june 2013

calendar of events • travel • tech • recreation • health & fitness • restaurants • culture & arts • special features • nightlife • coupons & much more

The art of teaching photography

A tropical change of

scenery

Join Ageline Sahagun on her afternoon getaway

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TRAVEL SPOTLIGHT Cairns HEALTH & FITNESSTake 2 push ups and call me in the morning

CALENdARJune events

10 THINGSFather’s day

TECH THIS OUTJune picks

SPORTSBilly Navarrete - Ninja Warrior

SPOTLIGHTA day in the life of Brandon Cruz

ON THE COVERAgeline Sahagun

RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHTPho Thanh Xuan

OUT & ABOUTReaders and events photos

ARTIST SPOTLIGHTManny Librodo

ISLANd FOCUSThe Latte Stone

RETAIL SPOTLIGHTCarQuest

Section///Spotlight

Cover photo by Lewis Santos of Frozen Moments Photography. Special thanks to SM Store, Essence Hair Artistry, Joe Cruz, Outrigger Guam Resort and the village of Tumon.

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www.facebook.com/rrpacificguam

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PUBLISHER

Maureen N. Maratita

MANAGING EDITOR

Bruce Lloyd

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Jacqueline Guzman

REPORTERS

Paul Moroni & Tom Johnson

CONTRIBUTORS

Lewis Santos

Patrick Lujan

Carmen Rojas

CREATIVE & PRODUCTION MANAGER

Taliea J. Strohmeyer

PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR

Rosanna dacanay

SENIOR DESIGNER

Vikki Fong

SALES MANAGER

Annie San Nicolas

ACCOUNT MANAGERS

Yvonne Matanane & Larry Siguenza

ADMINISTRATION

Janice Castro, Jessica Leon Guerrero

Carmelita McClellan & Bernard (Mr. B) Leonen

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Marcos Fong

R&R Pacific/June

R&R Pacific • June 2013 • Entire contents copyrighted 2013 by Glimpses of Guam, Inc. R&R Pacific is published monthly by Glimpses of Guam, Inc., 161 US Army Juan C. Fejeran St., Barrigada Heights, GU 96913.Telephone: (671) 649-0883, Fax: (671) 649-8883, Email: assist_editor@glimpsesofguam.com • All rights reserved. No material may be printed in part or in whole without written permission from the publisher.

Glimpses Publications include:Marianas Business Journal • Guam Business Magazine • R&R Pacific • Beach Road Magazine

2013

Main Feature///Travel Spotlight

Port Douglas, Australia.

Cairns — to the North of the Australian state of Queensland, is an ideal getaway for a short vacation. It offers the attractions and facilities of a city that caters to a population of about 153,000, plus some unique outdoor options.

Firmly on the itinerary for travelers who are on expanded tours of this diverse and large land mass, you can expect to cross paths with international visitors and Australians exploring their own country.

The Cairns Tourist Information Centre is a wealth of informa-tion, as are most tour agents in the visitor-friendly city. Whether you research online, or arrive wanting some on-the-spot guidance, take advantage and plan the visitor trips that meet your needs. Expect some natural curiosity at the tour center and from tour agents, and help to promote Guam, which has a high profile in Cairns due to direct flights from the island.

The Northern Australian climate is tropical, making for easy adjustment to the weather, and simple packing requirements for visi-tors from Guam and the region.

A variety of accommodations abound from luxury hotels that offer all facilities, to self catering apartments at the high and low end. Middle level chain accommodations also offer kitchenette facilities, which are highly convenient for a quick breakfast or a take-out after a long day of sightseeing on the tourist trail. Take-out can be deliv-ered, making for an even easier option for families, or others who

want to round out the day winding down on the balcony, or catching some Australian sport offerings on television.

A number of hotels line the Esplanade in Cairns, which sits on reclaimed land and is designed for casual strolls on its boardwalk and more organized attractions along its length, as well as making for picturesque views and photo opportunities.

Perhaps the most contrasting attraction for visitors from Guam is a trip to the tropical rain forests, a World Heritage site.

There are a variety of options, depending on your appetite for ad-venture, and your stamina. Investigate the scenic railway to Kuranda. This 100-year old rail line takes you on a meander alongside water-falls and a scenic gorge, with stops, allowing you to travel at your own pace. The recorded tour guide commentary also offers some history of the region and local knowledge.

Kuranda features a central square and lunch options. You can also combine the railway ride with the sky line one way, so that the experience is different on one journey to or from Kuranda.

Cable car trips are also possible through the rain forest, taking you skimming in the tree tops, as is a zip line. You can also take a horse ride through the rainforests or a walking tour.

No trip to Australia would be complete without an up-close-and-personal meeting with the country’s Wildlife Ambassadors. One of Kuranda’s newest attractions is its Koala Gardens, and Cairns also has

BY Maureen N. Maratita

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a tropical zoo if cuddling a Koala in town fits better with your plans. Rivaling the rain forests for many visitors is the Great Barrier

Reef. Tours include glass bottomed boat options, semi-submersibles, and aqua planes that will deliver you to the perfect snorkeling site. Scuba diving is also an option

If you are spending one of your days in the city, or are interested in some background and culture to Cairns, the city has museums – including the Cairns Historical Museum, a fishing museum and the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park (also featuring the Boomerang Restaurant), which allows for some understanding of Australia’s indigenous population.

A day enjoying the water offerings could take you to the Seafront Water Park or the Esplanade Lagoon, or on a harbor cruise or a visit to Michaelmas Cay.

Cairns definitely has attractions for golfers missing the courses back home. Half Moon Bay has a course, and the Cairns Golf Club is just a mere ten minute ride from the city. It has a relatively new pro shop, and golfers can expect a cooler and ice prepared for their cart. At a very reasonable $35 a round, the experience is unlikely to break the budget. Distractions on the course can include bird life and the occasional kangeroo. Cairns Golf Club has facilities for chipping and

driving, and a bar and restaurant for post-game relaxation. Other attractions include the Botanic Gardens, trail biking, and

the ocean road to Port Douglas. Port Douglas is an hour’s drive to the North of Cairns, and can be incorporated in a variety of trips if you are not game to drive on “the wrong side” of the road.

Nightlife options in Cairns feature the Reef Casino (where the dress code is casual), a variety of restaurants and pubs for dining – or lunch for that matter. Don’t forget to try the famous Australian meat pie, though a variety of Asian and other cuisines offer plenty of choice in Cairns. The Arts Centre and Civic Centre also have vari-ous events throughout the year (don’t let the names deter you from checking out the events).

The Australian dollar is strong against its American counterpart, but even for the most budget conscious traveler, interesting souve-nirs and gifts are available.

Check out miniature and surprisingly lifelike Koalas available here, there and everywhere (who can resist?), leather Aussie bush hats, Opal and Malachite jewelry, sheepskin and lambskin products from rugs to stroller liners to gifts, and boots (both hardwearing for rugged use and fashion style).

From top left (clockwise): Kuranda scenic train; an aboriginal man with digeridoo (NZGMW / Shutterstock.com); Australian koala bears; waterfront of Cairns.

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Feature///Health & Fitness

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Physical activity has been proven in numerous studies to do all the things mentioned above and more. The Amer-ican College of Sports Medicine reports that regular physical activity can:

• Reducemortalityandtheriskofrecurrentbreastcancerbyapproxi-mately50%.

• Lowertheriskofcoloncancerbyover60%.

• ReducetheriskofdevelopingofAlzheimer’sdiseasebyapproxi-mately40%.

• Reducetheincidenceofheartdiseaseandhighbloodpressurebyapproximately40%.

• Lowertheriskofstrokeby27%.• LowertheriskofdevelopingtypeIIdiabetesby58%.

• BetwiceaseffectiveintreatingtypeIIdiabetesthanthestandardinsulinprescriptionandcansave$2250perpersonperyearwhencomparedtothecostofstandarddrugtreatment.

• Candecreasedepressionaseffective-lyasProzacorbehavioraltherapy.

If that was great news, this ought to be fantastic! It does not take extreme levels of fitness to reap the benefits of physical activity. You don’t have to train for a marathon, become a body builder, or become a vegetarian. The Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Com-mittee Report from 2008 states “Most health benefits occur with at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate intensity physical ac-

tivity, such as brisk walking. Additional benefits occur with more physical ac-tivity.” That breaks down to 30 minutes a day Monday – Friday.

Try this for starters, walk 15 min-utes away from your house or office and turn around and come back. Add in a few in place squats, a few push-ups for resistance training and you have taken your fitness to the next level! Doing this kind of low intensity activity will improve your health, reduce your risk of premature death, and improve your quality of life.

If reducing your risk of disease is not enough of a reason to add physical activity into your daily routine, how about $330? A study in 2008 shows that physical inactivity costs the US Health Care System $330 per person each year, which equals more than $102 billion dollars annually. Ask any diabetic how expensive managing their disease is, and it will become clear that preventing dis-ease is far cheaper than treating disease. Healthier people miss fewer work days, and are more productive at work. If you were more productive and working more often, your annual review with your boss would be quite different.

There is a global initiative called “Exercise Is Medicine” and it can help anyone safely add physical activity to their current treatment plan and can as-sist you in talking to your doctor about what kind of exercise is safe and recom-mended for you. For more information visit www.exerciseismedicine.org.

By Carmen Rojas

What if there were a treatment plan that could effectively treat and prevent many common diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and more? If the treatment plan could reduce the symptoms of arthritis, chronic pain, depression and other debilitating conditions, would you take it? Well, your prescription is ready.

TAKE 2 PUSH-UPS AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING

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INGREDIENTS:

2 large cans spinach

2 cans coconut milk

2 tablespoons tumeric

1 onion - sliced

1 tsp lemon powder

2 tablespoons oil

salt to taste

crushed hot peppers to taste

Spinach with coconut milk

Join R&R Pacific’s recipe club! We are seeking out your best recipes for our collection.Share your most prized recipes with our readers! Email your favorite recipes and a clear, high-resolution photo along with your name and village to rrpacificguam@gmail.com for a chance to see your recipe featured in R&R Pacific Magazine. Recipes can be of any origin. We look forward to your contributions!

DIREcTIoNS:

1. Strain spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, set aside.

2. Saute onions in oil, add tumeric and coconut milk.

3. once it starts to boil, turn off heat, add spinach, salt, peppers

and lemon powder.

4. Gently stir to mix.

5. Adjust salt, lemon powder and hot pepper to your taste.

Photo by: carolyn Merfalen

Section///Spotlight

JUNEevents

June 1

2013 Futures Tennis TournamentThe event will attract touring professional tennis players from around the world. The Guam Na-tional Tennis Federation will coor-dinate an island-wide tennis clinic to be conducted by professional tennis players at the conclusion of the tournament.STarT DaTE: June 1, 2013END DaTE: June 9, 2013LocaTioN: Hilton Guam resort & Spa tennis courts

June 1

Guam Filipino artists on the Spot Painting contestTiME: 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.LocaTioN: agana Shopping Center, 1st floor, next to Gino’s

June 1

BooNiE SToMP: Fintasa and Laolao Falls

Journey to two cooling waterfalls in southeastern Guam. Bring: 2 quarts water, hiking boots, swimsuit, gloves, sun screen, sunglasses, insect repel-lent, lunch and camera.

Special conditions: Some walking in water and climbing with a rope.LEVEL: Difficult DUraTioN: 3 hours for 1.6 miles

June 8

28th Most Beautiful run 5MShow time: 5:15 a.m. Go time: 6 a.m.Location: Fort Soledad, UmatacrEGiSTraTioN: Hornet Sporting Goods

June 8

BooNiE SToMP: ipan Beach

Enjoy the beautiful scenery along the southeast coast north of Jeff’s Pirates cove. Bring: 2 quarts water, hiking boots, gloves, sun screen, sun-glasses, insect repellent, lunch and camera. LEVEL: EasyDUraTioN: 2 miles for 2 hours

June 15

Guam Dad of the Year Short Essay contestTiME: 1p.m. awarding at 2 p.m.LocaTioN: agana Shopping Center, 1st floor, next to Gino’s

June 15

BooNiE SToMP: Tumon Bay

Hike from one end to the other pointing out the unique features of the bay including Japanese fortifications and the Devil’s Punchbowl. Bring: 2 quarts water, hiking boots, swimsuit, water shoes, sunglass-es, sun screen, lunch and camera.

LEVEL: EasyDUraTioN: 3 hours for 2 miles

June 16

Tamuning FiestaLocaTioN: Tamuning, Guam

June 22

BooNiE SToMP: Southeast coast (Talofofo to inarajan)

Hike along this remote asiga coastline with a few stops to cool off in the water. Bring: 4 quarts water, hiking boots, water shoes, swim suit, gloves, insect repellent, sun screen, sun-

glasses, lunch and camera. Special conditions: Long stretches of walking in water, over rough rocks, no shade and possible hazardous surf.LEVEL: Difficult DUraTioN: 5 miles for 6 hours

featured event

JUNE 29 - BooNiE SToMP

LiBUGoN raDio STaTioN To FoNTE SWiM HoLEVisit the ruins of the historic site U.S. Navy radio station. Then hike to the 1910 dam and explore the valley downstream and cool off in the pools. Bring: 2 quarts water, hiking boots, water shoes, gloves, swim suit, sun screen, sunglasses, insect repellent, lunch and camera. Special conditions: Swordgrass, and steep slopes.

LEVEL: MediumDUraTioN: 3 miles for 2 hours

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JUNE

SPONSORED BY:

2013 Future Tennis TournamentBoonie Stomp: Fintasa and Laolao FallsGuam Filipino Artists On the Spot Painting Contest

28th Most Beautiful Run 5MBoonie Stomp: Ipan BeachUniversity of Guam 61st Anniversary Founders day Gala

Boonie Stomp: Southeast Coast (Talofofo to Inarajan)Road to Electric Island Vol. 2

Boonie Stomp: Libugon Radio Station to Fonte Swim Hole

Boonie Stomp: Tumon BayGuam dad of the Year Short Essay Contest

Tamuning Fiesta

Father’s Day

MOVIES Much Ado About NothingThe Internshippremiere at Hollywood Theaters

MOVIES Monsters UniversityWorld War Zpremiere at Hollywood Theaters

MOVIES The HeatWhite House DownByzantiumpremiere at Hollywood Theaters

MOVIES Man of SteelThis Is the EndThe Bling Ringpremiere atHollywood Theaters

*Event times and dates may change without notice“Coca-Cola” is a registered trademark of The Coca-ColaCompany.

“Have a Coke and a smile” campaign was unveiled at the bottlers’ convention on this day in 1979.

The abbreviation “Coke” was used for the first time in magazine ads for Coca-Cola on June 1, 1941.

On June 1, 1904, the first magazine ads for Coca-Cola appeared in national consumer publications.

For showtimes:Call 649-1111 or visit

www.gohollywood.com

Proudly serves refreshing beverages.

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10 Things///Father’s Day

10THINGS

TO DO FOR DAD ON FATHER’S DAY

Wild Bill’s IIGuam

SOMJAI’S

Take Dad out for Happy Hour at Wild Bills.

1.Take dad out for dinner at Tumon Bay Lobster & Grill.

3.Give dad the gift of home entertainment from Micropac.

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Give dad a gift to strike it rich! Get him a metal detector wand from Code 1.

4. Satisfy dad’s sweet tooth at Shinny’s.

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Make sure Dad protects his eyes from harmful UV by always wearing the coolest protection from sunglasses etc. and etcetera.

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Give dad the gift of the ocean from Fa’nu’i.

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Make your dad last longer! Add years to his life with fitness at International Sports Center!

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Dress dad up at SM store for Fathers Day.

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Hook Dad up with a Samsung Galaxy S4 from DOCOMO PACIFIC.

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Needing a great companion piece for your everyday mobile calls? Not wanting to get a minimum $100 citation ticket for driving while talking on your phone? Look no further.

Now you can effortlessly hear your calls, and let your callers more easily hear you with the Bose® Bluetooth® headset Series 2. It is en-gineered with proprietary Tri-Port® acoustic structure and Adaptive Audio Adjustment, which automatically reacts as noise levels change to let you better hear your calls.

Plus, an exclusive noise-rejecting microphone system combines with digital signal processing to help your callers hear you above the distractions around you, including wind and noise. A well-balanced design and soft StayHear® silicone tip keep the headset comfortably in place for hours.

It delivers up to 4.5 hours of talk time and the intuitive controls make it easy to use. This headset is also engineered and tested for lasting quality and durability on the go. And when you’re not on a call, you can enjoy a rich audio experience while streaming mobile media content through A2DP.

Choose between right- and left-side versions to ensure the best pos-sible fit and comfort. Compare it to any other mobile headset you may have used, and discover the difference for yourself.

Visit Micropac, Inc. during its 45th Anniversary sale event in June 2013 at either of its two locations nearest to you, hear a demo, and pick up yours.

Tech This Out///June Picks

TECH THIS OUT!Effortlessly hear calls, even as noise level changeBy Alfred Calinagan

Bose® Bluetooth® headset Series 2An exclusive noise-rejecting microphone system combines with digital signal processing to help your callers hear you above the distractions around you, including wind and noise.

www.micropacinc.com

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Feature///Sports

Always one to jump on couches, cars, trees and what-ever else he can turn into a playground as a child, Navarrete made an audition video that he sent in to the producers of American Ninja Warriors Sea-son 5 in March. In a couple of weeks, he got an acceptance call.

“It was around April Fool’s [when they called] and I thought someone was playing a joke. It was crazy, I couldn’t believe it,” Navarrete says from Miami, where he was preparing for the qualifier. “Now that I’m actually here, I’m so speech-less right now. When you have a dream for a really long time, and then when you’re here, it’s like ‘Is it actually happening?’ I’m nervous right now.”

Navarrete’s Parkour back-ground will help him in his quest to be a Ninja Warrior. His primary form of training is Parkour – the practice of run-

ning, climbing, swinging, vault-ing, spinning, jumping, rolling through different obstacles.

“I use my environment as my obstacle course,” he says.

In preparation for the quali-fier in Miami, Navarrete added much to his regimen. He prac-ticed TRX suspension training, weight training at International Sports Center, gymnastics at Island Twister, the obstacle course at Pacific Islands Club, he taught Zumba, danced with Urban Individuals and even built his own salmon ladder.

Navarrete will need to make it past the Miami qualifier in order to move on to the big show in Las Vegas in June.

bILLy NAvARRETE

Guam’s Hopeful Ninja WarriorBY: Patrick Lujan

Billy Navarrete sent in an audition video and was accepted to the qualifier of Season 5 of the American Ninja Warrior. He always dreamed of being a Ninja Warrior.Since the first broadcast of the Japanese hit Sasuke (Ninja Warrior) in 2006, the 23-year-old Upi Elementary school teacher has been hooked.

www.guamsportsnetwork.com

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Brandon Lee Cruz is a 24-year-old banker, graduate student and Chamorro culture enthusiast. He says it is a chal-lenge to balance work and his social life. “I don’t really see the need to socialize that much in my time away from work. My social life revolves around family and a few close friends and those I find like-minded,” he says.

He spends his spare time with his family, volunteering, reading and gaining further knowledge in Chamorro history and culture. “My desire to be proactive and contribute to our community is great. I feel that during my spare time, I should be creating positive changes within our island community,”

says Cruz. “Any positive change is significant. No matter how big or small, even if you stand alone, I encourage members of our community to do something.”

Cruz recently adopted a bus stop in Yoña with his fam-ily. “We’ve done several other projects as a family this year because we feel the need to do our part in this collective effort amongst other families and organizations/businesses that set an example,” he says.

Cruz also enjoys read-ing articles on Guampedia.com, books on I Manåotao Håya history and culture, the Chamorro-English Dictionary and chanting with I Fanlalai’an Oral History Project.

For Cruz, a typical day

starts off by sharing cultural and historical information on Facebook and Instagram. “I use Facebook as an outlet to share knowledge I have acquired such as Håfa Adai Fino’Håya Word of the Day, or important informa-tion not known to the general public,” says Cruz.

His day usually ends with more sharing of cultural knowledge. “About 90% of conversations that I have usually involve anything and everything that deals with I Manåotao Håya (The Native People) of our island,” he says. “I also work out at the gym to ensure a clear mind for acquir-ing more knowledge.”

Spotlight///A Day in the Life

STorY BY Jacqueline Guzman PHoToS BY Yvonne Matanane

BRANDON LEE CRUZ

“ANY POSITIVE CHANGE IS SIGNIFICANT. NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL, EVEN IF YOU STAND ALONE, I ENCOURAGE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO DO SOMETHING.”

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Feature///On the cover

Cover photo by Lewis Santos of Frozen Moments Photography. Special thanks to SM Store, Essence Hair Artistry, Joe Cruz, Outrigger Guam Resort and the village of Tumon.

Tumon is Guam’s hotel row and tourist destination area, chock full of places to shop, dine and entertain us. But the sparkling village has a daunting past. During the Spanish colonization era on Guam in the 17th century, a Jesuit priest, Padre Diego San Vitores, lived in Tumon along with members of his congregation of missionaries. Padre Diego San Vitores had baptized a young Chamorro girl who was the daughter of the village chief before he was granted permission. In retaliation, Chief Mata’pang of Tumon village, decapitated Padre San Vitores. Today the road that goes along hotel row in Tumon is named after the Spanish priest as well as a park and the Blessed Diego San Vitores Church.

Ageline Sahagun is a 19-year-old lab technician and beauty who aspires to be a medical research scientist and businesswoman. She has a passion for the theater. She believes modeling is a lot like acting. “I feel with modeling, I could still be any character I want to be, and portray any emotion I want to portray,” she says. When she is not in the lab, she is on the stage, acting and singing her heart out. When she is not memorizing notes and lines, she is probably growing bacteria, or something, she says. She says she enjoys modeling and will gain more experience in it. “It was never something I thought I would do,” Sahagun says.

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If you’re on the hunt for a place to find fresh traditional Vietnamese cuisine, Pho Thanh Xuan may be just what you’re looking for. The restaurant, located in the Fountain Plaza in Tumon, was opened in April 26, 2012, by Susan and Thai Nguy-en, and is open every weekday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. On the weekends, they remain open until midnight.

According to the Nguyens’ daughter Quynh Hua, Susan opened Pho Thanh Xuan because she noticed Guam was lacking a traditional Vietnamese

restaurant and wanted to give the island a taste of real Viet-namese cooking. “We only use the traditional Vietnamese style here, and pho is our specialty,” Hua says, “my mother will cook the beef for the soup for eight to ten hours before she even starts to make the pho. We only use fresh ingredients in everything we cook.”

And their hard work seems to be paying off, as the Pho Tai Nam Gau, or beef noodle soup, is the top-selling item on their menu, boasting generous por-tions of round steak, well-done

beef flank, and beef brisket. In fact, the popularity of the soup is matched only by that of the Com Dac Biet, a dish of steamed rice topped off with a combination of marinated grilled porkchop, chicken and beef.

But Hua says that there are also several items served at Pho Thanh Xuan that can’t be found at other Vietnamese establish-ments. “As far as I know, we’re the only ones that serve Banh Mi, the Vietnamese sandwiches. We’re also the only ones that serve the Vietnamese coffee.” In addition to these and other

unique items, the restaurant also serves a wide assortment of spring rolls, pho, rice vermi-celli noodle soup and dishes, steamed rice dishes, glass noodle or egg noodle soups and traditional Vietnamese desserts for reasonable prices. If their success continues, Hua says, the family is thinking of expanding and adding more traditional items to their menu, including Banh Xeo, a Vietnamese fried rice flour pancake that is stuffed with vegetables and meats and dipped in a fish sauce.

BY Thomas Johnson PHoToS BY Vikki Fong

Spotlight///Restaurant

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out & about

Manny Librodo workshop on Apr. 20 and 21 at the Pacific Islands Club and Leo Palace Resort.

oUT&aBoUT

MTX won Best Car Group at Auto Fiesta 2013 on Apr. 13 at the Guam International Raceway park in Yigo.Photos submitted by Montesar Martin

Photos by Patrick Camacho, Manny Rona and Lewis Santos

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Fellow boonie stompers in front of a shipwreck during a hike from Ritidian to Falcona.

Etcetera Go Green Spring Fashion Show with the UOG Green team

Volunteers Brandon Lee Cruz, Gabrielle Fejeran, Ashley Faith Cruz, Alysha Nicole Cruz, Tasha Wade, Destiny Wade and Fejera Louise Cruz painted a bustop in Yona, on April 13, as part of the Adopt-a-Bus-Stop Project.

oUT&aBoUT

Smokin’ Wheels from April 12-14 at Yigo Raceway Park.Photos by John Balbin

Photo submitted by Amy Thompson

Photos from Etcetera

Photos submitted by Brandon Cruz

To SUBMiT YoUr PHoToS For oUT & aBoUT,

EMaiL HiGH-rES PHoToS To:

rrPaciFicGUaM@GMaiL.coM

PLEaSE iNcLUDE:

- caPTioNS (NaMES, DaTE, EVENT NaME aND LocaTioN)

- YoUr NaME aND ViLLaGE

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Renowned photographer and photography instruc-tor Manuel Libres “Manny” Librodo Jr. returned to Guam in April. Scores turned out for his two days of workshops at Leo Palace Resort and Pacific Islands Club.

For the better part of a dec-ade, Librodo has been touring the globe, sharing what he calls his “unique vision and passion for the medium.” Amateur and professional photographers alike show up en-masse to his workshops to share in that vision, talk story and trade technical insights.

While Librodo says his true passion is nature photography, his workshops take attendees on an other-worldly tour into the avant-garde of female mod-eling shoots. As the photogra-phers and professional models paraded across the grounds of Leo Palace on the first day of Librodo’s visit, the scene resem-bled not so much a professional workshop but a paparazzi outfit wandering after a Lady Gaga impersonator.

The intricate body paints, the exotic outfits and strik-ing use of light and color in Librodo’s modeling scenes make not only for unique shoots, but for unique photos as well.

Librodo served as a high school teacher in Bangkok, Thailand for 22 years, prior to turning his attention to pho-tography full-time 10 years ago. “I got into this field because I have a passion for nature,” he says, sitting at the bar at Proa’s

Hagåtña location just a couple hours after arriving on island to prepare for the workshop. “But, I was a teacher most of my life, and sharing my love of photography was probably inevitable.”

As Librodo readily admits, he’s not the most technically savvy photographer out their doing workshops. “I know enough to get by and to teach,” he says. “But, I would have never become a photographer in the pre-digital era,” he says. “All the technical stuff can take away from what should be the real focus, taking pictures.”

During the workshop, Librodo seemed to let the par-ticipants learn by doing. “I don’t like to do a lot of lecturing dur-ing my workshops, it interrupts people’s focus,” he says. “Mostly, I just don’t have anything much worth saying.”

Affable and unassuming, my impression of Librodo was that he lets the photos do the talking. And people have been listening. He has been featured in Asia Geographic and given talks at conferences hosted by the organization. “I had an interest in Asia Geographic for a long time,” he says. “When I was starting out, I sent them my work but never heard back.” Then, a few years ago, he got a call asking if he would like to be the keynote speaker at an Asia Geographic event. “I was shocked,” he says. “I asked them, ‘Do you know I have been sending you my work for two years without response?’

‘We didn’t realize that was you,’ they said.”

Librodo also regularly licenses his scenes of children to the United Nations Children’s Fund for use in its fundraising campaigns. Librodo’s impres-sive career began rather humbly with his personal photo blog at pbase.com, which continues to this day as the main portal into his world.

Most of Librodo’s time is spent touring Asia and giving workshops. “I have to set aside

time to shoot, otherwise I will end up doing workshop all year round,” he says. Many of his workshops are held in the Phil-ippines, where he is originally from and where he has become something of a celebrity in the photography world. “I still main-tain my residence in Bangkok,” he says. “Being away from the Philippines in between work-shops turns me into a scarce commodity, it helps drive the demand for another workshop.”

Spotlight///Arts & Artists

The Art of InstructionR&R SPEAKS TO MANNY LIBRODOBY Paul Moroni PHoToS BY Manny Librodo Jr.

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Island Focus///Latte Stones

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The latte stone as we know it today is actually made up of two separate pieces. The supporting pillars, or haligi, were usually crafted from coral limestone in a quarry and then carried several miles to their placement sites, while the capstone known as a tasa, or cup, was crafted from naturally occurring coral heads that were collected from the reef. The tasa is naturally hemispheric in design, and was placed on top of the haligi with the curved side facing down. In larger latte stones, the pieces were usually both carved from limestone or basalt, and when combined, could range from three to 16 feet in height. The finished latte stones were used as supports for ancient Chamorro buildings, particularly the Guma’Uritao, or Bachelor House, the houses of the Ma’tao and Acha’ot, or Chamorro noble classes, and shelters to keep canoes safe from the elements. Each building site was supported by by two parallel rows of latte stones arranged in a rectangular shape, a pattern which has never been used by any other culture except the Chamorros. Historians theorize that this unique pat-tern may have been important, as it meant the stones may also have served another, more spiritual function.

Some ancient Chamorros — usu-ally the Ma’tao and Acha’ot, who lived near the ocean — would bury their dead beneath their homes between the latte stones, along with any jewelry or other possessions that may have belonged to the deceased. Scholars believe that this

allowed the deceased to become a literal and metaphorical part of the building’s foundation, passing their knowledge, oral history, legends, and navigational skill on to the next generation living in the house. This is in keeping with the legend that Guam and its people were originally formed from a human body, and that when human remains are returned to the soil, they become part of that body again. The latte stones have been the literal and metaphorical pillars that keep Chamorro culture alive, and continue to do so to this day. For many, the enduring nature of the stone structure and their ability to withstand decay and natural disasters has given rise to an association with strength, endurance, and cultural pride.

In modern times, the latte stone now serves as a cultural icon for Guam and the Chamorro people, and continues to be seen in the construction and architec-ture of almost every major government structure and historical location to date, including the A.B. Won Pat International Airport, Guam, the governor’s residence, and the University of Guam. One of the most prominent uses of the symbol in architectural use is the Latte of Freedom, a concrete viewing tower in the shape of an 80 foot tall latte stone that stands adjacent to the Ricardo J. Bordallo Gov-ernor’s Complex.

The Latte Stone

In Micronesia and abroad, the latte stone has come to be one of the defining symbols of Chamorro culture, making its way onto jewelry, business logos, license plates, and even official government documents. But how much do we really know about this iconic representation of Chamorro heritage?

BY Thomas Johnson PHoToS BY Thomas Johnson and Vikki Fong

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Island Focus///Latte Stones

Spotlight///Retail

CarQuest Guam is celebrat-ing its two year anniversary in June. For an auto-parts store, they sure know how to party. The festivities include ongoing in-store sales and specials and mutual discount promos with McDonalds of Guam. Through-out June, buy $25 worth of gear from CarQuest, get a free cheese burger at McDonalds; buy $150 worth of gear, you’ve earned yourself your very own Big Mac Extra Value Meal. You can even receive a 15% discount coupon for CarQuest, when you purchase select items at McDonalds of Guam.

CarQuest Guam is also hosting a birthday party, featur-ing a live remote with Hit Radio 100. They’re partying like its 2011, rolling back oil changes and filters to the long ago prices of 2011. Do-it-yourself promos will be running throughout June; customers can come in for an oil change and filter from just $12.99.

CarQuest Guam opened in June 2011. It is an independent-ly owned franchise of CarQuest Auto Parts, an auto-supply chain with more than 3,000 locations and 18,000 associates across the United States.

Seeing unmet demand in the local market, Hawaii based Hawthorne Cat brought the retailer to Guam to serve pro-fessional auto-repair shops and home enthusiasts.

Today, it offers all the essen-tials and the hard to find parts and accessories for: air condi-tioning, alternators, batteries, belts, brakes, car care, cooling system, drive train, electrical, engine, filters, fleet/heavy duty, hoses, light bulbs, oil and fluids, safety gear, starters, steering, sus-pension, tools and wiper blades.

CarQuest Guam is located in the Dynasty Building in

Upper Tumon, just north of the intersection of airport road and Marine Corps Drive. CarQuest Guam is co-located with HFP Industrial Products, which carries Bosch and DeWalt, Campbell and Crosby, Delta and Jet, Fill-Rite, Maruyama-Shindaiwa-Echo, Multiquip, Price-Wilden, Racor and other professional names in indus-trial tools. All their equipment comes with a five year “iron” warranty and on-site servicing.

Get the best at CarQuest Guam, where you’ll find great people, great products and great prices!

BY Paul Moroni PHoToS BY Thomas Johnson

CarQuest Turns 2CarQuest celebrates its second anniversary

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CarQuest Turns 2