film Institue. Can’t wait to film more with this twat! HAHA.

Oh and did you notice that we have matching nails??! While waiting for the cast to arrive, I ended up painting her nails because we were dead of boredom already #naks

Bianca Nubla and Nina Galeste

Clarice, Abby, Kim,  Kyarra, Leanza, Danica and myself chilling after the shoot. Leanza, Danica and I were already too tired to function when we saw the others. We probably stayed in that area for another hour and a half because none of us really wanted to go home yet. It’s not that we were still hyped up and all, haha. We were just chilling and chit-chatting because we were too tired to get up, and find a ride home. Plus, it’s been so long since I’ve seen the others! So it was nice just lying down on Danica’s lap trying to fall asleep while listening to them doing their own catching up.

‘Til the next project!! Stoked to work on a new collaboration! Thanks for reading, and make sure to make the most out of today! Happy Philippine Independence day, one and all! Oh, and as for the Spurs vs. Heat game 3 ongoing right now, lol I hear it’s pretty intense!!

Ciao, fellas!

060513// UNO

Was at school last 060513 to work on a project (more on that another time) which entailed me to carry a big ass camera and drag my tripod along as well. It is then the unspoken rule that I must take photos of passers by that I know, haha. Along with the responsibility of hassling myself to post the photos with my retarded internet. 

Still editing and uploading the rest, but here’s the first batch! Posting the rest as soon as my internet cooperates with me! Thanks for all those who read, and to Fleur, Janna, Denise, Bianca and Dana as well! And much thanks to Danica for working with me day and night to put this project together!

I hope everyone’s kicking their school year off with a bang!

Cheers to SY 2013-2014! Au revoir!

UKEAS x Cushlaland// June Seminars for Postgrads/Undergrads

Calling all postgrads and undergrads that wish to study in uni’s in the UK but don’t exactly know the ropes of how to get in! Or how/when to apply? Or what courses certain uni’s offer? Etcetera, etcetera. As an ambassadress of UKEAS, I proudy invite all of you to the seminars that will give you all the info you need to study in the UK! Details are as follow:

I really do hope to see you all there! Even if you don’t really want to go to the UK to study, but just want to go abroad in general; or even if you don’t know wtf is going on in terms of college applications and whatnot, I do suggest you attend because it will really open your mind to a ton of other possibilities in terms of education. 

 

Email me at cushlalalalalandblog@gmail.com to RSVP, or message me via Twitter, @acushlamatata. Limited slots only, so hustle everyone!!

Thanks lots, see you all on the 25th and 26th!

Just Keep Swimming//

The question of why I didn’t go to Wanderland’s been frequently asked, so before more people go on and continue asking me, let me just tell you all what happened haha. When I first heard about Wanderland back in February, I wasn’t really planning on going unless I got free or really cheap tickets. Usually, I get those just days or hours before the actual event. Fast forward to the end of April when I was asked to go wake boarding at the Republic Wake Park in Nuvali on the same day as Wanderland. I said yes, thinking that there was no hope in getting myself in Wanderland for free/cheap. Just my luck, my dad called me the day before Wanderland (and the wake boarding shindig) and told me I got tickets. He called me while I was napping and was totally NOT in the right state of mind, so I just told him that I couldn’t go to Wanderland because I was going wake boarding. By the time I woke up, I changed my mind and decided I’d go straight to Wanderland right after I got back from Nuvali to wake board. By that time, the tickets to Wanderland that were offered to me have already been accounted for, thus I was ticket-less and couldn’t get into Wanderland anymore.

I felt a little bad but what else could I do, right? Nonetheless, I had a supercalifragelisticexpialidocious day wake boarding in Nuvali. That was my first time to wake board, and it was great! Exclusive of the part where my body kept hitting the water hard, haha!

We all got up at around 6:30AM and head out an hour later. On the one and a half hour drive to Nuvali from Makati, we stopped over at Hungry Hippo’s to chow down on good breakfast. I actually find the place really cute because it’s all pink and purple (perfect for a kiddie party), and they serve the perfect comfort food you’d need after a really long night out, or even just a tiresome weekend. I ordered a fish fillet burger with fries and iced tea. My aunt got some spaghetti, and my uncle got a burger, if I remember correctly. 

From there we head out to the Republic Wake Park and got suited up. We chose the 2 hour package so we could get as many rounds as we could. It was my first time to go wake boarding, so I assumed I needed as much time as I could get to pick it up, because I heard it isn’t that easy, haha!

Given that we were cued up for a long while, I had all the time to take trying-hard pictures like these to keep me preoccupied #donth8

So this girl obviously looks like she knows what she’s doing, all bad ass and stuff. 

And then there’s me who falls the second I stand up. 

Then you have me trying hard af to get up. But as I recall, the moment I got to stand up, I plummeted into the water. This deserves an “i tried” sticker; the one with the gold star.. HAHA. 

Wakeboarding is really hard at first, for many. On the other hand, others can pick it up really easily. It’s a really fun sport to try out, but you really need a firm core and great sense of balance to pick it up easily. I really wasn’t good the first time around, but I’ll definitely be coming back for more wake boarding training!! It’s too fun to miss out on!

BUT, never will I ever miss out on Wanderland again! ‘Til next year’s! (and Malasimbo, hihi) Thanks for reading, and have a good school year, everyone!

x | Just keep swimming, just keep trying | x

053113//Presophisticated

I’ve never really been asked to a dance. Neither have I ever asked anyone out to a dance. You see, all the dances I’ve been to are like the typical Sadie Hawkins dances (where girls ask guys out). It’s not that I’m shy to ask someone out or whatever, it’s just that coming to a dance with a date never really appealed to me. Plus, who’s there to ask? #foreveralone HAHA. Chos.

So when my friends, Pat and Nikkie asked me to come along with them in the prepping for the Sophisticated Dance for 10th graders in their school, I said yes since this would be totally out of the norm for me, haha! Unlike this year at prom, most of my friends pretty much got ready alone and were date-less so it was really chill.

I met up with Nikkie, Pat and Stanley at Happy Lemon when they we’re just finishing up. We then split teams as we slowly made our way down to Shu Uemura and Beauty Power. I came along with Nikkie at Shu Uemura and Stanley accompanied Pat over at Beauty Power.

I then ditched Nikkie and slowly made my way over to Pat and Stanley. I really didn’t know that Pat was at Beauty Power,  because I thought she was at the Basement Salon which was on the second floor, because Nikkie and Stanley said she would be at the “basement”. I didn’t know that she was literally getting fixed up at the salon in the basement, and not the Basement Salon. HAHA, so I trolled around Rockwell for a really long while, and picked up some Gong Cha while in the search for Pat and Stanley.

Failing to epic proportions, I went back to Nikkie to clarify things. From there, I head to Beauty Power which was in the basement.

There I spotted Stanley sitting quietly on a little stool, listening to dubstep while Pat got her hair curled. So I chilled there for a little while and made chika with Pat about some people in the Philippine Tatler and how they became so successful. At least in the Tatler, “second generation money” isn’t such a fad for the clever, business minded fellows.

Once Pat was done with her hair; Stanley, Pat and I head up three floors to see Nikkie at Shu Uemura. She was prolly halfway through getting her make-up done when we got there.

A few minutes later, and Nikkie was transformed into a goddess!

It was then Pat’s turn to have her make-up done and transform into an equally gorgeous goddess!

It was really nice seeing Pat and Nikkie get all dolled up because it isn’t every day you get to see them both this fabulous, haha! jk. Plus, I felt like a mom or something that was documenting the whole shindig, I could’ve teared up! HAHA, jk this isn’t a wedding.

While Pat got ready, Nikkie and I head to the salon to have her hair straightened. By the time we got back to Pat and Stanley, Pat was already fully glammed up and pretty much ready to go! Except for the fact that she hasn’t changed yet haha.

Is it just me, or do they really look alike? Chos, they’re twins okay!! If you haven’t noticed yet, you weirdo.

I then accompanied Nikkie to change. And yes, a mirror shot was necessary. I also accompanied Pat to go change, but I mostly just raped her phone with unflattering pictures of myself. Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful. Lol what?

Nikkie and Pat we’re both so gorgeous when they came out!! My babies are all grown up and are off to the dance! Jk, but seriously they we’re so pretty! Their dates got to Shu Uemura just in time for a few more photos to be taken. So here it goes:

Hottie Nikkie obviously ready to paint the town red

Pat, shining bright like a diamond

Pat and Nikkie with John, the ultra-mega-fab make-up artist from Shu Uemura! I might go ask John to do my make-up for events too sometime, haha!

Last minute touch-ups!!

Nikkie with her date, Michael

Stanley (who had to bare with all the girly madness from the very beginning), Nikkie, and Michael

Pat, with her date, Aaron

Pat and I!!!!

It was such a pleasure to document the preparation of Pat and Nikkie (and Stanley) for the dance! Plus hang out with them as well. Haven’t seen these two in so long, it was so much fun catching up with them. These two are probably some of the most mature friends I’ve got as well as the friends who will most probably end up in Harvard in a couple years, haha! Can’t wait to see these two at the top! And maybe on the cover of Philippine Tatler? HAHA! Love you guys, and let’s wechat soon!

Thank you for reading, everybody! And thanks to these fellas for a fun Fridate!

Love lots, Cushla

051613// Hipsta, Please.

I spent 051613 with @leanzaherrero  at Rockwell, Makati. Instead of the usual hangout we do, we decided to turn tables and see what it’s like in each other’s shoes. Literally, haha! She dressed up as the the typical hipster that I am, and I dressed up as.. her, obviously. I’m sorry but I can’t find the words to describe @leanzaherrero’s style other than the fact that it is so not me! Mine, I could say is probably hipster meets nerd, and her’s is like skater meets mofo, or whatever, haha.

Its pretty much a routine now, that we eat at McDonald’s whenever we go out. But hey, we don’t always go out okay?? HAHA, so don’t judge, jk. I just rarely have McDee’s because its really unhealthy and full of things that you never thought could have even been edible. The stuff they put into McDee’s is equally gross as it is to tasteful. *pukes*

I told @leanzaherrero to decide on a movie to watch after we trolled around Rockwell. She said “Bromance” but then again, how was I supposed to know it was a Tagalog film? HAHA. I only found out it was a Tagalog film when we were paying for the tickets! Haha, its not that I really mind it’s just that I’ve never really watched a Tagalog film in the theaters so this would be a first for me!! Huzzah! It was a really funny film, and I have no regrets in watching it! I was laughing my ass off the whole time! Won’t tell you what it’s about anymore because it’s for you to find out!

Being the busy busy bee that I always am, I had to jet right after the movie so we just took a few OOTN shots outside Rockwell, then took a few more outside @leanzaherrero’s house before I officially dropped her off.

It was nice chilling with this mofo for a while haha because she always makes me remember that I’m only 14. Usually, the workload I have gets to me and I get so stressed out because of the pressure, too. Then I end up forgetting I’m only fourteen and immediately think I’m fourty with three kids I’ve got to feed or something as crazy as that (because I don’t want to have kids) so I work even harder. That’s why I love days like this because I’m able to just relax, take a break from life and all its madness, and just – breathe.

ON LEANZA – Vest: Forever 21/Muscle Tee: Forever 21/Skater Skirt: Cotton On/Shoes: Vans//

ON MYSELF – Shirt: S&R/Pants: Forever 21/Watch: Casio/Shoes: Vans/Bracelets: The Bead Shop

Thanks for reading, and thanks to @leanzaherrero for chilling with me that day, as well as my driver for taking our pictures, HAHA. More posts coming up real soon!! Watch out

TADHANA//

Tadhana (verb) Filipino word for “fate”. Meaning to be destined to happen, turn out, or act in a particular way.

One of the many things I’ve done this summer is join a video production short course in the UP Film Institute. I took it in the afternoons right after my classes in Ateneo, so it was quite a hassle going to class. By the time I’d get to class, I’d be tired, sleepy – better yet, sabaw. However, even if I was at the peak of my sabaw-ness, it was such an enriching course that I was able to learn a lot from. It was quite stressful nearing the end of it, but it was all the more fun. We were a total of 13 students, and were divided into two groups to produce our respective short films. I was lucky to be grouped with videographers and cinematographers that were already professionals and very skilled at this craft because I think if I were to do it alone, my short film would be crap! Haha! It was great to submerge myself in such smart and talented company such as their’s. I hope some of that rubbed off on me, haha!

The pre-production was such a challenge with the story line as the major issue. We had a hard time getting it clear and sorted out enough for everybody to understand. I guess that’s the challenge to writing a short film. More often than not, you’re supposed to have minimal dialogue and clear visuals in short films. And we really tried to achieve that goal even if it was far from our expectations at the rate we were going at, haha. The story was based on my friend Marge Ng’s idea of fate and how two people can have a million could’ve, should’ve’s, and would’ve’s, if only for the right timing. Thus, we came up with “Tadhana” which shows that soul mates may have crossed paths before, but because it wasn’t the right time, all those ‘would’ve’s’ didn’t happen. But because fate is fate, it will always find a way. Maybe not now, or tomorrow, but someday. I hope you guys got that in the short film prior to me explaining it, haha.

Another hurdle in the production of this was the actual shooting. We had enough locations, suitable actors and high tech equipment, but the problem was the time frame allotted to shoot. We had only 6 hours to shoot all of this inclusive of outfit changes, travelling time, etcetera. We also struggled with editing the video in a manner that our message was clearly relayed. The final issue was waiting for the file to render! It took forever!! But when it was finally rendering, it felt like everything was slowly falling into place.

My team and I put our blood, sweat and tears into “Tadhana” that was shot in a quarter of a day. I hope you guys like it, and clearly understood it. If not, at least got the jist of it! Thank you to all who watched it, and to each member of our production team! Love y’all!! ‘Til the next taping! (Coming Soon: June 2013!!)