MANILA, Philippines?It?s not surprising that his closet teems with jerseys, baller bands and sneakers.

After all, ?Pinoy Fear Factor? graduate Jose Sarasola is a bona fide athlete.

What?s shocking is that he also collects dried-and-framed tarantulas, scorpions and other exotica from his numerous travels.

More stunning is the fact that rubber shoes and cooking clogs share rack space.

Yup, hardcourt hunk is also a cute chef.

After acquiring a Culinary Arts degree from the College of Saint Benilde, Jose ? who is celebrating his birthday on Aug. 23 ? opened his own resto-bar called Avenue 75 in BF Homes Parañaque.

This jock, who was forced to eat roaches and cow?s eyeballs on the ?Pinoy Fear Factor,? is a true gourmet who whips up original chicken and pasta dishes.

Jose plays an NBI agent on the ABS-CBN musical ?Idol? and is a host on the QTV lifestyle program ?Living Well.? Soon, he is also putting up a refreshment chain called Chill Factor with ?PFF? big winner Jommy Teotico.

A budding businessman, too!

The surprises never end.

Shoes

A basketball player since he was a kid, Jose has accumulated racks and racks of rubber shoes.

?I keep buying. I should slow down,? he confesses.

To make room for new acquisitions, he has given away some pairs to cousins: ?I have at least 20 pairs plus the rollerblades. Each shoe fulfills a specific need, for walking, running, sports, gimmicks...?

Then there are the cooking clogs.
?I got them from the deli (store) Santis. It?s the only place where you can get good ones. If hot cooking oil spills on you, your feet are protected,? he explains.

Scents

A bottle of perfume, he says, is the ?safest gift? for any young man. ?Every time relatives come home from the United States, they always buy cologne for me.?

When he goes out on dates and ?gimiks? in malls, he wears Hugo Boss and Clinique Happy. ?These scents are for everyday use.?

But when he has to don a three-piece suit, he dabs on Armani.
?It smells perfect for formal events,? he says.

Jerseys

A basketball varsity player since high school (in Marymount and Southridge), he has amassed a closet-ful of jerseys as well.

?Until now, I join summer leagues in our village,? he says.

At last count, he owns at least 15 jerseys.

He?s so passionate about the sport that he built his own court on a vacant lot near his home.

?It?s nothing fancy. I try to play with the neighborhood guys as often as I can,? he relates.

Watches
Although he?s not a ?watch guy,? he cherishes the few pieces given by parents Donna and Joey.

The most cherished in his collection are the Rolex, Gucci and Tissot.
He likes Tissot the best; it fits an active, sporty guy like him. ?My dad gave it to me. It has a touch screen. It?s like an all-around Swiss army knife. It has a thermometer, stopwatch, compass, barometer and altimeter when you go mountain-climbing,? he says.

Necklaces

He collects all sorts of necklaces.

The collection has grown into such an unwieldy size that he had to line them up in a hanger.

When he was in Buenos Aires for the taping of ?PFF,? he wore a cross necklace given by his Spain-based grandmother, Nene Sarasola.

?I don?t wear necklaces all that often,? he says. ?I wear chokers only when I?m on the beach. These days, I prefer bracelets.?

Bracelets, bands

He started his bracelet collection in high school. His favorite is a leather number he bought in Argentina. ?It was my lucky charm on PFF,? he says.

He also collects baller bands that bear special messages. ?One is for the environment, ?Save the Rainforest.? Another one, [developed by Nike for] Tour de France cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, says, ?Live Strong.??

Currently he wears a silver Power Balance wristband. ?I don?t know if it works, but it?s supposed to make you stronger and more flexible. I wear it whenever I go to the gym,? he says.

Shades

Among the 15 pairs that he owns, an all-time fave is the Oakley Gascan.

He bought Aviator-style shades in Argentina, too. ?A local designer brand,? he says.

He insists that he doesn?t wear shades ?just to make porma ... it?s for health reasons.?

He recounts, ?When I was a year old, I had an eye operation. That?s why I squint a lot. I can?t stand the sun?s glare.?

Souvenirs

From various trips abroad, he has brought home all sorts of souvenirs.
?While browsing in a bazaar in Buenos Aires, I got these two figurines: a knight to represent good and a vampire to represent evil,? he relates.

He?s also been to Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and some parts of Europe.

?In Bangkok, I bought the tarantula and scorpion,? he says.

Some of the mementos are gifts. A friend who toured Ireland gave him a huge leprechaun hat.

He?s also kept jackets, blindfolds, T-shirts and other gear from ?PFF.?

In South Africa, where the ?PFF? crew had a stopover en route to South America, he bought a biking shirt.

Biking gear

He?s a bike and rollerblade enthusiast.

A mountain bike hangs on the garage wall. ?Biking was a passion when I was a kid,? he recounts.

Sometimes he goes biking or rollerblading when he needs to but stuff from the neighborhood grocery.

E-mail: bayanisandiego@hotmail.com