TOPAZ HORIZON

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

Gray is a color associated with dullness, rainy days and gloom. So when designing a living space, gray is the last hue anyone ever thinks of. Well, that's the color I'm seriously considering for our living areas. Why? Because of this:

Not 6-months-pregnant-photo-of-me. The sofa!

Hehe, sorry there's no full photo! It's a sofa I bought for Vince. It was my gift to him for Christmas, Valentine's Day, his birthday and our wedding anniversary. He's been wanting a new sofa for 5 years so last Christmas I figured I oughta give him what he really really wants. We love it! Super. Lesson here: Get what you want, what you really really want!

The gray sofa looks great in the house. We softened it with embroidered and fluffy silk throw pillows. But since I've been looking at bedroom inspirations, I started looking for gray living rooms, too. And they are, my friends, quite beautiful.

Blues and grays are so soothing.

Black, white and gray. And words. Perfect for writers!

A bit austere so the pops of yellow are welcome.

The gray is softened by the big pillows and filmy curtains.

Love the books!

Gray, white and gold. Elegant and chic!

Framed black-and-white photos. Of course!

Very bold! Love the textures and prints!

A bit country class but I love the dark gray walls.

I love the pale yellow curtains!

So comfy and quiet and gorgeous!

I love how the gray is so calming and elegant. I also noticed how the rooms had yellow accents in common. But any accent color will work against the gray anyway--the brighter the better, like pink! Ohhhh, I am so into home-modification mode right now!

P.S. Speaking of gray, who wants to read Fifty Shades of Gray? Watch this space because I'm giving away the book! Soon!

*Living room images from Naura Home Design, His House; Her Help, Rusty Hinges Blog, Homedit, Inspiration for Home, Design Darling, Kunz Design and Furniture and Interior Design