MIXING IT UP
Band continues jamming
ONE HEART
For the love of sushi
GOING UNDER Discovering Guam’s aquatic life
contents June/July 2018
5 10 12 16 22 24 26 28 30
TRAVEL
Cruising aboard the SS Virgo
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ARTIST
Mix Plate
CALENDAR
Events in June and July
COVER FEATURE
Diving on Guam
ESSENCE OF GUAM
Disease and disability organizations
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28
BUSINESS
One Music Guam promotes local music
DINING
5
16
Sushi at Issin Guam
SPORTS
MMA fighter — JJ Ambrose
OUT & ABOUT
Readers and events photos
Buenas is Guam’s leading lifestyle magazine and reflects the popularity of the magazine among all who live on-island or who visit Guam! The magazine will continue to bring its readers lively features on the lifestyle of Guam — what is happening throughout the island, who is doing something fun or special and what’s coming up on the Guam calendar.
Connect with us!
www.buenasguam.com
About the cover: There are numerous beautiful dive spots on Guam for all experience levels. See story on Page 16. Photo by Chase Weir of Liquid Soul Industries.
Buenas June/July
PUBLISHER Maureen N. Maratita BUSINESS EDITOR Meghan Hickey LIFESTYLE EDITOR Lara O. Neuman REPORTERS John I. Borja Wayne Chargualaf CREATIVE DEPT. SUPERVISOR Vikki Fong DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Luisa Joy Castro Keisha Gozum
2018
GENERAL SALES MANAGER Ken Dueñas PRODUCT REPRESENTATIVES Arvie Cipriano Cristina Tabet ADMINISTRATION Janice Castro Carmelita McClellan Jenalyn Aguon MANAGING DIRECTOR Marcos W. Fong
Glimpses of Guam Inc. Mission Statement: To connect people with information.
Glimpses Publications include: Marianas Business Journal • MBJ Life • Guam Business Magazine • Buenas • Beach Road Magazine
Buenas June/July 2018 • Entire contents copyrighted 2018 by Glimpses of Guam, Inc. Buenas is published bi-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: lifestyleeditor@glimpsesofguam.com • All rights reserved. No material may be printed in part or in whole without written permission from the publisher.
Travel///SS Virgo
SS Virgo
Photo courtesy of Star Cruises
A cruise trip from Manila-Naha-Keelung-Manila By Lara O. Neuman
Living on Guam, you may not have thought to travel by ship for your next vacation. But a short flight to Manila will expand your options for cruise travel since Genting Cruise Lines started homeporting its cruise brands Star Cruises and Dream Cruises in Manila in 2017.
S
uperStar Virgo’s summer cruise takes guests from Manila port to Naha, Okinawa; Keelung, Taiwan; and back to Manila on a 6-day excursion including two full days at sea. Buenas joined passengers in March to experience cruise travel and explore Naha and Keelung. If you’re prone to motion sickness, it would be wise to start taking medication before onboarding and every day through the trip. Though the SS Virgo is a Leo-class cruise ship more than 880 feet in length, depending on sea conditions the movement of the vessel may make you dizzy or nauseous.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
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Travel///SS Virgo
Naha, Okinawa Naha, the capital of the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa in Japan, offers rich history and culture at a temperate climate even in the winter, staying above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The shore excursion took us on a tour of shopping at an Aeon Shopping Mall, the Shuri Castle and the famous Kokusai Dori, the street known for shopping, bars, restaurants and entertainment. With more than 160 locations across Japan, Aeon Mall boasts a variety of commodity for reasonable prices. The mall is a great option for time-crunched visitors hoping to get most of their shopping done in one place. It’s also very tourist-friendly with free Wi-Fi and duty-free shopping. Complete with a food court, you could spend the entire day browsing through clothing stores such as Uniqlo or picking up cosmetics at the drug store. Buying snacks is a must, with everything from the popular Japanese snacks to regional goodies available at the grocery store. Shurijo, or Shuri Castle, was a palace of the Ryuku Kingdom, and arguably the most popular tourist site in Naha. The historic castle is uniquely influenced by Chinese architecture and was built using Ryukuan limestone. The city of Shuri is also famous for Shuri soba, a type of Okinawa soba, resembling other Japanese noodles such as udon and ramen. Contrary to its name, Okinawa soba is not made of buckwheat, like the typical Japanese soba noodles. The thicker noodles are made of wheat similar to udon, but in a pork-based soup topped with pork belly or pork ribs. You may enjoy adding a bit of spiciness with koregusu, which is chile peppers soaked in the Okinawan awamori rice shochu. You can try noodles and much more at Kokusai Dori, or “International Street,” a mile-long popular street lined with stores and restaurants. You can find anything from local crafts to the popular Okinawan habushu, liquor made from inserting pit vipers and herbs to awamori. Just off Kokusai Dori is Heiwa Dori, or “Peace Street,” where you can find even cheaper bargains and unusual gift shops.
HOW TO GET TO MANILA Among other carriers, Philippine Airlines flies daily to Manila direct from Guam and is the only 4-star airline by Skytrax operating the route. The flight to Manila is around four hours with morning arrival times and evening departure times from Manila for maximum time spent in Manila and beyond. Book your flights through Goodwind Travel & Tour Corp. Inc. at goodwindtravel888@yahoo.com or 632-1615/7/9 or online through www.philippineairlines.com.
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Travel///SS Virgo
Keelung, Taiwan The port city of Keelung in Taiwan literally means “rooster cage” or “hen coop,” thought to have derived from the shape of the local mountains. With yearly rainfall more than 146 inches, the city has been noted as one of the wettest and gloomiest cities in the world. Make sure to pack a raincoat and a warmer jacket as one of the coolest cities of Taiwan, Keelung will most likely be much cooler than Naha or Manila, regardless of when you visit. Try visiting during the mid-summer Ghost Festival, one of the oldest and most popular festivals in Taiwan. The Yehliu Geopark is full of unique rock formations and sea erosion landscape, one of the famous natural wonders of the world. Be careful not to damage the natural resources while you walk along the coastline to observe the various formations. Learn the development process of mushroom rock and ginger rock and discover Queen’s Head, which resembles a profile of a woman’s head. The Keelung Night Market is a must for visitors to the port city, located right by the port and open daily from 5 p.m. to midnight. The bustling, open-air market is home to numerous food stalls serving Taiwanese street food and snacks, all at very reasonable prices. Many of the stalls have small seating areas where you can eat your food, or you can walk around while enjoying your snacks. The night market is a perfect way to wrap up your day trip in Keelung.
ACCOMMODATION IN MANILA Before and/or after your cruise, stay at Resorts World Manila, conveniently located in Newport City across the street from Terminal 3 of the Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport. With four hotels and four more brands in the works, there’s a hotel for every traveler: • Maxims Hotel, to be rebranded Ritz Carlton in 2019 • Belmont Hotel • Manila Marriott Hotel • Holiday Inn Express Opening soon: • Hilton Manila • Sheraton Manila Hotel • Okura Hotel The resort also houses casino gaming areas, a shopping mall, cinemas, restaurants, bars, clubs and a theater. For more information, visit rwmanila.com.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Photos by Lara O. Neuman
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Section///Spotlight
Photo by Lara O. Neuman
Photos courtesy of Star Cruises
Super Star Virgo Once back on the ship, you can enjoy an array of activities on your day at sea, such as enjoying the number of shows and performances available. The SS Virgo also shows movies as well as magic shows and other entertainment. Karaoke rooms are available for booking, as well as dance classes and games at the lounge. You don’t want to miss out on the all-inclusive dining options at The Lido with magnificent views, Chinese cuisine at Pavilion or the glamorous Star Dining Room at the stern. There are plenty of other options for food and drink including Italian, Japanese, Indian and other international fare as well as a café, lounge, club bar and pool bar aboard the SS Virgo. There’s more to do on the ship with a casino, basketball
court, fitness center, golf driving range, a jogging track, karaoke lounge, mahjong room, spa, beauty salon and a pool complete with a waterslide. Keep an eye out for future cruise itineraries which could include new destinations. Check out available cruise packages from Manila, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Penang or Keelung through starcruises.com. — Buenas was hosted in Manila and onboard the SuperStar Virgo by Genting Cruise Lines, Resorts World Manila and Philippine Airlines.
Book Star Cruises: Check out available cruise packages through starcruises.com, call +63-2836-6080 or email salesmanila@gentinghk.com. Onboard dress code: Smart casual attire for most occasions onboard; elegant casual attire during dinner at fine dining restaurants such as Palazzo on SuperStar Virgo; for gala nights, elegant or smart casual wear is highly recommended. Visa requirements: No visas required for U.S. citizens to the Philippines, Taiwan or Japan. Check individual requirements depending on cruise destinations.
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Currency: Onboard currency is Hong Kong Dollars. Money exchange is available onboard, as well as payment in USD or PHP. Most major credit cards are accepted. Must do: Optional shore excursions make it easy to catch the highlights of the visiting ports without having to worry about transportation. At sea, don’t miss the variety of shows and movies at the theater.
Artist///Mix Plate
Mix Plate Band continues a musical tradition By Wayne Chargualaf • Photos courtesy of Mix Plate
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he band Mix Plate has undergone several lineup changes since it was formed in the 1990s, but its current iteration — a five-member lineup of Ulu Henry and Lasa Fitiausi on vocals and keyboards, Elia Henry on backup vocals and drums, Christian Charfauros on backup vocals and guitar and Franklin Santos on bass — has sustained the common thread that has run throughout the band’s history, which is a love of music and performing. “There are so many great memories because we’re all just having fun,” Fitiausi says. “A lot of times we don’t even practice, we just practice on stage. I’ll send out songs for the boys to learn on their own and then on the day of we’ll switch it up and just have fun with it.” 10
Although Mix Plate plays a variety of styles, its primary focus is island reggae. The band doesn’t have a regular gig but, thanks to a word-of-mouth following, is often hired to perform at events such as weddings. The band has also been working on an album of original material. The album is being recorded at a studio in the Fitiausi residence in Yigo and produced by Fitiausi with all members contributing to the songwriting process. Mix Plate plans to release the album in late July or early August. “The original music we’re currently working on is a mixture of styles because of the different artists that inspire us to make music. From roots reggae to island reggae to cha cha and ballads, we’re inspired by local artists that talk about life and the island itself,” Fitiausi says.
Artist///Mix Plate
Ulu Henry is the only remaining member from the original lineup, which broke up shortly after the passing of band member Soke Maluafiti in 2002. In 2009, Henry decided to continue carrying the Mix Plate name when he started a band with his sons, Lasa and Elia, who learned to play music at an early age in church. In 2010, the band recruited Charfauros, a friend of Lasa and Elia from middle school who would jam with them during school breaks. Santos, an experienced musician who had stopped playing music after a personal tragedy, became inspired to perform again after seeing Mix Plate’s live performances and joined in 2015. Though the members have had their share of good and bad times both individually and as a band, Mix Plate has continued
“From roots reggae to island reggae to cha cha and ballads, we’re inspired by local artists that talk about life and the island itself.” to entertain through both a love of music and faith in the positive effect their music has on their audience. “I believe that without the work of God and his blessing upon our music, we wouldn’t have gone this far and our music wouldn’t have evolved the way it did,” Fitiausi says. “We continue to thank God for the gift of music and continuing the work of playing as a band.”
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Events calendar
WHAT’S NEXT JUNE 2
Ritidian Beach Cleanup Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Location: Guam National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer applications must be filled out and are available at www.fws.gov/volunteers/resources.html. Call 355-5096 for more information.
JUNE 9
Nissan 9th Annual Flag Run Show time: 5 a.m. Race start: 6 a.m. Location: Nissan in Upper Tumon Registration: Fees are $10 per person. Forms are available at Hortnet Sports, Goody’s Sporting Goods, Guam Girl Scouts and Nissan. The first 700 finishers will receive a commemorative dri-fit t-shirt.
JUNE 16
JULY 4
Independence Day
JULY 7
Guam BBQ Block Party Location: Pleasure Island, Tumon For more information, visit visitguam.com.
JULY 7
Ritidian Beach Cleanup Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Location: Guam National Wildlife Refuge Volunteer applications must be filled out and are available at www. fws.gov/volunteers/resources.html. Call 355-5096 for more information.
JULY 8
28th Annual Underwater Treasure Hunt Time: 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Hosted by Micronesian Divers Association, all proceeds will go toward Project Aware. Call 472-6321 for more information.
TakeCare Summer Road Race 2018 Show time: 5 a.m. Race start: 6 a.m. Location: University of Guam, parking lot across from the Jesus and Eugenia Leon Guerrero School of Business and Public Administration Building Registration: $15 for early bird Guam Cycling Federation members and $20 for non-members until July 2. Thereafter until July 7, fees are $20 for GCF members and $30 for non-members. Register online at imathlete.com. All entry fees include an event t-shirt and post-race snacks. Race day registration is $40 for all. Participants have the option of the short course, which is 25 miles, or the long course of 48 miles.
JUNE 23, 24
JULY 21
Electric Island Festival Time: 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. Location: Guam International Raceway Tickets: $40 for GA tickets available at all Foody’s locations and online at EIFGuam2018.eventbrite.com. $90 for VIP tickets available at Drop and online.
JUNE 16
Zumba Toning Instruction Certification Time: 9 a.m. Location: Synergy Studio Hagåtña location. Registration: www.zumba.com/en-US Zumba Education Specialist and Master Trainer Carolina Arias will be on Guam for Zumba Basic and Zumba Toning instructor trainings.
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Liberation Day
JULY 29
2018 Run For Hope 5K Time: 6 a.m. For more information, contact Catholic Social Service at 635-1441.
Events calendar
JUNE sun
mon
tue
wed
thu
fri
sat
1
2
MOVIES • Action Point • Upgrade • Adrift
• Ritidian Beach Cleanup
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4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
24
• Zumba Toning Instruction Certification
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25
19
26
20
27
21
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MOVIES • Ocean’s 8 • Hereditary • Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
MOVIES • Incredibles 2 • Tag • Superfly
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MOVIES • Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom • First Reformed
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MOVIES • Sicario: Day of the Soldado • The Hustle • Uncle Drew
• Nissan 9th Annual Flag Run
• Electric Island Festival
23 • Zumba Toning Instruction Certification
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FEATURED MOVIE June 8
Ocean’s 8 Directed by Gary Ross Starring Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Rihanna, Helena Bonham Carter and Mindy Kaling
Debbie Ocean (Sandra Bullock) attempts to pull off the heist of the century at New York City’s star-studded annual Met Gala. Her first stop is to assemble the perfect crew: Lou (Cate Blanchett); Nine Ball (Rihanna); Amita (Mindy Kaling); Constance (Awkwafina); Rose (Helena Bonham Carter); Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway); and Tammy (Sarah Paulson). (Official synopsis from warnerbros.com)
*Event times and dates may change without notice.
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Events calendar
JULY sun 1
mon 2
tue 3
wed 4
thu 5
Independence Day
8
MOVIES • Ant-Man and the Wasp • The First Purge
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• Guam BBQ Block Party • Ritidian Beach Cleanup
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11
12
13
14
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
29
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• 2018 Run For Hope 5K
FEATURED MOVIE July 20
The Equalizer 2 Directed by Antoine Fuqua Starring Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Melissa Leo and Bill Pullman
Denzel Washington returns to one of his signature roles in the first sequel of his career. Robert McCall serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed — but how far will he go when that is someone he loves? (Official synopsis from sonypictures.com)
*Event times and dates may change without notice.
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6
sat
9
• TakeCare Summer Road Race 2018
15
fri
25
26
MOVIES • Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation • Skyscraper
MOVIES • Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again • The Equalizer 2 • Mile 22
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MOVIES • Mission: Impossible — Fallout • Blindspotting
Liberation Day
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Cover Feature///Diving
Underwater fun Diving in Guam
D
iving and snorkeling are popular activities on Guam for both locals and visitors. Not only is diving fun, it’s a great way to explore and learn about our island’s environment. There are many beautiful spots underwater around Guam and the surrounding islands to explore wildlife and historic wrecks. Buenas asked local divers and dive shops some of their favorites among the numerous dive sites around Guam. Most of the popular spots are located along the west side of the island, spanning from Ritidian down to Inarajan. Fun dives or discover dives are available through some dive shops for those without certification who would like to try it out, and many courses are offered on island to start or advance your diving experiences. Some shops also arrange dive travels, so you can explore other dive sites around the world.
Dive sites in Guam
Double Reef
Photo courtesy of Whitney Hoot
Location: South of Ritidian Point Depth: 15ft to 100ft+ Double reef has clear water, sand channels and is known for the clown fish rock.
Gun Beach
Photo courtesy of Whitney Hoot
Location: North Tumon Bay Depth: 5ft to 120ft Gun Beach is popular for both shore dives and boat dives that are rich in coral and fish. 16
Octopus Reef
Photo courtesy of Whitney Hoot
Location: Near Uruno point Depth: 15ft to 110ft Octopus and large wrasses can be seen through surge channels with slopes, tunnels and walls at Octopus Reef.
American Tanker
Photo courtesy of Chase Weir of Liquid Soul Industries
Location: Apra Harbor Depth: 25ft to 110ft The water barge is a popular beginner wreck dive.
Cover Feature///Diving
Photo courtesy of Chase Weir of Liquid Soul Industries
Blue Hole
Tokai Maru and SMS Cormoran
Location: Apra Harbor Depth: 45ft to 118ft The two wrecks from different world wars make for a unique dive site.
Piti Bomb Holes Marine Preserve
Location: Orote Point Depth: 55ft to 130ft An experienced deep diver can shoot the hole, a natural limestone shaft down into the reef.
Photo courtesy of Mallory Morgan
Location: Apra Harbor Depth: 5ft to 30ft You can find Tridacna maxima giant clams in many of Guam’s marine preserves, such as at Piti Bomb Holes Marine Preserve.
Piti Channel
Photo courtesy of Chase Weir of Liquid Soul Industries
Photo courtesy of Whitney Hoot
Location: Piti Bay Depth: 21ft to 25ft Gun Beach is popular for both shore dives and boat dives that are rich in coral and fish.
Photo courtesy of JNS Divers
Fish Eye
Location: South of Asan beach Depth: 5ft to 30ft Fish Eye is a great shore dive for beginners with many fish sightings.
Fouha Bay
Photo courtesy of Whitney Hoot
Location: Near Umatac Bay Depth: 40ft to 90ft Good for beginners, Fouha Bay features a reef flat slope. 17
Cover Feature///Diving
Dive shops on Guam
Photo courtesy of JNS Divers
Micronesian Divers Association
Rental equipment: Complete scuba set (regulator, BCD, weights and cylinder) for $20. Wrist computer, snorkel equipment and tanks also available. Retail equipment: MDA Deep Blue Wholesale is the exclusive distributor on Guam and Micronesia for many top brands. Daily boat schedule: Check website for schedule: mdaguam.com/content/guam-boatdives. Charter boats are also available. Dive Travel: Palau, Chuuk, Yap, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Rota, Saipan, Bohol, Coron, Dumaguete, Malapascua, Puerto Galera, Anilao and more
Guam Tropical Dive Station
Facebook: @guamtropicaldivestation Instagram: @GTDS_guamtropicaldivestation Courses available: Discover Scuba, Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water, PADI Specialty Courses, Emergency First Response Course, Rescue Diver, Dive Master, Assistant Instructor, Instructor
Address: 856 North Marine Drive, Piti Shop hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday; 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday Phone: 472-6321 Email: info@mdaguam.com Website: mdaguam.com Facebook: @MDAGuam Twitter: @MDAGuam Courses available: Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Enriched Air and other PADI Specialty courses, Dive Master, Assistant Instructor, Manufacturer’s Equipment Repair, Instructor, etc. Contact instruction@mdaguam.com for more information. Location: Next to East Hagåtña Mobil Address: AC Building 646 E. Marine Corps Drive, East Hagåtña Shop hours: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily General inquiry phone: 648-4837 Reservation phone: 648-4840 Email: infogtds@gmail.com Website: gtds.com
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Cover Feature///Diving
Photo courtesy of Chase Weir of Liquid Soul Industries
Axe Murderer Tours
Location: Hagåtña Address: 163 E. Marine Corps Drive, Hagåtña Shop hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Thursday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday Phone: 654-2933 Email: amtbeachhouse@amtguam.com Website: amtguamdiveshop.com Facebook: @Amtguamdiveshop Instagram: @axemurdererdiveshop Courses available: Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, PADI Specialty courses, Dive Master, Dive Instructor Rental equipment: BCDs, regulators, fins, masks, snorkel and computers Retail equipment: Carries top brands such as Scubapro, Suunto, Atomic, Zeagle, Bare, etc. Daily boat schedule: Every weekend and weekday dives on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Check the schedule on the website: amtguamdiveshop.com/page/current_boat_schedule Dive travel: Yap, Chuuk, Palau, Pohnpei
JNS Divers
Location: Tamuning, next to Elite Bakery Address: 328 Chalan San Antonio, Tamuning Shop hours: 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday to Monday Phone: 747-7426 Email: jnsdiversguam@yahoo.com Facebook: @jnsdiversguam Diving association: NAUI Specialty: Introductory dive tour/discover scuba diving Rental equipment: $40 for locals and military and includes all equipment.
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Cover Feature///Diving
Preserve Guam’s coral reefs •
• •
Control your buoyancy: do not kick, stand on, touch, trample or stir sediments with your fins. Consider always wearing a life jacket or providing a flotation device for good buoyancy and to prevent necessary standing on coral. Do not touch: do not touch anything underwater, this is both for your safety and the health of the marine life itself. Do not collect shells, corals, sand or other invertebrates (even if dead). Many places such as the Piti Bomb Holes are marine preserves and it is illegal to collect anything. Make sure to be aware of the regulations where you are visiting.
• • •
Limit use of single-use plastics when visiting the beach or ocean. Use reef-safe sunscreen: many sunscreens contain harmful chemicals. Do not feed the fish: this will change the behavior of the fish to 1) not fulfill its ecological role of eating the algae of the reef and thus harming the reef, 2) harm the fish’s health and 3) cause the fish to become more aggressive as it learns to associate humans with food.
Photo courtesy of Chase Weir of Liquid Soul Industries
Double Reef is known for clown fish.
Factsheet courtesy of Green Fins
Photo courtesy of Mallory Morgan
Green Sea Turtle at Piti Bomb Holes Marine Preserve. Do not chase or touch sea turtles, they are protected by federal law.
Green Fins, overseen by the Coral Reef Unit of UNEP based in Bangkok in collaboration with UK charity The Reef-World Foundation, encourages dive centers and snorkel operators, local communities and governments to work together to reduce their environmental impacts.
For more information visit www.guamcoralreefs.com and the Guam Year of the Reef Facebook page @GuamYearoftheReef2018. Stay tuned for fun facts, community events and information on all things Guam coral reefs. To get involved, contact Mallory Morgan, management fellow of the Bureau of Statistics and Plans’ National Coral Reef at mallory.morgan@bsp.guam.gov. She has been hired to reduce impacts of recreational use on Guam’s coral reefs and is working with hotels, the visitor industry and marine tour operators to ensure sustainable business practices that will keep reefs healthy for generations to come.
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Essence of Guam///Disease and disability organizations
Essence of Guam Disease and disability
A Buenas series featuring nonprofit charitable organizations on Guam and how you can contribute
Guam Cancer Care
Mission: To provide cancer care assistance to all individuals afflicted by cancer. Through navigation and advocacy we strive to provide enhanced assistance throughout the screening and treatment process. Additionally, by minimizing barriers to financial assistance, cancer education, and other support services, we ensure patient satisfaction throughout the continuum of cancer care. What they do: Guam Cancer Care provides free professional support services to any Guam resident adversely affected by cancer. Its programs include patient navigation and advocacy, screening, partial funding, counseling, support groups, education and transportation coordination. Executive Director: Terry Cuabo Phone: 969-2223 Email: tcuabo@guamcancercare.org Website: guamcancercare.org Volunteer: To volunteer for any of the Guam Cancer Care events, email Cancer Education Manager Karina Quito at kquito@ guamcancercare.org. To make a donation: Call 969-2223 Facebook: facebook.com/Guam-Cancer-Care-289006141124405 Instagram: @guamcancercare
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Autism Community Together
Mission: To promote a family, education and community partnership which is accepted and respected as beneficial for the child, family and schools in order to ensure successful supported education and community awareness and participation for children with autism spectrum disorders. What they do: A network of parents, family members and caregivers that provide support to one another in raising children with autism spectrum disorders. Executive Director: Josephine Blas Phone: 687-1284 Email: autismcommunityguam@gmail.com Volunteer: Contact via telephone, email or Facebook page. To make a donation: Contact us telephone, email or Facebook page. Facebook: facebook.com/autismguam
Make-a-Wish Foundation Guam and CNMI
Mission: To grant life changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. What they do: Grant wishes for children with critical illnesses. CEO: Eric Tydingco Chairman of the board: Brian Bliss Phone: 649-9474 Email: info@guam.wish Website: guam.wish.org Volunteer: Call, email or visit website for more information. To make a donation: Call, email or visit website for more information. Facebook: facebook.com/makeawishguamcnmi Instagram: @makeawishguamcnmi
Essence of Guam///Disease and disability organizations
Lupus Awareness Group of Guam
Mission: The Lupus Awareness Group of Guam is an organization dedicated to provide support, increase awareness and to advocate for individuals on Guam affected by lupus and their families. What they do: The group holds community events promoting awareness of lupus and outreach for individuals with lupus and their families. It has hosted medical forums bringing lupus experts to Guam and is currently planning to invite off-island physicians to hold a clinic for the condition. It also participates in surveys to more accurately assess the number of lupus patients on Guam and hopes to form a registry from this data. Executive Director: Alicia Roberto Phone: 687-4525 Email: lupusguam@gmail.com Website: lupusguam.org Volunteer: Contact via email To make a donation: Contact via email or send checks to: Lupus Awareness Group of Guam, 425 Chalan San Antonio, PMB 1005, Tamuning, Guam 96913 Facebook: facebook.com/lupusguam Instagram: @lupusguam
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Business///One Music Guam
One Music Guam Agency aims to become a champion for local musicians By Wayne Chargualaf • Photos courtesy of One Music Guam
O
ne Music Guam aims to be an umbrella company that provides services to help support and promote music talent on Guam. The company serves as a hub to connect musicians with people seeking live music, a talent management agency for two musical acts — the band Melody Belle and singer Peter Santos — and also provides music workshops for elementary and middle schools as well as the Guam Community College summer school program. “I can handle everything for the musician if they want — booking, logistics, sound equipment, making sure they get paid. I deal with the party or venue that wants to hire the musician, so all the musician has to do is plug in and play,” says Owner Katherine A. Cruz. When a venue or organization wants live music, they can contact Cruz via phone or through her Facebook page. Once they give Cruz a time, place, duration for the performance and style of music, Cruz can consult her list of musicians from a variety of musical styles — from island reggae to contemporary jazz to classical string quartets. The amount of money paid to the musicians is often negotiated. If a client wants to hire one of One Music Guam’s exclusive artists, the process is more streamlined since she’s their full-time manager. “It’s kind of hard to do artist management here on Guam because [artists] give up some of their pay for someone to manage them,” Cruz says. “Times are hard and they want to keep every dollar, and I understand that. But for me, it bothers me when venues and parties don’t pay the artist what they’re worth. That’s where One Music Guam comes in — it makes it more professional. I just want to stand behind the musicians and make sure they get what they deserve.” The services that would eventually become One Music Guam started informally in 2006 when Cruz — a life-long musician who spent 13 years working at local music retail and concert production company Shimbros Inc. and was the keyboardist for late 1990s local band Blame Adam — started working at the restaurant Carmen’s Cha Cha Cha in Hagåtña. 24
Carmen Leyva, owner of Carmen’s, asked Cruz to bring musicians in to the restaurant to provide live entertainment. As the musicians Cruz brought in came to be better-known, people started approaching her to book gigs for them. “When people started asking for a business license, that’s when I thought, ‘Okay, now I need to get legal,’” Cruz says. Cruz got her business license and created One Music Guam in 2012. Since then she has provided music for organizations such as Healing Hearts, The Department of Public Health and Social Services and Island Girl Power. Several hotels have become regular clients including The Westin Resort Guam, Hilton Guam Resort & Spa, Dusit Thani Guam Resort and the Hyatt Regency Guam, with which she has a contract to provide music on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. In 2014, Cruz started another music-related venture by opening the music retail store Island Strings & Things in the Agana Shopping Center. In 2017 she moved her store to a space behind the PayLess Supermarket branch in Dededo. Cruz said both businesses are equally important to her especially since they complement each other. Sometimes she uses inventory from the store to resolve an equipment shortage at a gig or she discovers a musician when they come in to shop and try out instruments. “The two businesses kind of feed each other,” she says. Cruz hopes to grow One Music Guam by adding more exclusive artists to her roster and to eventually be able to provide health insurance for musicians. Her efforts to be a champion for musicians have even caused her to be approached about starting a musicians union. “I’m all about making sure musicians are paid well and treated fairly,” Cruz says. “I believe everything comes from God, so I just want to give back to God by being there for people, and one way I can do that is by doing what I can to help the music community.”
Section///Spotlight
Sean San Nicolas and Mike Hernandez
Elle Taitague and Bejado
Peter Santos sings during the cocktail hour of the Celebrity Waiter Gala on May 2 at Hyatt Regency Guam.
Rachael Esteves performed on March 17 at Pay-Less Supermarket Dededo.
Patrick Palomo
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Dining///Sushi chef
For the love of sushi Issin has been serving Guam for 32 years Story and photos by John I. Borja
“E
rnie! One tuna special, spicy,” a waitress shouts. Without missing a beat, Issin Japanese Restaurant Sushi Chef Ernie Roces takes out a slab of tuna, already cleaned and prepared, and begins slicing. He dices the tuna, nearly to mincing texture, and adds several powders for seasoning. After rewashing his hands and utensils, he starts combining the tuna mixture, rice and sesame seeds with a thin seaweed wrap. Quickly but carefully he rolls the sushi, cuts it into six pieces and plates them. Next are the sauces, which bring a fancy aesthetic to the dish. He drizzles one of them in a zigzag pattern across the sushi and dollops the rest on top of each piece. He then takes out a blowtorch and grazes the top portion of the sushi with the flame. This helps bring out the pleasant smells of the sauces, Roces says. The entire process of preparing this popular dish takes less than three minutes. The task has become second-nature to Roces; he’s been Issin’s sushi chef since the 1990s. The sushi and teppanyaki restaurant, tucked away in a quiet space on the fourth floor of the Westin Resort Guam, has been serving Guam for 32 years, according to owner Tamotsu “Tom” Iizuka. Issin, which roughly translates to “one heart,” was named by Iizuka’s wife, Mina, and it reflects themes of family and togetherness. The restaurant has come to be a frequent spot for local business people and tourists and has a wide view of Tumon Bay. Iizuka always wanted to own a restaurant, starting from his early childhood experiences in the Yamagata prefecture in Japan. His father owned a fish store and Iizuka was immersed in the process of preparing fish. “I grew up seeing all the fish and learning how to clean, fillet and sometimes barbecue,” Iizuka said. He has worked at various restaurants, including a job at the Hilton Guam Resort and Spa’s food and beverage department, before deciding to set up shop. Nowadays he manages rather than cooks, but whenever the staff is shorthanded, he is ready to step in. Issin’s sushi bar mimics the standard style of serving sushi
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like the ones in Japan, Iizuka says. “[At the sushi bar], we usually give customers two pieces each. That’s common in a Japanese sushi restaurant. But there are customers who like to order one by one and the more regular customers already know what they like, so they get four of each.” All the sushi options lie before the customers — kohada and saba, or gizzard shad and mackerel, respectively; shrimp, octopus and more. Each bit of seafood goes through several steps for preparation prior to being on display. The kohada and saba, for instance, come in fresh from Japan, Iizuka says. The staff clean, fillet, salt and clean the fish again before cutting them into slabs and freezing them until it’s time to serve. The shrimp, Roces explains, are boiled for three to four minutes on a bamboo skewer to keep the shape from curling. They are then peeled, cleaned and treated with sushi ginger vinegar before being put out for the customers to choose. For first-timers, Roces recommends starting with the spicy tuna special. Iizuka says if a customer wants to try different kinds of sushi, the assorted sushi plate can fulfill that request. This plate comes with nine nigiri sushi and one tekka maki, or thin tuna roll. Roces says being a capable chef requires “the love of your job, because that affects the way you do the job well.” Whatever the occasion, he says it’s important that the customer feels welcome and appreciated. “Take care of the customer all the time. Make sure that everything you give to the customer is good and fresh.”
ISSIN JAPANESE RESTAURANT Where: Westin Resort Guam, fourth floor Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Monday to Saturday; 6 p.m. – 10 p.m., daily Food: Sushi and teppanyaki with special lunch and dinner sets
Dining///Sushi chef
Issin Japanese Restaurant Owner Tamotsu “Tom� Iizuka, front, and Sushi Chef Ernie Roces.
Ernie Roces, sushi chef for Issin Japanese Restaurant, prepares an assorted sushi plate.
The spicy tuna special is a popular dish at Issin Japanese Restaurant.
The assorted sushi plate contains nine nigiri sushi and one tekka maki, or thin tuna roll, cut into six pieces.
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Sports///JJ Ambrose
Fighter’s focus In the cage with MMA fighter JJ Ambrose A competent mixed martial arts fighter is one with a strict discipline of consistency and dedication. For Joseph Junior “J.J.” Ambrose, that means hardly ever catching a break. By John I. Borja • Photos courtesy of J.J. Ambrose
T
he 31-year-old Long Beach, Calif. native has been in the game for 13 years. That means 13 years of keeping in shape, dieting and adjusting his sleep to get through it all. “I’m doing well,” he says of his 29-8-0 record, with two matches deemed no contest. He was on a five-win streak since 2016 until Bellator 193 in January, when he lost to Saad Awad by unanimous decision. Losses don’t stop Ambrose, however. They remind him that he still has quite a ways to go before he can reach his goal of success, which is to be an Ultimate Fighting Championship or Bellator champion. After all, he says, MMA fighting is an “ego, but no ego” kind of sport. “You have to have a certain sense of self-pride but at the same time, you’re opening yourself up to new ideas. You’re happy that you’re halfway up the mountain but also realizing there’s still more to climb,” Ambrose says. A high standard demands a lot of work, and it’s not just training that Ambrose is occupied with. He has a family — a wife and 8-year-old daughter — and Steel Athletics, a highintensity gym he owns and operates in Tamuning. These two components are a huge part of his life and often dictate how he spends most of his days. He wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready to teach his 5:30 a.m. strength and conditioning class. He heads back home, makes breakfast for his daughter, drops her at school and returns to the gym to watch the front desk if no clients are scheduled. He has another training and class session at noon before going home to eat lunch. He goes back to work at 4 p.m. and holds a final training and class session at 5
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Sports///JJ Ambrose
Ambrose, left, fights Saad Awad in the lightweight division during Bellator 193: Larkin vs. Gonzalez on Jan. 26 in California. Awad won the fight by unanimous decision.
p.m. That’s when he usually ends his day, but sometimes he adds Brazilian jiujitsu classes for children in the evening. By 9 p.m. he’s ready for bed. To ensure he builds on fighting strength and technique, Ambrose spars throughout the week. On most days he engages in light sparring sessions of different kinds, including no-gi grappling, muay thai, boxing and wrestling. On Fridays, however, intensity is cranked up and Ambrose spars similarly to an actual competitive bout. MMA fighters typically train for eight to 12 weeks before a match. This includes making sure the fighter meets the weight class. Ambrose hovers around 155 pounds. It’s a regimen that doesn’t have much room for nightlife, but it’s a lifestyle Ambrose chooses to adapt to. “I feel like I have five or six years of fighting left for me. Time is ticking. Every day that I’m stagnant is a day that I lose,” he says. Now in his third year on Guam, Ambrose sees that the island
has great potential for representation in bigger fights. While there are few active fighters — he estimates less than 50 — he notes that the talent is strong. He envisioned Steel Athletics to be the gym local fighters go to in preparation for fights. “I don’t get a whole lot of sign-ups that pay for membership and never come. I see members come in everyday and I love that,” he says. Ambrose says he treats MMA fighting as a transient experience. Every feeling of victory or crushing defeat eventually will go away, and there will be a new fight to prepare for. Every fight has a lesson behind it, Ambrose says. Moments before a fight, nothing else is on his mind other than the match with his opponent. Despite the violent nature of the sport, fighters typically are respectful of each other after a bout. “There’s no animosity I have for anyone I’ve fought in the past. If I lost to them, I’d love to fight them again. The guys I beat, I hope they come back trained,” he says.
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Out and About
OUT & ABOUT
Photos by Wayne Chargualaf
Holi Festival Guam 2018 was held April 7 at the Guam Greyhound Park.
Photos by Justin Green
The Guam Community College Foundation held its second Wine Tasting fundraiser on April 27 in the Learning Resource Center.
Photos by Lara O. Neuman
76/Circle K held its Celebrity Waiter Gala fundraiser on May 2 at the Hyatt Regency Guam.
SEND US YOUR PHOTOS! To submit your photos for Out & About, email high-resolution photos to lifestyleeditor@glimpsesofguam.com with “Out & About” on your subject line. Please include the description, date and location of your event photo(s).
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Out and About
Photos by Wayne Chargualaf
The Excellence in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Awards event was held on May 5 at the Lotte Hotel Guam, hosted by the American Culinary Federation Guam Chapter Inc.
Photos by John I. Borja
Splash Bar & Café held an opening on April 5 at its location on the second floor of UnderWater World.
Photos by Rhandee Malicdem of Double E Photography courtesy of Tropical Productions Inc.
The 37th annual APL Smokin’ Wheels Racing took place April 13 to April 15 at the Guam International Raceway in Yigo. 31