TOPAZ HORIZON

Got invited to the store opening of Muji at Bonifacio High Street. It opens next week and I'm curious to see what's there. I was told Muji sells everything from clothes and accessories to furniture and food.

Typical Muji store in Japan and Hong Kong. I wonder if the one here looks like this, too.

Note that the Japanese brand doesn't have branding. The name Muji is short for Mujirushi Ryohin or "no brand, quality products." Ah, so desu ne! Kinda like the Anonymous store we used to have years and years ago (does anyone remember that?). I used to buy a ton of stuff from Anonymous and then have fun personalizing them. I still have Anonymous stuff in my house actually. Then Anonymous closed down and so I am super duper looking forward to shopping at Muji.

What I find most interesting about Muji is its commitment to simplicity and quality. And I read that they only use sustainable raw materials and use minimal packaging so if you have to be a consumer (and aren't we all?), you're assured that your carbon footprint won't be gigantic when you buy from Muji.

For starters, I'll have to buy some gifts. Lots of birthdays coming up. OK!'s associate features editor Elaine says she wants some pens for her 18th birthday (hehe. Happy birthday, E!). Well, I'll get her Muji pens then!

No need to throw away your pens when you finish the ink. You can also buy gel pen refills!

I'm a sucker for pens, too, actually. I have drawers full of them. In my bag, I am never without a pen and pencil and notebook. Oh yes, notebooks. Vince and I have love affairs with notebooks (Moleskine especially! Remember my giveaway last year?) but any notebook with nice paper is heaven for me. So you can bet I'm making a bee line for Muji's stationery section next week!  

My fashion designer friend Kate will appreciate coloring pencils.

Who doesn't love notebooks? I'll definitely grab a few!

I'm hoping the prices are not too expensive. Well, the store opens on pay day, October 15, so we're bound to have a bit of cash. So I'll see y'all next week at Muji!

Aha! My search for the perfect rain boot just ended today, thanks to shoe designer Loeffler Randall.

Sleek

Understated

Sexy

I walk to work so this is a necessity. Just yesterday, on my first day back to work (huhuhu), my feet and Kenneth Coles got wet. So I need rain boots. This pair is just beautiful. And it's only $195! It's utter perfection!

Mariel, if I buy this and have it sent to your New York apartment, do you think Alvin will find space in his suitcase for this? I'm guessing it's going to come in a big box!

Right now, the OK! International Conference is taking place at OK! magazine's headquarters at Northern & Shell in London. Northern & Shell owns OK! plus other magazines and newspapers. That huge blue building along the River Thames houses the entire publishing empire. It's impressive to me especially because Summit Media, where I work, has about 20 titles and the entire company occupies just two floors. 

Okay, so now that I'm back to my pre-preggy body (except for my jiggly belly and skin discolorations, yuck), I now have the online shopping itch... and I seriously need to scratch the credit card it. Regular readers know I love online shopping, the anticipation and--finally!--the delivery. I love ripping apart the plastic or stabbing at packages with a box cutter and then finally loving my new shoes/dresses/books/gadgets! It's much better than hours walking in the mall really. For lazy me, at least.

Now, thanks to an ad on Perez Hilton, I discovered ModCloth. The dresses there are to die for! Very Mad Men (anyone watching the current season? This show just gets better and better!). And since I know my readers are super stylish women, please help me choose from the following adorable dresses:

Soda Fountain (Ginger)

Soda Fountain (Grape)

Deuce Coupe Darling

Hepcat (Lemon Cream)

Hepcat (Black Licorice)

Well Red

Temporary Secretary (Summer)

Avocado Orchard

Periwinkle Prance

Red-y or Not

Black by Popular Demand

I only have budget for 4 dresses. Well, for maybe 2 or 3 really since I also still want a bag and a ring as a breezing-through-labor reward. So help me choose my new dresses please!