Within Reach

The lowly baboy ramo or wild boar as a free-ranging pet or food source livestock has caught on among backyard farmers who can accomodate these outstanding breeds. There is the local baboy ramo interbred with local black livestock pigs to nake them less feral, but even most of the hairy wild baboy ramo already have theri own domesticated breeds. There is Russian boar, wild pigs that are free ranged in Western farms too. Adobo and tapa will never taste as good as baboy ramo versions of your Pinoy favorites. For any holiday season, go out and check the quality of baboy ramo meat.

Buying used books or books on sale is a great way to upgrade your personal library if you read for fun or write for a living and are inspired by hoarding books and novels of your fave authors. Most thrift bookshop guides in the Metro focus on just locations, but since most of them are already known, we show you what kind of good stuff you can purchase. The books we found may surprise you about the quality of finds in thrift bookstores around the Metro.

Chemical pest control will always be harmful and unnatural so many advocates of organic and natural methods are pushing for an age-old treatment for pest control that guarantees wiping out entire colonies of whatever creepy crawlies you have in your home or garden--diatomaceous earth. Silica minerals and wood dust has long been used as a form of pest control for ages and only recently have branded products been popularized as a solution for cockroaches, fleas and ticks as well as bed bugs.

Like a pet guard-dog for your family, pygmy donkeys are comical companions and very intelligent, caring animals. They get along very well with children and you can train them to haul some small stuff, even a personal cab or cart to help you travel around your small farm or huge backyard. You must be able to afford to provide them with a regular stash of fresh hay for food but they love banana peels and orange peels too. Have precious memories raising a pair or more of the most gentle pet animals for your home/farm.

Camping out in a most atmospheric of places, safe from things that go bump in the night? Church camping is trending among decommissioned heritage chruches in England. Church conservationists are promoting Slow Tourism in the rural countryside with stays arranged to include country walks, canoeing, storytelling sessions, yoga sessions and breakfast from the nearby BnB. If only the idea can be replicated in the Philippines' own beautiful countryside for low-impact tourism development.

For the year of Fresh Starts, Yin-Fire Rooster 2017's Valentine's Day celebrations should be also as exciting and interesting for couples, and loved ones. What gifts are best for him or her as inspiration to kndle more romance for your loved life? Check out REACH magazine's recommended gifts for this year's Valentine's day.

The year of the Yin Fire Rooster is supposed to be the best time for fresh starts for many enterprising individuals and groups. What are the smartest business ideas that may be good entrepreneurship or career moves in 2017 moving forward? Remember, the next year--2018 is an Earth Dog year, a time when deep social changes or a transformation will occur, so the Yin-Fire Rooster serves as a transition into that new age. REACH looks at some ongoing trends in business and social enterprise that might work for you as a reboot--for business or career.

Vinyl Lps are becoming a popular collectible hobby and hipster kids want to explore musiv via vinyl again. Here is our recommended list of the top 11 desert island vinyl records you should own or look for as part of your rock music collection. If SHTF, and you won't find any music anywhere, having hardcopy vinyl records as your physical stash of rock music faves should keep you shaking your hair and stomping your foot even when worse comes to worst.

Some of the best yet underrated candy and chocolate brands come from up north! From Russia to be precise. Unlike U.S. brands which may be using GMO ingredients you may not know, Russian food brands use pure natural ingredients especially the long-time favorites in their country. Russian candy is also known for being generously portioned--as big as your thumb--and their nut-filling chocolates and caramels and toffees are among Eastern Europe's favorites too. Get yourself some Russian candy this holiday season and every month after!

If you thought Russians were square, take a look at Russian brand, Grunge John Orchestra Explosion. Like the immmortal 90s--phat and ugly never looked as good as military and winter jackets for streetwear. Although high fashion jackets seem like the turf of western brands, Russian designer, Ivan Isaev has put together a very remarkable line using high-end Japanese fabrics and infuses them with the familiar Russian military jacket design handsome with fur hoodies to boot. Take a look at GJO E, and reconsider what gift you want for yourself, a smart phone or an heirloom military jacket?

Soviet-era watches and the Russian brands that still manufacture timepieces today are regarded as some of the finest in the world, second only to Swiss brands. Precision craftsmanship, with homegrown watch technology, housed in titanium or solid steel blocks, Russian watch brands are among the few wristwatches that still run on mechanical spring movements (not quartz), Not your ordinary mass market product, Russian timepieces are heirlooms by themselves and if our President makes trade ties with Russia, one of the best deals Pinoys can have out of that relationship is owning one themselves or set up an offical brand distribution shop in Manila.

Tree spiders are some of the most beloved Filipino pets of all time. From your grandfather to today's rural urchins, spiders are treasured for the neighborhood weekly spider fights--some of which involve small time bets to big money bets--spiders are the insect bloodsport all true Pinoys love. The best fighters are said to have long and thick legs and a mid-sized abdomen. Lots of player lore about this peculiar Asian affection for spider fight derbies about spider types and best times to hunt for them.

At a time when buying stuff you like is an overwhelming choice, many prefer to get their favorite grabs in subscription boxes offered by their favorite online hobby stores. From hair and make-up accessories, home baked goods, or whatever fetish one is avid about. Subscription boxes have kept online shops alive and venture capitalists eager to capitalize on the new trend.

Drooling over that new limited edition boxed set coming out? Are we going to waste good money on reissued copies of our stuff, or are we getting a priceless heirloom that will soar in value in the future? Boxed sets are always the best holiday gifts for good friends. And a personal treasure or trophy completists can't do without. Most of us use the regular CD/DVD copies to rip media onto our mobile device but keep the boxed set for private stay-at-home movie/music marathons.

Cosplay fangirls AND fanboys love donning arm sleeves. You used to see them only on ladies on their wedding day or prom dates wanting to look extra glamorous. Now, arm sleeves are making it as an everyday wearable. Almost all sports enthusiasts also wear them for joint support and for better circulation--from basketball, to vollyeball, to table tennis. Take a look at this seeming odd fascination about the sexiest upper garment-arm wear for all occasions.

Michael Jordan created a phenomenon crazier than Imelda Marcos hoarding pumps. Collecting sneakers became a street fashionista's guilty pleasure when Nike came out with year after year of limited edition Air Jordans. Even canvass Converse Chuck Taylors became high-ticket fashion sneakers thanks to the Jordan brand pushing athletic footwear as must-have 'toys' for sports fans. Know about the sneakerhead culture, both the collector's hobby and the aftermarket sales industry it has spawned online.

Mason jars have made a comeback as the hipster DIY container for all reasons, seasons and purposes. As a BIG bottle for pack lunch. For cocktails and beer at hipster bars and restos. As cute containers for gifts too. You can buy them locally at better hardware stores and at craft shops.

Monologue notebools are the perfect choice for the artist looking for quality sketchbooks at an affordable price. Available at National bookstore and at Fully Booked, Monologue is one marquee that is as good as Moleskine and available at a very good price. Mel Cabral reviews more creativity tools for the designer and notebook fan.

More good stuff! Notebooks of course. This time Venzi Soft Journals reviewed by Mel Cabral. These are specially made artist's notebooks for National Bookstore. Premium quality notebooks are a special product and collectible item highly prized by smarter individuals who know that if their mobile device gets bricked or lost, they have the most beautiful replacement ready and waiting and it don't cost an arm and a leg.

All aspiring writers should have ONE. Or ALL of them. As many as one can afford to keep. Moleskine is worth all the fuss, expense and its use by many creative minds for their precious work shows how beloved this incredibly simple yet gorgreous notebook is to notebook lovers everywhere. Read the notebook review by Mel G. Cabral.

Notebook aficionados rejoice! We review a series of notebooks and how they fare as creativity tools, design tools, and everything that bricked mobile device will never be. Check out the stylish Copelle notebooks as reviewed by Mel Cabral. These are available at National Bookstore too!

Pet turtles are quaint pets that are fun to keep in terrariums. Turtles are much more interesting characters as pets than fish will ever be. Check out Stephanie's feature on the Red Eared Slider, a breed of pet turtle that grows to the size of melon halves!

Aside from the Tokyo-Harjuku scene with Top Gun Girl going bonkers, just watch the video of KPOP supergroup Girl's Generation's I Got a Boy or 4Minute's I My Me Mine. Military-style jackets look amazing on girls, young women, and even moms! They are street wear AND high fashion. Everybody wears them. Not just soldiers or drifters. They are anti-fashion but they look as amazing as they always will, no matter who wears them.

Some people are just Cat persons. The distinctive personalities of cats are more endearing than the unrequited love offered by dogs. Also cats kill Sleepwalkers and hateful vermin. And fight Satan to the death (as per Neil Gaiman's short story). So you're in better company with a nice lazy cat, or three, or ten. No kidding.

All Girls want the best fashion they can find for cheap. If you can find Adidas, Doc Martens, and authentic leather bomber jackets, or formal corporate wear for cheap in Ukay Ukay and thrift shops everywhere, WHY NOT? Here's a guide by Stephanie Quesada about her UK UK shopping tips...

Outdoor Sandals in the Philippines have come a long way. Forget overpriced beach flip-flops from Brazil.. Made in the Philippines looks gorgeous and is waaay tougher. Trending local brands compete for the heart of the Pinoy who shells out hard earned moolah for the toughest pair of sandals he can get and wear virtually on any terrain, rain or shine.. We review Iguanas Sandals coolest NEW outdoor sandals, whose designer soles are as tough as they are sexy.

It might seem like old news, but once you sit down and watch the League of Extraordianry Dancers, you will want to stretch your limbs and dance just for the heck of aping that incredible move you see. Like kids pretending they\'re like Michael Jordan. And dancing is always good for your body and your health. Get stronger, toned, and fit. Inspire yourself by checking out an old favorite on You Tube. The LXD.

Finding yourself taking two hours or more to match what to wear from your wardrobe? What to know? A young woman doesn't need to worry anymore with some simple ideas that really work because looking good works for everyone. Not just fashion models.

Going back to a simpler lifestyle growing your own food isn't as easy as it looks. It willl cost you as much as it costs rural folk to live the same way. From setting up your homestead, to getting your livestock housed in proper coops and getting alternate power and a cistern of water going--all of these cost money and you should be aware of all the frugal options to get you best value for everything. Here are some ideas on how you can adjust and do better.

Young women are now dedicating themselves to an exercise regimen to keep their bodies fit and healthy. From yoga, pilates, boxing and now...pole dancing! Dance sport is not only ballroom, cheerdance, or ballet. Pole dancing is now a legit sport as a dance performance and as a fitness regimen.

Strappy sandals are the timeless summer fashion statement for both women and men. Look like a Greek hoplite in a pair, or make a bold statement as a woman in the sexiest shoes you can wear anywhere and everywhere. Get them in affordable styles or save up for that Chinese Laundry pair.

Diesel's JOGG Jeans has an amazing viral vid on You Tube showing us dance lingo alphabetically, each executed in rhythm to a swinging hip hop grab. Fantastic way of showing off their designer jeans and cut-offs. At the same inspiring people to stay fit, even the heavty dancers in the ad look hot.

Some abandoned hamlets in Galicia and Asturias in the Spanish countryside are being offered for free! Others can be bought for less than 40,000 Euros. Not bad eh? There are thousands more waiting for just the right buyer to renovate the local property and own his own fairy tale, rustic village right in Spain!

Living off the grid allows for less reliance on modern conveniences and going back to traditional, simpler but still very useful ways of doing things. For cooking, we look at clay pot cooking as a means for making and storing your meals. Your chili curries and kare-kare will never be the same once you've tried cooking with earthenware. Even exotic staples like biryani rice can be made better using bigger clay pots!

Dogs can bark and alarm their masters of suspicious strangers and they can even fetch items you instruct them to get. Some specifically trained dogs can even help in solving crimes � thus the existence of canine units in police departments around the world.