TOPAZ HORIZON

Remember when Vince and I wanted to replace our sofa? We had decided to invest on a fabulous Bo's sofa that would cost us a quarter of a million bucks (trust me, the sofa was worth it!). Then we saw the movie Up and figured that since we don't plan to have kids, why not buy a his-and-hers pair?

Up was a really gorgeous movie about a boy and a lonely old man. But it's also really about a couple who loved each other so much. That's Vince and me! And those two chairs they sat on for the rest of their lives just seemed such a good idea since Vince and I are very different people and yet we like the same things, too. It's like two different chairs made for the same purposes sitting in one room... Well, that's a marriage for you!

But you know what happened next--we got this little guy! The sofa budget went to him naturally.

Anyway, thoughts of sofas and chairs were swept under the rug until my sister-in-law and her hubby, Anj and Lit Onrubia (you met them here), opened a shop dedicated to just chairs. It has a very prosaic name--About A Chair--and I like that. There's no mistaking what it's all about!

When Vince and I were newly married, the hunt for quality furniture that didn't look like boring hotel furniture was really a daunting task. We spent months just looking at shops which didn't really offer much. Or we'd find a gem in a shop and then the rest of their stuff is all blah. Or we'd find a fabulous shop but the prices are insane (hello, BoConcept and Natuzzi!). Enter About A Chair.



The stylish little shop is squeezed between Aristocrat and Queens along Jupiter St. in Makati. It's such a sweet place. I really like it there! The chairs are all iconic--from Jacobsen's Egg Chair to Eames' Lounge Chair, the shop did a great job choosing which pieces to carry. They chose design classics but those that are distinctive--no blah chairs in here! Each chair has personality. Each chair has a story!

My favorite part is that these chairs are reasonably priced. For the design, the quality of materials, the craftsmanship, I say the prices are pretty good! They're not cheap, not at all. We'd still need to set aside some moolah every month to afford these for our Up his-and-hers pair:

I chose this. I don't know what its name is (I'll ask!). It's just begging for your butt! I want to curl up in it and tuck my legs and get lost in a thick book.

The Cigar Chair is sooo comfy. The leather is so smooth and soft and the chair just hugs your entire body as you sink into its depths. It's love! It's supposed to be for smoking cigars  but I bet Vince has other ideas, like movie marathons, reading fests and PS3 weekends!

Isn't About A Chair such a fab place? I urge you to do drop by!

About A Chair: 2/F 146-A Jupiter St., Bel-Air Village, Makati. Tel no. +632-890.7602. Store hours: 10am-7pm (Mon-Sat) and 11am-7pm (Sun). 

Ironically, when this blog got popular, I got shhh-ed! My family reads this, my nieces read this, my co-workers read this, my industry partners read this, etc etc etc.

While I absolutely adore having more and more of you dropping by, I found that now I can't talk about my sex life (to Vince's enormous relief!), say bad things about people or places or products, say fuck-shit-asshole-bitch (oho, I just did!), or have strong opinions about serious stuff like politics or the RH Bill because I might offend someone important who doesn't share the same beliefs.

What a strange predicament I'm in! I have so many people interested in reading what I have to say and I can't say it!

I'm not angry, okay? Just thinking aloud. I don't mind so much since, at my age, I've gotten allergic to conflict. I wonder if that means I've become a big wuss. Well, I do still SPEAK my mind; I just don't WRITE it anymore. Print and be damned, as they wisely say.

If you want to know what I really really think, buy me coffee and let's chat! I like looooong honest talks and I assure you I am never boring!

Had a really really lovely brunch last week at Momo at the Ayala Triangle Gardens. To whoever said magazine editors starve themselves to death, well, you haven't met the editors I work with. We love to eat! It's almost embarrassing how we gobble up food. Diet is an alien word!

From left: me, Good Housekeeping EIC Tisha Alvarez Angluben, Smart Parenting EIC Mia Fausto Cruz and Women's Health EIC Lara Parpan

We had truffled eggs, scrambled eggs, sausages, tapa, waffles, pancakes, fruit, jellies and jams, all washed down with Illy coffee and guava tea. Burp!

We also talked about scary ghost stories (this was the fault of Karotitay's blog post). Mia Fausto Cruz had the scariest ghost stories ever! Like our hair was super standing on end. It's a good thing we were bathed in sunlight because if our meal happened to have been dinner, I think we'd be screaming our heads off!

Here I am with Cosmopolitan EIC Zo Aguila and Tisha. Beige and tan, yup, the colors of the day! I'm wearing a Paper Dolls dress, Nine West sandals, Charles & Keith shades, and that's my super duper loved Fino doctor's bag.

Speaking of screaming his head off, this little boy just recently discovered the joys of being very very loud. He loves waking up and announcing to the world he's awake by shrieking happily... into his parents' sleepy ears! And when he's unhappy and upset, well, same thing! What a loudmouth! Just like his mama!

1. My nail polish! It's Glitzerland from O.P.I. It's a very fine crushed gold that looks great against my skin and with my topaz ring!

2. The funny Garnier video for the roll-on eye brightener and de-puffer. Only because I suffer from terrible dark circles so this actually is something I can very well relate to! (Crickette, I finally sent you this! Tell me how it goes!)

Goodies and Sweets Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce

3. Spot.ph's Top 10 chocolate cakes. I just had that cake in the photo actually. It is love! Guys, if the girl you're trying to win is sick of getting fancy chocolates from you, try giving her cake instead! It's casual, almost friendly, and yet it's still chocolate. And if she still doesn't give you her sweet yes, then take comfort in the fact that this luscious cake is fattening! For more unusual chocolate gifts, go check out Sharri's Berries Facebook page for ideas.

4. The Mogu Mogu introduction. It's so... strange! It's almost profound! "Fruit Juice. Gotta Chew!!" What does it mean?!?

5. The Sony VAIO S. Because it's pink! Period. For more substantial reasons, check out what the Third World Nerd had to say about the new VAIOs. Seriously makes me want to buy this instead of a Mac! (Bad hair day, I know. But just lookit my smile!)

6. Rustan's Makati's red carpeted entrance. I love Power Plant but no mall makes me feel like a VIP quite like Rustan's Makati does!

7. Vito trying to remove his Thudguard helmet while eating carrots I steamed, mashed, sieved myself. But I love him every minute!

And I so wanted to have Angel Aquino's lean physique!

I quit Barre3. It was more expensive than I bargained for. An unlimited monthly membership costs P5,500. It's worth it if you go to class at least three times a week since that would be P500 a class, even less if you go more often, which had been my plan. I totally did not know that January and February were months that were super busy and stressful and that I would be sick for an entire month, resulting to me attending just 6 classes.

I also didn't account for the cab fare. To and fro Power Plant is P120. So add P120 to each scheduled class. Now I also didn't realize I'd... shop!!!! Power Plant is the deadliest mall for Vince and me. We never ever leave that place without buying anything. So with each Barre3 class, I bought a dress at Mango and Zara. Needless to say, I have overspent.

So I did not renew my membership. Sad. I really liked Barre3. It was absolute torture in the beginning but I really felt my body get stronger with each class. I highly recommend it for building strength, flexibility and stamina. For quick weight loss, always best to put on your running shoes and chase the wind!

Anyway, I haven't given up on my fitness resolution yet. Good Housekeeping editor Tisha Angluben and stylist Sidney Yap told me that there's a Core Kinesis class just across my apartment! Yes, folks, it's not in a mall! And PR guru Frank Briones invited me to try Hollywood's latest fitness program Plana Forma for free. Well, well, there is hope yet for this baby flab around my tummy! Wish me luck!

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I spent a few sleepless nights obsessing over the yellow Cambridge Satchel a few weeks ago. Vince ended my agony and told me he'll buy me one for Valentine's Day! Hooray! So off we traipsed to Chocolate schubar at Power Plant and committed by finally scratching the credit card. I'm just waiting for my bag to arrive next month! EQ is being mightily tested!

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What is behind this door?

One of my blog resolutions is to talk about a blog I super like. Today, you have to check out Karotitay's blog. The latest post, "Do you believe in MOOMOO?" scared the shit out of me! Karrots, na-stress ang beauty ko!

Of course you also have to update yourself with these:
Beauty For A Living - I talk about how Avon is fighting to end violence against women
Topaz Mommy - I wrote my hubby a love post! Naks!
Third World Nerd - The hubby's last post talked about a tech tragedy!!! But, because he's such a genius, he saved us.

Click! Click! And happy weekend, y'all!

She's coming to Manila tonight! And I'm not watching her concert!!! Kids, that's what having a baby in your life means. So I have to content myself with this:

It's a really nice magazine, by the way. Very sweet and fairy tale-ish and girly. I'm also very proud because my "kids" Lana, Joanna and Elaine created this magazine! They made a really cool mag and I feel very warm and fuzzy because my girls are so fantastic!  Yes, that's how a boss feels when the people she's mentored for so long do a GREAT JOB. I'm so lucky that way!

If you love Taylor Swift, do grab a copy. It's P150 and it's available at your favorite newsstand, bookstore, supermarket and magazine shop.

I'm so glad kids today have Lady Gaga's empowering anthem to sing and believe in. We all need to know that we're beautiful just the way we are. Oops, that's a different song!

There's only one thing that's happening on April--the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. So Elaine, my magazine's associate features editor, who's been doing research, shared with us the video of Diana's long march down that aisle so many years ago. Confession: I've never actually watched this most famous wedding before! It took my breath away.



Did you hear the people roar? Did you hear the trill and bellow of the trumpets? I got goosebumps honestly. I imagine a saint's arrival at heaven to be greeted like that, with applause and trumpets.

In her voluminous dress, Diana still looked very elegant and beautiful, even brave. Well, every person about to get married has to be brave!

My own wedding was very simple. So was Vito's baptism. Vince and I aren't the pomp-and-pageantry type. We like to dress up and eat well, but we don't like programs or dance numbers or long speeches or giveaways and stuff like that. For a lot of people, events are a big show (and there's nothing wrong with that!) but for Vince and me, our events are very private and quiet.

But watching Diana's wedding, I can't help but feel that weddings should indeed be like that--a spectacular show! I certainly now wish my wedding march had been accompanied by such fanfare! Drums and trumpets and the thunderous roar of thousands of happy people! Hear! Hear!