The King and I : The Day I Shot Dolphy

Posted by Arlu on Jun 30, 2012 in Culture, Featured, Thought Bubbles | 8 comments

I went into my archive and unearthed these portraits of Dolphy, whom I had the privilege of shooting in 2008. As of last night, though he is still in the ICU at the Makati Medical Center, it is reported that his condition is slowly improving. Let this be my own little way of paying tribute, as well as sending him my very best wishes for a speedy recovery. Get well soon, Sir!

Seeing Stars at Mega Magazine’s Pinoy Pride Ball

Posted by Arlu on Jun 25, 2012 in Fashion, Featured, Thought Bubbles | 1 comment

I have written around four different introductions to this blog post and still I feel I haven’t arrived at “the one.”  Here’s my struggle — Where do I even begin writing about an evening that simply left me breathless?

Mega Magazine’s  Pinoy Pride Ball, held on the night of Philippine Independence Day at the Makati Shangri-La’s Rizal Ballroom, was a night of many spectacles. There were the guests, the fashion, and most especially the honorees and the global reach of their achievements. Truly, as we came together in celebration that evening, I can proudly say that it is certainly a wonderful time to be a Filipino.

Let’s Steak Together // A Father’s Day Special

Posted by Arlu on Jun 22, 2012 in Featured, Food, Thought Bubbles | 9 comments

How we ended up at Cru Steakhouse for Father’s Day may seem like a mystery to those who know my dad well — A steak dinner wouldn’t typically be his first choice, as he has grown to become more of a seafood person these past few years.  Compared to his lifestyle when he was in his 30′s and 40′s, he now eats a lot healthier (he’s turned into “Mr. Salmon”), continues to plays tennis everyday, and has even managed to maintain his weight to the pound for over a year-and-a-half now.  

Fantastic Flurries at Lifestyle Asia’s Black Swan Gala

Posted by Arlu on Jun 9, 2012 in Fashion, Featured, Thought Bubbles | 10 comments

I am writing this blog post still reeling with delight from last night’s Black Swan Gala, where Lifestyle Asia celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary. I have always loved the image of a black swan — elegant, graceful, mysterious. Now take that, along with my undying admiration for all things Natalie Portman, and I can tell you that my expectations for the party were “rather” high.

Behind-the-Scenes with David Archuleta // A Photographer’s Diary

Posted by Arlu on Jun 5, 2012 in Art, Culture, Featured, Music, Thought Bubbles | 37 comments

It all started last night when I saw this retweet by my friend Joanie (@suttygal) of a message by another friend, Kari Sellards (@kariontour), whom I had the pleasure of meeting during her visit to the Philippines last February.

Kari was traveling with American Idol’s David Archuleta as his manager, and I had worked with her when I shot David’s album cover for Forevermore, his collection of covers of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs. I was thrilled to stay in touch with her ever since.