Havey!

I don't watch Sunday TV unless there's a VERY GOOD reason to (which I can tick off using my 10 fingers). Yesterday was no exception until Alexander's alert for Twitter started going off the hook late in the afternoon. It was all Piolo-KC everything. Too lazy to even try to look for a pirated version of the interview on YouTube, I just relied on Twittercast (at mas masaya ang mga comments, aminin niyo!)

Well.

This was bound to blow up in their faces the day Piolo said they were a couple. I don't know anyone who didn't think the whole relationship was a lie. And I don't know anyone who doesn't think Piolo's, well, on a different team. So the break-up wasn't the shock - it was KC's 'read between the lines' interview that created the buzz (pun intended). 

I was exchanging tweets with Ishi and told her I think at some point, kawawa din si Piolo now that KC aired her side. Judging from what everyone's saying, KC's interview confeeeeeermed (mas matindi pa yan sa confirmed) that he's gay, so whatever he says on his defense will just make him look stupid. Unless he comes out, which I HIGHLY doubt.

Earlier, TV Patrol aired some parts of KC's interview and it's the first time I saw how she looked and sounded during the interview. The girl is just plain crushed. Parang naging ganun na din yung ichura natin once upon a time, si KC nga lang yung diyosa version. Her voice cracked every other sentence, and you can see she's trying (no, struggling) to be composed and keep the wailing broken-hearted girl at bay.

IF we are going to stick to the premise that he is gay, I'm pretty sure that she didn't enter this relationship without more than warning bells ringing. Kung tayo ngang mere mortals convinced that he's gay without even knowing him personally, how much more those around them? I tip my hat to her for admitting that she just acted like how a normal infatuated girl would - ikaw nga ba naman ligawan at suyuin ni Piolo 'di ba? I guess it's that infatuation that blinded her from the glaring truth - which I'm sure a LOT can relate to. 

     "Sa tingin ko, bakit ikaw ganyan? Ako ganito? Bakit parang hanggang sa huli, mag-isa lang ako rito?"

Was what she had to say when she'd see his reactions to questions about their relationship status. Yes, it sucks to see the other party carry on with his life as if everything's normal while here you are trying to figure out how to survive the day the moment your eyes open. Hindi mo alam bakit kayang-kaya niyang tumawa ng wagas samantalang ikaw, on-cue ang luha. Well, ika-nga ng The Script, "when a heart breaks, no it don't break even."

"Magtira

 ka para sa sarili mo, at ang tiwalang ibibigay mo sa taong mamahalin mo, dapat alagaan ng taong mahal mo."

The first part of what she said is just absolutely true. She said she gave so many chances and too much benefit of the doubt, and look where it got her. I'm not blaming her for it, nor in her faith that she could 'transform' him but sometimes, you need to listen to the people around you because they're there for a reason. When friends tell us what they see we deny it to ourselves to the point that we shut them out. In the end we get an "I told you so..." (followed by "...sige sa'n tayo iinom mamaya?" Hahaha!)

We all have a tendency to give everything - in love, work, career - but we don't notice we're running out of gas. It's OK to take a break when you think you're giving too much already and get treated badly in return.

As for him ... well coming out isn't really the easiest thing to do but I'm going to stick to what I think: whatever he says will only make him look stupid, especially when it comes to his gender preference. I hope he doesn't go on The Buzz next week or the week after or EVER to have his own tell-all (unless he's coming out). 

He can be gay as much as he wants, nothing absolutely wrong with it. I think it's even going to endear him to the public because it takes a lot if guts and risk to come out. It's all about the image, though. Regina Belmonte and Jigs Mayuga have both cited Neil Patrick Harris as one of the openly out gays in Hollywood who convincingly plays a straight guy in How I Met Your Mother. Hirap kasi dito, not all actors are ACTORS, some are just in the industry for sheer good looks. I'm not saying he's one of those, because he CAN act, but he's a victim of this mentality in the industry. 

Ang sakit siguro sa bangs maging part ng PR team niya ngayon. Naisip ko lang.

Well, whether this is a publicity stint or not, I hope everyone picks something up from this ... whether you're a giver or in the closet.

<3

Happy hormones

I'm trying to channel that time of the month to something positive and happy. So to take my mind off this nagging pain, I decided to list down my happy thoughts recently.

1) I couldn't stress enough how much my Nokia E63 means to me - it's the phone that stayed with me the longest (the previous ones were passed on to my parents or to other people) and it's the first phone I bought with my own money. Well, sort of. My 'rents paid half of it but you get my drift. 

I named it Pop (because...) and he's two-years-five-months and counting. When most of my friends started getting Blackberrys and iPhones, I stuck it out with Pop. Its flashlight was a great help during Ondoy (2009) and Pedring and Quiel (2011). And I probably abused it with way too much Twitter. The scroll button has 'battle marks' to prove how long it's been around.

But I couldn't deny I wanted a Blackberry. 

So let me introduce you to Alexander:

Delivered right at my doorstep yesterday! Yay for Globe for FINALLY approving my line application after two tries! (It's a very long story!)

Went to Shopwise yesterday to do some grocery and I couldn't resist buying something for him!

Do you name your gadgets too? I do! My laptop's name is Bibi; the netbook is Lili; my iTouch's name is Chloe and this right here is Alexander!

It was a toss-up between Eiffel or Alexander. I wanted to name my next gadget Eiffel because of my fascination over Paris, the French language, and the Eiffel Tower. But at the last minute I went with Alexander for the mere fact that it's Aly Borromeo's real name (it's actually Alexander Charles).

2) If there's anything that can instantly - and I mean INSTANTLY - make me happy it has to be food, especially if I get to eat what I'm craving for at the moment. Two weeks ago I got to finally sample Papa John's Pizza and IT'S HEAVEN <3

I couldn't get my mind and tastebuds off the cheese sticks -  I just knew I had to have some delivered!

Had some Garden Special Pizza too

GLORIOUS. Everything is pizza and nothing hurts. /Tumblr language!

Just now I had the best street food ever invented: kwek-kwek!!! And there's a tub of ice cream waiting for me in the freezer. OH YES.

3) If you want to drag my ass over to Greenhills on days that I DON'T want to, say the magic words: HAPPY LEMON.

The Cocoa with Rock Salt and Cheese is an out-of-this-world experience that is BEYOND WORDS. 

If not for one of my friends, Dane, and Our Awesome Planet's Anton Diaz, I wouldn't have checked Happy Lemon out. See, I'm not a fan of tea-based drinks and tea in general but this mix is just BLISS. It's also available in Coffee, but it's a bit too strong for me. Cocoa is the way to go.

Gian does this crazy face everytime the flavors hit his taste buds. HAHA! If you still haven't tried it (because you're too much of a lazy-ass to go to Greenhills) they have branches in Eastwood, Rockwell and TriNoma. So go aheeaaaaadd and let Happy Lemon cheer you up :)

In not-so-food-related news, the past few weeks have been really kind to me. I guess it's true that when one thing ends, better ones come along. It may not be what you want at the moment, but something you need to help you become what you want to be. You need to rid your life of what's holding you back from doing what you love. You CAN do things - don't let what other people say define you and bring you down. And remember to always come out TOUGHER from whatever adversity you face. 

...And with that, I'm off to the fridge for that ice cream! #gobble #gobble

<3

Riding the wave of doing nothing

In other words, welcome me to the bum life! Hopefully this doesn't last too long though since I have a LOT of things planned for next month. So for the next few weeks I'll be most likely stuck at home or raiding the nearest bazaar I can. Makes me wish I picked up a copy of Feast for Crows! The off-weeks sound too tempting and exciting because I'm looking forward to sleeping-in and sleeping late! 

Don't be like me though. Here's a chance for you to ride and actually DO something. How? Read up:

BIKE TO LIGHT

Deliver 10,000 Bottle Lights to Filipino homes

On November 30, take part in a monumental campaign to deliver light to thousands of homes in Metro Manila.  

Join hundreds of bikers to help bring 10,000 solar bottle bulbs from Camp Aguinaldo to the historical Pinaglabanan Shrine, where they will be distributed amongst volunteers and installed in 30 communities.

FREE FIRST PRINT ' LITER OF LIGHT' T-SHIRTS FOR THE FIRST 1000 BIKERS

FOOD AND DRINKS TO KEEP UP THE ENERGY OF ALL YOU REVOLUTIONARIES 

Be part of the documentary that will be shot on this day which snippets will be shown in Durban South Aftrica on December 6, 2011 on the Climate Change Convention where Liter of Light is invited to speak to 500 world leaders ! Help make this BIG for the Philippines who is leading the way in community built solar lighting.

This Bonifacio Day, commemorate history. Make history. Be a part of a new revolution! 

To register - www.isanglitrongliwanag.org/biketolight

A lot of my friends are becoming health buffs in their own way - hitting the gym, running, biking, doing Yoga - really, I admire them for their discipline and dedication.

Couple of weeks back I was at the Bonifacio High Street area and the number of runners and bikers I saw surprised me! So if you're one of these enthusiasts, joining Bike To Light is a great chance to clock in some kilometers in your record. And just like any exercise, there's fun in numbers so bring your family and friends.

For more info about the event, visit A Liter of Light's Facebook page or their Web site.

Luxe Pre-Christmas Sale

A few entries back I talked about this online accessory shop called Quintessential Manila.Well my package arrived yesterday afternoon! :) I wore them today to the Luxe Pre-Christmas Sale at Il Terrazo.

I've been to Il Terrazo a couple of times already but I didn't know they had a function room at the penthouse level! Good thing the bazaar organizers wrote 'penthouse level' on the posters in the area. 

When I got there weren't a lot of people, as the function room wasn't really big either. Goody's booth welcomed bazaar-goers at the entrance. There was also a photowall and a big tarpaulin of Camille Co who's one of the finalists in the Mango It Girl x Lookbook contest. Yummy looking cupcakes greeted me as I entered through the left door, then I went around the booths and saw Jonver David, who was manning the Punchdrunk Panda booth. I also spotted Dominique Tiu of Konichiwear going around. 

Shoppers checking out items on display

I was looking forward to seeing Ana Gonzales' handmade wire accessories in person but as luck would have it her box of accessories were left all the way in the south :( Ok lang 'yan, I'll make sure I'll check them out in the next bazaars! I still got something from her collection though - a tassle belt!

Anagon tassle belt; Wrangler Bibi denim shorts

Yes, ako na ang excited I wore it right after I bought it! It was a real steal at just P100 so I couldn't say no haha :)

Most booths sold clothes, but All Buttoned Up laid out plumes and feathers and earrings. Yes my knees went jell-o at the sight of all the pretty colors!

I almost bought that blue-and-green feather earrings at the front, but in the end beads won me over

I can't wait to wear them!

Here's the Leopard Luxe ballet flats from POSH Pocket Shoes that I was talking about that I (sadly) wasn't able to buy. Next time!!

Christmas is almost less than a month away and bazaars like this one is a great place to shop and avoid the holiday rush. There are more coming up in the following weeks so it's best to check for announcements and updates from your favorite merchants. 

Merry shopping!

Posh for your pocket

It's no joke running errands on a day when the Sun decides to bring it on. Add to the equation walking on sidewalks, people who don't remember the KEEP RIGHT rule, and climbing flights of stairs! While I'm not one to deny that heels do give women a boost in attitude and confidence, I also agree that running around wearing them for a whole day can be major strain and stress.

I used to stash an extra pair of ballet flats or slippers under my desk so my feet can take a break once I reach the office. But when you're out and about, how will you manage to fit an extra pair of shoes in your already jam-packed bag? (read: kikay kit, wallet, notebook and God knows what else)

THANK GOD FOR FOLDABLE SHOES. Yes, you read that right. In case you've been living under a rock, they've been around since last year, slowly making their way into bazaars and online selling sites like Multiply.

Last year, I got my first pair of POSH Pocket Shoes at Rockwell's Moonlit Bazaar. 

Me with Nadine de Guzman, owner of POSH Pocket Shoes

POSH Pocket Shoes 'Le Pliage' Collection (credit to POSH Facebook Page)

That's the pair I bought a year ago (Not actual photo. Do you seriously want to see it though? Haha!), and it survived what has got to be the heaviest rainfall in my commuting history! And because it's foldable, it fits right into my bag! It doesn't weigh a ton, either! Really, mas mabigat pa ang hardbound planner! When you unfold the pouch, it's big enough to stuff in your killer heels. Say goodbye to unsightly paper bags! 

In just one year, POSH has released more chic, more stylish designs that are too pretty to resist. Get your hands on one this Saturday at LUXE, a pre-Christmas Sale at Il Terrazo, Tomas Morato (near ABSCBN).

I'm definitely checking out POSH's Leopard Luxe and Snakeskin Patent! #megusta!

Entrance to the bazaar is free! Don't pretend you can't hear that little voice inside you saying "Shopping! Shopping! Shopping! Shopping!" :)) And look! StyleBreak and CoExist will be there too! And Anagon!! #alamna

Be there! :)

Make it count

*This was supposed to be my 11.11.11 celebratory post

Today is 11.11.11 - a rare occurence in a person's lifetime. There are a lot of events, product launches, weddings, etc. scheduled today because of this significant date.

I'm not big on superstitions, though I do find making a wish at 11:11 cute :)

Today is the mother of all 11.11s, and I wanted to make it count. I obviously couldn't make it to the events and launches, so I decided to do something for myself.

It's not big, grand, or monumental; not a makeover or a shopping spree. None of that sort. But for sure it was well thought-of and I counted seconds, minutes, hours and even days before making the move.

It's different for each one, but in the end they all feel the same way - liberating. The thought of doing what you thought you wouldn't do; of standing up for yourself after so much.

Did I intentionally do it on 11.11.11? Honestly, no. Today's date is just like any other date. Sure it's unique and one-in-a-hundred years but any other date happens just once in a lifetime too, right? I'm not ruining the romance of today's date for you guys haha :) I guess what I'm trying to say is try to make everyday count. 

Don't overlook the small things that happen to you just because you're so busy looking at the bigger picture. Circumstances, situations, events pass that may or may not hurt you, but remember the people who you met along the way, those who made the ride a little less bumpy and a bit more bearable.

Make every situation count, whether good or bad. Make every person count, however useful or useless they seem to be. Make everything you do count, because every move you make greatly affects the days ahead of you.

And since today is all 11 everything, let me throw in my favorite 11, Aly Borromeo <3

*TODAY: I was literally buzzing with excitement last Monday morning when I got a tweet mention from Lexton Moy, the Azkal whose blog I featured in the previous post. So honored and humbled! Looking forward to his future entries at Soccerpirrs.com :) 

Bang bang!

Rarely do you come across honest-to-goodness blog entries as of late. 'Bloggers' abound but what we read about are events, product endorsements, etc. Absolutely nothing wrong with that, because brands are really tapping social media as a way of reaching their target market easier. What I'm trying to say is it's refreshing to read a blog that just tells of how the day went, the things he did, with a little inspirational message here and there - sans the product placements.

Much more if it's written by an athlete. An AZKAL, to be exact.

Aside from the popular ones like the Younghusbands, Del Rosario, Borromeo, etc. there's a whole lot of them most people don't know. But if like me, Twitter is your crack then you've probably seen his name around Twitterverse: LEXTON MOY (And you'll get what the 'bang bang!' is all about!)

I'm not going to go all-football here because I don't want to get shot for being a know-it-all, so I'll let Wikipedia do the talking:

Lexton was born to a Filipino mother and a Chinese father, and grew up in Chinatown, Manhattan. That in itself is interesting already. If you see him you can't deny he's very Asian.

Anyway, I've been seeing links and people in Facebook talking about his blog entry about his trip to Chinatown in Manila. I just scrolled past it in my news feed the first few times but for some reason I decided to finally click the link today.

He talked about experiencing Chinatown in an entirely different culture, but what made him earn my respect was he went through the whole thing IN PUBLIC TRANSPORT.

You have to read all his blog entries at his blog/Web site Soccerpirrs.com! He runs the site, by the way :)

Here's more about Soccerpirrs:

Formerly known as Spirrsblog.com, the New SoccerPirrs.com website is the official Blog website for the Spirr’s Network. SPIRR’s is an acronym for Soccer Product Information Ratings and Reviews. The vision behind such a vast Soccer network, is to create a place for the entire Soccer Community to gather, interact and share information. Developed by Sports Pirrs Inc. in 2009, the Spirrs Network consist of several dynamic websites dedicated to “Passing the Word around.”

SoccerPirrs.com highlights all kinds of soccer products, from what’s new, the latest technology and cool innovations to traditional trends, past classics and popular throwbacks.  SoccerPirrs.com is not only limited to the soccer products, it is a place for information and knowledge to be shared, discussed and critiqued so that the Spirrs motto can fully be achieved.

It is powered…BY your soccer Peers…FOR you soccer Peers. 

With the Spirrs Network, you can rely on your Soccer Pirrs for their honest opinions.

Discover what’s out there.

Inform yourself.

Inform others.

Contribute to….

Passing the Word Around.

I cracked up reading about how one jeepney ride challenged his limited Tagalog skills haha! Going through all his entries made me want to meet him in person and compliment him with what he's doing. His tone is just so conversational and unpretentious, quite a (delightful) surprise for a guy like him. And also props on recognizing the power of social media as more than just a way to promote, but also to interact with fans and know what they're thinking.

So go click click on this link and have an awesome Pacquiao weekend!

BANG BANG!

Dilemma

The 11.11.11 celebratory post will come in a little later. Haha.

For the meantime, I introduce to you the headache that is Dec. 3. 

See, when news broke that David Beckham's team, the LA Galaxy, will be flying in to the Philippines for a friendly game against the Azkals !gasp! the whole of Twitterverse erupted in chaos. First question: How much will the tickets be? KNOWING it's David-freaking-Beckham you'd expect at most a 10k-priced ticket for the VIP section. Doing the math, that might leave you at 800 a pop for bleachers. 

Heartbreak of all heartbreaks, it's 15k for the VIP and 2k for the bleachers. A little too much, for me at least. I mean, obviously the price you pay is to see the LA Galaxy, not the Azkals since they're so accessible naman, especially now that UFL is starting to pick up its pace. So ako, keribels na lang na 'wag manood ng live though that would mean missing out on cheering along with the Kaholeros and the rest of the uber-hyper Pinoy fans. 

The bright idea of hitting the AFTER-PARTY instead came to me one day while going over HellYeahAzkals' Tumblr. *lightbulb* And that's the gameplan.

But wait there's more! 

I was all set for this Mission: After-Party when a *facepalm* moment happened: BLOGGERS UNITED IS ALSO ON DEC. 3!

Maine and I have been talking about going to BU and the game almost everyday and we missed out on that one important detail! Back to the drawing board we go!

Bloggers United a must-not-miss gathering of bloggers, and it had me at the 'interactive shopping' part! 

So yes, you will most definitely see both (or the three, Ishi included) of us on Dec. 3 running around the Fort area like headless chickens trying to shuttle from Treston to National Sports Grill (to watch the game) and back to The Fort or (God bless us) Resorts World.

Leggo #teamDec3! 

Happy 10th birthday, HerWord!

My very first job was at BusinessWorld, the country's leading business newspaper, and I am forever loyal to the people and the brand because I made good friends and memories with them <3 I still 'invade' the editorial department and hang out with them 'till they go home (read: 10pm. Best schedule ever. Haha!)


But business has a flip side; of course it can't be all work and no play. And since Beyonce said  'girls run the world', women need to take a break from meetings and work-related stress. 
Enter HerWord, one of BusinessWorld's microsites that's dedicated to women's needs - from fashion, food and dining, health, and more. A guilty pleasure of mine is reading Her-o-Scope weekly! Not that I believe it entirely but sometimes the forecast is so spot-on I feel like it's stalking me! Plus their product and movie reviews are very helpful too.


HerWord will be turning 10 this November 30 and they're celebrating it with "A Day of Treats: Herword.com's 10th Anniversary Fair"

“A Day of Treats: HerWord.com's 10th Anniversary” will be held on November 30, 2011 (Wed) at the Eastwood Central Plaza from 11am – 12mn. 

See all the different sections of HerWord.com come alive! The booths will be sub-divided into Pantry, Her-o-scope, Tester, Gallery, Healthdesk, Her Rights, Her Money and Unwind. The sections you see on our site is what you'll get and more.


To get the whole HerWord experience, avail of a Passport for only P100! Here's what comes with it:


Entrance to seminars & workshops, game participation, food, give-aways, makeover, mystic reading at the Her-o-scope booth, one (1) printed photo at our photobooth, consultation with lawyer at Her Rights booth, massage or manicure and more!


Alam nyo na which booth I'll go to first! Haha! You may e-mail marcom@bworld.com.ph for your Passport reservations. You may pay for them/pick them up at BusinessWorld's office or at Eastwood Mall on the event day itself.

It's an event for BFFs to bond over and there's no excuse for you not to go because Nov. 30 is a holiday! 

To get you in the mood for HerWord's anniversary, I leave you with Queen B herself. Because we run the m*therf**king world!

See you ladies! <3

If streets could talk...

...it would tell you a lot.

I'm a city girl through and through, though a road trip out of Manila is a welcome break. I'm in love with how busy the streets get during rush hour (you may also insert some cursing at the traffic here), the way the lights dance as cars inch their way forward, and the chatter of commuters as they recap the days' events. That's the main reason I refuse to learn how to drive - nothing compares to the challenge of surviving the streets of Manila on foot.

Whenever I'm asked where I live and I answer "Sa may Tomas Morato", I get the same reaction: "Wow ang lapit mo sa gimikan!"

While that's true, I love Tomas Morato more for its restaurants and cozy coffee shops. Back when I was still in my first job, 'Tomas' was our go-to place for late-night caps. Before one of my good friends from college, Jarvik, moved south, Baang and Kopi Roti were the no-brainer destinations for some weekend catching up.

Remember this? 'Where do broken hearts go?' at Kopi Roti

The original Baang girls!

Il Terrazo hits with my BusinessWorld friends!

And most recently, coffee hits! This is a Nespresso shake at Sango!

Tomas Morato has got to have anything and everything to satisfy whatever food you're craving for. The fun part? They're all just one or two blocks away from each other! So if you're on a food trip you can burn some calories by walking to your next destination and make room for some more food haha!

I don't ever want to move out of QC. There's no other 'comfort place' than Tomas Morato <3

Must-haves (aka the post where I justify my online shopping)

Can there be anything more convenient than online shopping? 

I can sometimes be such a finicky shopper especially if I want to get everything within my sight/reach. A guilty pleasure is accessories! 

First off, hello Quintessential Shop Manila!

Feather earring at P150/piece

Eyeing this one-piece feather earring. I love the silhouette dangling/chandelier earrings make as it runs down the side of your face. I'm *desperately* trying to grow my hair longer just for these babies, actually. (I'm giving up on curling my hair - but that's another entry). 

Also these plume earrings, which Maine told me she will have the length customized. /happy!

Connector ring at P150/piece

I'm not a ring person, mainly because I can't find rings that fit my middle fingers! I need the ones that are adjustable, like this connector ring also from Quintessential Manila. I seriously need to learn how to jazz up my fingers! 

Quintessential Shop Manila is owned by one of my partners-in-fangirling Maine Aquino *cough* customized plumes *cough* and her best friend Elaine Verri. 

Moving on to Extreme Finds' Friendship Links Bracelet

Friendship Link Bracelet at P350 (customizable)

Don't you just find the colors ... yummy?!

Extreme Finds has made quite a lot of appearances in fashion blogs. They're also one of the most-trusted online sellers in Multiply.

Sellers who make their own accessories can customize your order for you, which is why they are my go-to sites when I want an accessory to come in my favorite color or just the right length and size (in cases of earrings and bracelets). 

But most of the time I'm happy with what I find in SM Dept. Stores, especially now that they're carrying edgier accessories. (Not the latest collection but I have a huge model crush on Jasmine Maierhofer, SO.)

My wallet will kill me if I buy everything in one go, but for sure these babies (Jasmine excluded LOL) will end up in my room really soon.

On to more (online) window shopping!