As I sit here trying to come up with content that will, at the very least, entertain you lovely readers, all I can think about is my bloody hair. The stuff on my head, not down below. I’ll deal with that another day.

Why am I fixated on my tresses?

Because I’m bored out of my friggin’ brain and I need something to fixate on. I was bored yesterday. I’m bored today, and if experience holds true, I’ll be bored again tomorrow. Groundhog Day continues.

My hair is blonde. Not natural since my early teens. I vary between caramel & platinum, depending on what salon I’ve frequented, and I’m even lucky enough to sometimes sport a lovely shade of green (I know you’re jealous). I’m sporting some pretty interesting roots & greys at the moment. Being a blonde living in Asia can be an interesting (read: frustrating) experience. I know there are a lot of us here in Manila in the same (sinking?) boat.

I long for shimmering, surfer-girl highlights (I also long for my Sydney colourist). The fantasy of having sun-kissed locks and tanned skin, “seasoned” by the tang of saltwater. A gin and tonic followed by a sweaty tumble on a deserted beach with a not-so-bright cabana boy. We are in a pandemic: I’m allowed to fantasise (sorry hubs).

A couple of problems: I’m nowhere near an ocean and I don’t tan. Melanomas: Not good. And as for the rest of it… well I’ve been married for 20 years.

Back to my hair. I’m regressing where my locks are concerned. I really want those sexy highlights. And why not? That particular fantasy is at least slightly (possibly) attainable?

You remember Sun-In, don’t you? (Flashback to the 80s when my hair was orange & snapping off) Guess what: it still exists! And thankfully there are some new products & potions that are similar in that they contain a smidgen of peroxide, along with chamomile and other “natural lightening” ingredients.

I must sound terribly bored to be going on about my hair like this. And (shocker), I am! I just want to do some stupid stuff… Maybe take an online course in taxidermy, or sew little outfits for my 5 years old's stuffed toys or watch YouTube videos of people speaking in tongues. Or use Sun-In.

So if you see me walking though BGC wearing a hat, you know what happened. Wish me luck!

Your Author 

Kimberly Fisher Horan is an Australian Fashion Editor, Stylist & Writer based in Manila Philippines. Co-Founder of Sitara Vintage & founder of TPNW shoes

Check out The Perfect Nude Wedge and Sitara Vintage to see Kimbo’s designs.

What a fun night of cooking we had with a true MasterChef. Mike Tomkins, who starred in the 2021 MasterChef UK, showcased a fantastic Risotto Milanese on the show and that's exactly what he helped us cook over zoom to raise money for one of our charities. 

With the patience of a saint, Mike taught us the correct way to create this classic and hearty Italian dish that included some interesting ingredients such as bone marrow, saffron and a few dashes of elbow grease. Participants from ANZA and our friends at BWA had their exact ingredients delivered and then tuned in over the weekend for some expert instruction. It's fair to say we all managed to pull off something close to Mike's Risotto Milanese.

We can't thank Mike enough. Not only did he ensure we had something fantastic to eat on a Saturday night but he helped us raise ₱15,000 for our supported charity City Gates Academy. City Gates aims to provide high quality free education to the most disadvantaged children in Antipolo City and to enable families to contribute to their child’s education by working 12 hours per month at the Academy. 

Check out some of our dishes: 

Nobody planned to spend quite so much of the past 18 months staring at their own reflection.

With everything from work meetings to weddings forced online our bid to stay connected has meant being constantly confronted with our own #zoomfaces.

And there’s a big difference between sharing a filtered selfie on Instagram, and catching yourself slumped in front of the screen, your kids fighting in the background as you stare in horror at your dark circles. What with the unflattering lighting & unforgiving camera angles it’s no wonder we’re sick of the sight of ourselves. I never knew I had so many chins.

But what effect does it have on our self-esteem? And can we do anything to boost it?

After multiple decades working in fashion and beauty, I understand the power of putting on some mascara and lipstick. I had just chosen not to in the pandemic, and that’s ok.

For some people putting makeup on will give them a sense of control given what’s going on outside is uncontrollable. And that’s ok.

There is no right answer when it comes to how to approach beauty in these pandemic times. If it doesn’t feel right for you right now, that’s fine. But if it does? It can be a coping strategy for people to feel a sense of normalcy. And that’s ok.

A few carefully selected products can make you feel pulled together with minimal effort. I haven’t been out of a pair of track pants (see June article) for a very long time, and maybe we’re looking at our makeup in the same way we look at our clothes now: comfortable to wear and easy to take off.

So it’s about time I pull out some of my favorite lipsticks again. And rock a pair of heels. In my track pants :)

Your Author 

Kimberly Fisher Horan is an Australian Fashion Editor, Stylist & Writer based in Manila Philippines. Co-Founder of Sitara Vintage & founder of TPNW shoes

Check out The Perfect Nude Wedge and Sitara Vintage to see Kimbo’s designs.

Agony. That feeling of being strapped on one's chair, clocking in unlimited hours of working from home (WFH). The neck starts to hurt, then back starts to stiffen and to top it off, the wrists are in so much pain. The lucky bit of the workforce who managed to transition into WFH struggle with delineating work duties from household management and time for the self, sharing WiFi and space with other household members, and managing kids in online schooling for some.

The manual labourer who needs to bike around the city to deliver goods would keep pedaling until the knee aches and shoulders tighten. The business owner who keeps grinding from 4AM to past midnight just to support their staff never gets to sleep and has dropped off the fit lifestyle - there were no more marathons to work towards. Children are slouched in front of their gadgets to be educated or entertained and the elderly keep wondering when the sun can shine on them again. We are in a pandemic of agonizing pain.

Massage, chiro, acupuncture and myotherapy are the most common escape to these unfortunate sensations. We are used to "receiving" well-being through a source of relief. Should another lockdown be in place, these passive modalities will not be as accessible anymore yet again and we have to be more proactive and innovative. Introducing the least famous among the sisters, physiotherapy. It might not be the coolest thing in the world as there is not much fanfare in it, there are no cracking and needles much involved but it works wonders - if you find a good physio that is.

"Science transcends physical touch. Knowledge can be transmitted at the absence of passive modalities. Well-being can be actively achieved."

Physiotherapy, physical therapy or PT are all the same thing in different parts of the world. I took up physio thinking that I wanted to be a doctor. In traditional Asian societies, you are either a doctor, a lawyer or nothing. It took a while to be ok with being nothing lol. I fell in love with physio because it explained so much about the human body. There is always a reason for everything! My left ankle sprain when I was trying to be cool playing ball in 2014 to "undo" my flat feet could explain my right knee pain in 2019, which could relate to my left hip tightness ever since I was 8, all in all adding to my knees kissing unless I stretch out my outer hips and keep squatting. Being the most western science-based among the different kinds of therapy, I found much comfort in physio. In March 2020 when my new clinic was shut down, it was challenging to imagine how to migrate my profession online. I managed to do it though, surprisingly! Scaling up into a bigger platform, www.kakayanan.org aims to deliver physiotherapy services for all Filipinos regardless of socioeconomic status. Science transcends physical touch. Knowledge can be transmitted at the absence of passive modalities. Well-being can be actively achieved and here are some tips and tricks.

Whether our jobs keep the work from home set-up or go hybrid, sitting in an office chair will always be part of the equation. Keeping everything in a neutral position is the key. If possible, bring your screen up to eye level. If a huge monitor is not accessible, raising your laptop or device on a box or a portable stand would work wonders for you. Make sure it is at the center, not at the side so as not to overuse your neck rotators. Forearm support is much crucial and usually forgotten. When we allow our wrists to elbows to rest on the table, it saves our neck and wrists unnecessary stress. Shoulders usually roll inward into a slouch causing our head to poke forward. If we make an effort to squeeze our shoulder blades together, our head will naturally tuck in and shoulders open up. "Back straight" is more relatable than "neutral spine" - both are correct although the former is more like an idiom because our spine is not straight at all. We have natural spinal curves which we should maintain when sitting. Adjust your seat height to make sure that hips are level with the knees to minimise compression on the hip flexors and keep your feet flat as much as possible to minimise tightness on the back of the thigh or hamstrings. Lastly, if you could keep your sitting time to a maximum of 50 minutes per hour, do it. That extra 10 minutes when you can walk or stand instead of staying on your seat could save your body from so much pain.

Your Author 

Josh Manoharan is a Filipino-Sri Lankan Physiotherapist based in BGC. He holds clinic at Kerry Sports Manila at Shangri-La Fort. For about 6 years, he was appointed the head coach and studio manager of F45 Training BGC Stopover, an Australian gym that pioneered in Manila. Starting with a vision to thoroughly understand the human body, he started with basic healthcare, got sidetracked to fitness and is now merging both through a telehealth startup company called Kakayanan, Filipino for “Ability”. Using different channels, Josh aims to share science-based advice to improve the quality of life of Filipinos around the world and expats based in the Philippines.

Dear Kimbo,

I want to start this letter by saying that I enjoyed our intense bonding time during this last year. Honestly, I didn’t realise how much time we would be spending together when this all started.

Before, we only had Sundays. That gave us something to look forward to. Our special weekly date. Now every day is a never-ending black hole. I can still remember when we met at the sale rack. You took one look and exclaimed, “Wow! Ten dollars! F**k yeah!” Once you tried me on in that dressing room, that smelled like feet, we fit perfectly. Just the right amount of closeness to not feel too strained. We knew we were meant to be together.

I’ll never forget the first night we spent together, snuggling on your lounge. On that winter night in Sydney I kept you warm. I knew we’d be together for such a very long time. In every fabric fiber of my being, I knew an amazing life awaited us.

You took care of me. For so many years, you cared for me. The times in the gentle cycle, the times you actually hung me up on a hanger. On special occasions, we used an iron. That only made our love stronger. More powerful. All the effort and kindness you put into making our relationship last made me so proud to be yours.

However, during this last year, things changed. Days go by without you changing and honestly, I don’t enjoy smelling like you right now. You stopped washing me. I’ve had Cheetos stains for a week. Spilled cereal rests on my fabric like a horrid scar. It’s like you don’t even care anymore.

Zoom calls are filled with complaints about our relationship. Wearing me is depressing, you say. You’re sick of being stuck inside. That’s hurtful, because you’re stuck with me. You wish you had an excuse to leave our home. One friend even described me as “washed out.” Rude does not even begin to describe it.

You’re just lazy now. We watched the entire Harry Potter series two times this week. Two. Times. I have not seen daylight in two weeks. Light is now a foreign concept outside of your laptop and flatscreen’s dull glow.

After all the time spent together, life happened. Feelings changed. Constantly being together… it’s not healthy. Not special. I feel overused and under-loved. That’s my threaded life now. So, it’s with a heavy heart that I must do this.

It’s time that we break up.

I’ll move back into the cupboard. You should spend some time in your jeans or skirts. Do you even remember what other fabric besides cotton feels like? All your other clothes were abandoned once this epidemic started. I can’t be your everything. Time with the washer, some detergent, time by myself — this is all-important. I need a break and, honestly, you need to focus on yourself. Go for a walk. Eat a salad. Wash your hair. Now that quarantine is changing, we can spend some time apart.

Maybe we can spend a long Monday night together binging TV after this break. We’ll see where life takes us. Hopefully, we can still be friends. I wish you the best. No matter what, I’ll never forget our memories and the time we spent together.

Best,

Your Sweatpants

Your Author 

Kimberly Fisher Horan is an Australian Fashion Editor, Stylist & Writer based in Manila Philippines. Co-Founder of Sitara Vintage & founder of TPNW shoes

Check out The Perfect Nude Wedge and Sitara Vintage to see Kimbo’s designs.

Are you on your eighth Harvard course and can now speak four languages? Congratulations, my friend! You are flourishing. Many of us are not YET. This meme perfectly describes the "other" state of mind called "languishing".

This cracked me up so bad I wanted to write about this unexplained feeling of "blah" or "meh" which many of us have felt or have been feeling. There is a term for it, apparently. Languishing came about when psychologists started writing articles like this one. For a long time, I have been feeling that limbo of blah and I could not seem to understand it until this term came about.

Upon acknowledging this feeling, the first major step I took was to embark on a meditation practice that my friends have been raving about for quite some time now. I was never a "mindful" person. I like to hit life at full speed with no breaks. I just wanted to keep moving, no idle time! Breathing is for the weak. Why do we have to chew our food? That's such a waste of time! Let's hit some numbers and win in life! I was already happy with that life until I was forced to hang out with myself - all day, for months. I broke down at least eight times in 2020. I was never like that. "Why is this happening?" I asked. I have always been the life of the party. (BTW F***k Zoom parties. Who enjoys laughing on mute?) I went through a tough mental health journey and with the support of trusted friends and family, I gradually put together a physical and mental routine that pulled me out of the dark. Now, I can finally understand what "mental health" is. Luckily, none of those dark thoughts came to fruition.

Whether it is meditation or something else, the secret is learning to pop out of our thoughts.

To acknowledge that our thoughts and ourselves are not one thing, as the Calm app puts it, is sanity. To be able to jump out of our brain and zoom out as an observer instead of being immersed in the toxicity of firing neurons, that is the goal. I revisited my childhood hobbies. Growing up in rural Philippines was such an experience. Coffee beans were sun-dried on the National Roads and children are forced to go home before dark. Our neighborhood elders say that at 6PM, the half-human-half-horse "Tikbalang" will start collecting naughty kids like me. Probably, the reason I am still alive to this day is because I was already home at 6PM as a child. Lol. Those things scar you, don't they? I had to keep busy. Drawing, colouring, reading encyclopedias, dreaming about constellations and pretending that I am a spy. I had a pretty imaginative childhood! Last year, I reconnected with that child. This child was a fun one. He did not need parties, there was no social media validation at that time. I was just happy to exist. This was how I got out of my languishing state. I stopped judging myself. The kid did not care about love handles. He was happy to just be.

It is not success that brings happiness, happiness brings success. I started focusing on what makes me happy. I did those things. And slowly, my mental state has improved. I can now stand three minute Yin Yoga poses without thinking of what groceries I will have to pick up. I can now sit down doing nothing, just enjoying my coffee looking at that wonderful view. The work permit for my scheduled aircon cleaning three days from now can wait until mid-day, the condo admin are not in a rush anyway. Lol. I finally learned how to chill. I became happy again. Less dependent on any external validation now, more into myself and how great of a kid I was and still am. I started flourishing again!

I am writing this article two days after receiving a formal notice that my startup company has now been approved as a registered corporation. I cannot wait to celebrate the next chapter of my life as a flourishing adult who creeped out of the pandemic gloom! In your own unique way, you can flourish again too. I hope my story would inspire you to see the light again.

Your Author 

Josh Manoharan is a Filipino-Sri Lankan Physiotherapist based in BGC. He holds clinic at Kerry Sports Manila at Shangri-La Fort. For about 6 years, he was appointed the head coach and studio manager of F45 Training BGC Stopover, an Australian gym that pioneered in Manila. Starting with a vision to thoroughly understand the human body, he started with basic healthcare, got sidetracked to fitness and is now merging both through a telehealth startup company called Kakayanan, Filipino for “Ability”.

Using different channels, Josh aims to share science-based advice to improve the quality of life of Filipinos around the world and expats based in the Philippines.

The ANZA Manila membership fee is often a topic of discussion amongst all of our stakeholders, particularly our members and executive committee. We have come to a decision to move away from the one size fits all membership and migrate to a variety of access and benefit membership levels. You will begin to notice these effects come into place very soon. Here are the key takeaways:

Multi-Level Membership

Our member base is diverse in their own structures. Some are individuals, some our couples whereas others are companies or organizations. Individuals typically like to participate in our events and get discounts through our partners whilst the companies like to leverage our reach in the community, so it seems foolish to not create options for all.

So moving forward, we will have four membership options. Individual, Couple, Pro Business Sponsor and Elite Business Sponsor:

Individual – ₱2,000

This is almost identical to our current level of membership. You will have continued access to our partner discounts and special offers, complimentary and discounted access to events, access to our private Facebook and Whatsapp group, submission of articles to our platform and contribution to the running of ANZA and the charities we support.

Couple - ₱3,500

This level offers exactly the same as the individual membership but allows for two members at a discounted rate.

Pro Business Sponsor - ₱10,000

Aimed at small businesses, 5 members can be included with all the benefits of an individual membership plus inclusion of advertorials, brand exposure on our website, social media posts, inclusion in our monthly newsletter, corporate charity opportunities and a fancy framed certificate.

Elite Business Sponsor - ₱40,000

Aimed at larger businesses, 15 members can be included in the membership as well as all the benefits from the Pro Business Sponsor but in far increased quantity.

Full details of all the inclusions across four membership levels can be seen here:

Increased Base Fee

You will have noticed that our membership fee for an individual member has increased by 25%. Whilst 25% is a significant increase when displayed as a percentage, in real figures this works out at around 14AUD/15NZD per annum or around 4 cents per day.

There are two drivers for the price increase:

• 1.       Increased platform fees from Wild Apricot

Wild Apricot is the platform that hosts our website, members, events, blogs and financials. They focus on non-profits and have just increased their fees.

• 2.      Incorporation of a direct donation into our membership fee

We felt it was important for members to feel the contribution to one of our supported charities every time they renew their membership. That’s why there is a percentage of our member fee, across all four levels, that is a direct donation to one of our charities.

We hope you support us in the adoption of our new membership structure. If you have any questions, please reach out to us at president@anzamanila.org

My wife Daisy and I moved to Manila from Perth in January 2017. The below image was taken one Friday afternoon, within a month of our arrival, and I immediately we knew our decision was a good one.

Fast forward to May 2021 and a lot has changed, but we are still thankful to live in the Philippines and blessed to have the many opportunities of domestic travel in our adopted home.

When times were simpler, Daisy and I would plan a long weekend away from Manila once a month. My memories of this time are fondly held for many reasons, pre-pandemic, pre-children, and freedom was relatively limitless. Affordable domestic carriers with lunch time flights departing for locations like El-Nido, Siargao and Boracay gave us the possibility to pack a back pack each, an early knock off on a Thursday/Friday, and providing we made it past the uncertainty and ambiguity of Terminal 4 departure lounge, we could have our feet in the water and a beer/G&T in hand by sunset of the same day.

Depending on our location our first day away would typically involve arranging a motorbike, a trip to the beach, massage and then hydrate after a day in the sun. The freedom of riding a motorbike without any rental agreement, exchange of details or time limits was refreshing, trusting and was only matched by the freedom of wind in the face driving down Nacapan Beach to find a secluded location.

Island hopping around El Nido, Coron, Siargao, Mactan, Bohol, Dumagetee, has left us with amazing memories of swimming through caves, turtles, clean water, high visibility, fish and in some cases temporary hearing loss from poorly sound proofed bunkers engines. The friendly bunker captains have always been accommodating and have operated with a smile. On occasion in El Nido we took a private boat which can be arranged at a little extra cost and gave complete autonomy and was a nice luxury.

We found food and drinks to be hit and miss on the islands and encountered varied levels of quality which added to the excitement of the destination. We found Siargao, home of a relatively large French expat community, to have a great selection of restaurants, cafes and bars. Even when we encountered a dish or two that wasn’t the best, the view of a sunset over the water with a cold drink, only an hour or two away from Manila, was a memorable experience.

Reflecting on our 4.5 years in Manila we are so grateful to have been able to travel to and experience the beauty of the islands to our South. Whether our intent was to surf, island hop, relax, diving, food and drink we were always able to find a location which provided us lasting and enjoyable experience. While there are many expats in Manila who have greater travel experience, over a much longer term than us, I would be very happy to provide more details on our experiences to anyone interested.

Finally, Daisy and I have visited Boracay a number of times upon re-opening. In November 2020, in the first few weeks of reopening, we got to see Boracay in all its glory. After some years of closure for various reasons we experienced Boracay with no tourists, no pollution, pristine beaches and unmatched beauty.

Your Author 

Mick is a Civil Engineer and the COO of Prime BMD in The Philippines. He’s a Brisbane boy originally and has lived in the Philippines with his wife and son for over 4 years.

It feels as if perhaps the art of black comedy should make a comeback. Life seems so overwhelmingly & relentlessly serious (Groundhog Day anyone?)

And of course, it is serious: we are in the midst of a pandemic which is hopefully the major event of our lifetimes.

But it doesn’t mean that the pressure can’t be relieved with a bit of dark humour. I’ve personally been re-watching the Monty Python classics: “He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy!”

One problem is that jokes don’t really work on Zoom. They need a reaction — something that is lacking if everyone is on mute, with their cameras off and only half listening because they are juggling work with home schooling. Is anyone else drinking wine out of a tea mug too?

That’s not to say that videoconferences can’t be funny. It’s hard to forget the guy whose children so memorably gatecrashed his tv interview or the lawyer stuck behind a zoom filter who had to explain to the judge that no, he wasn’t a cat.

Something that has helped me is finding funny people online amid the doom scrolling. If you haven’t seen them, I would highly recommend, among others, the hilariously on point @hurrahforgin, @loic.suberville who never fails to crack me up and the fantastic people singing cover versions of popular songs in the new pandemic context including @officialchrismann & @randyrainbow

Humour at its best is resilience. And it connects us — even though we still aren’t able to stand around joking together at parties, we can at least laugh together online. So I’m off to do a family lockdown boogie (link: https://youtu.be/G-ugfNXYcDg) & pray for school to go back ASAP ⭐️

Your Author 

Kimberly Fisher Horan is an Australian Fashion Editor, Stylist & Writer based in Manila Philippines. Co-Founder of Sitara Vintage & founder of TPNW shoes

Check out The Perfect Nude Wedge and Sitara Vintage to see Kimbo’s designs.

Chin-ups were never an issue for me before. And now, I can barely do one. I could beat myself up all day for letting myself go but that would not help me get up - literally and figuratively.

It will only continue to discourage me.

It is fine to be tough on ourselves but with all these uncertainties around us, the lack of a solid, science-based unified approach locally, we cannot be hard on ourselves. Not at this time, at least.

I used to manage an Aussie gym called F45 Training in BGC, Taguig. I have been a part of the team since its inception in 2015 until recently when I decided to focus on my physio career. My constant exposure to the Aussie directors and the multiple trips to Australia have significantly changed my outlook in life both personally and professionally. I even connected with family in Melbs. At one point, I already felt more Aussie than Pinoy - efficient, really fit, not emotional anymore and yet one thing could never change. My labour was still cheap. Lol

Being in the fitness industry, I had to uphold a certain level of fitness to be able to command respect and inspire our members. I trained with them in class everyday, sometimes twice. I would run around BGC and somebody from the gym would always say hey. I enjoyed that!

"I have achieved the body I have always wanted. I can do any sport that I want anytime. I was not faking it. I was it! And now that is all gone. I am a completely different person."

Early on in the pandemic, I still trained hard - no questions asked. However, there was one day when I just stared at that loaded barbell for twenty minutes and called it quits. That was the last time I set foot at that gym. "What for?" I asked. I could never forget that day. I started spiraling down, managed to pick myself up a couple of times and then just let go again. It has been a constant up and down and until now, I am still not that pre-pandemic version of me. I don't think I will be for some time and that's alright.

With gyms closing down, pools shut, guards telling you off at every little thing you do or not do, every ridiculous policy that gets rolled out one day and changed the next, how could we stay motivated? It is tough! Even for me who is already internally motivated, it is tough. Yet there was only one value I have kept that let me stay afloat and that is self-compassion.

I started living one moment at a time. There is no bigger picture for now. I acknowledge that on one day, I will let things go and on another day, I will pick myself up. I accept that that this one day that I slack off is not the end of the world. Surely, one of these next days, I will manage to sneak in a 20-minute run. I might get a three-cheese ensaymada to reward myself but for now, that is fine! Nothing is permanent. Just like the guards at high street!

As cliche as it may be, we all know that this will pass. I am sure we all look at Australia, New Zealand and cannot help but be frustrated when we look at ourselves and our dysfunctional QR codes. Yes, we are the luckier bit of the spectrum in Manila, but still our problems are valid! Someone out there could barely feed his family and me whinging about my chin-ups are two different problems indeed but they are still valid. Do not invalidate yourself. What you feel is true and valid and the moment you tune in and stop talking sh*t to yourself, you will snap out of this. You will get up again, one chin-up at a time mate. Take it easy hey!

Your Author 

Josh Manoharan is a Filipino-Sri Lankan Physiotherapist based in BGC. He holds clinic at Kerry Sports Manila at Shangri-La Fort. For about 6 years, he was appointed the head coach and studio manager of F45 Training BGC Stopover, an Australian gym that pioneered in Manila. Starting with a vision to thoroughly understand the human body, he started with basic healthcare, got sidetracked to fitness and is now merging both through a telehealth startup company called Kakayanan, Filipino for “Ability”.

Using different channels, Josh aims to share science-based advice to improve the quality of life of Filipinos around the world and expats based in the Philippines.