P o p s  A r t i c l e     

THINK King and I meets Bali Morocco Mole with the humid and tangy Philippine weather, to boot, on a hill weirdly devoid of human traffic. That is Ms. Pops Fernandez's hideaway. A glimpse of Bali, with a shout of Mediterranean, the whole house seems to scream comfort, enticing you to come in and spend a few moments to relax. Her living room is perked up with knick-knacks, paintings and candles. It's like a heavenly Turkish spa, with couches of crimson red inviting you to sit and bask in their warmth.

"I think a house should be a place where you can truly relax and be cozy. That was my first priority," says Pops when asked about what influenced her to redesign her home. " I have always loved fixing up houses and this house has been renovated several times already. This time, this house is a fusion of middle Asia, the Mediterranean and South East Asia. I also love wooden furniture. Puede mo kasi 1-pamana. The value of wooden furniture appreciates and it's like a heirloom you can pass on to your kids."

This house has become her sanctuary, her place of solace if you must. "I need to be in a place where I can truly just hang loose and be a normal person and a normal mom to my kids." Spending time with her two boys, Ram and Robin, is always her priority. "My favorite place in the house is my bedroom. I have this huge sofa right in front of the TV and that's where I and the boys watch TV. I also have this small table there where we just hang out, eat and watch. Minsan doon na nakakatulog yung mga kids. Tabi-tabi kami.

"The den is also one of the most occupied in the house. I had it done for the boys so they can play their video games or watch movies there. Dati kasi they had TV in their room and it was making it difficult for them to do their homework. So, now we have a rule that they have to finish their homework first then they have to go down from their room to the den to do whatever they want." Pops the mother speaks. Behind the camera, you'd be surprised that she is just a doting mother. "When I'm at home, I'm just Pops. My wardrobe is just a plain tee (in black, white of gray) and jeans with boots or rubber shoes. I wait for my kids to come home from school and we do stuff together."

On normal days when she doesn't have to work, she spends her time milling about the house, checking if there's anything that needs her attention, pays the bills, "Naiiyak ako sa bawat pagpirma ko ng tseke sa mga babayarin!" she exclaims, just like a normal mom and then she laughs. " I also try to edit my videos so I can catalogue them And organize them." Pops is the type of person that rarely throws anything away. She still has all the letters, fan mail and other sentimental souvenirs people gave her. She also collects teddy bears, which started when a fan from the States gave her one. She keeps a scrapbook; actually she has quite a number already where she hides away her memories.

Truly, Pops has metamorphosed. From being Lollipop (her relatives used to call her just "Pop" until Vic Sotto said they should change it to Pops kasi daw parang kulang yung Pop lang) to being Ms. Pops Fernandez, to being Ms. Martin Nievera, she is now back to being plain ol' Pops. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing plain about her. She is anything but that. When asked about how she feels about being called a fashion icon, she gives out this hearty laugh. " I really don't know how to react to that. Although I can tell you the exact month and year of a show I was in just by looking at my hairstyle. Minsan I want to scream 'what was I thinking?!' when I see myself. Siguro sobrang depressed ako numg time na yun at ganun ang ginawa ko sa buhok ko. But then, the next day, I see other people copying what I did."

Speaking of Martin, is this renovation somewhat of a catharsis after him? She smiles, showing off those famous dimples. "With everything that changes you have to see something new. I guess you could say that it is a catharsis of sorts. I just wanted a change." When asked if Martin has seen the new home improvements she smiles sweetly again and nods. "He says it's nice." She does receive other guests, friends who spend lunch with her and just catch up on things. She cooks as well, for her boys and her guests. "Pasta and burgers, kasi madaling lutuin eh, hahaha!"

As we take our leave, I think to myself that an unconventional and exceptional woman like Pops Fernandez would never end up in a conventional house. I feel that this is not the last renovation this house will go through. Perhaps she's got wanderlust. And for my sake, and all the to her people who look up to her I hope it's incurable. 

For now, however, Pops Fernandez is exactly where she wants to be. *

Article taken from (magazine) Pops Fernandez :  The Inside Music Buzz Typed by : MF midi background: " Brick House "

P o p s  A r t i c l e

The Music Inside Buzz