TOPAZ HORIZON

I just discovered Cuzo, a fabulous Proudly Pinoy bag label! Remember when I used to sell bags? I was gunning for Cuzo levels! Well, actually, I was thinking Hermes haha but that was in my outer-space dreams. In my realistic dreams, I was thinking of selling bags the way Cuzo's doing.

To those former customers who kept asking me to make satchels in different colors, I present to you Cuzo's adorable satchels:


But since I have had my fill of satchels (haha!), I'm more interested in a nylon tote. You see, I walk to work and my bags aren't faring well in this horrid rain. The cloth ones get drenched and the leather ones are getting ruined! So I was thinking of buying a Longchamp Le Pliage but it seems everywhere I look, everyone has a Longchamp and I'm really not into blending in with the masses.

So when I saw these fabulous nylon hobos on Cuzo, I got super excited!

brown

black

green

blue

They're called the Jess Coat Nylon Bag. The photos don't do it any justice. At all! I got the brown bag for my mother-in-law and it is super fabulous! The shape is so classic, the handle is comfortable, there are so many pockets inside and its bottom is protected by leather. Truly a fantastic bag! When Mom saw the bag, she loved it, too!

So now I want to buy a new Jess Coat bag for myself. Which should I get: basic black, goes-with-anything blue or that amazing green?

There are more bags at Cuzo's website. Shop shop shop!

Follow @CUZObags on Twitter
Like CUZObags on Facebook

P.S. Get P100 off purchases worth P1,000 and above just by using this special voucher: 08152312topa. Valid from today till Aug. 23 only! Shop shop shop!

Let me just tell you a story I remembered while I was brushing my teeth earlier.

I think this story was from a pastor's sermon a loooong time ago, when I was still a teenager. The pastor said that a married couple came to him for counseling. Their marriage was most definitely on the rocks and it was all because of toothpaste. Toothpaste! Husband can't seem to remember to twist the cap back on the tube despite wife's repeated reminders, and the sight of that cap on the sink just tells her that he doesn't pay any attention to her.

So the pastor said all the usual pay-attention-to-your-wife and be-more-patient-with-your-husband advice but clearly that kind of advice just wasn't going to work. So finally the pastor gave up.

A few weeks later, he noticed that the couple were happily chatting. He went up to them to ask how they found a compromise. The couple said, "Oh, we didn't compromise. We found another solution!" Ladies and gentlemen, this saved their marriage:

Any relationship expert will tell you that for a relationship to work, you both have to find a middle ground, to compromise. Well, folks, sometimes there is no such thing as compromise because seriously, how can anyone be happy if no one got what they wanted?

I think that sometimes you have to give in, sometimes he has to give in. There's no such thing as 50-50 in love. It's always 100%! Some things you have to accept will never change and you'll just learn to live with it. Is it so hard? Not really. That's when love comes in! Or, in the case of the flip-top cap, creativity!

For the record, this isn't a sponsored post. We just really use Colgate! Well, Vince is a loyal Colgate guy. Me, I always buy whatever's cool and new! Yes, Vince and I have two tubes of toothpaste since he, ever the OC guy, carefully uses up the tube from bottom to cap. I squeeze it right smack in the middle.

Vince likes the plain, no-nonsense, pasty kind. I like flavors and gels and claims of instant teeth whitening, 24-hour freshness, and other empty promises! So in our case, compromise is never going to happen. And that's okay!

Happy birthday, Vito!

Today is my firstborn's birthday. Two years ago, my life was profoundly changed by a little boy that I always thought would never be for me. But life has a funny way of surprising us and it sure gave me a big surprise—a wonderful, magical surprise named Vito.

You know what's funny, too? Even though I always insisted I was never going to have children, my actions said otherwise (and I didn't even realize it!). When I was 26 years old—that's 10 years ago!—I bought myself a life insurance plan from Sun Life. Part of my policy is maternal benefits. Yes, I get money for each child I bear! And when I die, I also listed "future children" as my beneficiaries.

I know it's such a morbid thought but I've always had a great attitude towards death. It comes from being a Born Again Christian, methinks. Once you've prepared for the end (and the eternal life that comes after!), you get to enjoy life better. There is no fear, no uncertainty, no darkness that clouds your daily life if the future is secure.

That's why even before our sons were born, Vince and I prepared for their future by making them the beneficiaries of our insurance policies. We're also talking about investing in mutual funds for Vito and Iñigo with our agent and financial planner, Sun Life's Kendrick Chua (if you want his number, leave a comment and I'll DM it!). We just enjoy securing our sons' future—once that's done, makakatulog na kami nang mahimbing and we can truly enjoy life to the fullest!

Now, when Sun Life asked me to write about their new campaign, "Experience Sun Shorts," of course I said yes!!! Vince and I are very happy Sun Life policy holders so it's no problem to share with my readers our experience. But first, let me tell you about the campaign.

Sun Life asked five renowned film directors to interpret the insurance company's motto, "Life's brighter under the Sun." This is my current favorite:

I'm doing this for a friend's friend. I don't know who Girrard is but he's 16 years old and he has leukemia. That's all I need to know. I have sons. Seeing sick children, especially our own--nothing breaks a mommy's heart more!

To help Girrard's fight against the monster in his body, his family and friends have started fundraisers. Today at 5:00 PM at Power Plant Mall, a special screening of The Bourne Legacy will be held for Girrard. A seat is P500. You get to watch the action movie shot here in Manila a few months ago, you get a special giveaway from the sponsors, and you get to help a young man live.

It's a win-win for all!



Speaking of winning, let me offer you a chance to win these tickets!

To support Girrard's chemo, I bought 2 tickets to The Bourne Legacy screening later. But since I'm a breastfeeding mommy, I can't watch movies yet. So I'm giving them away!!!

Just email me at frances@topazhorizon.com. Subject of email is: "My legacy is to help Girrard!" Email me your full name and phone number. That's it! Your phone number is important so I can contact you right away. Remember: the screening is tonight!

I'll text/call the winner at 3 PM! Yes, so you have until 2:55pm today to email me!!!

Or you can just show up at Power Plant with your girlfriend, boyfriend, parents, friends, etc etc, buy tickets and watch the movie! Help Girrard in his fight! To know more, click here.

UPDATE: I changed the deadline kasi raw to announce at 3pm doesn't give the winner and his/her date enough time to prepare to go out. Oo nga naman! So I'll text the winner at 12 noon! Thanks to all those who joined!

Well, not really. But I posted a photo on Facebook last night and my Wine Night friend, Nicole NB, suggested I submit it to CNN iReport. So I did!

Click here for the story

Funny how a photo, once it has CNN attached to it, suddenly becomes awesome!

What's more awesome? The sun is finally out! The sun is up, the sky is blue. It's beautiful, and so are you, Manila. So are you.

My blogs are now as simple and as clean as possible.

I'm having a major weirded-out feeling when I look at them. So far, the new look, which I applied on all three blogs, is working for Beauty For A Living, but for this blog and Topaz Mommy... I'm still adjusting to the starkness.

I'm planning a redesign next year. Something simple but pretty. Clean. Grown up.

Talking to a really talented artist right now. Just waiting for her price quotation. Crossing my fingers I can afford her!

So please bear with the super simple look. It's kinda nice, I think. The photos stand out like crazy!

The Philippine Red Cross has already deployed the amphibian rescue vehicles! And they are kickass! I feel hope and pride looking at this photo. Kailangan niya ng soundtrack!

Here are some suggestions from my friends on Facebook and Twitter:

From Vince: Voltes V


From Pyro Wanoy: Indiana Jones


From @touringkitty: Darth Vader Imperial March


From Vince again: A-Team


Stay warm and dry and safe, dear Manila! Help is on its way. Praying for us all.

It's very simple really. I put curlers in my hair and slap on some makeup (more here)! Usually I look crazy like this:
Haha, yes, that's my son, Vito. Anyway, that's how I usually look like but when I have to go out of the house, I make an effort to run a brush through my hair and pat on some concealer and powder. I end up looking something like this:
Much better, right? That boy is just so cute. Ryan Gosling lang naman ang peg!

I talk about this because someone I used to know, like waaaaay back when I was a kid, sent me a message over at Facebook and said, "You've blossomed into a beautiful young woman. May pinagawa ka ba?" Hahaha! The nerd!

But seriously, meron talaga ako pinagawa. Yes. My teeth. I got braces when I was 26. Simple as that. I had too many teeth apparently, which was the reason my teeth stuck out in front and was sungki-sungki pa. I looked like a horse. So the ortho removed 4 teeth. Yup, count them and weep. I darn near fainted the day she pulled them out. But when the teeth were pushed back in and aligned--just in time for my wedding!--I looked ohhhh so much better. Look how nice my smile is:

So if you want to look better, forget the boob job, nose job, whatever job. Go to an orthodontist first and get your teeth looked at.

I actually need to have my teeth fixed again. My two pregnancies kinda made them move--there's a widening gap between my left incisor and whatever the tooth next to it is called. And my front teeth have started to stick out again, as you can see here:

With Good Housekeeping beauty editor Pia Rojas at the Tod's A/W 2012 presentation

Ugh. Must see an ortho asap! How about you? Have you had something done?

P.S. Speaking of beauty, do check out my newly resurrected blog, Beauty For A Living!

Haven't been able to blog all week because of the biggest scandal to rock Tinseltown since Brad left Jen for Angelina: Kristen Stewart cheated on (the adorable) Robert Pattinson. As some of you know, I make a Hollywood entertainment magazine for a living so can you imagine the furor of the past week?!

What bothers me about this whole issue is the opinion that Rupert Sanders couldn't resist having an affair because the 22-year-old, fair-skinned, dark-haired Kristen looks waaay better than his 33-year-old, fair-skinned, dark-haired wife, Liberty Ross.

I get all sorts of requests in my inbox so here am I granting some of them:

Like One Hyundai Club Life in Style
I actually don't know what One Hyundai Club Life In Style is. I think it's a club for owners of Hyundai cars (which we're not--we own a Mazda). If you're part of this club, then you get exclusive rewards and privileges. Don't own a Hyundai? Well, if you like their Facebook page, you just might win a GC to shop at Zalora. So like, like, like!


Look at Michael Kors's new ad campaign
Michael Kors is the guy on Project Runway. Ya know, Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia and Michael Kors. Heidi's the model, Nina's the fashion editor, and Michael's the fashion designer.

Michael Kors's advertising campaign has always had a Hollywood theme--red carpet, paparazzi, the lives of the rich and famous. His Fall ad campaign is still all about Tinseltown, this time it features beautiful people in beautiful clothes shot by famed photographer Mario Testino at the backlot of Paramount Studios. The inspiration? The old Hollywood glam that's missing in today's stars!


Buy Latch a Babe
Lactating mama? I am! And if you're like me, you are on a constant search for clothes that look nice while providing instant access to your boob. I don't own a dress from this brand (yet!) but so far, I'm liking what I see. You, too? Then send your inquiries to lynsreyes@gmail.com.


Shop Mothercare's big sale
Or you can just go to Mothercare and make pakyaw the stuff on sale! It's no secret that I love Mothercare and shop there quite a lot. Of course, I mega-shopped right before this sale. I didn't know!!! So now that there's a sale, I'm not going because I already bought a lot (at regular price!). But hey, lucky you! You have two more weeks to get high quality mommy and baby things for a fraction of the price!


Sign up for BabyGap's gift registry
Or you can just use BabyGap's registry and get your family and friends to buy stuff for your bebe! Just sign up and you get treats and cute invitations to give to your baby shower guests.


Eat Chowking's Chao Pao
I love Chowking's fish and tofu dish. Then they discontinued it. So now I go to Chowking for their Naicha tea. It's very strong and very sweet. Love it! Now there's a new reason for me to drop by Chowking for merienda. The chow pao! I haven't yet. Have you tried it? Masarap ba?


Be a Bench Underwear model
The Bench Undies Show is like the most screamed at, shrieked at, most anticipated fashion show in the country. I've only gone to two or three shows in the distant past. Maybe I'll go this year. Maybe... But I have to get a good seat first! I don't want to squint at naked bodies anymore.

Yes, naked bodies. If you think your body is tall, long, lean, sexy (not flabby, chunky, short please!), then forget the stormy weather and be at Edsa Shangri-la Hotel on July 22, Sunday (that's today!). Registration starts at 11am. Good luck!

Usually, my Facebook feed is full of baby photos. I guess Facebook, in all its wisdom, decided that since I'm a mommy, all I'm ever interested in is family stuff.

Not true. I like murder, too. And sexy hot women. So when I saw this photo of the cast of Showtime's Dexter at Comic-Con and then I spotted Chuck's Yvonne Strahovski at far right, I was freaking out! Agent Sarah Walker in Dexter! I am oh so excited for the next season!!!


I like sci-fi and weird stuff, too. So I am a huge fan of Fringe, that show where everyone wears coats and frowns as they figure out the mysteries of the (parallel) universe(s). So this photo of the dowdy Dr. Bishop now looking dapper in a button-down and a chic fedora and the suited up Agent Broyles in a graphic tee is priceless!

Totally think this is adorable: a funny clip of comediennes Jennifer Aniston and Ellen Degeneres.


Then this. Cutest photo bomb ever!

I can read this easily. I used to write in my journal like this. Feeling Da Vinci when I was a silly young girl who thought she was smarter than everyone else. Sadly (and happily, too!), not true!

Love this! I'd rather be a Jedi than a witch anyway. Although I secretly believe I really am a hobbit. I like eating second breakfasts and elevenses.

And finally...
Soooo glad these updates got through because I'm definitely more than a mommy!

What's on your Facebook feed?

When you're a mommy like me, you want to be able to run around comfortably. When you're in the magazine business like me, you want to be able to look good at work. When you're trying to be chic whatever the occasion like me, you want to never sacrifice style for comfort and comfort for style.

So I'd like to have one pair each of these Chelsea ballet flats please! Size 36.
Tory Burch studied an actual ballet slipper when she designed this wardrobe staple. So the soft leather, the lightness, the grosgrain ribbon trim and narrow toe box will definitely inspire you to dance while walking! The name, meanwhile, is taken after New York's art district. So the shoe is for the girl who likes to while away the days visiting museums and galleries, attending exhibits and shows--in comfy shoes, sure, but in luxe comfy shoes!

At P9,650 a pair, it's quite pricey but, hey, as someone who's spent loooong days in heels for years and years, I'm ready to invest in flats as beautiful and comfortable as the Chelsea.

Tory Burch is available at Greenbelt 5.

Over at Topaz Mommy, I'm holding a contest. Yep, I'm giving away copies of Fifty Shades of Grey. Hop on over there to get a chance to win a book!

Anyway, I was reading the contest entries, all of which talked about their favorite romantic hero of fiction. It just occurred to me that, based on the answers and how we all seem to love guys from Rhett Butler (Gone With the Wind), Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights), Maxim DeWinter (Rebecca) to Edward Cullen (Twilight), we girls seem to want men who are much older, very rich, have deadly secrets and, most disturbing of all, cruel. Cruel!

Tell me, did you actually end up with a bad boy?

I used to date bad boys but that got old soon (not soon enough sadly). I finally decided I needed respect. Gosh, not even love, just plain and simple respect. Someone who will treat me with kindness and affection, generosity and trust. That's not too much to ask since I can give that and if I can, a man can. So what is this obsession of ours with bad boys?

I should be able to answer that since I did go out with their kind many many seasons ago. But, to be honest, I really don't know. Do you?

Confession time! I love ice cream. Actually, now lang, after I got preggy with Vito. You see, I craved liver when I was pregnant with him. Pork liver, chicken liver, liver spread, liver steak, pate--I had to have liver every single day! My OBG said that liver's great but since it's rich in Vitamin A (which can cause birth defects), I was forbidden to eat it. To my delight, I found that ice cream had the same creamy smooth texture as liver. I've been eating ice cream regularly since!

Now, since ice cream bars are all the rage these days, I've been trying out different kinds. I love them all! But I found my favorite ice cream bar, the amazing Nestle Crunch!

Nope, I'm not watching the new Spidey movie. I don't think the moviegoers will appreciate me sneaking a 7-week-old infant in the theater. Yep, my baby boy breastfeeds like crazy and so we're semi-permanently attached.

I wanted to watch it not because of the story (seriously, did it really need a retelling?) but because of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. Here's why:

Patty and I like our men long and lean!

Oh well. Anyway, I just distracted myself with this fantabulous magazine:

To the amazing and super talented staff, you did one hell of a great job with this issue! Your gorgeous editor-in-chief (who, FYI to the mag's readers, was on maternity leave when this issue was produced) is very proud.

Hmm. I'm kinda feeling like I want Emma's hair here. But I'm 35 so maybe I'm too old for that look haha

I hope you guys grab a copy of the July issue of OK! magazine. You'll love it just as much as I did!

This was the cover of OK! Philippines when the TomKat phenomenon took the world by storm 7 years ago. Ah, 2005. That was the year Brad and Jen split, then Brad and Angelina hooked up, and then Tom and Katie got engaged within a few weeks of meeting, and then both leading ladies of the year's biggest romances got knocked up. Truly an epic year for entertainment magazines!

Fast forward to 2012. This is the year Brangelina finally got engaged and the year TomKat split. Another epic year. Katie was the one who filed the divorce papers, allegedly taking Tom by surprise since he was still singing her praises while promoting Rock of Ages. She's asking for custody of their daughter, Suri, and everyone is leaning forward in their seats, waiting for the ugly divorce and custody war. And this is Tom Cruise, only one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. It's a brave soul who goes up against him and everyone's eagerly waiting to watch how Katie will get what she wants.

But the divorce makes me sad. So many people--the entire world it seemed!--wanted Tom and Katie to fail. We all doomed their relationship from the very start. So each year they celebrated together was a triumph I quietly enjoyed. Then this.

It makes me sad. Tom and Katie fought so hard for their love, they were the epitome of you-and-me-against-the-world, that evil, cynical world. They fought back hard but in the end, the world won.

This was a complete surprise. Well, he did ask permission first if he could buy it for me (that's married money for you!) and I was so surprised that he wanted to buy me a new camera that I just said, "Sure, buy it for me!" I mean, really, why ever would I refuse? Haha!

It's a Panasonic GF3. I love it! It's so small! You all know we use and love the Olympus cameras but my one whiny complaint about it is it won't fit into my purse. So Vince got me a small camera. Hooray! Here's Vince talking more about the camera and why he got it for me. Thanks, love!

We buy practically all our gadgets from Amazon or from some other online site, have it delivered to Johnny Air NYC, which then ships it to us here in Manila. Why do we do that? Because even with the shipping and taxes, it's still cheaper to buy abroad. Want to do the same? Let Vince tell you how!

Today was a fun day. Vince's push present finally arrived! And I'm so excited I didn't get the Olympus to take a sharp and proper photo, just BB'd and Tweeted it to the dear followers and now sharing with you here.

It's a set of stackable rings in matte gold with all our birthstones: amethyst, yellow topaz, peridot and emerald. I'm so in love with my push present!!!

What's a push present? Click here to find out!

Vito inspects newborn Iñigo