TOPAZ HORIZON

As in literally hot, the sun burned my cheeks and shoulders. That was minimal sun exposure--I didn't even swim or sunbathe. Vince was smarter than me--he just stayed indoors all weekend long.

The night before we left, I typed my Facebook status as: "Going to Batangas and praying for clouds." Lizelle, my sister-in-law, got perplexed and said that all the kids were praying for the sun. Well, God listens to the prayers of little children because in San Juan, the sun unleashed all its blazing glory.

Yes, we're strange that way; we're not fond of the sun at all. But when we see clouds on the horizon, our spirits lift. And when it thunders and pours, Vince and I are the happiest creatures. The harder the rain, the darker the sky, the more ecstatic we get. That's why we love the rainy summer this year and that's why we chose gray London for our honeymoon!

The rest of the Sales family, however, are sun babies. They stayed in the pool the entire weekend! They were all a dark shade of brown by the time we went home.


Nevertheless, despite the unforgiving sun, it was a fun weekend. The kids were so excited... and that's an understatement of epic proportions! Acuatico is indeed a lovely place and I'd love to go back there... in the rainy season!

I love this Kate Torralba dress. It's a backless halter with deep pockets hidden in each side of the tulip skirt. It's a housewife dress--sexy, comfy. My husband definitely agrees with the sexy part!

Anyway, my favorite part of the dress is the print. I call it the Stepford Wife dress because look at the pictures!And though you may find it ironic that a career woman like me loves a dress like this, you'll be more surprised to learn that I can cook, wash, iron, mend, sew, polish, scrub, and do a lot of housewifely things very very well! After all, I was trained since I was 5 years old to be a wife (yep, my parents had but one ambition for me) so I can keep a house and manage a career, too. Stepford Wife!

Hi! This is me at the Kerastase party the other night (in my HerBench off-the-shoulder top and with the Longchamp tote given to me by Aida, my best friend in France). Goodness, I look more tired than a Georgia car insurance salesman selling policies in this global crisis! That's why I'm glad I'll be going out of town with my Sales family this weekend. I won't be able to update for a while so if you're dropping by, here are some random posts you can read till I come back...

• Attended the chi-chi launch of Kerastase Oleo-Relax Slim
• Wrote an article for Spot.ph re: celebs and plastic surgery
• Interviewed NARS Makeup Artist Dawn Stultz
• Campaigned against taxation on books!
• Found secret Facebook photos
• Had my home featured in a magazine
  
• Got nice things from Mama's old things
• Fell in love with my husband all over again
  
• Went to Hong Kong Disneyland!
• Honeymooned in London
• Discovered the secret to true and enduring love (it's in the Bible!)

Okay, that should keep you busy! I'll be back soonest with photos from Acuatico... and with a fantastic blog contest! Why? Well, the contest for my new blog, Beauty for a Living, did so well, it now gets more traffic than this one. It's insane and so now I feel bad for Topaz Horizon. Besides, this month is this blog's 3rd birthday. Golly, I've been blogging for 3 years! More, actually, since I started with a blog on Friendster. Anyway, see you all next week!

It's Mariel's fault. She blogged about these classic flats last week so I bugged her to go shopping because I just had to have one. Turns out I had to have two! At just PHP 799 (USD 17) a pair, why stop at just one? Run to the nearest CMG shop because these babies come in 4 kinds (gold, silver, pewter and bronze--the last two colors are the ones I got!). They come in matching pouches, which really add to the adorable factor.

I also bought these flats from Schu. The big gold design did it for me. It also comes in black and white. I'm still deciding if I should get the black even though I already have 3 black flats--the sequined ones, jelly ones and my pompom ones.

Argh, shoes are my undoing really. Accessories, too. I found these bangles in a tiangge (cheap shop stalls) and I bought 10 pieces, each a different design. I couldn't resist! The bangles are perfect when I'm wearing my usual tee-and-jeans combo (left) but they also look great with my simple sheath dresses. Sigh... With all the shopping Vince and I have done (the house, the gadgets, etc), I guess we could've gone on that Disney cruise already! Well, maybe not the cruise yet, but definitely a trip somewhere!

Speaking of trips, we will be gone all weekend! Vince and I and his family are all going to Batangas, to an exquisite resort called Acuatica. Will come back with photos, and I do hope it won't rain!

I know we seem to be shopping a lot lately but remember we did sell our truck a couple of months back. Even though it was a good energy-efficient pick-up truck with cheap car insurance, we decided to let it go since we walk to work anyway. Besides, with the global credit crunch, let us shop (wisely!) so that the ailing economy will recover!
So a few weeks ago, I saw these exquisite Chinese porcelain garden stools in Dimensione High Street. I promptly fell in love with them. Now, I live in an apartment with no gardens whatsoever so I didn't buy any. But I kept thinking of them so Vince and I finally went back last week. Vince kinda balked at the price but even then he told me to get a pair since one stool would look lonely. I said, "Nah, let's just get one. We just bought two overpriced chairs."


So we looked over all of the pretty porcelain stools. I couldn't decide between the yellow and the pink. Vince said, "I think we should get the yellow one. And I really still think you should get a pair." After much agony from me and much exasperated impatience from Vince, I finally decided to get the blue one with pink flowers. Here it is at home...

Hmmm. Methinks I should've gotten the yellow one. And Vince is (again!) right--one stool, no matter how pretty, looks terribly lonely. Well, I'll just go get the yellow one then! (Although I quite like the pink one, too...)

For me, the thought of a future without books is equivalent to a big dose of appetite suppressants since in the few days after I wrote my last post, I could hardly eat from worry and sadness. However, I am now happy to report that many Filipinos have mobilized protests against this new policy and rained complaints on the Departments of Finance and Customs. This country is indeed great!

Also, Robin Hemley, Director of the Non-Fiction Writing Program in the University of Iowa and the man who started this all with his report on "The Great Book Blockade of 2009", mentioned my very own post about the issue in his website! Thanks, Kae, for telling me about this. I was surprised and quite honored! It definitely put me on a good mood to cook all weekend!

Now, remember--the fight ain't over yet! Do your part, Pinoy, and make books part of our future!

There's a new atrocity our government is imposing on us Filipinos. Taxes will be levied on all imported books--1% for educational books and 5% for non-educational books. That's on top of the 12% VAT we're already paying. The hugely popular Twilight Saga of Stephenie Meyer whetted the appetites of our customs officials and they promptly decided they can make crazy money from each of the tens of thousands of Twilight books that Filipinos devour.

There's an international treaty that says books--educational or not--should be imported in all nations tax-free. Our government has decided to go against the treaty so that (if you're rich) they can squeeze more money from us and (if you're poor) keep our brains empty at the same time. It's a brilliant maneuver of an extremely corrupt government. It's also stunning in its stupidity.

Now, Vince and I love books. We read and write the way people eat and drink. Books are not a hobby; books are our life. And if we have one mission in life, it's that we want every person in the entire Philippines to build personal libraries the way we are slowly and joyfully doing. Each Filipino home should have at least one room filled with beloved books, to be read over and over again and be passed down to children.


With this new customs policy, this dream will never come true. What will remain true is the enduring ignorance of the Filipino masses. This breaks my heart. Because I came from a poor family, but books opened my mind and fed my soul, they made me dream, and made it possible for me to get out of the poverty and make my dreams come true. Books can do that--textbooks and otherwise! How can the next generation have a chance if our government makes it impossible for them to read?

Please write about this in your blog. Please write to the following:

• the media, especially TV and radio, so that they can bring attention to this matter
• Customs Undersecretary Espele Sales, the woman who decided that books should be taxed (I cannot find any mention of her on government pages, though)
• Bureau of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales, e-mail: BOCCommissioner@customs.gov.ph
• National Book Development Board (their purpose stated here), e-mail: helpdesk@nbdb.gov.ph
• Secretary of Education Jesli A. Lapus, contact here
• National Commission for Culture and the Arts Vilma Labrador, e-mail: oc@ncca.gov.ph
• National Commission for Culture and the Arts Commissioner Ambeth Ocampo, e-mail: info@ncca.gov.phThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

I don't know who else to write to and how to do it most effectively but if we need to write to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo herself, then let's do so!

To learn more, please read columnist Manuel L. Quezon III's article and University of Iowa Non-Fiction Writing Program Director Robin Hemley's report.

UPDATE: Correction--Espela Sales is the Undersecretary of Finance. I am ashamed to say we share the same last name!

Had a crazy dream the other night. It was so vivid, I woke up breathless and discombobulated.

My favorite show now is Chuck. I am seriously in love with everything on that show. It's one of the few intelligent and entertaining shows on television--emphasis on intelligent! It's also one of the best written, funny, romantic, action-packed, wonderfully acted shows ever! And Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski are so cute together and everyone in the cast are such amazing actors. Bravo to everyone in and behind Chuck!

Anyway, the dream was Chuck and Sarah were sent to spy on some animal activists who were actually terrorists with a mission to blow up the San Diego Zoo. I don't know where Casey was since all I saw was Chuck and Sarah. Anyway, off they went, rescuing the animals when suddenly women in black bikinis started parading in front of the zoo, protesting the caging of animals. Chuck was obviously distracted (I got distracted, too) and the animal activists/terrorists were able to get to him! I was in a panic at this point! Then Sarah stripped down to a black bikini, too, so that she can infiltrate the animal activists' headquarters and rescue Chuck, which she did, and they ended my dream with a really sweet kiss!


For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

I actually understand why I dreamed this. Last week, I saw on the news some PETA activists in bikinis protesting in front of the Manila Zoo, which infuriated the zoo administrator who said that it was more wrong to wear bikinis than to cage animals (hahaha!). Second, I read on CNN.com recently that an animal activist is actually on the FBI's Most Wanted List--and he ain't there for good behavior. And last--but most important of all!--I love Chuck and have been seriously upset since NBC decided they can't decide if they want to renew it for a third season (NBC, pleeeeease!)

Gosh, I really really want to watch Chuck FOREVER! Angel Cohn of Television Without Pity gives you seven excellent reasons why Chuck should remain on air. And if you're not watching Chuck, then for the love of your brain, please do so!

So have you gone over to Beauty For A Living? It’s my new baby, a blog dedicated to all things beauty! Lofty as it may sound, it actually serves a practical purpose—I need a place to put some of my thoughts on the tons of stuff I get from beauty brands.

While I initially thought of putting those opinions here on Topaz Horizon, I very quickly also decided against it because I want this to remain my personal diary. The new blog can be the place for my honest reviews of products—from cheap drugstore finds and expensive luxury brands to the most out-of-this world treatments and services like a Colonix review!

Anyway, Beauty For A Living was supposed to be an anonymous blog but so many people recognized my profile photo—even if it was a heavily made up me! Oh well! As Vince said, “If you want to remain anonymous, take down your photo. It’s logical.” I guess I’m not prone to logical reasoning!

Do head on over to my new blog. I’m giving away fabulous prizes: a Shu Uemura makeup brush kit, a Jurlique facial care set and a Shu Uemura lipstick case. I announce the winners on Friday!

Vince fell in love with the Philippe Starck Louis Ghost chair two years ago. It's a simple chair made of polycarbonate and it's famous for melting into its surroundings and standing out at the same time.


He asked if he could buy one. Two years ago, it cost P12,000 each. I said, "No, let's wait for a sale." Last year, he asked me again. This time, the chair was P14,000. Again I said, "No, let's wait for a sale." A few weeks ago, while we were at Rustan's, the price tag on the Ghost was an eye-popping P16,000 (USD 332.55). Vince said, "If we wait for a sale, it will just get even more expensive. Let's buy it while we can still afford it."

So we bought two. I know that's a lot of money for an invisible chair but to get just one seemed incomplete. Now, twin Louis Ghosts sit in our house. They are stark and simple and elegant. We are in desperate love with them.


Today I found out from Real Living magazine that Dexterton in Greenbelt 5 has a sale on its home and office furniture. The Louis Ghosts were marked down.

I sat down on one of my beloved Ghosts and allowed one frustrated tear.

*images from Marley&Lockyer, PointClickHome, StyleAtHome

End of April. This time last year, the sun was blazing down in unforgiving rays--no surprise since April is always the month we fear our eyeballs would melt from the heat. This year, however, it's raining buckets. Global warming indeed.

This time last year, my husband had just left Playboy Philippines because he realized that if he was going back to the magazine world, he might as well do T3. He had just begun settling back in when we were all told to pack up and move to our new digs.

At last, we were leaving our basement office in Robinsons Galleria! Good-bye to the rats, the cockroaches and the strange dust that coated our desks and computers. And hello to the new home of Summit Media!

For security reasons, I won't post pics of our new office. I will, however, show you my table. It's all cluttered with memos, drafts, press releases, page plans, signature proofs (that's the test magazine pages), invitations and bags upon bags of beauty products. I'm very cluttery. So embarrassing! But I can always find something in that awful mess!

And this is my favorite place: The library. Don't mind the empty-looking shelves--we've got tons of magazines from all over the world!

So a very happy anniversary to Summit Media's lovely new office! I love working here really. Oh, let me rephrase that... I love playing here. Yep, I feel like I'm paid to have fun and that's why this is the best gig in the world!


P.S. Grab the April issue of T3 (it's the bikini issue!) with this remarkable-looking woman on the cover. This is the result of that post I wrote about the yacht and the helicopter. Click here if I don't make sense.

And have you gotten yourself OK!'s April issue? It's our special 4th anniversary issue! It's our best issue yet--anti-aging secrets of Jennifer Aniston and 8 other stars, 69 of the best gowns this year, an exclusive interview with Wolverine star Hugh Jackman and MORE! Be a good Topaz Horizon reader and get a copy now!

Yesterday, the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual was launched at a chi-chi brunch at Mag:Net Cafe at Bonifacio High Street. Bubbly was served, which felt decadent to drink when the sun is so high in the sky. Here are the other things I loved: 1. How cute Sebastien Tardif is! Bobbi Brown's makeup artist is gracious and friendly. He's so passionate about makeup and so eager to share all these tips and tricks. I just love passion and generosity. 2. Girls who look great! I like a woman who takes care of herself because that shows she has self-worth. I like people with big smiles, too! Beauty editors Eunice Lucero of StyleBible.ph, Cindy Go of Preview and Nicole Delos Angeles of Cosmopolitan show us how it's done. 3. Designer bags all in a pile. I appreciate how they're thrown so carelessly on top of each other. People shouldn't treat things too preciously. Precious is how you treat people, not things. 4. Eunice's orange nails. My regular readers will know that I love orange and I love how Eunice can pull them off. This girl is utter perfection. All. The. Time. 5. The color purple. Check out the shoes and Goyard bag of Agoo Bengzon, beauty editor-at-large of Preview, and the dress of Rorie Carlos, fashion and beauty editor of Town & Country. What I didn't love? It was a Fat Day for me. Sigh. So despite the heat, I pulled on my long black cardigan. I think it slims me but Vince says it just makes me look like I'm hiding something unpleasant. My husband is a big believer in flaunting--not hiding--beauty. I can use some of my hubby's gung-ho attitude really but, unlike me, he doesn't have PMS bloat! Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual is available at all Bobbi Brown counters at Rustan's.