Friday, March 20, 2009

Parties in hot Manila

And by hot, I mean literally sweltering hot. This week was just filled with events: product launches, store openings, press conferences. Ack. No matter what we did, our hair was plastered onto our scalps, neck and foreheads! Makeup melted, dresses were glued to our backs, and greetings were reduced to those deplorable air kisses. I love Manila but when it gets hot like this, I just want to stay in front of the A/C.


Anyway, Karimadon—which I adore for two reasons: the pretty dresses and its owner Josie Go (in pink)—just launched their small but well stocked branch in Glorietta 5 early this week.


I met brand endorser Marian Rivera. Marian is unbelievably tiny (I am crouching in above photo and I'm taller than Josie) and extremely pretty. And, I agree that she's what she proudly described herself to be in this month's Cosmopolitan: "Yun ang problema sa akin. Kapag di ko kilala, hindi ako nagsasalita. Kapag nakilala ko, ayan chika na tayo." (translation: "That's the problem with me. If I don't know you, I don't talk. When I get to know you, well, then I'm friendly.") Fair enough. I respect the girl's chutzpah and... that's all.

I wore one of the two Karimadon dresses I bought to yesterday's events. First, we went to Greenbelt 3 for the launch of Kiehl's Ultimate White line, which they say is the best and most effective whitening treatment out there. Boy, was it hot! To distract myself from the heat, I took pics of my fellow media friends:

Cosmo's Nicole Delos Angeles and Preview's Lyca Puno (the two girls leftmost) with the Kiehl's girls

OK!'s Kabbie Rodriguez and FemaleNetwork's Trixie Reyna

OK!'s Nichole Reyes shows off her sexy back

Me, Nicole and Hinge Inquirer's Ianne Evangelista (also the former editor-in-chief of Cosmo)

Then off to Serendra for dinner with my darling friend Mariel. I wanted to go to Hobbes to check out some pet supplements, to Charles & Keith for shoes and to Fully Booked for, well, books. But Balducci's cool interiors enticed me and I just sat in this wonderfully cozy restaurant while Mariel was buying my (two years delayed!) wedding gift—a clever corkscrew from Alessi. Thanks, neighbor! We love it!

Anyway, after dinner, Mariel and I headed off to Dessert Row for the launch of the Kerastase chocolate treatment. I wasn't able to get a sample but I did get to taste some wonderful chocolates. And boy, it was even hotter at Serendra. So everyone I took pics of had sweaty faces!

Inquirer columnist Mariel Chua, accessories designer Happy David and HIP editorial director Ianne Evangelista

I would've posted more photos but I know my friends would kill me if I posted anything with shiny, sweaty cheeks and foreheads! And that's my week!


8 comments:

  1. I'm half envious, and half sympathetic of your super hot weather!

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  2. Lovely pics despite the heat!

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  3. When I next do a charm order, I'll get another Alice one and make you a necklace, tis the least I can do =)

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  4. Summer na talaga! I think yesterday was the hottest.

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  5. cool! wah. i can't believe marian is tiny! haha. i thought she was model tall. oh well.

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  6. Hahaha! I was just about to remark "Frances, I always thought you were taller!" when I saw your photo with Marian. I've stood next to her and made the mistake of not crouching.

    You girls looks great in spite of the heat! Is Mariel here to get married?

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  7. You're most welcome, Neighbor! Well now that I'd seen your lovely new home, it was much easier to finally get you a wedding present that you'd love and actually use hehe :)

    Hi, Ro! I'm here on vacation and to get the wedding preparations in order :)

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  8. DaisyChain, it's really hot. With your super pale skin, you'll burn here! Oh, and don't worry about the Alice chain =)

    Bucca, thanks!

    Liza, it will get hotter! But weird how it's raining, no?

    DiscoBoy, looks can be very deceiving... and I mean that, too, re: her sweetness!

    Ro, I should do the same--never crouch!

    Mariel, you must come over again and drink wine so we can use the gift na!

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