Lucky me!

December 1, 2010, 6:58 am

≫ Next: Best for last

≪ Previous: Love Lucy

$

0

0

Last October 18, I wished for a Margiela AIDS tee, Japanese edition.



December 1 is World AIDS Day.
I've been buying Margiela AIDS tees ever since the first one came out in 1994, and I still have the original one even though I've worn it hundreds of times and it's really holey. (I should take a picture.)
This year, Margiela does the text for the first time in Japanese.
It says: "There is more action to be done to fight AIDS than to wear this t-shirt but it's a good start."
A percentage of its sales are donated to AIDES, a French organization dedicated to fight the HIV virus and take care of patients living with HIV/AIDS.
Over the years, 170,000 T-shirts have been sold and brought a contribution of over 700,000 euros to AIDES.
In addition to the seasonal English version, the Maison has decided to issue a yearly edition in a different language for the World AIDS day, starting with Japanese.
Created in Paris, the limited edition charity AIDS T-shirt will be exclusively available in all Maison Martin Margiela stores. (Source)



Last week, Sayoko-san took us to the Margiela shop in Daikanyama.



No pictures allowed, but you know me, I'm sneaky.



I tried on this gorgeous hair scarf and the silk cardigan with extended sleeves, but it was mahalia jackson.



Before we left I remembered to ask about the AIDS tee. I asked the sales assistant about it, she said it would be out on December 1st. Last night, I remembered that was today but I was too shy to ask Sayoko to line up. But guess what? She got it!



Thank you very much!
ありがとう御座(ござ)います!



It's available online!

---

Best for last

December 1, 2010, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Behind the scenes: the Metro shoot

≪ Previous: Lucky me!

$

0

0

On our last night in Tokyo, Sayoko-san took us to the office of her friend—journalist, editor, art curator, club designer, book publisher and photographer—Kyoichi Tsuzuki.
At first I thought we were there to see art or some awesome space.





And awesome it was.
His flat—with all the stuff, books, vinyls, art—reminds me of my dad's old music room.



See what I mean?



The first thing I saw was Rei Kawakubo's bench that she did many years ago when she was still doing furniture.
Trivia: Lola Rei is a friend of Kyoichi's; so is Haruki Murakami.



He had really cool stuff. Ana would love this half deer/half bear animal trophy.



His personalized box of Kellogg's



Photobooth matches



Various art pieces



Sato mascots



And then I found out he had published a book called "Happy Victims" among countless others.



Happy Victims is a collection of photographs of some 30 individuals "who have turned the act of shopping into an indefinable obsession, lying somewhere between artistic expression and an unusual kind of fetishism. Worshipping one individual designer, these men and women consume religiously their chosen labels—Jean Paul Gaultier, Anna Sui, Vivienne Westwood—often at the expense of life’s other necessities.
They turn what are typically minute apartments into living temples to their fashion gods – resulting in interiors which range from the breathtakingly cluttered to the manically ordered." (Source)



Kyoichi says, "It’s about how fashion is consumed and appreciated, about the people who are buying these clothes.
Recently I was at a fashion show for the Japanese label Dress Camp. All the media people had seats, and the younger people stood in the back and couldn’t see the show. But they are the customers! I got a seat, but I don’t buy those clothes.
I wanted to see how fans of fashion live. They are not rich. Actually, the people buying these clothes live in a small place, saving their money to buy the clothes, but they don’t have any beautiful place to go. That’s the truth.



"I don’t want to say it’s stupid, but imagine it: A very small room, the person doesn’t have a lot of money but they spend all their money on books, and they fill their small room with books, you wouldn’t say they’re stupid. Right? But a small room filled with Comme des Garçons, looks really stupid, no?
That is our prejudice—that the person who spends all their money on books looks better than the person with Comme des Garçons.*
There’s a hierarchy: Books have the highest position, then records, and fashion is kind of on the bottom. But it’s all the same. It’s how your passion flows." (Source)



*P.S. Perhaps the quote "the person who spends all their money on books looks better than the person with Comme des Garçons" was lost in translation. I totally disagree! Of course the person in Comme looks better, hehe.
That night were lucky to have three books signed by the author himself.



Oh and he and Sayoko gave me this book and lovely bracelet



Yakiniku dinner was just lovely—but I ate too much.



Thank you, Sayoko, Hiko and Kyoichi for a fun, fun evening.

Behind the scenes: the Metro shoot

December 1, 2010, 9:17 pm

≫ Next: Closer now and forever with Close Up White Now

≪ Previous: Best for last

$

0

0

The Diegos share a joke, while Alvin flirts with some model



Sam Milby reminds one of Christopher Reeve



DJ Mars Miranda



Alvin Alfonso being kulet



Veejay Floresca killing time



The photographer Doc Marlon, so chica



Patrick Ty and Louis Claparols reminds me of the Louis Vuitton boys



Metro magazine December issue out now.



http://www.metromagazine.ph/

Closer now and forever with Close Up White Now

December 1, 2010, 11:47 pm

≫ Next: Lancel collaborates with screen legend Brigitte Bardot

≪ Previous: Behind the scenes: the Metro shoot

$

0

0

Whenever you meet an extraordinary couple, aren't you curious how they met?
Soon-to-be-wed couples Ian King & Joey Mead and Marco Rodriguez & Rosanna Ocampo remembered their first meetings in an intimate cocktail lounge at The Manila Peninsula Rigodon Ball.
Friends and family who received the blue and white invitations, gathered to witness this magical moment in a romantic all-white set up with blue lighting, designed by Robert Blancaflor.



The couples told stories of how they met and professed love for one another.
Known for her fierce walk and undeniably bright smile, Joey met Ian at a party where Ian asked a friend to introduce him to her.
Joey wore a long dress by Rajo Laurel, with makeup by Jing Monis' Propaganda Team.
Ian King wore Joey Samson.



Rosanna Ocampo's smile was what instantly captivated Marco, who asked a friend to set up a date with her two years ago.



On this evening, Rosanna wore Jun Escario with makeup by Omar Ermita, while Marco wore Joey Samson.



Physical attraction is undeniable, but ordinary encounters become unforgettable when you flash a perfect smile. Close Up introduces Close Up White Now, which instantly whitens teeth after just one brush, and brightens the more you use it.



With its innovative and breakthrough blue foam technology, get that instant visible whitening effect on your teeth, without the chemicals found in whitening kits and other whitening toothpastes.

Lancel collaborates with screen legend Brigitte Bardot

December 2, 2010, 12:25 am

≫ Next: Holiday blowout from Pepper Lunch

≪ Previous: Closer now and forever with Close Up White Now

$

0

0

Before there was Claudia Schiffer and Photoshop, there was Brigitte Bardot.



French, former actress, singer, model and now animal rights activist, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer before she started her acting career in 1952.
She became world famous due to her role in her then-husband Roger Vadim's controversial film And God Created Woman.



She was the subject of Simone de Beauvoir's 1959 essay, The Lolita Syndrome, which described Bardot as a "locomotive of women's history" and built upon existentialist themes to declare her the first and most liberated woman of post-war France.



Bardot retired from the entertainment industry in 1973.
During her career in show business Bardot starred in 47 films, performed in numerous musical shows, and recorded 80 songs. She was awarded the Légion d'honneur in 1985 but refused to receive it.
After her retirement, Bardot established herself as an animal rights activist. (Wiki)



Now Lancel, Parisian luxury leather accessories brand, is proud to announce its collaboration with screen legend and style icon, Brigitte Bardot.
The creative pairing sees Bardot's extraordinary beauty, her free-spirit and intriguing feminine personality—part innocent girl; part sensual goddess—encapsulated in Lancel’s newest line of luxury bags – the BB Bag.



The iconic drawstring bag features details that pay homage to the iconic BB spirit and style, while hints of her décolletage, her hips, her waist and tousled hair have been teased into the design.



Lancel was drawn to Brigitte Bardot as inspiration as her personality and spirit embrace many of the brand’s own characteristics—audacity, elegance, irreverence, femininity and joie de vivre.
A valuable asset to the brand, the BB adds a fresh dimension to the qualities of the Lancel woman.



Leonello Borghi, Artistic Director of Lancel, said “Brigitte is so versatile and feminine. She is part femme fatale and part femme angelica. With this bag, we hope to deliver a piece of her to the millions of women who dream to possess a bit of Brigitte for themselves.”
The BB bag is Lancel's tribute to the eternal “jeune fille” that every woman should have inside.



The B. Bardot collection is available now at Lancel stores and is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Riviera Luxury Retailers Corporation.



http://www.lancel.com/le-brigitte-bardot/

Holiday blowout from Pepper Lunch

December 2, 2010, 2:07 am

≫ Next: If I won the lotto

≪ Previous: Lancel collaborates with screen legend Brigitte Bardot

$

0

0

This holiday season, Pepper Lunch offers all-new weekday lunch and dinner specials.



Enjoy discounted Pepper Rice meals now at PHP 198.
Or Try the Super Value Steak Meal for only PHP 498—you'll get a Pepper Steak with mashed potato & gravy, rice on the side.
Got more appetite? Upgrade to a set meal for an additional PHP 60 and choose from: drink + ice cream, miso soup, or mini salad.
Both promo deals available only from Monday through Friday, 11 AM-2 PM or 6 PM-closing.
Promo period: December 2010 - February 2011
Only at Pepper Lunch Power Plant mall, Shangri-la Plaza, Greenbelt 5, Alabang Town Center.

http://pepperlunch.com.ph/

If I won the lotto

December 2, 2010, 11:25 am

≫ Next: Hoax

≪ Previous: Holiday blowout from Pepper Lunch

$

0

0

I didn't buy lotto tickets because I didn't think I'd win.
I've been skeptical ever since I heard stories about the lotto being rigged in favor of politicians.
But Jeroen did buy tickets through a friend who kept track of the numbers, even while we were in Tokyo.
With Jeroen's tickets, I had a chance to dream or imagine what I'd do if ever we won the jackpot.

1) I would build a modern chapel somewhere I can have reserved seats, because I hate fighting for seats in mass.
I cannot think of a single church/chapel in Metro Manila that has visually appealed to me, unlike in Europe, for instance.
As mass-loving people, we deserve to have really nice churches with holy priests whose sermons are relevant.



2) I would renovate all the restrooms at my sons' schools—and NAIA.



3) I would move to a waterproof, flood-proof and leak-proof home.





4) I would wear Comme des Garçons nearly everyday



5) I would buy a nice-smelling, traditional log cabin in Tagaytay



6) I would take my boys to the US



7) I would buy a place in Aoyama



8) I would go back to Lourdes



9) I would complete the old folks home in Lipa



10) A nice motorhome, for going out of town.





The rest would be saved, used to help others, or for business. Then again, we didn't win.
But what the hey—dreaming is free and fun.
What's on your list?

Hoax

December 2, 2010, 10:16 pm

≫ Next: What's Etreet?

≪ Previous: If I won the lotto

$

0

0

Don't try ordering Jollibee's Champion Meal—it doesn't exist!



The word from Jollibee's Twitter account is this:



Well, hopefully the Twitter account is real.
But while the person behind the hoax may be "really good at Photoshop," he/she/it, however, sucks at graphic design.

---

What's Etreet?

December 4, 2010, 2:32 am

≫ Next: Googoo & Gaga's trunk show

≪ Previous: Hoax

$

0

0

You may have heard about Groupon, the online site endorsed by no less than Oprah Winfrey, that negotiates huge discounts with popular businesses and offers them to people who sign up.
Now Etreet comes to Manila—an online marketing and social buying website that offers 50% to 90% discounts on restaurants, shops, salons, events, spas and more.



Etreet offers "treats" for a limited period of time, where a minimum number of customers are required in order for the treat to push through.
Merchants on the other hand, can gain new customers by being featured at the site and via word-of-mouth endorsements from people who repost deals on their Facebooks, Twitters, blogs and more.



Get to know Etreet by signing up now and see the current offer.
If you're interested, click the BUY button and be transferred to a secure site where you can choose your payment option. You can buy more than once! Buy for yourself, family or friends.
Fill in your information and SUBIMT to receive an email notice when your coupon can be printed out.
Your credit card will not be charged unless the minimum number of buyers are reached.
Encourage your friends and families to buy in order to reach the number.

Visit http://www.etreet.com now!

Interested merchants, contact eTreet at admin@etreet.com or call 216-0855.

Googoo & Gaga's trunk show

December 5, 2010, 2:13 pm

≫ Next: Margiela on sale!

≪ Previous: What's Etreet?

$

0

0

Do you remember your favorite tee when you were a kid, the one you wore a hundred times until it had too many holes and had to be (sadly) thrown away?
My boys have their favorite tees—none of them with holes, but some of them too short (think Winnie the Pooh) they still refuse to give them away.
My boys love their Googoo & Gaga T-shirts. While I go for design (not your usually kiddie prints), kids generally go for texture, and Googoo & Gaga has that comfy softness they love.



In lieu of joining a bazaar this Christmas, Gooogoo & Gaga hosts a special "trunk show" featuring collaborations with Inksurge, Everywhereweshoot, and in-house designer AJ Dimarucot in the first of their Artist Collaboration Series.
Join them this Saturday, December 11 from 11 AM to 5 PM at Unit 15-B, Two Lafayette Square, 105 Tordesillas Street, Salcedo Village, Makati.
Free cupcakes from Claycakes await the first 30 guests, so come early!



http://googooandgaga.com/

Margiela on sale!

December 5, 2010, 2:33 pm

≫ Next: Today is Royce' Day!

≪ Previous: Googoo & Gaga's trunk show

$

0

0

I was not supposed to buy the hair scarf, but if it's 40% off, why the hell not??

I know right. Believe me, it is chicer in person.
Margiela's online store is now sale.
P.S. I just checked! The hair scarf is gone! Lucky me I got it last week!



Check this out.

Today is Royce' Day!

December 5, 2010, 3:08 pm

≫ Next: Food tripping

≪ Previous: Margiela on sale!

$

0

0

Royce' Manila is two years old today! And we can't thank them enough for being here.
Cause now we can have Royce' anytime we want. No need to panic buy abroad before heading to the airport.
Today's a good time to buy Royce' as it celebrates its two year anniversary by donating all revenues to the Mother Teresa Missionaries of Charity in Tondo.
So come on over to Royce' at Greenbelt 5, Power Plant and Trinoma and let your money go to a good cause.



http://www.e-royce.com/english/product.html

Food tripping

December 6, 2010, 10:34 am

≫ Next: Labour of love

≪ Previous: Today is Royce' Day!

$

0

0

'Tis the season for new food choices in Manila, and I finally got a chance to try some of them after patiently waiting for the right time to go.
The right time to go to Bonchon Chicken at Ayala Triangle is in the afternoon for merienda where there are free tables and no queue.
I asked Jeroen to order wings for me as I didn't want to get mad if ever they are out of stock.
Surprisingly the wings came out really fast. But this "snack" cost PHP 185 for three cut-up wings.
Taste and crunch are good, but the size is really measly (read: kawawa).



I'm not the type to eat this with rice, so the price is not worth it for me, unless you're on a diet.
Singapore's Bonchon Four Fingers Chicken at Singapore's Ion Orchard was much better, to be honest, simply because the wings in Singapore are bigger and fatter.



Here's the Bonchon menu for your reference




Bonchon Chicken now open at Ayala Triangle Gardens.



A few steps from Bonchon is Wee Nam Kee, where Jay and I went tonight because Jay was craving and starving.
Got there around 7 PM and had to wait for a table, but not for a very long time.
My order arrived really fast. The chicken was fine and served semi-chilled.



The rice I found a bit hard and didn't have the glossy coating they have in Singapore that is derived from chicken fat. I know it sounds unhealthy but chicken fat is one of the secrets to good chicken rice.



They didn't have bottled water or soda, or normal soy sauce when I requested it.
They had the usual condiments of ginger, chili and soy sauce, but I prefer salty soy sauce to sweet.
Here's the original Wee Nam Kee in Singapore



where I had this chicken rice



and shared this plate with friends. The chicken in Singapore was fatter and the rice had more flavor.



Finally, Jeroen and I tried the newly opened Shi Lin at the Podium.
Although we were not hungry, we came in because of a flier we received in the mall.
Shi Lin is one of the versions of Taiwanese Din Tai Fung opening around Metro Manila, that is known for its soupy dumpling called xiao long bao.
Shi Lin opened last week with cooks trained in Taiwan. You can watch them prepare the dumplings under the supervision of a Taiwanese trainer who was there to make sure they do it right.



Jeroen and I wanted to know if Shi Lin's dumplings would measure up to Din Tai Fung.
Suprisingly the first dish we had tasted like the real thing, except the soup inside wasn't as hot as I expected.





Tastes very close to the original we had in Taiwan



and the franchise in Hong Kong



The other dish we ordered wasn't as good. It was pale as a ghost and tasted almost exactly as the first dumpling, which was kind of repetitive.



Compare to the one in Taiwan.



The fried rice was pretty good, but don't order it with pork chop on top, as we were disappointed.



I would go back for the first xiao long bao. I will probably drag Jay, who loves Din Tai Fung.
Overall, while it's nice that more food trends are opening up in Manila, everything mentioned here still tastes better abroad.

Labour of love

December 6, 2010, 3:14 pm

≫ Next: Miss the '70s?

≪ Previous: Food tripping

$

0

0

I am pro-Adam Ant because he's still so hott after all these years.
When Adam asked Mich Dulce to make a hat for him, her biggest problem was how to send the hat to London.
Prior to shipping, the hat rests on a Leeroy New cat head, created for Mich Dulce.



You could tell it was made with love. The gold-stamped ribbon was customized by S.C. Vizcarra.



The hat box was even bigger. Mich opted for FedEx and had to pay quite a sum to get it there, but it looks like it was well worth it, cause he wore it a few times. Mich o, isa shang taksil!!



Sizzling haute!! A guy that dresses like this make me crazy, I can't think.
He wears it again



and again





and again. Why not fall in love?



SO Sulit.
Jeroen: "What the hell is he singing?"
Me: "Cute nga eh."



http://www.adam-ant.net/

Miss the '70s?

December 6, 2010, 3:55 pm

≫ Next: The Facehunter comes to Manila

≪ Previous: Labour of love

$

0

0

I sure do. Pamela, may I please visit your house for real??
I'm the kid in the white shoes, at home in Quezon City.



I can now appreciate how cool my grandparents' house was back in the day, as Daphne pointed out, with the "wave ceiling, floor stripes, wooden slats."
Oh, that Christmas hamper in the back, I loved those. They don't make 'em like that anymore.
I'm the kid with eyes closed, with my sister and my mom in Quezon City.
I still dream about this house a LOT.



Memories of a lost era warm my heart.
Listen to the sound of Ella del Rosario, original vocalist of Hotdog, as she rehearses the songs we used to know.



Sounds like fun. Now you can relive the '70s when Ella, together with Dimsum, perform this December 14 at the Music Museum, and December 15-16 at Strumms.



For tickets, call 891-9999 or go to Ticketworld.
Ticket prices:
Orchestra Center PHP 1800
Orchestra Side PHP 1300
Balcony PHP 900

---

The Facehunter comes to Manila

December 6, 2010, 4:26 pm

≫ Next: The Christmas turkey

≪ Previous: Miss the '70s?

$

0

0

This December 29, 2010, Yvan Rodic, the man behind The Facehunter comes to Manila for a book signing at Fully Booked, Bonifacio High Street.



Photographer Yvan Rodic began his career in advertising before starting one of the most innovative fashion blogs today.
He contributes to a variety of fashion and lifestyle magazines, including Tokion (Japan), GQ (France), Cover (Denmark), and Modette (Sweden).



"The book collects the best photographs from Facehunter.com, one of the world's most visited street style blogs.
Yvan Rodic has compiled in this book images that show his unerring sensibility for street style, having traveled to nearly 30 countries, capturing real people, whose clothes reflect the incredible diversity of the world's cities.
Character and charisma are what he prizes people who wear their clothes with confidence.
The result is a contemporary portfolio of what's chic on the street, and an insightful predictor of what will be chic on the runway.
Whether you're fashion forward, backward, or sideways, you'll find something inspiring in this radical, personal, and unpredictable book of street style around the world." (Amazon)
Get a chance to meet and greet Yvan Rodic in this rare opportunity.



http://facehunter.blogspot.com/
http://yvanrodic.blogspot.com/

The Christmas turkey

December 6, 2010, 4:49 pm

≫ Next: Fiori di M's holiday offerings

≪ Previous: The Facehunter comes to Manila

$

0

0

Christmas and New Year feel much more festive when there's turkey on the table—and when it's done right.
This holiday season, Margarita Forés offers Roast Turkey with your choice of sides.
Each turkey weighs approximately 6 kilos (minimum) and serves 20-25 pax.
To order, call in advance: 729-0030 or 0917-830-5053.



ROAST TURKEY WITH FOCCACIA, PATE DI FEGATO, DRIED MANGO AND CHESTNUTS
CRANBERRY JELLY
CANDIED YAMS
STRAWBERRY & MANGO COMPOTE
PHP 7,000

ROAST TURKEY WITH ENSAYMADA, JACKFRUIT & JACKFRUIT SEEDS, ANTIPOLO KASUY & PRUNES
CRANBERRY JELLY
CANDIED YAMS
FRESH LANGKA & PEAR COMPOTE
PHP 7,800

ROAST TURKEY, WITH RUSTICO, SAGE, MINOYAN HONEY, SULTANAS & PATA NEGROS (ORGANIC PROSCIUTTO FROM NEGROS)
CRANBERRY JELLY
CANDIED YAMS
APPLE & SULTANA COMPOTE
PHP 8,500

Fiori di M's holiday offerings

December 6, 2010, 5:11 pm

≫ Next: How did you know?

≪ Previous: The Christmas turkey

$

0

0

What to give someone who simply has everything?
Fiori di M offers unique and festive floral arrangements in the season's colors.
Choose from the product codes and prices below.
To order, call Tet Suiza at 729-0030 or (0917) 513-8932 or visit Fiori di M at Adora, Greenbelt 5 (Tel. 703-0370).

FC-08 (Php 1,250)


FC-02 (Php 750)


FC-10 (Php 1,100)


FC-06 (Php 1,900)


FC-05 (Php 1,100)


FC-01 (Php 1,250)


FC-04 (Php 1,125)


FC-07 (Php 650)


FC-03 (Php 1,350)


FC-11 (Php 1,650)


FC-09 (Php 1,350)


C-12 (Php 1750)

How did you know?

December 7, 2010, 8:12 pm

≫ Next: 15 Days till Christmas

≪ Previous: Fiori di M's holiday offerings

$

0

0

I got this present the other day, and how timely because I have trouble sleeping.



I got Sleepasil.



I took one capsule last night and woke up refreshed and in a good mood today.
Haven't slept this good in a while.
Unlike sleeping pills, Sleepasil is a dietary supplement made of all natural ingredients—Melatonin, Valerian Root, Chamomile, and Hops—that help you relax and fall asleep without the side effects of grogginess or dizziness, not being able to wake up when you need to, and is not addicting.
I'm not planning to take it all the time, only when I really need it. But hey, thanks.



http://www.sleepasil.com/

15 Days till Christmas

December 8, 2010, 1:00 pm

≫ Next: Heather Miss Grey Barbie

≪ Previous: How did you know?

$

0

0

I learned how to gift wrap by watching my mom do it through the years.
I love wrapping so much, I wanted take a job at Bloomingdales 15 years ago at the gift wrap department.
Unfortunately I couldn't get a job on a student visa.
Recently I fulfilled my dream of wrapping 100 gifts to give away at our Pepper Lunch Christmas party.
It's tiring pala. But what an accomplishment to be able to give gifts to all our staff, thanks to some sponsors, including Oishi.





Oishi Cuckoo Bags are great giveaways under PHP 100 and available at supermarkets.
Everyone loves them. And each time you buy an Oishi Cuckoo Bag, a portion of its revenue benefits Operation Smile Philippines' medical missions for cleft children.

Another gift worth noting that is PHP 100, is Pepper Lunch's pepper money, which everyone loves (well maybe not if you're totally vegetarian). Get them at Pepper Lunch Rockwell, Shang, Greenbelt 5 and Alabang Town Center.



That said, I have 75 names on my gift list this Christmas—not including my sons' classmates and teachers—and I'm not even done yet. And you?