ere's a dainty fair lass for y' all cowboys out there.

When we learned that we were to interview and shoot Nicole Mendezona Hernandez for UNO Magazine, we knew we'd be the envy of a great number of the country's male species. Not that we didn't fell this way with every girl we had covered for his great mag, but this appointment with his 22-year-old model and graduating student of De La Salle University was certainly special. Whether she's “Carla Grasa” all grown-up, or a trendy colegiala high on the AMP service, it's always bound to love and first sight looking at her small but full lips, delicate eyes and disarming smile. The chemistry of these elements made took on for probably the longest time. Until now. So here are the results of our memorable encounter with the ultimate girl-next-door: an offering to you, our loyal members, which proves dreams do come true.

 Nicole is your given name. You have a nickname?
None, ‘coz I'm not a pet. Haha!

That's a good one. What things do you fancy doing? Any sports and hobbies?
No sports, haha. Ok fine, a little badminton. Hobbies—I just read, and I used to paint. And then, I watch movies. You know the usual things.  

Is appearing in ads something you really wanted to get into?
No. The same story I tell everyone is: this was how it really happened. My really good friend, when I was younger—her tito kasi owns an agency—and then she was gonna go to a VTR friend. So she dragged me there, and then when I VTR-ed, I was really scared of the camera. So I cried, because I felt pressured, ‘coz the one who was taking the video's saying, “Oh, your friend's so good.” And then after that, I got call weeks after, [informing me] that I got the part. I just thought that they were playing a prank on me, so I didn't believe that I really got it until I actually went to the shoot. Then it followed after that. But it was like the most traumatic experience I've ever had.

And then we see you as you are now.
Well yeah, I still get a little nervous, because you're dealing with a totally different crew, different people, and you're expected to feel comfortable with them in like, a day. Or not even a day, like, in a few hours.

How did you get selected for AMP?
I tried out for it like all of us did. We had to talk about ourselves, like what to do, our family, work, whatever. It's just like talking in front of a camera. And then, they got back to us. We get it how everyone else gets it. They were casting a lot of people; there were actually a lot of people who went.

What do you like most about AMP?
The fact that the MMS is three bucks. Person to person. (Smiles)

Right now, apart form AMP, you're also becoming more recognized as “Carla Grasa” because of your beauty product commercial.
I guess it was a really effective ad, because of your beauty product commercial.

I guess it was a really effective ad, because normally when you have commercials, you don't have a name. You know, like “she's the girl in this, she's the girl in that…” But in this one, there's a name stuck to the person—you get tagged with it. They tend to remember the commercial more and the person in it, because they can refer to me as “Carla.” Which is funny, but at least you know it works. I can't help it, but a lot of people do call me Carla. If they don't know me, they're like, “O, si Carla o.” So if they wanna call me Carla, ok.

You also had this napkin commercial wherein you did Zhang Ziyi moves in “Crouching Tiger…”
Yeah, that was the thing. (Laughs)

Do people actually tell you that you looked like her?
Yeah, they did. (Laughs But I didn't like it though, because you face is what makes you unique from everyone else, and that's what you wanna cling on to. (Giggles) It's what you want to cling on to, coz it's like, not your identity, and you don't really want to look like someone else. I wanna look like someone else. So I don't like it when people say I look like her. I mean, I'm flattered, because she's a beautiful person. Unlike her, I speak English. I have an edge, haha! I can't do karate stuff though.

Who's the local model that you look up to?
I don't know, I like everyone. Like everyone I meet, I like them. They're all unique. They're all different characters.

International?
International? I don't really compare myself to any of them. Ah, the ones that I like—Cindy Crawford and Heidi Klum. Because they're actually the only ones who actually look healthy. And they're better you don't have to be stick-thin to be a model.  

How far would you go on a dare?
On a dare? I don't know, it really depends on my mood, but did something really funny. Actually it wasn't a dare, but they asked me to do it, so I did it. This was concerning [the late actor] Rico Yan. We were in the States—my friends and I were sent to San Francisco . We had one friend who had this huge crush on Rico Yan. So we were in the airport and we were going home na and then, we were like, “Oh my God, it's Rico Yan!” We were like, “Hoy, take a picture with him, you know!” That's our thanks na lang to our friend. And no one wanted to go up to him because we were three girls. They're like, “Nicole, just do it!” So actually, what I did, I ran from one end to the other of the airport! I ran after him, and tapped him. I was like, “Hi! My friend really likes you! She really wanted to see him, and she was able to go in, to some extent. And then we saw him again. So I went up to him again and I grabbed him, he was walking fast. I got him by the arm. And I was like, “Hey it's me again! My friend is here!” (Laughs) so we took a picture. I think it was the craziest thing I did, ‘coz you know, chasing a person is scary.

Wouldn't you get scared if this person was chasing you? and grabbing you ?
So I was surprised that he didn't even react in a way. (Laughs)

Coming from an exclusive girls' school, do you think you're a wilder bunch compared to your co-ed counterparts?
Well, I really don't think. Maybe, you know, there's a tendency when people are restricted from doing a lot of things—they tend to rebel. So since at school it's really a black-and-white kind of thing. “This is right, this is wrong.” People tend to stray more towards the gray are, to rebel. It's like kids, with their parents—when their parents are so strict they tend to rebel. But I think it's really in the person, it's not in the school. It comes from the person herself for himself, because of the way the person was brought up, or the friends that he or she has. Not necessarily because of the school.  

What's the weirdest thing you've put in your mouth?
Weirdest thing…Food. Why? Must be wholesome. (Smiles) I had, one time, toast with butter and mocha ice cream. (Laughs)

Is that weird? I thought that was normal. Ok, what is it about a guy that would make your jaw drop?
His butt. No, just kidding, haha! Umm, I don't know, I like tan guys. Moreno -looking guys. You check the whole package out, you don't just check the whole package out, you don't just check the eyes or the face. You tend to check everything—that they have the right stuff, like a nice butt, haha! That I'll make my jaw drop. (Smiles)

Any favorite movie scene that was sexy to you?
The love scene of “Meet Joe Black,” during the day. That was sexy. Sexy and wholesome and tasteful.

What's your biggest frustrations?
Height? No—singing! I can't sing. That's my biggest frustration.

But you like to sing?
Well, I like to sing. I like attempting to sin. But that's different. (Laughs) I don't believe everyone can sing. There are people who say that everyone can sing, but you just have to develop it. But still think, “Nah, you're born with it.”

But you could still develop it. You might even get more projects that way!
Haha! I'd have to get a voice coach.

Many would volunteer, I'm sure. What's your favorite videoke tune?
Oh! With my friends—what's my themesong—“I Touch Myself.” You know that song? (Gives a sample) I don't know, we just love it! To all my good friends, that's like, our song. And whenever they play it, you just have to stop and take a moment. I don't know why. It just became our song.

Ok, this next question has something to do with the reality show “The Simple Life.” Ever watched it?
Sometimes. Just have to laugh. Because they really dumb. (Smiles)

 The question is: Would you milk a cow?
(Face lights up) I've always wanted to milk a cow, ever since! People don't understand this about me I've always wanted to milk a cow. You can ask some of my closest friends, but for years now, I've been wanting just any cow, ha. I wanna milk a nice cow. Haha! I don't know why, I just want to. I wanna see how it feels. And whatever I milk, someone has to drink it! (Laughs) “I milked it for you, it's fresh!” (Articles lifted from Uno Magazine)
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