TOPAZ HORIZON

Aside from three gifts, that is. My husband's family members have exchanged lists of what we all want for the holidays. Yes, we're practical that way. We just email each other "So-and-so wants these, and so-and-so wants those, and I want these..." and we just pick what we give. That way, everyone gets what they want. It's not a surprise but it definitely makes gift shopping easier. Plus, everyone anticipates opening their gifts because everyone gets exactly what they want.

But my parents-in-law... They want nothing because they already have everything. What do you give people who have everything? Chuvaness suggested flowers. I have always believed beautifully framed photos make a great gift. Photos of the recipient, not the giver!

What's on my list? Well... I want a lot. Here are a few:

Hmmm. My wish list is a bit pricey. Well, that's why I work hard! These are the things I want to buy for myself. I don't really want to ask others to get them for me (Yes. Really, Vince!). I like it that I can buy myself stuff. Used to be a time I couldn't even buy anything.

What's on your list?

Haven't done a promotional tour for the magazine in months. Got pregnant--was usually nauseated in the morning, when the radio guestings are usually scheduled. Then gave birth. But now Vito's a big boy so I can go do my job again.

Outfit details: Zara jacket, Topshop tank, Guess skinny jeans For more about the jacket, click here!

Was at Mellow 94.7 yesterday at 8am. Talked about "How To Marry Your Own Prince" a.k.a. "How To Land A Rich Man The Way Kate Middleton Did!" Tee hee.

Buy the December issue now!

Talking to DJ Vince G

And this is me talking about Tip #1. Forgive my squeaky voice!


That was fun! I like doing radio tours. A big part of being an editor-in-chief is promoting the magazine (ya, we don't really edit so our title shouldn't be "editor-in-chief" but "magazine manager") and now that I'm back to doing what I do best (PR), I feel like I am actually back in the saddle again.

Little fairy lights aren't just for Christmas. They look romantic strung over your bed or magical as pretty outdoor lights.

Your chair doesn't have to match your desk.

Beautiful fabrics add drama to simple shapes.

A fresh coat of paint, preferably in bright colors,  gives new life to old furniture.

Blue on blue isn't boring. Same colors can actually unify a space.

You may have a lovely house but if there's no love in it, it's not much of a home.

Heima is on the second level of LRI Plaza along N. Garcia St., Makati.

Forgive me for being boring but I am seriously in love with these basic black bags:



I think P43,461.60 is waaaaaay too much for a bag as simple as the Bayswater, and yet because I'm sure I can wear it every single day till forever, the cost per wear definitely makes it very cheap.

Now the Marielly was just love love love. And when I found out that it was selling for $145 last Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, I totally freaked. Sadly, a zillion women must've felt the same way because it was sold out within hours. I found it on eBay but it was sold out within hours, too. I guess it isn't meant to be. Well, P12,885.47 for a simple black bag is a bit too much, no? Yup. Wasn't meant to be!

*photos from Net-a-Porter and Kate Spade

Vince: "Hey, did you cough up a hair ball?"

Me: "Waaaaaah! I'm sorry my hair's all over the place!"

Every morning, I wake up to this. More fall off in the shower!

And when I say it's all over the place, I mean, it's EVERYWHERE. It's embarrassing. My hair line's receding and I have little bald spots by my temples and the crown. This postpartum hair loss is alarming. I know I already talked about this a few posts ago but there is no happy resolution anytime soon. Even my beloved hairstylist Louis Phillip Kee told me while we were lined up at the Zara sale, "Women really do lose their hair from 12 to 16 months after giving birth." Great. That's just great!

Meanwhile, P&G Beauty sent me this little package:

News of my hair disaster must have reached them! And I quickly picked up this bottle:

That bright golden sticker just yelled at me, "98% less hair fall within 14 days!" Aha! I knew it. I knew it. That mystery shampoo I was talking about in my previous post on the same unfortunate topic is indeed Pantene Pro-V Hair Fall Control. Well, I know I didn't put my guess in the post but the blindfolded woman looked exactly like Claudine Barretto and that just gave it away.


So I just wanted to tell you that if you're also suffering from hair fall, maybe you'd like to give Pantene a try. Who knows? You just might win a trip for two to Boracay!!!

First, you have to try out the shampoo. Second, you have to take a photo of your transformed hair (yep, the Pantene promise is transformed hair in 2 weeks!). Third, like their Facebook page (it's here!). Fourth, upload that fabulous photo of yours so that other girls can see how gorgeous your hair is (that photo to the left was my glossy hair when I was pregnant. Sigh.). And last, cross your fingers and hope you win a trip for two to the absolutely amazing Discovery Shores Boracay!

Contest mechanics here: I Commit to Change.

*The Pantene promise of less hair fall is for those who lose hair due to breakage. If you are suffering from hair fall due to stress and hormones (like I am!), we’ll just have to wait it out. 

Post-partum update: It's been three months since I gave birth. The skin discolorations have nearly all faded away. The tummy is still a bowl of Jell-O but smaller and firmer now. The stretch marks are there (forever) but I find that I can live with them after all. What's freaking me out is the dozens of hair strands on my pillow, in the shower drain, on my brush, at the back of my shirt, and once on poor breastfeeding Vito's face! I hate post-partum hair fall!

Then again, even before I got pregnant, I've always had a problem with my flat, thin, prone-to-falling hair. Stress! As Claudine Barretto complains, "Hate na hate ko talaga yung nakikita ko ang buhok ko kung saan-saan nakakalat!" Claudine, I feel ya.

Now because of my job, I get to bring home dozens of haircare products. I've tried a lot of shampoos targeted towards hair fall but so far none has helped. Well, L'Oreal's kiddie shampoo Tendresse did but it's such an expensive shampoo that I don't think I can use that again. Inquirer's beauty director Ria Francisco Prieto says someone sent her this icky black herbal soap that helped with her hair fall but since it didn't have a name, she doesn't know where I can buy it.

Vince and I have our haircuts done at home. Call Shuji Kida-trained Michael at 0939-888.7860.

Sigh! My fellow women, especially mommies, how did you deal with your post-partum hair fall? Did you cut your hair really short, take supplements, eat something different, get scalp treatments, use a fabulous shampoo, or did you just cry it out???

I know that hair fall is a common problem with us women because I came across this website, BlindTest.com.ph, that reports a survey on women's hair problems. Nearly half of the women said that it's hair fall that troubles them most. The site also says (teasingly and maddeningly!) that there's a shampoo that can prevent hair fall (yep, 91% of the women surveyed said so!) but that the big reveal will be on Nov. 28 and that we'll have to wait to find out what this mystery shampoo is. Meanwhile our hair will keep falling!

Hmmm... I think I already have an idea what the shampoo is, and I'm just basing it on the blindfolded woman's nose and half-smile, but I won't put my guess here because I may be mistaken (although I'm pretty sure I'm not!) and then I'd get embarrassed. My fellow blogger friends have the same bet. How about you? What do you think this amazing hair-fall solution is?

I'm losing my hair. Just look at the top of my head!

I hope it's a real solution. The amount of hair I find everywhere is alarming. Even my yaya says to my son, "Hay naku, si mama mo nakakalbo na!" Cry cry cry!

Well, will commence as soon as we pick up our Rock Band 3 cymbals and keyboard this weekend! Oh yeah. The Third World Nerd and I have been haunting all the gaming shops for weeks now and they all have no Rock Band 3 instruments! Major fail! So we bought ours online.

Soon after that purchase, I got tons of Black Friday sale emails. Argh! Black Friday sale is a huge electronics sale in the US of A right after Thanksgiving. What's Thanksgiving? It's an American holiday that involves turkey, pumpkins, pecan pie, cranberries and, oh, thanksgiving! So anyway. The huge sale. Maybe we should've waited? A little itsy bitsy part of me wished we had waited until I realized that Rock Band 3 is super new and no way would it ever be on sale. So I'm happy!

I may be gone from the blogging world for a while, okay? It's time to rock!

And this year, it looks like it's going to be so much funner!

Looking like they swallowed some very effective diet pills, the Victoria's Secret Angels are back (minus Heidi Klum)! And I think I spied the newly married but always naughty Katy Perry in the vid. She must be this year's music artist! Will she be in lingerie, too? Ooh!

I'm sooo glad we have HD TV! But I think we should go for the 3D TV next year!

Since I was a wee little lass, I have always been moved by movies that showed the drama and urgency and excitement of a publisher screaming, "Stop the presses!" I always thought, "One day, I'm going to do just that." I have always always always dreamed of doing that.

Last week, as I watched the news channels trumpet the happy news of Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement, I felt my blood quicken as I realized that the December issue was at that moment queued at the printers, ready to be printed in thousands upon thousands of copies with the wrong cover. "This engagement," I thought frantically, "This engagement is THE cover! I have to stop the presses!!!"

So I did.

Thank you, royal lovebirds.

Friends, go grab a copy now!

Since giving birth to Vito Gwapito, I really don't go anywhere far from my house. Sleepless nights have made me look and act like a zombie so I don't look very presentable most days. My goodness, when will I ever have a good night's rest again--maybe when Vito's 18? Argh, that's a whole set of worries by then and I guess I'll have to resort to some potent sleep aids to get any rest at all. Readers who want to have babies, be warned!

Anyway, the real reason I don't venture far from the house anymore is because I breastfeed Vito. I express milk but there's not much milk that gets expressed (only about 3 oz a session) so even if I have a few bottles stored, I still get paranoid that Vito will drink all the milk while I'm away and then he'll starve. Ya, I'm crazy stupid like that.

But last Friday night, I was able to steal away for four hours to go shopping with my girlfriends Nicole and Nikki at the newly opened Kiehl's boutique at Mall of Asia (more on that soon at Beauty For A Living). Let me tell ya, it was soooo nice to just chat away with the girls. From silly things like Topshop finds and yummy things like traditional Thanksgiving dishes to really serious and sad stuff that I won't talk about here.

Instead I'll talk about the light and fluffy! Like my outfit! Woot! Outfit post! Now when was the last time I did that?! Anyway, I am wearing my Gap shirt, my Guess skinny jeans, my black suede peep-toes I bought from eBay and my Fino bag.


If you're wondering why Nicole has her hand in that begging pose, it's because of this:

Freaky! Nic just came from an acupuncture session, a regular treatment she does that really helped her health. I've only done acupuncture once, as a last resort to a terrible cough that lasted for weeks and wouldn't go away whatever I did and no matter how many doctors I saw. So off I went to a Chinese clinic, had a detox, an acupressure massage, an acupuncture session and a total physical diagnosis using magnets. I was half laughing and half coughing the entire time. "This is crazy shit," I said to myself. But that night, my phlegm loosened and by morning, my cough was gone. Gone!

So I've digressed from my story! Anyway, I'm just glad I was able to go out. Being a mom is all about giving, giving, giving. It saps the life out of me sometimes. So it's good to be able to steal away now and then and just recharge. I should do it more often actually. Vince has been complaining about my temper recently. Sigh.

Well, y'all must know about the controversial new tourism campaign of DOT. I don't like it either, but I do like that someone came up with this app:

Now this one? Loves its to death super! Make your own logo, too. Now na!

Don't know what the fuss is about? Let Tita Noemi fill you in: Country Branding the Philippines

In honor of this!

Ya, I like men with sharp cheekbones, bulging Adam's apples and you know that part in the hip area and the bone can be seen peeking out of their jeans? Or, let David Beckham illustrate for us, peeking out of his tighty whities?

I like those parts. Yum! I don't like fleshy men. I like my man to be long and lean. I also like men to be smooth all over. Hairy men, flabby men, tummy men, doubly-chin men... let's just be friends, okay?

So anyway, I was browsing through Gucci's Fall Winter 2010-2011 collection and I am sooo crushing over the guys. Skinny! And you know what I love love love? The skinny suits! Skinny suits are very chic and it takes a lot of panache to wear them--definitely not the kind serious men with bank, academic, or IT jobs would wear. Men in creative fields, like fashion, advertising, publishing, will wear skinny suits. Hmm... Well, I guess no matter what field a guy's in as long as he's confident. And skinny! Like my hubby, who'd look absolutely gorgeous in these:

Must head over to Gucci in Greenbelt 5 to check these suits out. Vince, let's gowwww!

For the bags I liked from this collection, click here.

*runway photos courtesy of Visions & Expressions. Beckham's photo from the web!

I'm 34 years old today!

I thought my Facebook wall and my phone inbox would crash from all the greetings and wishes and love you sent my way. Thank you! You all made my day special.

Vince and I brought Vito along to Pancake House in Rockwell and Vito watched while his parents ate blueberry pancakes smothered in butter and syrup, steak and mashed potatoes, and crispy tapa with garlic rice. Yum! Yes, my birthday lunch was at Pancake House! I love Pancake House soooo much, I wanted them to cater my wedding (to everyone's horror! So we signed on Le Souffle instead).

Then my little family and I slept away the afternoon. Zzzzz. Then we woke up and watched our favorite TV shows (Fringe, 30 Rock, Big Bang Theory) and a movie (Scott Pilgrim vs the World--really funny!) then ate Haagen-Dazs Dulce De Leche ice cream. Then got a gift from blog reader Paola (thanks, P!). Perfect day! I still plan to celebrate the rest of the week. After all, 34 years is a great reason to celebrate!

Thanks for the love, everybody! You make me thank God every day for this blessed life. Some days aren't so perfect... okay, a lot of days aren't but when I have friends like you, who am I to complain? I am beyond happy. May the good Lord return your love for me a hundredfold and bless you and your families bountifully!

My fabulously pink Christmas tree, that Vince got for my 32nd birthday, is ready to make its annual appearance. Yes, it's pink and that's a funny color for a tree or for the season but I like that my hubby indulges me. Or as he puts it bluntly, "You're spoiled."

this is Christmas 2008

Christmas 2009

I'll show you the photos tomorrow (or as soon as I can!) since we're not done setting it up. Besides, I still need really nice ornaments. Right now, I have silver balls, matte and shiny, and plain white lights. But they're kinda boring, don't you think? I'm sure there are fellow Christmas lovers reading my blog. Where do you get unique trinkets for your tree? And I really don't want to go to Divisoria. I don't like that place.

Help! I really want nice new Christmas ornaments (without breaking the bank)!

Wow! I am now at that most feared time: Mid-life! Or is mid-life at 40? I dunno really although it makes sense that it's around the ages 34-36 because life expectancy is at 70 so divide that by 2 and you get 35. Simple math, complicated time.

Here's what I currently look like:

Not bad, not bad. I don't look young anymore but neither do I look like I need Botox! Although I gotta admit I've been slathering on the anti wrinkle creams when I can. I'm using Lancome Hydra-Zen now but my friend Nicole tells me that Shu Uemura's Red:Juvenus is beyond amazing. So I'm trying that next.

Truth to tell, I'm the laziest girl in the world when it comes to beauty rituals. I love beauty magazines and products but when it comes to actually using them, I... don't. So I'm glad that I still look okay! I do have gorgeous parents to thank (although I am nowhere near as beautiful as my mother) but in the great scheme of things, I'm just pretty, not fabulously stunningly beautiful.

That's okay. I've never felt insecure about my looks or been jealous of other girls. I'm a great admirer of beauty actually. That's because my parents always told me that we're all God's creation so whatever you look like, you're beautiful.

Besides, I have such a blessed life. It's not without its troubles--and believe me, there's a lot right now--but no matter how I look at life, all I really see is how full of beauty it is. On top of my gratitude list: my husband and darling baby boy. Just one look at this sweetie and I feel all the years drop away from my face and my body. Vito's my No. 1 anti-aging secret!

What's your anti-aging weapon?

Lookie here! I took some snaps of a couple of silly brand names:


Now, you may have a really great product--from the best slimming pills to designer water--but if the name you christen your product and store is unimaginative, has no recall or is just plain stupid, I don't think it will sell. At all!

Speaking of designer water, Vince and I want a bottle of this:

Oops, sorry. It won't rotate counter-clockwise!

How about that? Paul Smith put his famous stripes on Evian bottles. You gotta love that! Except that y'all know that Evian is "naive" spelled backwards!

And it's the Philippine Blog Awards no less!

Now I don't know how this works, like how to win, what's the prize, etc. But I am thrilled nevertheless! People have told me that it's a voting thing so I guess the most popular--not necessarily the best--blog wins. Well, if it is a voting thing, I just got a great christmas idea for a gift! Vote for ME!

Now if I were to win, this will be my speech:

I'd like to thank the Academy. To be nominated is a huge honor. Thanks to my hubby for patiently suffering the fate of the blogger's spouse (which is to be paraded in front of the cyber world). Same thanks goes to my friends who graciously allow their fashionable selves to be subjects of my posts. Thanks also to my son who is the unwitting star of my blogs, and my adorable inspiration. And if I had an agent, I'd thank that agent, too. So maybe I need one! Last but certainly not the least, many many thanks to the readers who visit my blogs every day. I think I live an interesting life but even I didn't think it was THAT interesting until you guys started telling me so. Thank you!

Uh-oh. Did I just jinx it? Oh well! Good luck to Topaz Horizon!

When God made Kate Torralba and Rajo Laurel, He sprinkled extra talent on these two fashion designers, that's for sure! Not only are they two of the most celebrated designers in the country, they also sing! Check out the music video they made for Paperdolls and Wharton.



It's so cool. Kate and Rajo really hammed it up! The models, who look like they take Lipofuze religiously, definitely have that 60s vibe going. Now I always knew Kate can sing (she always sings at weddings and she has gigs at bars almost every week) but Rajo is a surprise! I was most entertained.

If you want to see the collection Kate designed for Paperdolls, click here and here!

1. To get back in shape. I lost the pregnancy weight quick but I'm flabby all over. It's kinda depressing. Really. So I better buy some fitness equipment like dumbbells or those exercise DVDs. Or maybe I can just run. How do you keep fit?  
2. New shoes. My feet have shrunk back to a size 6 but somehow they've widened or something because even though my old shoes still fit, they're mighty snug! Ouch.
3. New hair color. I haven't had my hair colored in over a year! This is amazing. I am now sporting dark brown hair--my real hair color! I haven't seen this shade in 15 years! Hmmm. Maybe I should keep it like that...
4. To eat out. Yeah. Like, good food in a posh place. Juicy steak, baked oysters, fresh sashimi, spicy sushi, crisp salad... Hungry!
5. Bib necklaces. I just discovered Sopia. She makes really fab necklaces! Order one for me?  
6. A topaz ring. Because!!!

Books, red velvet and carrot cakes, Nestle ice cream Chocolate Collection and Haagen Dazs tubs of strawberry cheesecake and tiramisu also welcome!

I'm looking forward to two things next weekend: my 34th birthday and our first family photo shoot with the Stork Studio. This means that I have to look extra extra good! On my To Do list:

• Go to Murad at Rustan's Makati for my acne treatments. I love Murad's facials! These were totally able to manage my pregnancy acne. But since giving birth, I haven't been back so my skin is all splotchy and pimply again. If you go there, ask for James to do your facial. 
• Go to Bench Fix in Robinsons Galleria and have my eyebrows shaped. I keep forgetting the name of the woman who does the threading but she is absolutely the best eyebrow shaper ever! I've been to Browhaus in Greenbelt 5 and to Lay Bare and my brows end up either too thin or the skin around my eye area get peeled/threaded off. Very painful. That woman in Bench Fix in Galleria is the best! Must get her name...
• Go to iLash at SM Hypermart to have lash extensions applied. I love long lashes but I have very sparse ones sadly. The faux lashes at iLash are fabulous and inexpensive!
• Get a mani and pedi so that my digits won't look like chewed up claws. I usually go to Let's Face It at Robinsons Pioneer. My girl there is Maricel. She never remembers me so when she does my feet and hands, she makes kwento the exact same things! Strange that I should remember her name whereas I always forget the Bench Fix girl's one... and she always remembers me!

That's it! Darn. Just looking at that short list tires me out! So this looong weekend, I'm going to just relax and enjoy my lovely family. That's the best beauty secret actually!

I used to be very efficient. These days, just thinking about the word "multi-tasking" already exhausts me. The other day, someone from HR called to remind me of some documents I need to submit so that my maternity leave will be officially ended. If I don't submit, no salary. In my former life, I won't even need to be reminded.

In my former life, I also spoke English very well. The HR guy said, "Will you be able to submit your requirements by tomorrow?" And I mumbled, "Uh, yes ma'am sir, I submit very soon tomorrow promise the clearance yes." I haven't submitted it yet. So I have no salary this 30th again!

There are errands to do, bills to pay, stuff to follow up... On top of all the important things are the beautifying ones (I need to have a foot spa and a manicure, a lash extension for prettier eyes and a facial to have blackheads extracted for a photo shoot with my hubby and baby!). I know this part's shallow but my husband likes it that I try to look good. He always says, "Fight it!" It being fat, flab, dumpiness and frumpiness.

What I do prioritize is the baby and the magazine. The house can fall into disarray and my hair can go uncombed but Vito and OK! have my full attention. Which then brings me to the wife role, which I have woefully neglected. Darling Vince has been very understanding. But I really have to snap back into shape! And I don't just mean my body...

How do you juggle?