Filipino Thunderstorms

Rally, the driver, picked me up this morning to take me to the studio in Alabang. Approx 20mins away. He's the homie, but no english. Just "Hi Ma'am" and "Traffic". It's cool, I was mesmerized by looking out the window like a tourist anyways. 2 minutes outside the Fort I see REAL Manila. Poor, dirty and fascinating. Crowded and all smashed up next to each other. Countless Jeepneys and junk shops, laundry frying and flying in the wind. I all of a sudden realized I live in the Pearl District of Manila. The drive made me want to get out of my comfort zone so quickly and explore THAT kind of neighborhood but I kept plotting ways I could do it safely (slash w/someone who speaks Tagolog)

The studio in Alabang is different. Cute, small and fucking hot. The front desk girl Lyan (Leon) who is 21 and adorable was running late. She gave me the 30second tour which whizzed by the A/C but she failed to mention it takes 30 minutes to start working. Say what? That's half-way through my class! Needless to say I was dripping in sweat (along with the 4 clients) through the class. I've just gotten used to it. Class went well. Numbers are smaller there, but is a nice change in pace from the Fort. When I was checking out Runner's Magazine in the lobby I started giggling when I saw the guy on the cover; he reminded me of the Filipino version of Jake. Dark, beautiful eyes and huge hair. When I told Lyan that I thought he was foxy she laughed at me and said "He the bomb!" I'm obsessed w/this girl already. (Oh the runner is apparently muy famous in Manila as being this hot/badass professional runner. Break me off a piece!)

Tonight it is thunderstorming in Manila. I love warm rain, and lightening. I brought the umbrella that the apartment provided. It's orange, of course. Jesus, as if I need to stick out anymore. The blonde American girl in her romper walking around Manila w/her ORANGE umbrella? Bring more attention to yourself (esp when it flips inside out halfway thru your walk, so cute)

I explored the 3 story bookstore in search of cookbooks/yoga books and it felt nice to get lost in a bookstore again. Post, bookstore I dropped into this New Orleans restaurant CRAVING red beans and rice which they didn't have or understand :( I compromised for some fish and basketball to go and hit up 711 on the way home for some cold beers; Red Horse. Have you tried this stuff? Not bad if you're staying in w/Robert Downy Jr....

Shout out to Emily Kropp, my #1 blog fan, you make me smile erryday. And yes, you best believe I'll be working you our b3 style when we reunite in July! Xoxo

Hella stir fry and pineapple juice

Phew am I beat. 5 mile run +3 classes=face plant. Since I landed in Manila I've taught 10 classes in 5 days, tomorrow is day 6; one last class at the other studio in Alabang and then it's tha freakin weekend. Laps, Ironman2, Gold watch hunt; the list is long.

Since my netflix account won't let me instant watch internationally (boo) I'm forced to watch episodes of True Life, which I (not so) secretly love especially when the episode is called "I'm hustling in the Hamptons"

Tomorrow morning marks my first day w/personal driver Rally. Hope he's the homie.

OHHHH, I need recipe recommendations! Seriously! I finally have time to cook, and want to explore. Send away! Think rice, vegetables, tofu, ummmm things using coconuts maybe?

Been reppin the M's hat at the pool most days;

(Above: barre3 Fort, this is the studio I teach at primarily here in Manila)

It's noonish just finished watching the blazers lose a poorly reffed game to the Suns; that's ok the Rose Garden will bring it for game 6.

So have I told ya'll about BTV yet? Filipinos loving their basketball here have this channel called Basketball TV, ughhhhhhhhhh! So tight. Watching "NBA superstars".... here's the Clyde Drexler segment that's playing now;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M98ymPExWq4 )old school R&B/Basketball) Straight jams.

Done teaching for the day so it's just about pool o'clock. I finally sat poolside yesterday for the first time and am pret-tay pret-tay sunburned. When I taught this morning my clients made fun of me. I do kind of look like a walking American tomato. I only stayed out for 1 hour so the sun IS as powerful as they say. I guess I'll wear sunscreen this time. The pool was strangely surrounded by hot Russian women in bikinis they were forcing into thongs. Hot or awkward?

I successfully worked the washing machine yesterday, it looks and works like a wind-up toy. Seriously. It does like 25% of the work and you do the rest (rinsing/drying/spinning) the whole thing shakes as if it's going to explode. It's equally adorable and annoying. No dryer, but the Italian inside of me still thinks drying your clothes on a clothesline is romantic.

Bootleg is the only way to go

Kumusta!

It is Sunday here, I taught the 9am this morning at the Fort where clients are beginning to get used to my "fast" American class. Maybe it's just all the Kid Cudi and Crystal Waters that is throwing them for a loop. They should thank their lucky stars I'm not playing Girl Talk, god they would freak.

After classes I hit up MM in search of an alarm clock (found one for 100pesos that seriously looks like a children's toy...I asked her for one with a radio and she laughed at me....damn...toy alarm clock it is then) I have found the outdoor organic fruit and vegetable stands which I cannot wait to explore tomorrow for some real produce and maybe I'll get another coconut cracked open for some electrolytes tomorrow.

(Side note: BLAZER NATION! When I woke up this morning I was mopey that I had missed the whole game since it started at 4:30am here until I go onto ESPN.com and realized that we were WINNING with 1 second left in the 4th quarter. Tripped over to the TV sans glasses to see that B-Roy had made a sneaky cameo in the game? Ugh, best way to start my day. The replay comes on in an hour. Holler)

The other thing I managed to snag today were some BOOTLEG dvds. The stand outside MM was "But 1, Take 1" which I'll assume means "Buy 1, Get 1 free" but way more bootleg. Ok, so I copped Sin City (never seen whole thing, love Benicio) and coughstepup2thestreetscough.

Ain't no shame in this game.

Post afternoon jet-lag nap (which was loudly interrupted via doorbell by two sketch Filipino guys asking for my cable payment-felt very much like they were casing the joint) I taught another class at the Fort and got yet another iced latte. This place is boiling.

OH, I almost forgot Tanya and her family (aka the homies) took me to the movies last night! I was pretty excited. Her mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, boyfriend and I all hit up Makati for a Saturday night movie. There was something strangely comforting about a huge air conditioned movie theater and popcorn (until Tanya's bf told me it was BBQ flavored, say what?) We saw The Losers (better than expected but still predictable. Violently comedic) Did you know they have assigned seats in movie theaters here? Just so on top of things.

Here's Makati, 15 minutes max from where I live. Business district basically; crackin

I drank the water and am still alive. Also, got my butt massaged.

Yesterday was a full day!

I woke up at 5am on accident and caught my first infamous Manila sunrise. Tried to convince my body to keep sleeping but didn't work once I found more playoffs on TV. I was up. Since there were 5 hours to kill until my plans I went for a run in the "fitness room" downstairs (1 tred, 1 machine, some hand weights) I made it 4 miles w/no air conditioning (at 8am here it is 85 degrees) before feeling like Rocky by the amount of sweat that was pouring off my body so gave up for a cold shower.

(I'm not commenting on Blazer loss, intentionally)

Joie (the master barre3 trainer here) took me out to lunch for a real Filipino meal. Crab legs, garlic rice, chicken w/lots of bones still in it and chop suey. She ordered and I didn't say no to anything (personal rule here). As a drink she had me try; think water with pieces of jello in it. Hella sweet. After I was halfway through it which felt like a marathon I asked Joie if this was made w/bottled water. The look on her face was priceless. "Don't finish it" she said. Oops. I had also downed a couple glasses of water during our meal but I had assumed were bottled. WRONG. So far, I have survived.

This is the inside of Market Market!


After grocery shopping (which was fairly standard other than every employee muttering "Hi Ma'am" as you walk by) Joie showed me the studio in the Fort and took class from a pregnant hilarious instructor named Bam.

After class I went upstairs to The Spa which is connected to barre3 for my 7 o clock Swedish massage. The massage, dear god, the massage. To be honest, there were moments that made me nervous where it was headed. Next time I have to remember to wear underwear. But apparently butts are not off limits here. Why didn't anyone tell me these things?

By the time I got home at 9 I only had energy to cook myself tofu and faceplant into my bed.

TODAY:
I taught my first classes today at the Fort. They went well but it's very obvious that my class is much faster and faster-paced than they are used to. I think I may have to ease them into this.

After classes Tanya and her family took me out a really nice Filipino lunch at Abe where her aunt ordered for us (I was unable to translate menu so they just asked me if there's anything I don't eat and I lied and said, No!) I told them I liked chicken but after seeing how it's served I think I should keep that to myself. After we got the chicken pieces (unrecognizable) we were served the best shrimp of my life coated in buttered garlic. Next came the fish. Skin, still present, scales, still present. Eyes, still present. This fool was super crispy and was staring at me in the face. Of course his seat was right next to me, where Tanya proceeded to cut his head open and serve me first. Thanks :) It was all really really good food in the end, but always an experience.

Post crispy fish we got frozen yogurt at the Stock Market where I will become their best customer. Once again, I am feeling the jet lag for sure. Hard to get used to it being yesterday in Portland. My body isn't all the way convinced yet.

Tonight maybe some basketball, stir fry and Chelsea Handler. It's 95 degrees fyi. XOXO

Chicken or Pork?

I made it! Yowza. 11 hour flight from HNL to MNL was surprisingly not as bad as it sounds. I was fairly entertained the entire flight until "Did you hear about the Morgans?" came on. Woof.

There were no more than 5 Americans on the plane spread about amongst Filipino families who seemed way too used to flying this long. Of course I was stationed next to the 2 most idiotic, embarrassing middle-aged American men on the whole plane who got drunk enough off of bud light to buy one of those portable TVs from the stewardess (they shared headphones); they loved Bad Lieutenant but didn't care for Couples Retreat. After my ears hurt from listening to too much Phonte, I tried to sleep but we only had 2 hours to go and it was meal time again. Chicken or Pork? I made the safe call. Extra soy sauce.

Waiting for baggage at MNL in 90 degree weather really makes you question where you are and what you're doing there. After not declaring the Band of Brothers DVDs I smuggled into their country I found my employer Tanya (25yr old adorable Filipino woman) waving furiously with her 17-yr old sister. Cute. I made it.

The driver takes us to my apartment; baller status. Tower 5, 10th floor, Pool, Tennis courts. After we had Kebabs down the street Tanya took me to her prized barre3 studio down the street. Gorgeous and inspiring. I start teaching tomorrow.

She asked, so what else do you want to do while you're here? (I already had my answers to this)
1. Dance lessons (She didn't ask what kind, and I didn't tell her 'Step up 2 the Streets'-kind)
2. Yoga (easy)
3. Volunteer w/kids (this seemed like a weird concept but she said we probably have that here)

Woke up at 5am here, accident, frantically turned on my tv searching for some b-ball. Currently watching Chicago beat Lebron in the 2nd. Grocery shopping next then studio and a massage to follow. Who's life is this again?

Here's my apartment;

Pie-lah-tays

Arrived at the Honolulu airport in the standard black northface/spandex; MISTAKE. The surprisingly muggy climate was welcoming.

Weighed the options of cab vs. shuttle and chose shuttle. Best moment of that 30-minute ride; the driver was bumping Boyz II Men ("Down on Bended Knee". Believe it)

Dropped off at my hotel "Aqua Palms and Spa" the name along with the website had been promising BIG things. I show up and get my "ocean room" room on the ....3rd floor? Wait, no, this can't be right. I walk in (to a door) find a bed and my balcony which looks over the "rooftop" pool on the 2nd floor. SLAP CUT BANG. Back to lobby. Got new room on 8th floor. Holla. I can (kind of barely) see the gorgeous ocean but that's all that matters, seriously.

Found the beach, got a few rays before it was game time; Blazers vs. Suns Game 2 (if you saw this game just close your eyes for this part). I found a spot showing multiple play-off games. 17/20 screens were obvs showing OKC/LAL but I managed to snag myself a 4-person table RIGHT in front of rip city being down 10 in the 2nd. As they continued to lose my waiter continued to check in with me and make comments like, "Man, ouch, wow, yikes!" After finishing the Blue Moon he served me which was way larger than my head to a soundtrack of the god awful Ke$ha track blasted on repeat, he brought me my next beer on him, "it's the least I could do" That's how bad the blazers lost I guess; waiters in Hawaii bringing me beers to drown my sorrows.

5 minutes left in the game, Blazers down....26? I lost count. Waiter comes over again; "Soooo, you're gonna need a shot soon?!?" I laughed uncomfortably (again) and said nah brah just the check. He was way too anxious to be BFF's.

Post loss, I shook off my blazer worries w/ a Hawaiian sunset. You know, the whole sha-bang; barefoot walk in the tide. Took a picture for another adorable Japanese couple and headed back the luxurious "Palms"

Tomorrow? Manila! 9hours to read more Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang, yessssssssss