my emails hacked!

Dear friends,

I am very saddened to inform you that all my outlook based emails have been hacked for the past week, as confirmed by my IT Consultant today, that’s why I haven’t been receiving very important emails. What makes it worse is that it was done by my former IT manager and two other people who worked for me:

Brewster Bonifacio – my former IT Manager
Vincent Rufo – my former Assistant Photographer
Kristian “KC” Enriquez – my former Sales Manager

The three of them have put up ArtWorx Studios to go against my company, Spoolworks Studios (see how close their name is to mine?) since November 2009. I have been aware of them but I welcomed them without holding anything in mind. This is even with the fact that they are using my works and photos as part of their portfolio. My IT Consultant traced the origin of the hack to their ip addresses.

I am deeply offended however, to find this electronic ad below promoting their works and what makes it funny is they emailed it to ALL of my outlook contacts in one go, strangely, even those they DON’T KNOW! Some of you might have never heard of them, and you’re probably surprised to receive their electronic ads. Some of you emailed them back to me asking if I own this company or if I am involved with them. The answer is NO, and for those who have sent me important business emails, kindly resend them to my other address: spoolworks@hotmail.com or iam@lovenramos.com


Thank you for your support.



Loven



This is the electronic flyer they sent to all my clients!
They even copied our family Christmas greeting lay-out for this ad!!! See below...



See the uncanny resemblance?

Now you be the judge. There goes intellectual property rights to you.

The funny thing is that these people used to work for me and they were part of my family at one point. I took Brewster in as one of my first employees because he was fired from his work at Shinta Mani Hotel. Vincent Rufo is Brewster's best friend and I hired him out of Brewster's insistence to give his friend a chance. KC and I worked together when I first moved to Cambodia and was one of my founding partners in Spoolworks. He left me twice without any explanation and a few months later, him and Brewster and Vincent put up their own company... ARTWORX STUDIOS.

I don't mind the competition and all, but with their efforts of trying to destroy me by hacking through my email servers and my client database, as well as buying my domain www.spoolworks.com and linking it into their website, that's definitely below the belt!

What should I do?

Any suggestions?

a new blog si born!

Siem Reap Life is your virtual window into the latest happenings, the most interesting places and faces, the best bargains for wine, dine and local shopping as well as the most fabulous experiences you can possibly have in Angkor town.

More than a guidebook and definitely not a critique, it is honest, informative and straight out of the heads and hearts of residents. Our blog authors are of diverse backgrounds and interests. Thus, you get a whole collage of point of views and always a perspective you can relate to.
Whether your just traveling through or soon taking up residence, get in-depth and intimate with Siem Reap, check-out Siem Reap Life!

www.siemreaplife.com

spontaneous music at artdeli

That's it. The Phnom Penh Post just called me the most eccentric man in Siem Reap in their latest issue. Does that mean I have to go around town in plaids and bowtie, sporting a Brit accent? I feel like I have to live to the hype. Maybe I could suspend myself in a tank of formaldehyde ala Damien Hirst too.

Forget that. What they really wrote about was the spontaneous music happening at the Art Deli, my newest baby with my friend Jam. For the past couple of weeks, we've been churning out instant gigs and jamming sessions with musicians in the kingdom...




Our first two jamming sessions were with Cambojam - already a known name in the music circuit here.

Then came the Siem Reap Jazz Quartet, which coincidentally was officially formed at the Art Deli. Their impromptou performances made such waves that the national dailies even took notice!

And our latest gig last week was an acoustic session with a guitarist from Quebec - Frederic, who brought down the house, almost literally. It was an absolute fun enjoying music with these guys.

This Saturday, we'll have the Siem Reap Jazz Quartet back again for the launch of Earth Organic Jewelry at the Art Deli.

Can't wait!

best kep secret

I am hopelessly in love with this place, and the whole Cambodian coast as a whole. But me and my wife are definitely head over heels with the city of Kep-Sur-Mer, or Kep in short...


Established by the French as the premiere beach destination in the 1900's, Kep will definitely not win first place as best beach, but the appeal, lifestyle and mood that this place injects is indescribably surreal!


Dotted with countless villas from the French colonial era and the 1960's, the city was built at the time when Cambodia was on its golden years. Now, however, it is a living testament of the dark years of the Khmer Rouge and the Cold War. The grand old edifices that used to stand proud on its seaside avenues are but empty shells and rotting ruins.



The last couple of years however, saw the re-emergence of Kep in the radar of the international jetset. Now, it is slowly rebuilding its arms with a good number of eco hotels, exquisite boutique resorts and small luxurious hotels around.

We first came to Kep accidentally, after I burned out from a very tiring shoot in Phnom Penh. Instead of going back home north to Siem Reap, we decided to make a drive down south and found our way here. We first stayed at Khnai Bang Chatt which we thoroughly enjoyed. But on the next couple of times, we stayed at the rustic Champey Inn by the Rue de la Plage, a stone's throw away from Kep's famed Blue Crab Market.

We are just hooked to this place and are planning to stay here in one point of our lives...

my hiatus ends!

Yes, I'm still alive! And I haven't disappeared from the face of the web... instead, I've sort of silenced my way into making a bang!

I've been working on the following websites for myself, for my business collaborations, and even for my city - Siem Reap, with the help of several amazing individuals!

www.lovenramos.com - my personal voyages through photography

www.artdeli.org - my new cafe/gallery project in collaboration with my friend Jam from Canada

www.siemreaplife.com - the city's first online portal. A collaboration with two amazing friends - Sarah and Philippe that has ballooned into a really fun project involving a dozen other bloggers around Cambodia's premiere holiday gateway.

www.youaremypoetry.com - my friend Don and I put up an Aladdin Cave of sorts (according to Phnom Penh Post) and this is it... this is still a work in progress!

www.spoolworks.net - still not live, but am working on this site day and night. This is my main business bloodline!

We will be launching our city's blog/website, www.siemreaplife.com in a fun party on Sunday, July 25 at the Alley West during the country's first ever Green Market - an organic fair!

full frontal

Forgive the language, but I was ecstatic when I received an email from F Magazine Creative Director Franco Dionco that the dress I designed made it to the front cover of Cambodia's foremost fashion magazine!





It's part of my art / fashion experiment called "Fairytales" where I printed screens of a fairytale that connects from one dress / clothing to another. As this is my first foray in fashion, my cuts are really simple and basic, but my fashion guru Don Protasio has helped me tremendously along the way. And so did my wife who was my biggest cheerleader and patron.

Now having one of these dresses on the front cover of F Magazine no less, is utterly mind blowing and amazing! Thanky uo once again F Team... will have to open a bottle of champagne when you guys are in Siem Reap!

what comes around goes around

Two amazing American artists opened a creative wonderland recently just beside our gallery/shop by the Alley West in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Featuring treasures and art culled from recycled clothes, fabrics and haunts from the junkyard, they've created such a trove of earth friendly clothes and accessories that magically defines their name - CIRCLE...


Rachel Faller, who owns KeoK'jay in Phnom Penh, provides jobs and skills for women living with HIV. Lauren Iida, on the other hand, creates fashion from recycled and vintage materials through another enterprise that empowers impoverished women through education and livelihood.


Having met in Phnom Penh, they decided to bring their talents together in Siem Reap to open up Circle...


The store is awash with quirky details and little nooks of art from found objects and scavenged treasures.




Necklaces and bracelets from fabric scraps and buttons...


This box frame with dinosaurs and bingo numbers is cool.


Iida, Laren's brand, is very feminine but each with a twist.


Rachel's style is very urbane with a touch of Boho chic.


Jam, left, is opening an organic cafe right above Circle in a few weeks called Samakki.


Leah, who provided sinful indulgences that evening with her amazing cupcakes will be partnering up with Jam on Cafe Samakki. We definitely can't wait for them to open up what will be our new hang-out!


Leigh, Jam and Don


Learn more about Rachel's work at www.keokjay.org and Lauren's at www.circlecambodia.wordpress.com