Friday, May 01, 2015

Paper lovers, meet the Leuchtturm1917 journals

If you're anything like me, this set of photos will make your heart quicken.

 

Friends, these are the newest journals I've fallen in love with. Meet the Leuchtturm1917 journals. That's pronounced at LOYKT-term. Leuchtturm1917 is a stationery brand in Germany producing planners and journals for over 90 years and is available in more than 50 countries. This year, it arrived on local shores, thanks to National Book Store.

Leuchtturm1917 planners and journals are really nice. People ask me how they are compared to Moleskine and I actually have to say that I like the Leuchtturm1917 journals better. The paper is better. Thinner and lighter but doesn't bleed through. I guess it would depend on what pen also is used. The Leuchtturm1917 paper is designed for fountain pen use so if you're a fountain-pen lover, you might want to explore this new journal brand. I also like the contents page, page numbers, perforated pages, the bookmark, an inside cover pocket, and stickers for archiving and labeling. I'll do a more thorough review next month!

Yes, I can do a review because I am a proud owner of Leuchtturm1917 journals! National Book Store sent me one as a Christmas gift and I love it!

I now have two: the red that National Book Store gave me and an orange one because orange is my favorite color. Pink is also my favorite color so I want a pink one next. But seriously, I want them all. All! 

And I want them all emblazoned with my name!!! For a limited time, you can visit Leuchtturm1917 pop-up corners at the following dates and branches to have your journals specially embossed for free: 
May 4 in National Book Store, Greenbelt
May 8 in Powerbooks, Greenbelt 4
May 12 in National Book Store, Power Plant Mall-Rockwell
May 16 in National Book Store, Shangri-la Plaza
May 20 in National Book Store, SM Aura Premier
May 24 in National Book Store, Trinoma
May 28 in Powerbooks, Alabang Town Center
June 1 in Powerbooks, Serendra

Leuchtturm1917 planners and journals are available in selected National Book Store and Powerbooks branches. Shop for Leuchtturm1917 journals online at nationalbookstore.com and earn reward points for online purchases. For reservations, call 8888-NBS (627) for calls within Metro Manila, 1-800-10-8888-NBS for calls outside Metro Manila, or text 0998-8888-NBS and 0917-8747-269. The National Book Store hotlines are open Mondays to Sundays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Follow National Book Store on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@nbsalert) for updates on the latest events, promos and contests. Share your Leuchtturm1917 finds using the hashtag #NBSfinds. 

 Photos courtesy of National Book Store.


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Thursday, April 30, 2015

It would've been OK!'s 10th birthday

April is always special to me because it's my wedding anniversary month. It used to be special for another reason, too: it's also the anniversary month of OK! magazine, the Hollywood entertainment title I used to helm.

I've actually forgotten that April is OK!'s anniversary month! This year would've been our 10th birthday had we not been killed off in 2012. After just three years, I've already forgotten details of what used to be a HUGE chunk of my life. I only remembered because I was looking for photos of my kids' Babiators on my iPhoto library (another story for another day!) and came across these old photos I took of OK!'s "Letter from the Editor" page.


I posted this on Facebook and felt a sharp pang of nostalgia. I miss my team! They are seriously the best people anyone could ever want in a magazine. Here are a few photos of my old team:
Black and gold theme.
Harry Potter theme yata ito haha
The very last staff photo. Party theme, I guess. Mostly, "Bye-bye, dear OK! readers but let's not be sad" theme.

Gorgeous!

Anyway, as an extra, I'm sharing with you more pics of me. I took these photos years ago because I wanted to see the progression of how I looked like in the 7 years I was editor-in-chief. So these were supposed to be just for my private consumption. But what the heck! Let me share with you!
My very first EIC photo! Look at my giddy smile. Look at my FLAT STOMACH!!! 
I liked wearing T-shirts in my late 20s. I don't think I owned a dress at this point in my life.
And this was probably when I started wearing dresses. That'll be in 2007.
Nope. Still in a T-shirt phase! And mommy jeans with NO BELT! Why?!
This is my favorite photo. Vince designed that dress and I had it made. I love that dress.
This was when our shoots started to be styled. Not only are we wearing better clothes, we also have accessories now!
That cleavage had to be added because I was as flat as a board.
I loved this dress so much! When the shoot was over, I reluctantly took it off. I regret not buying it.
This was an orange dress that we turned red. We also whittled my waist because I looked so thick haha!
Aww. I had just given birth here! Look at my new mom smile!
With Vito!!!
My last EIC photo. 

Good heavens, what was I thinking in some of those early photos?! Wala pa kasi akong stylist then. After a few years, especially when we got our fashion editors Nichole and Kabbie, our staff shoots were styled. Thank goodness! I mean, really, a t-shirt for an EIC photo? And inulit-ulit pa!

Oh, those were good days. Happy days! But I'm into motherhood now more than I am into magazines so the stressful life of helming a publication is in my past. I like that I'm back in magazines now but as market editor of BABY Magazine. I just have my 20 pages to think of and then I'm back to my little boys. I work from home, best of both worlds, very easy life. Happy days!


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Friday, April 10, 2015

This is what I really wanted to say

Random girl at an event: "Ate Frances, when I'm super old na rin, I want to still be pretty like you."

Me, outside: "Aww. Thank you!"

Me, inside:



Oy, affected. Biglang naka-identify ako kay Lady Tremaine. Heehee.

Happy weekend!


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Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Dear summer, my Transitions Signature Lenses and I are ready for you!

This post is brought to you by Transitions Signature Lenses.

 Okay, I promise that this is the very last time I'm talking about Transitions Lenses because I know I've kinda been super enthusiastic about my fantastic new glasses and I keep going on and on about them. 

But I'm really excited to really test drive my Transitions Signature Lenses this summer because we have trips planned out of town. I'm a city girl, you see, and a stay-at-home mommy, too. When I do go out, I am in malls or at events. So I haven't experienced what my Transitions Lenses can do under the intense summer sun. 
Packing my beach bag with reading material, sunscreen and towels!
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How Jimmy Choo heightened my Cinderella shoe fetish

I am still not over Disney's Cinderella. Lily James, who I actually didn't like for the role, was perfect for it! She has that perfect blend of goodness, kindness and yet she didn't seem like a doormat. Her Cinderella was cheerful even when she was sad, and she faced each day with hope even in the midst of her grief. Hope. Yes, courage, kindness, and hope. Lily's Cinderella radiated hope!

And she was just enchanting as Cinderella, too. I told my Facebook followers that I wasn't breathing the entire time she was transformed by her fairy godmother, she met Prince Kit, she danced with him, and she fled for home, hounded by the clock. I only started breathing again when she was walking in the rain!

Now I'm not breathing again because I just saw the shoes Jimmy Choo made for Lily.

She wore these at the global premiere of the movie at the 65th Berlinale International Film Festival.
Grabe lang nasilaw ako sa ngiti ni Prince Charming! Robb Stark cleans up well!

To promote the film, Disney partnered with some of the world’s premiere department stores (in New York, Beverly Hills, London, Tokyo, Dubai, Beijing, Italy and Moscow) to feature the ultimate Cinderella shoe from the world’s top shoe designers. The one we see here is from Jimmy Choo and I hope to see the rest! The shoes will be promoted both with a dedicated window and an in-store display. 
Here in the Philippines, we sadly won't see any special Cinderella shoe creation but we can still shop for fab shoes at Jimmy Choo boutiques at Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La Plaza East Wing. Visit www.ssilife.com.ph for more information.

P.S.
Salvatore Ferragamo was in charge of Lady Tremaine's shoes in the movie. So chic!
You can just see a hint of her green heels. 
Leather lace-up boots are so villainous!
Ferragamo is also available here at Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Greenbelt 4, Power Plant Mall, Newport Mall and Alabang Town Center. I hope they're selling that boot!


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Sunday, April 05, 2015

My kikay Easter with Girlstuff's summer collection of nail polish

This post is brought to you by GirlStuff Forever.

First, the good news: I have a nail polish color named after my blog!

Girlstuff, a proudly Pinoy beauty and personal care brand, released its summer collection called "Bloggers' Elite Summer," and they named the four creamy pastels AskMeWhats (purple-pink), Go Jackie Go (lime green), Strutting on Sunshine (vivid blue), and—my favorite!—Topaz Horizon (chartreuse yellow) after the blogs of the same name.


This is so exciting! I have a nail polish color named Topaz Horizon!!!

Anyway, I'll talk about my fabulous yellow polish and the fabulous launch party soon. Today, let's celebrate Easter with the very Happy Easter colors of Girlstuff's summer collection! Yes, let's use AskMeWhats, Go Jackie Go, Strutting on Sunshine, and Topaz Horizon to paint our Easter eggs!

Okay, I edited the photos in the middle of the night so medyo grabe pala yung saturation! Sorry. The colors of our polishes are not that neon! Anyway, let's meet my Easter egg!
I used Topaz Horizon as the base.
Two coats for a bright and happy yellow!
I used a bottle cap to help me dry my egg.
Tracing my pattern using the other colors!
Et voila! 

Now here are the colors on real nails:
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Friday, March 27, 2015

PLDT HOME + Disney = Fun for my kids!

This post is brought to you by PLDT Home.

 Two of my favorite things just got together! Disney and PLDT HOME (which is the same company as that of my mobile services provider, Smart) are now partners! 

What does this mean???

Well, the new partnership means PLDT HOME subscribers can now enjoy over 300 online games, hundreds of e-books, even TV shows, without price components. All moms and dads have to do is click the Disney widget on their Telpad.

My kids and I were at the special press conference to announce this wonderful team-up. We had a yummy lunch at Cravings Shangri-la Plaza. Our kids (who came as adorable princes and princesses!) enjoyed the fun activities PLDT HOME prepared (face painting! balloon sculptures!), then we all trooped to the movie theater for an exclusive screening of the live action retelling of the best fairy tale ever, Cinderella! 

Prince Piero!
Waiting for the presscon to start.
A princess introduces #DisneyOnTelpad experience.
After the presscon, we got our tickets to the exclusive screening of Cinderella!
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Thursday, March 26, 2015

The story of my short hair

Once upon a time, up to about last month, I had long hair. I don't know what it is about getting pregnant, but I had glorious hair. Nice and thicker than my usual fine and thin hair. Then you give birth and they all fall out haha But for the times I was pregnant with my second and third babies, I grew my hair long for the first time ever because my hair held on to my scalp.


Then, as I said, postpartum hair fall happened. So I decided I needed to cut my hair short again. Just a bob really, which is trendy with all the It girls.


Just my luck, Franck Provost has a new stylist and I was offered a free haircut. So I went happily along. While she created a really stylish bob, it wasn't suited to my mom lifestyle. Instead of the simple, fuss-free bob that I wanted, she made many tiny layers. For it to look amazing, I had to spend 30 minutes styling it to look like this:


If I don't do that (and as a mom of three babies, I don't have the time to do that!), this is what it looks like:

Eww.

So after two weeks of my strange bob, I went to Basement Salon and asked for a pixie cut like this:


Yes, that's me in 2008. But the stylist said we should go into pixie land gently so she chopped off my hair to a really short bob like this:

The hair I've sported since high school!

And now here's what people tell me:

"Oh, a very short cut! Is your marriage okay?"
"What a big change! Is anything big happening in your life?"
"Wow, how does it feel? You've never gone short before."

Wait. What?

First, unlike most women, my hair is not a barometer of the state of my love life. I cut my hair when I'm tired of it. I color it when I feel bored. It's hair. It's just hair. It grows back! So I like playing with it! Plus my husband likes it when I play with my hair. He says it's like having a new girl every time I come home looking different!

Second, I have actually always had short hair. Observe my hair while pregnant with Vito in 2010.


I dunno about you but those two photos look like I have short hair. Hindi siya Photoshop, promise!

I only grew my hair long three years ago, because one day I wore hair extensions and thought, "Wow, I look good with long hair!" And, like I said, pregnancy (I'm pregnant with my second baby here) made my hair nice. 


Yes, that's hair extensions! They looked so good on me! So I grew my hair loooong for the first time in my history. But after three years of long hair, I am tired of it. Masyadong maarte. Blow dry, product, ang tagal pa pag i-dye! Four hours akong nakaupo sa salon! Who has the time?!

So I cut my hair short. That's all there is to it.

It's so crazy to talk to people who say, "But you've never had short hair before!" I mean, how does one respond to that? Even though I show them pictures of me with short hair, they still insist I've always had long hair. May picture na nga! Ano pa kailangan niyo? Labo.

Anyway, this is why my hair is short: A stylist gave me a cut that didn't suit my lifestyle so I had it cut shorter so it's wash and go. The end. Wag na gawan ng ibang storya utang na loob lang! Thanks!


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