Festive countdown at Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila

December 16, 2010, 10:54 pm

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I know it isn't even Christmas yet, but here are some New Year offerings from Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila.

New Year Feast from Around the World at Market Cafe
Indulge in an abundant feast of international dishes, like Rosemary Leg of Lamb, Roast Turkey, Seafood Paella, Lechon de Leche, Pastel De Lengua, Sheek Kebob, Baby Lobsters, and Prawns and Beef Wrapped in Bacon.
Start the new beginning with the sweet endings of Maracaibo Chocolate Tart, Opera Cake, Strawberry Romanoff Mousse, Soufflé and Crêpe with Mango Salsa.
Available for dinner on 31 December 2010 for PHP 1,888 net per person and for lunch on 1 January 2011 for PHP 1,688 net per person.
Prices include free-flowing Jacob’s Creek red and white wines, sparkling wine, soft drinks, iced tea and local beers.



Royal Banquet by Li Li
Enjoy authentic Cantonese dishes as Chef de Cuisine Andy Chan prepares an eight-course set menu and 11-course Lauriat menu.
Available on 31 December 2010 for dinner and on 1 January 2011 for lunch, delight in Cantonese favorites like as Wok-Fried Beef Tenderloin with Shrimps, Steamed Cod, Imperial Peking Duck, Taro and Scallops with Golden Mushrooms, Steamed Garoupa, and Crispy-Fried Sea Mantis Lobster.
The Bomb Alaska and Chivas Regal 18 Years Chocolate Truffle make the celebration more memorable.
All set and Lauriat menus come with a complimentary glass of Jacob’s Creek red or white wine, sparkling wine, soft drinks, iced tea or local beer.



Great Steaks and Refined Wines at The Fireplace
Celebrate New Year’s Eve with a seven-course dinner menu of Foie Gras Au Torchon, Tomato Consommé with Egg and Herb Royale, and Organic Greens and Vegetable Pearls with Hazelnut Dressing.
Pan-Seared Scallops with Asparagus, Roasted Chestnuts and White Truffle Cream are next, followed by a refreshing Pink Champagne Sorbet, then the diners’ choice of Grilled Wagyu Tenderloin with Perigord Truffle Butter or Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Saffron Emulsion.
A Chocolate Millefeuille with Forest Fresh Berries completes the dining experience. PHP 4,500 net per person.
The Fireplace New Year’s Eve dinner set menu also comes with a complimentary glass of Jacob’s Creek red or white wine, sparkling wine, soft drinks, iced tea or local beer



For enquiries and reservations, call the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila Holiday Desk on 245 1234 ext 7818.

http://manila.casino.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp?null

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Why SM is Evil

December 17, 2010, 5:30 pm

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Part One
Yesterday, after Mich, Jude and I visited Gilda at her Quezon City home, I told the driver to drop off Jude and Mich before taking me to Megamall where I planned to exchange a PSP game I had purchased three days ago at Toy Kingdom.
Traffic was horrendous. Tired, I took a nap in the van. I don't know how long it took before I reached SM Megamall.
I already dreaded having to exchange the game which cost me PHP 2,299.75 because of SM's very strange and unfriendly customer service practices.
True enough, when I got there, the person behind the customer service counter told me they will not accept the exchange, even though it was unopened, purchased three days ago, and with receipt.

Tired, I drew out my first card and said, "Really? I will report you to the DTI."
The person then drew out a folder which had a the DTI policy stated that you cannot exchange goods just because you changed your mind or bought a duplicate.
There's nothing I hate more than stupid rules, so I drew my second card, which is my Press ID and said, "Really? Then I shall write about it."
She said, go ahead and write about it (hence, this blog entry).
So my third card was to curse in words starting with P and F and reason out like an angry customer why their policy is screwed.
With that, she proceeded to her "supervisor" who OKed the exchange—something she could've done before I blew my top.
As an SM Prestige Card holder, you must spend at least PHP 180,000/year at SM stores and its co-brands such as Ace Hardware, Toy Kingdom, Watson's etc.
It's sad and embarrassing that I had to hurl threats and expletives before I could assert my rights as a (former) good customer of SM.



Part Two
I realized I left my cell phone in the car. It was already 8 PM and my stomach was grumbling.
I still had a grocery list but one mustn't shop on an empty stomach. I decided to have a quick solo dinner at Mann Hann downstairs.
Thank God for Globe Super Duo. I used Mann Hann's landline to call my husband to ask him to tell the driver to have dinner while I finished my errands.
After dinner I went to Our Home (another SM store) next door to buy a huge Christmas present which was about four feet tall.
I carried that and my bag of toys upstairs to the newly opened SM Supermarket on the former site of Powerbooks.

I heard this supermarket was supposed to be high end (read: City Super?) and to cater to the ADB crowd.
However the supermarket looked temporary with concrete floors, cheap interiors, and crappy selection.
I parked my packages at the customer service counter where I saw a phone and made a mental note to use it to call my husband when I'm done shopping.

After shopping for simple groceries worth about PHP5,000, I went back to customer service to ask if I could borrow the landline to contact my driver.
Nope.
I asked kindly and explained the situation.
Nope.
I reasoned out like a desperate human being.
No dice.
She was very firm about it. I asked her where I could make a call.
Unfeeling, she directed me to the phone booth far, far away—take note I had two grocery carts full of stuff, including the Christmas presents.
At this point the grocery staff started to do a lame dance to attract customers into the store. They had the stage presence of Auschwitz prisoners.
I shook my head. I told the grocery boys to hold my cart while I made a quick dash to Mann Hann to call for my driver.
Mann Hann is &hearts.



Part Three
This happened at Ace Hardware where I was purchasing LED lights worth PHP 9,000.
I thought it was a good time to use the PHP 900 I had accumulated on the Prestige card I had religiously surrendered each time I shopped at SM stores.
The cashier told me for some reason, my card had to be validated at Customer Service in order for points to be used.
I said, sure let's do it. Then she told me I would have to do it at Customer Service at SM Department store which was outside and two floors up.
I just lost it and told them to shove the Prestige Card up their ass.
Serves me right for shopping at SM. I'm banning myself from SM. Except Johnny Air.

I forgot to tell you...

December 19, 2010, 5:45 am

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Last Wednesday, December 15th, I won Blogger of the Year at the Supreme Extreme Awards 2010.





I was up against Saab Magalona



Lourd de Veyra



Rajo Laurel



and Anton Diaz



It was held at Opus, the Republiq group's swanky new night club at Resorts World Manila. (Photo: Laureen Uy)



As a non-club-goer, I have to say the place gets two thumbs up from me.
Not only does the aircon truly work (ask Nix Alañon)



The owners actually understand what good restrooms are.
(Oops, forgot to move the rubbing alcohol.)



The room was so cold, we envied Jujin Samonte's Fall/Winter attire



Spotted: Gretchen Barretto in a stunning Inno Sotto (seen with Pia Magalona and her boy, Arkin)



Jenni and Charina (Photo: Jujiin Samonte)



Carlos, Laureen, Maxene, Solenn (Photo: Laureen Uy)



I regret that most of my photos failed that night as my camera's setting was all wrong.
But here's yesterday's paper with all the night's winners:



Maria Ressa, Ely Buendia, Gretchen Barretto



Carlos Celdran, Gang Badoy, Venus Raj



Jowee Alviar of Team Manila, me, Ruffa Gutierrez, Liz Uy



The Magalonas and YouTube stars, the Venus Raj diehards



Atom Henares, Solenn Heussaff, DJ Mars Miranda, Vicki Belo x Charice



Anne Curtis (accepted by her sister Jasmine), Borgy Manotoc + Georgina Wilson, Angel Aquino



So thank you Supreme, thank you voters, friends, family, followers, readers, sponsors, publicists, Philippine Star, my dear editor, staff, and all those who believe in me.
Thank You Lord. Oh, and my boys can't wait to see the trophy.

Scenes we'd like to see

December 19, 2010, 7:06 am

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I'd like to know what shampoo she uses. Smells like an endorsement to me.

MARKET, MARKET—A video showing how a wife beat her husband's mistress inside a shopping mall has been making the rounds of various social networking sites, triggering animated discussions on the implications of the documented wrath.
The visibly angry wife was initially shown accosting her husband upon seeing him in a mall with another woman. She then went after her husband's female companion who tried to run to a lower floor via the escalator.
The wife, however, caught up with the other woman. The wife pulled the other woman's hair while being dragged on the floor.
For over a minute, the other woman was slumped on the floor while the wife kicked and yelled invectives at her.
Two mall guards immediately arrived to extract the wife off the other woman.
The husband immediately joined the other woman who ran away from the wife and the crowd that has formed around the almost two-minute spectacle. Read more.

Muji opens at Rockwell

December 20, 2010, 9:53 am

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Here's another reason to love the Power Plant mall.
If you missed all the good stuff at Muji Bonifacio High Street (which has by the way, not replenished last time I checked) I suggest you arrive early this Tuesday, December 21st at 12 noon when Muji opens its doors to the public on the top floor of the Power Plant Mall.



I was there this evening for a sneak peek and I can tell you the store is fully stocked.
I was telling the staff to prepare to be overwhelmed cause these things are bound to get wiped out again.



They were not yet done setting up when I left past 11 PM, so I didn't see any snacks yet, but I did see everything else including the best LED flashlight in the world which doubles as a night lamp



All the stationery you'll ever want





Overwhelmed...



Drool...



Planners



Cosmetics



Toiletries



Travel accessories



Ultralight, spinning, affordable luggage



Women's apparel



Shoes



A better selection of menswear





All kinds of organizers



Houseware and furniture







and everything for anyone who's O.C.





This Muji branch occupies 600 square meters of what used to be part of Fully Booked space.
That's precise Japanese planning for you.



Muji is the latest of truly Japanese stores to open at Power Plant, including Royce', Shu Uemura, and Pepper Lunch.
Now all Rockwell needs are Kinukuniya, Seibu, The Loft, maybe another food concept, and we're all set.



http://www.muji.com/

iSuffer

December 22, 2010, 9:04 pm

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Can't update.
Laters!
c

iSurvived

December 24, 2010, 10:24 am

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Contrary to what I thought, I actually had a great Christmas.
I suffered for about two days due to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from I guess, too much surfing online, and the fact that the room was freezing. I fell asleep on my two hands under my body.
My right hand—the blogging hand—was excruciating. First I tried sticking Kool Fever strips on them.



It didn't help that much. Alaxan helped. What didn't help: home massage. The masseuse actually made the pain worse.
It was hell trying to wrap presents or even write names on the gift tags. Hell to open my wallet, hell to shampoo, hell everything.
Then I found this wrist brace at Mercury Drug and wow, I was pain-free.



I wore this overnight and the next morning I could wiggle my fingers without pain. I took the brace off, did some hand exercise and now I'm completely OK. Thank God for this contraption. My sons were quite fascinated by it.
I really had the best gifts and a most wonderful Christmas. Oh and I'm wearing the Margiela hair scarf I wanted.
Merry Christmas to you all.

No more excuses!

December 25, 2010, 11:47 pm

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I have to blog! My hand is perfectly OK.
First of all, congratulations to Tessa for her winning Christmas tree.



Tessa Prieto Valdes created this Christmas tree for Dusit Thani Hotel.



It showcases diverse Filipino fashion design through Barbie dolls styled by students of Slim's Fashion and Arts School.
It also includes the Heather Miss Grey doll styled by me and Bleach Catastrophe.



Tessa's winning tree benefits Fr. Gerard's school and its 300 kids in Sorsogon.
Specifically, the prize money will go to better lighting and ventilation. So yay!!
Another friend of mine needs Facebook "likes" to win Googoo & Gaga's Kooky Kid of the Year.
Sophia is gorgeous little girl whose smile will break your heart.
Please vote for her until 12 noon of December 31.



Voting is easy. All you need is Facebook and just a few clicks.
1) Like Googoo & Gaga on Facebook.
2) Like Sophia's photo here and that's all.
Thank you very much!!

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Sex, Wigs and Cigarettes

December 26, 2010, 9:52 am

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Harold, Grace, Jay and I made a date to watch "Rosario," the movie based on the life of Manny V. Pangilinan's grandmother, written and financed by MVP himself.



The night before I heard bad reviews about it, so I had very low expectations.
While movie does fail within the first 30 minutes—all due to bad hair, bad styling, bad wardrobe, bad hats and bad facial hair—everything basically improves after Philip Salvador dies.
Philip Salvador is miscast as Rosario's father—with a very distracting dollar-store mustache that had a life of its own.



The movie revolves around Rosario Pereira (Jennylyn Mercado), paragon of beauty and grace, intelligence, sophistication, and a liberal thinker (read: the town slut).



Set in the 1920s, Rosario has just arrived from New York and is spending her vacation in their hacienda.
The daughter of Don Enrique (Phillip Salvador) and Doña Adela (Eula Valdez), Rosario was a passionate woman who lived according to her heart’s desires. Because of it, she suffers many consequences.



She falls in love with an older man, scholar and poetry lover, Vicente (Yul Servo), who manages the tobacco plantation owned by Rosario's family.



When Rosario's father discovers them rolling in the hay, Rosario is sent off to a convent to pay for her sins.
Here's where the wardrobe department completely fails, as nuns would never ever show their necks or legs in those times. For your reference, here are some perfectly covered nuns from the '20s.



Pregnant, Rosario escapes and elopes with Vicente to Manila where they raise a family.
An accomplished pianist, Rosario passes on her talent to her daughter, also named Rosario.



But Rosario's life of married bliss slowly crumbles when Vicente becomes ill with tuberculosis.
Yul Servo plays TB so well, you feel like covering your face when he coughs.



Rosario is lured to committing adultery with her sister's douche bag/lover, successfully portrayed by Dennis Trillo, while Isabel Oli (R) plays Rosario's equally slutty sister.



When Rosario's husband discovers the affair, the two are sued for adultery and exiled to Hong Kong—not a bad deal, if you ask me.
Rosario gives birth to her fourth child, Jesus, who becomes the storyteller, Dolphy.



After a few years, the three return to Manila to build a new life. They rent a room in a house owned by a sleaze bag played by Ricky Davao. Meanwhile, one of the house boarders, played by Sid Lucero also falls in love with Rosario.



Rosario's already screwed up life goes further downhill when her husband leaves her for good, leaving her with despicable means to pay the rent.
I leave it up to you to guess what happens next or go watch the movie.
The ending is especially moving and haunting. I give two thumbs up to Empress Schuck who plays Rosario's pianist daughter in one of the latter scenes.
So if you can tune out Philip Salvador and the first 30 minutes or less, I suggest you support Philippine cinema and give "Rosario" a chance.



Caution: There are many "mamaw"-looking actors in the movie due to bad hair and makeup. Jennylyn's hair is so stiff it remind you of Lego.
They could've benefitted from stylists who do research, wardrobe consultants who know costume history, and Mich Dulce millinery.
Look out for a ghoulish Rita Avila and ghostly Ara Mina who could've played lead in a remake of "Huwag Mong Buhayin Ang Bangkay."

P.S. The movie is already subtitled, in case any foreign guests are curious.

http://rosariomovie.com/

Metanoia

December 27, 2010, 8:31 pm

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I watched my 2nd film fest movie yesterday with my son and his cousin who are 9 and 10 years old respectively.
I highly recommend the new Eastwood Mall cinemas, which have the best seats in the house, no matter where you are.



RPG Metanoia is the first full-length Filipino computer-animated film that was four years in the making,
It won 3rd Best Picture, Best Sound Recording and Best Original Theme Song in the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival.
It revolves around a young boy Nico who takes us into the world of online gaming—a world I am truly not familiar with.
Watch the trailer.



The movie's first minutes are engaging enough and I am moved to tears that Filipinos can create something like this.
However, one hour later, I still don't know what the hell is going on with too many layers of plots (think Avatar x Inception), for me it started to become Metannoying.



Two hours was just too much for me, though the boys had the endurance for it and laughed a few times.
After the movie, I asked what they thought of it.
"It was OK but not that great," was their comment. They gave it 3.5 stars out of 5.
OK, maybe I'm not the market.
Aga Muhlach does the voice of the father in the movie, though I have no idea where the father is—somewhere abroad?—as he only appears on a computer screen. I feel like his character was not developed enough—a common mistake in Philippine cinema.
Indeed the father looked like a loser to me, not like a hero.
To further stretch the time, two music videos were injected the movie, to the tune of Apo Hiking Society.
To be fair, the two boys were amused because the animation was funny.
We have a long way to go in terms of storytelling. But as far as animation, we are almost there.
It's a great new start for Philippine animators. If only they could simplify the plot and maybe not make the movie so boy-centric. Because it does have its charm, especially in the end.

http://therpgmovie.com/

What becomes a legend most?

December 28, 2010, 9:47 am

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Pinoy Big Brother winner Melisa "Melai" Cantiveros isn't likely your idea of a model or cover girl, given her non-conventional, non-mestiza looks, curly hair and dark features. But even I thought some major dental procedure could transform her dramatically.
Take a look at Melai on reality TV:



and on Mega's January cover. Amazing isn't it?



Photography: Xander Angeles
Art Direction: Suki Salvador
Styling: Teej Nepomuceno

http://www.facebook.com/megamagazine

How to waste time and money

December 28, 2010, 10:36 am

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Since Kris Aquino decided to drop all her TV shows, we've kind of missed her. I know right.
We've been wondering what she was up to and heard she was working on a movie.
Naturally we had high expectations, because if it's the one thing you're doing, you might as well make sure it's good.
Kris is supposed to be an intelligent, powerful person who can actually say no when she wants to and get her way most of the time.
Given those things, you would expect a lot from her next big project. After all her name comes before the movie title.



So my girl friends and I took time out to see what the fuss is all about, due to VIP guests tweeting during Dalaw's premiere night that it was the scariest thing they ever saw.
I'll tell you what are the scariest things I've ever seen:
The Shining
The Others
The Sixth Sense
These horror movies actually give you a chance to get into the development of the story and its characters, unlike Filipino horror movies that try to induce screaming with every scene from the upstart.
My friends and I sat through 55 minutes of blood, gulat scenes that don't work, bumble bee soundtrack, so much muck and blood, spirits, ghouls, one-eyed monsters, plants, zombies and tons of clichés, before deciding we were better off having dessert at Cibo.
Catching up with each other's mundane stories was actually more interesting than sitting throughDalaw.
You know what, that scene in Rosario where Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo were about to be discovered doing the deed in the bathroom was even scarier than 55 minutes of Dalaw.

Some questions were begging to be asked:
1) Why marry a guy who asks you to move from your decent home into a decrepit house that's right next to a cemetery?? Take note, it's not even an ordinary cemetery—you can actually see spirits lurking around from your bedroom window. Like why f*cking stay there??
2) Why stay in a house where the housekeeper is a one-eyed monster with a cataract??
3) Why is the creepy housekeeper so makulit—shouldn't she be cleaning the house instead of bugging Kris Aquino all the time?
4) Why do all Pinoy child actors recite lines like memorized poetry? It's not cute ha.
5) Why does Kris wear heels and wedge shoes even while at home?
6) Bakit naka jeggings?

Never mind. Honestly, the movie's so bad it doesn't deserve to be reviewed.
I heard it even gets worse after we left. So if you're planning to watch Dalaw, save your time and money and watch Rosario instead.
At least Rosario gives you something to think about and discuss after the movie.



Waiting for Kris Aquino's next project—not really.

A little research

December 28, 2010, 7:33 pm

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For Rosario: How Filipinos wore it back in the day.
Watch and learn.

Sophia!

December 28, 2010, 11:03 pm

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Only two more days to vote Sophia as Googoo & Gaga's Kooky Kid of the year!



Sophia wears Googoo & Gaga's Pink Peace onesie, homegrown and Philippine made by award-winning graphic designer AJ Dimarucot and his wife Audrey.



Sophia needs a few more votes to secure her number one position.
Please vote for her until 12 noon of December 31, 2010.
Voting is easy. All you need is a Facebook account and just a few clicks.
1) Like Googoo & Gaga on Facebook.
2) Like Sophia's photo here and that's all.
Thank you very much!!

http://googooandgaga.com/

So true! The difference between men and women

December 29, 2010, 8:56 pm

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NICKNAMES
If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.
If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Loser, and Shit for Brains.

EATING OUT
When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.
When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.

MONEY
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on sale.

BATHROOMS
A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel.
The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS
A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

SUCCESS
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

MARRIAGE
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

DRESSING UP
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

NATURAL
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

(Thanks to Eddie Boy Escudero :)

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First world service

December 29, 2010, 10:35 pm

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I ordered two Martha Stewart cake stands from Macy's, shipped via Johnny Air.



However it arrived like this. I think whoever packed it from Macy's didn't really care.









In fairness to Johnny Air, they didn't charge me for the shipment because of a severe delay. It was ordered on November 3, and I received the box just before Christmas.
I wrote a quick email to Macy's customer service with a link to the photos, explaining that returning them wouldn't make sense as I am all the way in the Philippines.
Now Macy's is honoring a refund to my credit card. No further questions asked no more pain.
Sana tayo din.

Nars Attacks

December 30, 2010, 5:21 pm

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I had the pleasure of meeting makeup artist, photographer and makeup mogul François Nars in Hong Kong last month to interview him for the On The Radar.



Nars was just a name I used to hear when I was studying in New York in the '90s, hanging out with a fashion photographer and a friend who worked for Fabien Baron, who designed all the packaging for Nars Cosmetics.



I was in New York when a schoolmate at Parsons came in to class with shaved eyebrows. Having grown up during the Brooke Shields years and New Wave thickened eyebrows, I was very shocked to see it.
But since all the girls at Parsons started to shave their eyebrows, I did it too. We were all copying Madonna's newly shaved eyebrows at the launch of her Bedtime Stories album.
It turned out to be the work of François Nars, whose eye and know-how influenced looks worldwide years after.
In my head I wanted to ask him why some makeup artists think they're God (especially in the Philippines). But I bit my tongue and stuck to the essentials.



Me: Is it true you were the one who shaved Madonna’s eyebrows in the ‘90s and started a trend?
Nars: Yes, it’s true. It happened in a funny way. I used to work at that time with photographer Steven Meisel in Paris. Steven had met Madonna before many times. They came to see me. I was doing a show in Paris. They came to say hi backstage, to meet me. And Steven said to me: “Hey Francois, I hate her eyebrows. You have to do something about it.”
Yes, in front of me, in front of her. And she said, “Go ahead. Do something.” After that, we started working. That was the very first time I met her.
She had a very kind of weird shape of eyebrows. They were not thin. Well, they were heavy before, which was better, when she did Like a Virgin and all that. But then at the same time she started tweezing this weird shape. And so I said, “You know, you have to change completely the shape. It’s not working at all.” She always, like, trusted me. We always like really laughed about it.



Now Daphne Guinness is the new face of Nars.
Yes, she’s great. She’s eccentric. I love eccentric people.
I met her for the first with Steven Klein. We had dinner. We got along very well right away.
Steven said to me you have to meet this girl. She’s very funny. She’s always in McQueen shoes. She’s not very, very tall. She looks much taller than what she is in real life.



Tell us about your newest creation, the Bento Box*.
The Bento box is one the thing I have done, which is primarily from Japan because the idea is from Kabuki theatre.
It’s basically two cups you wet with water and brush. It’s basically for the lips but you could actually use it for cheeks if you want to. It’s a really strong pigment. It really doesn’t come off.
They only made 2,000 worldwide. They’re almost sold out in New York where it really got a lot of attention.
It’s a nice object to put in your bathroom or bedroom. It’s really cute.
Now there are only two colors but I think Nars has to do more colors, like maybe eggplant.



How is it different putting makeup on an Asian versus a Caucasian?
You know I don’t see much difference. I know that structure of the eyes is different. But I never really think too specifically when I do a certain ethnic background — you know, black, African-American, Irish or South American. To me it’s always about making a woman beautiful. It’s what inspires me.
Asian eyes have a different shape but it’s not tricky for me to do Asian makeup.
I love Asian faces and I almost treat it exactly the same way I would do a Caucasian.
Once you choose the perfect skin foundation after eye makeup, it’s practically the same to me.



In some Asian countries like Korea, there are men who look prettier than women. What do you think of men wearing makeup?
I don’t know (laughs). You know one thing I really hate are men with shaved eyebrows. I have seen it in Seoul, in Japan, and in America. They really tweeze their eyebrows a lot and I think this is the most awful thing men can do because men are better looking with eyebrows — and I love shaved eyebrows, believe me, but only on women.
They can clean, maybe in between the eyebrows, but I don’t like eyebrows that are tweezed into a perfect shape. If it’s really a perfect line, to me it looks very unsexy on a man.
If I were a woman I wouldn’t want my husband or boyfriend to have thin eyebrows. So that’s one thing I’m totally against. And I say it very loud in all the magazines. Tell the men to stop tweezing their eyebrows because it’s really awful. It’s really bad fashion, whoever started that.
But men with makeup, it’s okay as long as it’s done in a different way. I mean it’s not good if men start looking like women.
So the way I like makeup on men, if it’s done roughly, sometimes like black, kohl, greasy, a little bit dirty — you know more like a rocker or rock and roll star like Mick Jagger.
I think men have to approach makeup in a different way from women. I mean I don’t see colors. It needs to be more sexy and rougher, but I don’t think a lot of men worldwide will wear makeup.



What’s your advice to those who want to become makeup artists?
I think definitely the most important thing is to be passionate about it. Specifically when you do a job that’s really linked to art or fashion, you have to be really extra passionate to be able to be really good at it.
You have to be extremely focused and feel that it’s really what you want to do.
I’ve seen sometimes people doing makeup but I don’t see like they put all their heart into it.
You really need to have a relationship with the person you’re doing makeup on. There has to be a really strong connection between the two of you.
You have to be extremely sensitive so you can really feel the other person much more in front of you.
If there is no connection then it’s a failure right away.



What are your personal favorite products?
I could say the Multiple Sticks or the Orgasm Blush. But one of my favorite products is not the latest one. I love the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils. They’ve been around for a few years, but I love them. I love the texture; they’re just very velvety, very deep. They feel very comfortable to draw your lips, and I love the colors. And I’m actually doing more and more shades.
There are many great colors, many natural ones, and also the sheer ones are very, very good. Those are great gloss pencils and they’re actually very transparent; you can almost use them without a mirror and you cannot make a mistake.
I love those thick pencils; first of all I think they look good, they’re very unique.
You don’t see those thick ones anywhere, and the gloss of course. There’s something very sexy about those pencils. They look great as an object and they feel comfortable in your hands.



*Nars Bento Box will be available in very limited quantities at Rustan's, watch out for it.
Rustan's is the exlusive distributor of Nars in the Philippines.

http://www.narscosmetics.com/

HMG Christmas in NY

December 30, 2010, 11:04 pm

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Dinners at home are usually very casual, with some things you can be sure of:
There will be noisy children running around, we will serve the best lechon in town along with some of Jeroen's cooking, someone's iPod will be playing on our dock, plus I'll probably be wearing clogs.
That's why I admire people who can really throw a dinner at home. Especially in New York where there are no maids to clean up all the mess.
Here's more proof I got chic readers. (Kellyn and Rex, can we do this kind of kitchen at home? I love!)



Dear Ms. Chuvaness,
I hope you had a fun filled Holidays!
My dear friends and I had a great Christmas dinner and gift giving here in New York.
I would like to share a fabulous gift that I received from a dear friend, Ms. Satcha Mitchell all the way from Manila, Philippines!
The fabulous Heather Miss Grey* dress shirt made it to the pile of beautiful presents I got this past Christmas.
Super lavset! I cannot wait to wear and sashay at the MPD (Meat Packing District).
Fabulous! And if you end up visiting New York, shoot me up an email!
Have a wonderful New Year!
-G-









Amazing isn't it. I wonder what "No TH allowed" means, hehe.
Happy new year, G!

*Heather Miss Grey is available at Bleach Catastrophe, Greenbelt 5 and Trinoma.

The cloche maker

December 31, 2010, 3:42 am

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This piece was published On The Radar last February 01, 2009, written by Christine Dychiao, Manila Fashion Observer.

NEW YORK—All serious shoppers know what the 3 B’s of Manhattan stand for: Barneys, Bergdorf and Bendel. And all fledgling designers understand that getting into any of the three is a break that pretty much says they have what it takes to make a name for themselves in the industry.
So when multi-faceted Filipina and New York resident Candy Benedicto of Rina Matea was invited to show her millinery line at Henri Bendel last week, I just had to meet the talent hiding behind the cloche hats.



ON THE RADAR: You named your label after your grandmothers Severina and Matea. Did they inspire you to make the hats or did the ‘20s inspire the hats?
My grandmothers were both amazing! My Lola (Matea Uy Benedicto) was a pharmacist who owned and ran her own botika, while Mama (Severina Zook Sayoc) was a dentist—this at a time when it was unusual for women to be professionals with their own careers.
I owe so much of my curiosity, creativity, and confidence to them. They both instilled in me an appreciation for working and creating with my hands. All those afternoons they would spend with me together with my mom—sewing, crocheting, drawing, learning, experimenting, creating. Whatever I made was welcomed with enthusiasm. So naming a line of handmade pieces after my grandmothers seemed natural.
Millinery is only one part of Rina Matea. As for the inspiration behind the hats, yes, the '20s are definitely the source. It was such a fertile, kinetic, and creative time for music (Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong), art (Mondrian, dada, Max Beckman), architecture (Mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier), and fashion (Chanel, Lanvin, Vionnet).
I’ve always loved the cloche created by Caroline Reboux that became really popular during the Jazz Age—the way it’s cut to flatter the wearer’s face, its versatility in both style and function. It can be trimmed to be either an über accessory, or a minimal and functional piece.



You have a law degree from Fordham University, studied interior design at Parsons and millinery at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Do you think every step proved useful when you started your own line?
Absolutely. A legal education is a good foundation for anything. There’s a certain intellectual rigor and thoroughness that one takes away from such an ordeal—being able to see issues from different perspectives and appreciating the implications of potential solutions.
A design education is also an education in finding solutions; it is one where you can imagine and toss around ideas in your head, and then create the solution with your own hands. Through interior design, I rediscovered my love for building models and sewing (I used to sew little cushions for the couches and beds for our interiors models), and so here we are.

When did you start taking millinery classes at FIT? You mentioned it was borne out of a void you felt was lacking in the market for hats at the time. Do you like wearing cloche hats?
For years, I had been wanting to learn the “dying art of millinery.” Although there are lots of amazing milliners in New York, I was looking for something different, something that married distinctiveness, style, and function.
You know what they say, design for living? I’d like to think that is what I’ve accomplished. There’s a certain minimalism to my designs, save from asceticism by an unexpected drape, a tuck, a trim.
In 2005, while I was still working as an interior designer, I finally had the time and took two millinery courses at FIT.
FIT is unique in offering a millinery certification program. I was lucky enough to take the introductory class with respected milliner Janet Linville, who is the Head Milliner at the Metropolitan Opera.
Ms. Linville has given me a solid foundation for design, patternmaking, blocking, and sewing. I am still a student-milliner. As soon as I have more time, I plan on finishing the program.



You are currently working as a legal editor at the Practising Law Institute. Where do you find time to make your hats?
I believe if you really love something, you will find the time for it. Oh, and a good organizer/planner helps a lot. When I found myself pasting Post-Its all over my Blackberry, I knew it was time to go back to paper.

When did you present your designs to Henri Bendel and how soon did you get an offer to do a trunk show? Does Bendel's always accept new designers to do trunk shows at their store?
Bendel’s is the only one of the city’s flagship stores that actively reaches out to unknown designers. They hold a biannual “Open See,” which is their version of an audition.
If the buyer likes what they see, they will offer you a trunk show to test your products. I went last March 2009 and scheduled dates for Fall 2009. As you can imagine, I still can’t remember how I got back home after the buyer offered me a trunk show—I was walking on air.


From right: Milliner Candy Benedicto, the author Christine Dychiao and their friend Carissa Vea in New York

Where do you see Rina Matea in five to ten years? Do you see Rina Matea growing into a full accessories or lifestyle line?
The one thing I do know about Rina Matea is that it will remain small. By placing a premium in making everything by hand—my hands—I’ve built in a growth restriction. And though I concede there may come a time when I can no longer do everything by myself, it is important that I remain involved in each piece.

http://www.rinamatea.com/

Rickroll flashback

January 1, 2011, 3:22 am

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Rick Astley became one lucky "hasbeen" when somebody invented the term "rickroll" and made him hip again.
Rickrolling is an Internet joke which involves being tricked into clicking a hyperlink that leads you to a music video of Rick Astley's 1987 hit song "Never Gonna Give You Up".
When a person clicks on the link and is led to the web page, he or she is said to have been "rickrolled".
Two years ago everyone watching the Macy's Thanksgiving parade was rickrolled when Astley himself came out unexpectedly from this Foster's Home float.