Timmy Llana and Maxine Medina: Choosing Their Wedding Rings

It's surreal to see how LOVE happens at the most opportune time. Some may call it serendipity, some may call it fate, but in the case of Dive Master Timmy Llana and Miss Universe Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina, it would have been a case of marrying "The One That Got Away".

They went to the same school and had the same circle of friends. He was smitten the first time he laid her eyes on her, but she was young, boyish, had that athletic mindset to think about relationships. Volleyball was the only thing she wanted to do that time. He drove her home a couple of times, and felt taken cared of. 

Nothing romantic came of it, but they remained friends, communicated and then didn't get to talk for a couple of years after that. Maxine then went to win the Miss Universe Philippines title to represent the country for Miss Universe pageant in 2016, right after Pia's reign and eventually, got to the Top 6. After that, she went on to became a celebrity, appearing different successful TV shows, movies, and hosting stints which she remains to do today.    

Got to talk to Timmy and Maxine at J's Diamond in Trinoma during the time they were choosing the designs for their wedding ring.

Timmy prefers the classic design (left), one that could be worn for years and doesn't go out of style. Maxine on the other hand plans to have her rings layered (right) when she wears it. She chose simple but elegant design which is currently is in yellow gold. All would be custom made by J's Diamond in white gold. The one on the far right is a diamond crusted band, she loves it and plans to pass it on for generations to come. These two rings will be paired with the existing marquise shaped diamond ring (her engagement ring), an heirloom piece she got from Timmy's family.

Here's how our conversation over lunch went:

 

Here's a short tour inside the store, and some moments with Timmy and Maxine that afternoon:

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A post shared by John Bueno (@kumagcow)

 

Maxine's love for the sun, sand and the sea got her reconnected with Timmy. They felt it wasn't much of formalities and courtship that happened, the friendship just blossomed into this. She attributes it to her ability to go with the flow, they just kinda knew it was LOVE and embraced it. Timmy saw how they grew closer while doing the things they love (with so much passion), particularly diving. It just so happened that he was a Dive Master, and says they were just at the right place and the right time. 

From a friendship that spanned almost 20 years, and being in a relationship for 5 years, Timmy and Maxine plan to start a family after their wedding in October. They hope to have twins as he's had family who are too . Maxine wants to pursue A LOT of things still, and continue her showbiz career plus other businesses she plans to do in the future (quips she can multitask). She's currently doing "Magandang Dilag" with Herlene Budol and other GMA stars. She says it'll be shown next month, make sure you watch out for that!

Their story could have ended a long time ago, but you see, LOVE has its ways. This too proves how friends, old flames, the things you are passionate about can spark affection and relationships. Hope their story inspires you. I mean who knows?! That person who genuinely care for you might just be THE ONE.

 

Congratulations Timmy and Maxine! Again, thank you for the opportunity to interview and get to know you on a more personal level. I'll be cheering from the bleachers like I did during your Miss U stint!

P.S. If you want to know more about J's Diamond, just search the same on Facebook. You may also visit their official site jsdiamond.com.ph and book appointments there.

Take a Second Look at Racks

Racks Timog Avenue Branch (photo from Racks literature taken by my phone)

It's been a while since I visited Racks. The last time was with an event we had with a convenience store, and even then the food was awesome. A few days ago, we got word that they opened one of their newest branches over at Timog Avenue in Quezon City. I was thinking of the "all white" interior they had the last time... but it looks Racks has got a new look. Too bad I didn't get the chance to shoot the facade because I was rushing to another event, but I'm so glad we stayed for what seems to be the star of their new restaurant. Oh yes, they've got some of the best American country dishes. After all, RACKS stand for Real American Country Kitchen Style. I bet a lot of you didn't know that... but here's the thing, you'll have to agree with me if I say RACKS has got the Best Ribs in Town!

Onion Brick

This is their Onion Brick. I've seen these in US food shows, but I've never seen one in the Philippines, so for me this is a first. The verdict? Very good. The thing still tastes like onion, and the batter isn't that overwhelming. It's not like you're eating breading on each bite since the batter is nice and thin. They put just enough to keep it crispy. The brick is more like a basket because they probably had it on a fryer just like in the US. Would I order this if I go back there? Definitely.

Salad with Blackened Chicken Strips

The second one's pretty good too. This is Racks Salad with Blackened Chicken Strips. The fresh Caesar Salad is done quite remarkably although I have reservations with the chicken strips. The one that was served to us was coated with cajun spice (a thing that I use in the kitchen quite often because my family has a ton sent from Canada) but I felt that time it was slightly, no overly burnt. I suggested to have it lightly fried until brown because honestly, the burnt taste was overwhelming. Searing is okay but burning is another thing. It was kinda off, still, the salad was good. 

US Ribeye Steak

The presence of a US Ribeye Steak in Racks just made me wonder. How can a piece of meat this good be in Racks? Well my questions got answered. It's fate. However, the meat that was served to us that afternoon was already a bit cold which was probably because they prepared it ahead of time. I must say, you should only have this steak as soon as they take it out of the grill... and into your plate. Having it cold made me realize the necessity of prime meat to be eaten at the right time. It was still tender though, and the seasoned butter on top was delicious. I would order this on a date, or a regular manly meal because for the price, it's still worth it. If you see the price of this grade of steak in other establishments, you'll compare their rates quite fair. I would order this on a good day.

Racks Signature Baby Back Ribs

Piece de resistance? Of course it's the Baby Back Ribs! Racks has truly perfected the art of making this since they opened. They've impressed me of course and I think they're going to be the bar to measure the authenticity or goodness of ribs. It's really that good. They make it the ol American Country way so if you've dreamed of having the best ribs, sweet and savory, plus the thing just falls off the bones.. tender... mouthwatering meat when you see it on your plate. Just hold that thought, and take a good look at these bottles that will take you to heaven!

Racks Original Barbecue Sauce Regular and Extra Hot!

They make a mean barbecue sauce (available in Regular and Extra Hot!) to go with those ribs. I even thought they were holding back with the spicy version, but I'm glad I ate a ton of ribs with that smothered over it... it literally made me cry.. I was so glad, it was like the perfect way to have my taste of Baby Back Ribs. You should never let this experience pass and take your family, your friends and everybody else to a Racks branch near you. The Timog Avenue branch between Scout Tuazon and Scout Tobias was quite lovely though, I suggest you go there to experience the best ribs in town bar none! 

For more information about their restaurant:

Racks

Like them on Facebook


Visit their official website

http://www.racks.ph/

No Valentine's Gift Yet?: The 2013 Forever My Love Collection by Karat World!

It's already February and you're totally clueless what to give that special girl this Valentines day, oh boy you're going to be in trouble when you find out you haven't got her anything! Well here's a good one for you, remember the bracelet I mentioned here? Yes, the one that you also have seen in A Beautiful Affair called the "La Promesse" or the Lockheart Bracelet is back now in a better price! 

If you get the La Promesse Bracelet from Karat World, you can also get 50% off on selected Diamond and Gold Jewelry (except Forever My Love Collection and X items). Now that's worth all the love! Take her on a date, have a fancy dinner and get her this gorgeous bracelet and make this a promise of love for the years to come. Things don't have to be that expensive, just you, the ambiance, the perfect date and something to remember you by!

Plus there's also the Forever My Love Collection...

A Beautiful Affair's "La Promesse" (The Locket Bracelet) Available at Karat World!

For those who haven't been hooked up yet on this phenomenal hit TV series on ABS CBN, you are missing a lot! A Beautiful Affair stars John Lloyd Cruz, Bea Alonzo and John Estrada who can't even manage to save themselves from all the hurt and suffering; because John Lloyd wants Bea, Bea wants John Lloyd but decides to marry John Estrada who gets mad at John Lloyd because he's the one Bea wants in the heart gripping series shown on the primetime slot of ABSCBN. Did I confuse you? Well for starters, their lives are really that complicated. 

Actually, it's still getting more crazy by the day because as of the last episode, John Estrada's character Edward Pierro had to work with John Lloyd's character Napoleon Riego and meet in Japan with Bea Alonzo's character Genevieve Saavedra to get one of their projects done and approved.

Well they are still pretty hopeful that they'll end up with each other (Bea and John Lloyd) and one of the items seen in the series is this...

The Perfect Fit

I am so happy I have friends getting engaged. Of course I am one of the few persons they ask about engagement and wedding rings. I guess I have established good taste in this field and I wouldn't want to brag about it but I did a pretty good job in the past. I have quite some knowledge about diamond cuts and how it looks like set on rings. I had some information through wedding sites and magazines how to choose one based on a person's personality. I have been witness to good choices in engagement rings but some of them end up with unattractive ones because they fail to ask people who know how it is. It is something personal but taste is a whole other universe to explain. Asking me would have saved them small ridicules from friends and family. The Internet too has a lot to offer. If they took a peek at RITANI for example, they would have never gotten mistakes about any of their choices. All that is offered there is fashionable and up to date. This in my case is a good place showcasing great taste in engagement/wedding bands/rings... when you need it most.

I would not want to see any of my friends suffering that same fate so I make it a point that I meddle in some way or another in their choices. Other than that, I would take time in pointing them to the right direction so that they know where to look for these things in the first place. I am so happy with our choices for them though because we got this new couple a princess cut for her engagement ring and a marquise cut for the wedding ring. It's the perfect fit!

AlmostDiamonds.com Review

When the world was created and God made the land, mineral deposits scattered to different parts of the world. As intelligent beings, we enjoy their beauty; and they may or may not be expensive. I was looking for a diamond ring I could give my loved one for her birthday but I did not know there were other things that I could choose from. In this time and age I guess it was not practical to splurge thousands of dollars for a single event. I tried Almost Diamonds and saw what I was looking for.

There were Fake Diamond Engagement Rings available in the site. I want to give her something to remember me by and this was definitely one of the things I was looking at. If you think about the diamond rings I saw in jewelry stores around the metro, the Cubic Zirconia Engagement Rings were not that far off. Even with the designs they have available you can definitely tell that the rings and the site are world class. They are definitely at par with the best ones inside expensive stores but with a big difference, some of them are almost 20 dollars!

I never thought Cubic Zirconia Jewelry would actually look this good. I could not even tell the difference between that and real diamonds. I wonder if I buy one for my loved one I could also buy one for myself. I saw some of them are also possible to be worn by men. It is also extremely fashionable so I would probably get Cubic Zirconia Stud Earrings for myself soon.

Maybe after a few years, I will give her that special ring she deserves. As of now, I think we will be keeping Sterling Silver Promise Rings to show our unending love for each other. Thank the heavens for this awesome web site! Thank you Almost Diamonds!