TOPAZ HORIZON

Monday, August 15, 2016

Unboxing our new favorite treat: the TWG Tea mooncake

The weekend was full of sweet things. It was my eldest boy's birthday, and my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and brother-in-law also celebrated theirs. So we had a lot of glorious sweets to indulge in! But we started the weekend sinking our forks into TWG Tea mooncakes.

Okay, just so you know, my husband and I love tea. I like coffee more than tea actually but my husband can't stand coffee. He likes a beer but I don't drink alcohol. So the only drink we agree on is tea. And Coke haha. One of my favorite dates with Vince is sharing a pot of tea over smoked salmon sandwiches at TWG. The warm light, the dark wood, the white linens, the muted clink of forks on porcelain, and the fragrant aroma of teas... Vince and I must go on a TWG date soon. However, since that hasn't been possible in a while, we had a TWG breakfast at home instead! Let's unbox:

I love that orange box!

Pretty and mysterious.

Gorgeous really!

Okay, somebody got impatient!

Oh, that sweet glaze!

That vivid green!

We got two cakes: the Constellation from the Traditional Collection and the Jade from the Moonskin Collection.

I love the crunchy melon seeds embedded all over the soft sweet brown filling, which surrounds the salted egg heart!

It's soooo soft!

And so chocolatey!

Since it's the Mid-Autumn Festival (that's exactly today, August 15), we got to try the special TWG Tea mooncakes. TWG Tea has two new collections of four special mooncakes each—eight exquisite mooncakes for you and your family to enjoy.

Here's how TWG Tea describes each mooncake:

TWG Tea Traditional Mooncakes

Constellation This iconic signature of the mid-autumn festival holds within a golden crust a smooth and elegant Singapore Breakfast Tea infused brown lotus filling, a scattering of roasted melon seeds and an embedded salted egg yolk heart. A timeless favourite.

Jewel Encased in a rich chocolate brown crust, this exclusive TWG Tea mooncake boasts a luxurious dark chocolate orb surrounded by a white lotus paste scattered with decadent Amarena cherry chunks and infused with Paris-Singapore Tea.

Ruby Wrapped in a perfectly baked bold red crust, this surprising TWG Tea mooncake features lemon zest and dried mango chunks in an Ivory Palace Tea infused brown lotus paste contrasted by a unique kaffir lime and almond paste heart.

Midnight Wrapped in a sumptuous baked crust as dark as the night, this exclusive TWG Tea mooncake showcases an aromatic almond paste centre with crunchy blackcurrants cradled by a white lotus paste infused with Blue Lotus Tea and scattered with dried cranberries.

TWG Tea Snowskin Mooncakes

Flame Emanating the warm glow of a lantern, a brilliant orange snowskin mooncake embellished with a precious gold leaf, conceals a Festive Night Tea infused citrus mousseline that cradles a lavish heart of cherry ganache.

Jade Decked in a skin of creamy celadon, this grand mooncake features a lustrous Sencha infused mousse ornamented with chocolate crumble pieces encasing a milk chocolate ganache centre.

Pure An ethereal satin white snowskin mooncake encases a smooth dark chocolate mousse inflected with the fruity and flowery notes of 1837 White Tea, revealing a heart of tangy blackcurrant marmalade and white chocolate.

Illumination Concealed in a black snowskin, this exquisite mooncake reveals a brilliant composition of a light, nutty praline infused with 1837 Black Tea and an oriental burst of glowing orange marmalade in a white chocolate heart.

My little Piero loved the Jade mooncake. He destroyed it with satisfaction!

TWG Tea says it's best to enjoy their special mooncakes with their Festive Night Tea, a green tea blended with cherry blossom, red fruits and rose petals. Must definitely visit a TWG Tea salon this week!

A set of four Mooncakes retails at P1,840 for Traditional and P2,140 for Snowskin. Individual mooncake gift boxes retail at P475 for Traditional and P550 for Snowskin. Prices may vary in Cebu. Available at all TWG Tea Salons & Boutiques in the Philippines.

Sunday, August 14, 2016

7 hot celebrity moms over 35 revealed!

In my past life, I used to be editor-in-chief of OK! magazine, the only Hollywood entertainment and royalty magazine in the Philippines. That fun job lasted for 7 years and I'm happy to move on, but sometimes I miss writing about Hollywood. Especially when the celebrity world's been crazy—and it's been CRAZY lately (Taylor vs Kim and Kanye and Calvin, for example). So anyway, I'm going to try and do an OK! article today. Today's attempt at celebrity coverage will be inspired by:

1. OK!'s listicles. Yes, celebrity rags have been doing those years before Buzzfeed!

2. Megan Fox gave birth to her third baby while pregnant Blake Lively asked people to stop commenting on her fabulous post-baby and now-pregnant-again body.

3. Sorry, Blake, but your amazing body does make us ordinary mommies look at our own bodies and wish we could look just a wee bit like you and Megan! So we're going to feature moms who look good and who don't have the excuse of youth. Yep, we're doing...

Hot celebrity moms over 35 revealed!

Being a mommy is hard work. But being in the spotlight and bringing up children must be a big challenge. Mothering is very personal and to do that while everyone's watching can be crazy. I'm not even a celebrity and yet, because of this blog and social media, people judge away! Imagine being a public figure!

Anyway, these mommies have earned so much money in their acting or singing careers and entrepreneurial ventures. I guess that's why it's easier for them to look incredibly stylish as they mother and work. And yet they still feel so real, hands on and actually relatable. Here are seven inspiring and stylish celebrity mommies!

Jessica Alba, 35

The youngest inspiring and stylish celebrity mom who makes my list is Jessica Alba. The actress starred in popular films like The Fantastic Four and Good Luck Chuck. But at the height of her career, the 35-year-old took a low profile after having two daughters with her husband Cash Warren. Motherhood propelled her to another kind of success, however. Unable to find safe products for her kids and home, she made her own! She founded and co-owns a non-toxic-household goods company called The Honest Company. It’s been a huge success and has meant Jessica’s net worth is around $350 million! You can read more Richest People articles to find out how much other celebrities are worth!

IG: @jessicaalba

Reese Witherspoon, 40

The effervescent Reese Witherspoon may be well-known for being in rom-coms like Sweet Home Alabama and Legally Blonde, but the 40-year-old also has an Oscar for her dramatic portrayal of June Carter in Walk the Line in 2006. As well as being a highly successful actress, Reese has three kids. She had two with her first husband, Ryan Phillippe, and then they split. She went on to have another boy with her now-husband Jim Roth. Despite her busy schedule, she always looks great! I talked before about the beautiful Nina Ricci yellow dress she wore back in 2007 when she was going through her divorce with Ryan. She looked fantastic, even though she was going through a tough time! That's the best revenge!

IG: @reesewitherspoon

Angelina Jolie, 41

What list about inspiring and gorgeous moms would be complete without Angelina Jolie? The Oscar-winning actress has been in many films over the years including Maleficent and Girl, Interrupted. She has also turned to directing in recent years including the war drama Unbroken last year. She's also a UN Ambassador for Refugees. But more than all these roles, Angelina is best known for being a mom. She adopted her first child Maddox back in 2002 and then went on to adopt Zahara in 2005. She met her husband Brad Pitt back in 2004 when they began filming Mr & Mrs Smith together. Since then, they had their own children Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne, and also adopted another kid named Pax! The busy mom has her hands full, but always looks well-dressed!

IG: @brangelinanews

Victoria Beckham, 42

Victoria Beckham knows how to make a name for herself in the best possible ways. In the 90's, she was part of the mega girl group, Spice Girls. Then she married football superstar, David Beckham. Theirs is a 17-years-strong marriage that has produced 4 children and countless endorsements. Now, Victoria has made a stylish mark in the world of fashion design. She's the designer celebrities go to for classic, streamlined and tailored shapes.

IG: @victoriabeckham

Jennifer Garner, 44

Jennifer Garner has starred in many movies over the years including 13 going on 30, Pearl Harbor and Miracles from Heaven. As well as being an actress, she also owns a production company called Vandalia Films. She married fellow actor Ben Affleck back in 2005. They have gone on to have four children. Despite her and Ben announcing they were separating last year, they seem to still have a good relationship. They are often spotted on holidays together with the kids. She always looks great, even when the paparazzi catches her out and about dressed down and with no makeup. We can credit that to her newfound faith, simple beauty routine, and healthy lifestyle. You can find out more about her fitness regime on this site.

IG: @benaffleck_

Jennifer Lopez, 47

She does not look 47 at all! Jennifer Lopez exploded into the music scene with Jenny From The Block back in the early 2000’s. She then went on to star in movies including Maid in Manhattan and Monster in Law. Aside from her entertainment career, she also has a great perfume and fashion line. Jennifer has eight-year-old twins with her ex-husband, Mark Anthony, and is rumored to be having another baby with her new boyfriend Casper Smart. She smashed those rumors, however, by posting this photo on her Instagram:

IG: @jlo

Sandra Bullock, 52

Sandra Bullock may be the oldest mom on our list but you'd never think it! Still active in her career, which spans decades starting with Demolition Man and Speed, then achieving American sweetheart status with Miss Congeniality and finally winning an Oscar for The Blind Side, Sandra is the highest paid actress in Hollywood today. Her bankability comes from the runaway success of her recent films Gravity and Minions. Sandra has shattered the belief that female-led movies don't sell. And she did all these while in her 40s! My super peg! Especially since Sandra is also a mommy. She adopted a baby boy Louis, and then just last year she also adopted three-year-old Laila!

IG: @sandrabullock_official

These celebrity moms certainly lead busy and full lives! I also want to say that this list is definitely not a comprehensive one. I want to add these incredible moms: Gwyneth Paltrow, Gwen Stefani, Halle Berry, Tina Fey, Salma Hayek, and Nicole Kidman. Maybe in a Part 2! What do you think?

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

What's inside my Kate Spade bag and Cath Kidston everyday kits

Say hello to my favorite bag, the Kate Spade Holden Street Lanie satchel.

I have this in two colors: this absolutely perfect pink and a beautiful black. I was thinking of getting it in cobalt blue, white, and red, too. But after only a few months in the stores and online, it was gone. Sigh. I love it so much!

Anyway, I'm not doing a bag review (unless you want me to!). I'm going to show you what's inside my everyday bag and kit. Here's a peek!

As you can see, I don't bring a lot. This is actually already a lot. I used to bring everything in a clutch. But since I've added a few more things, I moved to a bigger bag. Here's what's inside:

My Charles & Keith wallet, my iPhone 6 phone in a Kate Spade case, my Beauty Biz Bliss business cards in a Ni-QUA card case in smooth dark green leather, my little sketchbook for my #waiting sketches (check it out on my Instagram), my shopping sack, and my two Cath Kidston cases.

That's it!

I'm a recent convert to Cath Kidston. I'm more of a Kate Spade than a Cath Kidston but this pretty floral print is so classic and feminine but not too cloying.

I love it. In fact, I have a coffee mug in this print, too.

What's inside the pouch: Tod's keyring (the circle medal is from a Topaz Horizon reader), Ventolin inhaler, Happy Skin lipstick, Maybelline pressed powder foundation, Biogenic alcohol spray, my ballpoint pen, a flat flashlight (that's the orange square with "blessings"), and the access pass to our condominium complex. That's it!

What's inside the sunglasses case: my power bank and USB stick! I got this idea from a Buzzfeed article on travel hacks. It works fine for me!

So that's your little peek into my things! What's in yours?