TOPAZ HORIZON

Yesterday, Vince and I took Vito house hunting. After all, we really don't need to look for a new home since we already live in a fabulous apartment with west-east-south views and fantastic location. The only problem with our place is it's in a high-rise and a little boy needs big wide spaces to run around in and conquer. So since this is for Vito, it's actually Vito's house we were looking for!

The first place we went to was Kapitolyo, which is our home's backyard. We liked that it has the same conveniences of our place (in the middle of everything!) but we didn't like the security. Or the feeling of lack thereof. So that leaves us with the two other choices:

NEAR BUT FEELS CROWDED
Mahogany Place 3 is a DMCI project about 5 minutes from Bonifacio Global City. The benefit of living there is that it's near BGC, near St. Luke's Global (I'm a bit of a hypochondriac), near Makati CBD, near good schools.

Even though it's near everything, it doesn't feel like it's in the city. DMCI acquired the vast Acacia Estates and turned it into a residential development that has a resort-like feel. And I'm not quoting a press kit here. That's how we really felt! Security is tight. There's even an electric perimeter fence surrounding the entire development! The amenities are superb, the roads are wide and beautifully paved, there are clubhouses, commercial playgrounds, swimming pools and more.

Little boxes on the hillside

Tiny kitchen and dining area

And that's all there is to the living room!

Three bedrooms, one of which is decorated like a boudoir

A walk-in closet makes up for the teensy-weensy bathroom.

So here's the catch: Mahogany Place 3 is lined with townhouses and duplexes, narrow buildings that stretch upwards. The land may be wide open but the houses feel, I dunno, I feel hemmed in. Vince says they remind him of London. He spent a few of his growing up years there and he said it was fine. We'll see.

FAR BUT FEELS SPACIOUS
Ametta is a community development by Ayala Land or Alveo. It's gorgeous there! The townhouses are designed so that they feel open and airy. There's plenty of light pouring in through big windows into spacious rooms. There are parks and pools, pocket gardens and playgrounds, and wide streets perfect for a little boy with a bicycle!

Blessed space!

Construction is done well.

Side view of the house we really liked

Big kitchen with lots of counter space

Spacious master's bedroom with walk-in closet and own bath

Two bedrooms, one for the princess...

... one for the prince!

The problem with Ametta is its location. It almost feels like there's no rhyme and reason for its location. It's like someone built a beautiful village and dropped it in the middle of nowhere. The nearest schools, malls, shopping centers, hospitals are a good half hour away. Plus, it's in Pasig and during Ondoy, that area was flooded for a week. To combat this, Alveo built the community on land raised a full storey high and is currently improving the drainage system of the entire area--the streets around the village are all dug up right now. That's reassuring. And yet... scary still!

Vince and Vito and I had fun!

So we're still thinking about Mahogany Place. If only the houses were built like Ametta and had a location like Mahogany's! That would've been perfect. Oh well! The search continues!

I won't change a thing. I'd still go about my day today, which is to spend the whole day with my Vince and my Vito.

We'll look at houses today. We can't afford a house yet but we still got a real estate agent to show us some properties. It's nice to dream and plan, especially when you have a darling baby boy.

We'll also drop by the Yummy Eats event at NBC Tent. It's the baby of my friend, Franny of Franywanny: A Food & Travel Blog, so I'm excited to see what she's been busy with these past weeks. Then we'll go to Power Plant and buy Vince a new PS3 game and maybe I'll go buy an electric pleated skirt from Zara.

Then Vince, Vito and I will go home, cuddle and watch TV while we eat the last tub of Haagen Dazs ice cream that Vince gave me for Mother's Day. I'll just stay there in my husband's arms, with Vito squished between us, all three of us in a pile, and we will laugh at the funny things we're watching on TV or at Vito's many new tricks or at each other's silly silliness. Because that's what we do every weekend and this weekend won't be different.

And if the world were to end at that point, it would be most bittersweet because I have never been this happy in my life and so I regret nothing. Well, I would regret one thing and that's I won't see my darling Vito grow up into a handsome, healthy, smart, loving man. And that thought makes me sad.

So I hope the world doesn't end today or ever because some good things shouldn't end, and what I have right now, right here in my small apartment that's filled with all the love in the world, is very good.

"Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you."

Enjoy!



Those Japanese are beyond crazy! I laughed until my tummy hurt and there were tears in my eyes. I have got to visit Japan soon!!! But I hope I don't get to be a prank victim!

Well, for Vince it's a PS3! For me, it's a shopping spree!

Yup, that's what we got each other for our wedding anniversary last April 18. I got him a new console to replace the first one I gave him in 2006. Back then, the newly launched Playstation 3 was a whopping 45K; (now, it's less than 15K). That's why I proposed to him because in my mind, a mere boyfriend shouldn't be getting gifts as pricey as that. He better be my fiance, dammit! To my delight, Vince agreed with me wholeheartedly and married me four months later.

Vince is beyond thrilled with his new plaything (see photo here!). I didn't get him PS3 games, though. He still has tons of games he hasn't been able to play since going back to advertising. But because of my gift, he's been devoting a couple of hours every other day to gaming pleasure.

Do I recommend giving Playstation 3, Wii and other gaming consoles to your hubby? Yes! When it's from you, they feel so loved and appreciated. They think, "She really understands me!" Plus, because it's from you, you get to control his gaming hours! Best. Gift. Ever!

As for moi, I got a shopping spree! I've already bought some cool things but I'm not yet done. This is so much fun! Thanks, Vince! Happy anniversary!

Looks like a lot of you saw my guest stint at Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho. I didn't (we watched Fringe instead!) but blog reader Mav Duran sent me a link and so I was able to watch it. Thanks, Mav!

Don't blink or you'll miss it!



On Twitter (follow me!), some of my followers who watched the show teased me about my voice. Yes, it's really soft and high-pitched. I screech when I'm excited, too. It's okay, I don't get offended about it. I even coined a term for my voice--boses pekpek. In polite company, it's boses ipis.

I used to try to modulate but I dunno, I just never can do it. As a writer, I never dreamed I'd be in a position that I'd have to actually express my thoughts verbally so public speaking was never a skill I developed.

I do wonder, though, since my Twitter followers said, "I didn't imagine you to sound like that" and "Your voice is unexpected," I wonder how exactly did you think I'd sound? Just curious!

It's been exactly one week since the royal wedding of William and Catherine but the fascination remains. I'm an entertainment magazine editor so part of my job is to appear on TV shows to talk about the biggest wedding of the year (the century!).

I love jewelry. They just make every outfit look loads better! You know what looks really great with everything? Pearls.

Of course, real ones are the best but, my goodness, a pair of real pearl studs costs as much as a MacBook Air so I really don't mind wearing less expensive but just as beautiful pieces like these gorgeous necklaces from Carolee's new Style Icon Collection:

Jackie Pearl Necklace with Emerald-Cut Crystal Clasp

Jackie 8mm Three Row Pearl Necklace

Michelle 16mm Pearl Necklace

The collection is named after glamorous women in history: Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Evita Peron, Wallis Simpson and Michelle Obama.


The U.S. President's wife actually owns a Carolee pearl necklace and she wore it on the cover of Newsweek and on the night her husband won the Democratic nomination. Yeah, the night the couple made the fist bump famous.

Since I have Mrs. Obama's penchant for sheath dresses and pearls, I guess I should go and stock up on Carolee necklaces! And I'm actually going to Rustan's Makati tomorrow. Hmm. I just might get myself one. I actually have my eye on this Evita perfection:

Evita Five Row Graduated Pearl Necklace

It's lovely. Perfect for Mother's Day!

For another Mother's Day gift, click here to see what Michael Kors made for mommies!

April has been particularly insane. It's the anniversary issue of the magazine I edit. It's also been the royal wedding month so I've been appearing on several TV shows regularly.

Fully made up and still pale

Like Catherine, the new Duchess of Cambridge, I did my own makeup. Unlike Catherine, I didn't look as fabulous on screen! I honestly don't know how to do makeup for the camera. I'm always still very pale and my dark circles always still show up.

I need to learn to cake it on, contour my cheeks and nose, make my eyes stand out (on video, my eyes look very small), and I really should wear lipstick.

At TV5's morning show, the makeup artist dragged me to his chair even though I said I looked fine. He said I looked awful. "Ate, mag-pink lipstick ka," he demanded while he applied this alarming shocking pink on my lips. "Tanda mo tingnan sa beige at sa red. Promise." I so did not believe him. But on TV, the shocking pink was a pretty rose pink! Wow.

So anyway. TV guestings, radio tours, and now a working weekend as we rush to finish the wedding special and run the May issue by tomorrow evening. Wish us luck, folks, because the entire magazine staff is about to collapse.

Then there were events I had to attend, dinners with friends (I promised that I will no longer neglect my friendships), blogger friends to meet, a new workout to try, Amper family issues to resolve (why do I never have Sales family problems?), and a garage sale to do (I earned P15,000! Hooray!) which I promised on my Twitter to never ever do again. Then my yaya and maid went on a five-day leave because of a family tragedy. I honestly have no idea how I'm still standing up!

We were all so excited for Vito's first plane ride!

Of course, April was also a happy month--it was my wedding anniversary! Vince and I had so much fun celebrating it. Then we went to the incredible Shangri-la Mactan, too. Soooo many photos, so no time to tell you about them all! As soon as things settle down, folks, I'll blogathon!

This is a working weekend for me at the entertainment magazine I work for because of the royal wedding. The entire staff is all busy looking through thousands of photos and researching all the details. It's very exciting and terrifying at the same time because we have to finish this issue in 2 days so that you can have it by next week. Fun fun fun!

I was squealing and gasping the entire time. So many thrilling moments! When William and Harry departed Clarence House, when the Queen showed up in sunny yellow, when all those gorgeous Philip Treacy hats paraded outside the Abbey, when I saw those trees in the Abbey, when Pippa showed up (I though for a moment she was Kate), when Kate finally appeared, when she met William at the altar, when I saw all those magnificent horses and the cavalry, etc etc. Of course I clapped most during the kisses at Buckingham Palace! Love it love it love it!


Anyway, I think I'm one of the very few underwhelmed with Catherine's dress. Underwhelmed and disappointed. It's a lovely dress and she looked absolutely amazing in it but... it's not the Alexander McQueen the fashion world remembers.

I'm not dissing it, okay? Like I said, it's a gorgeous dress--simple, elegant, lovely. But those are adjectives you don't really use to describe a McQueen. McQueen is--rather, was--the rock star of the fashion world. He's known for his bold, out-of-this-world, outrageous, sexy, controversial, shocking, theatrical, lavish, rebellious, fantastical, edgy, avant-garde designs.

I honestly could not imagine classic, elegant, sophisticated Kate wearing a McQueen! Just look at his designs as worn by the Great Cate Blanchett:




When I heard the rumors that Sarah Burton for Alexender McQueen might be the lucky designer, I got so excited. William and Kate are known to be a modern couple but even I didn't expect they'd be that modern. Here's the bridal dresses from his last collection:




I was sooo excited to see if Catherine will actually be able to pull off a McQueen! Well, turns out Sarah Burton designed a very Kate Middleton dress for the new duchess. Compare her wedding gown with those dresses up there. Not even close. There's nothing McQueen about Catherine's dress at all.

When I saw Catherine in her gown, I said, "Oh, it's gorgeous! She looks lovely!" And then I got sad because that beautiful gown just emphasized the fact that a true design genius is dead and gone.

However, I figured that Catherine chose the design house of McQueen because he was one of the most celebrated British designers of all time. But if she had actually worn something outrageous, well, that just wouldn't get the approval of two billion people who want their princesses to wear fairy-tale gowns, not cutting-edge fashion!

So great choice, Catherine! You wore something very British and were able to marry tradition with modernity. You've proven to be a master at compromise. So very you and William!

* * * * * * *
See what other designers have to say:
Top designers Lagerfeld, Givenchy and Lacroix give their verdict
San Francisco's top wedding designers weigh in

And what Preview editor-in-chief Pauline Juan has to say:

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

For the official wedding photos (so breathtakingly beautiful! The one with the kids is my favorite!), click here.

Many of you were moved by the wedding sermon I wrote about last week. Now let me share with you another one. Nearly thirty years ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury told Prince William and Lady Diana and the 750 million people around the world watching their wedding that marriage is not a fairy tale and yet married people truly can live happily ever after.

These are some of his beautiful truths:

Testing testing! I hope this works! Text and photo. As you can see (if the photo shows up, that is), I'm not ready yet! But I can't resist showing you my boy, who was puzzled then amused by my hair contraptions!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Hello everyone! How was your holiday?

I've had a lovely two weeks. Went with my Sales family to the truly incredible Shangri-la Mactan for the very first time (thanks, Mom and Dad!), happy with how things are going at work since a huge problem is finally going away (hooray!), had an amazing anniversary week with Vince, met the coolest mommy bloggers ever over milkshakes and mocktails, gave my Topaz Mommy blog a fab makeover, and really enjoyed the Holy Week cocooned at home with just my boys.

Plus, I've been winning auction after auction on eBay! I now have a cute new Marni dress, a whimsical Gucci bag, a sheet of Peter Rabbit stamps and a bottle of my Lanvin perfume (the one on eBay is about P2,000 cheaper than the ones sold at the mall!). I'm sooo happy! I still have my eye on four designer dresses. Bidding ends on Wednesday. This is sooo exciting! I hope I win them all!

*family photo from my sister-in-law Lizelle =)

Here's my son Vito, happily toothily smiling for the camera (click pic to enlarge). He's super cute, isn't he? There's more and better photos of my darling boy in Topaz Mommy.

As for the outfit, I'm wearing a Bench tank, Kate Moss for Topshop wool pants, Cole Vintage flats, Sopia bib necklace and, for a pop of color, my Cambridge Satchel.

I've taken to wearing blacks, grays and beiges. It's rather boring. I don't know if this is a phase because I'm feeling insecure about my stubborn belly fat or because black hides baby spit and food stains or I've truly become boring. If it's permanent (heaven forbid!), I guess I should start buying bright accessories, like Furla's candy bags which I covet.

Hmm, which reminds me... On Twitter today, fellow mom bloggers Martine and Eliza and mompreneur Paola and I chatted about how women would sacrifice food, apply for endless payday loans, and go into credit card debt just to buy designer bags, specifically bags that go for obscene amounts. I said that if I had that much money to spend on frivolity, I'd rather buy jewelry. And I actually do. Jewelry appreciates in value (the price of gold hit a record high recently), is easy to pack and hide should you need to flee (must stop watching crime shows--I'm beginning to think like a crook!), and is easy to sell or barter. Bags? Imagine packing all of your Birkins and Pradas while fleeing the country. Jewelry is easy--just sweep into a bag (preferably the understated and roomy Mulberry Bayswater) and go.

However, I have nothing against buying designer bags. If we can afford them, why not? But I think there's something seriously wrong about getting into debt or sacrificing on essentials like food or the children's education or living in squalor just so you can tote a Goyard, a Birkin or a Chanel. Or the latest gadget. For example, I always get supremely irritated that certain relatives of mine have smart phones and game consoles and yet can't pay for their kids' tuition fees. Really.

Reflection. Literally!