My friend Sayoko likes to stay at the New World Hotel, Makati whenever she’s in town.
I heard that they renovated, and the rumor is true—it looks good!
Well, at least they’ve started. Part of the lobby is still barricaded in plywood.
First of all, I love the new sign! There’s a cute detection dog at the entrance.

Sniffing some new arrivals

Adorable

Jude and I dropped off Sayoko and Kay at the lobby

and spotted something we don’t usually see in Manila—a nice flower shop!

I’m interested in one of the function rooms on the ground floor. I think I’ve found my dream kitchen

Art in the lobby

A grand staircase leading to the mezzanine and ballroom

I used the restrooms on the mezzanine—very nice. Too shy to take a picture.
On the main lobby the restrooms have yet to be renovated.
I also asked Sayoko if the guest rooms were also new. She said not yet, so I hope they spend on the guest rooms—not just the bedrooms, but the also restrooms. I hope the new rooms reflect the beauty of the lobby.

http://www.manila.newworldhotels.com/

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Last Wednesday we dropped by Ronac Art Center’s Secret Fresh Gallery to view the customized Bototoys for breast cancer awareness.
It’s been a while since I’ve gone out so I’ve been rusty with my picture-taking.
Some of the Bototoys I liked were Rita Nazareno’s hand woven creation.
Rita, a breast cancer survivor, drew mastectomy scars on her Bototoy.

It took only one day to weave this. Check out the backpack.
Rita’s family owns the Vizcarra label, known for their handwoven products. (Sold to Jeroen van Straten)

Noel Cruz’s work reminds me of Christopher Nemeth patterns

Bea Valdes’ Beaded Bayanihan

Nikki Luna’s neon heart (sold to Kat Holigores)

My work is so grade school. My son Christian called it “Sexy Girl.” (Sold to Big Boy Cheng—thank You Lord!!)

Part of the proceeds that evening will benefit the I Can Serve Foundation.

L-R: Breast cancer survivors Sheila Cruz, Crisann Celdran, Kara Alikpala and Nikoy de Guzman

Marco Lobregat of Ministry of Mushrooms hosted the event.

Marco with his mom, Maripi Muscat, and Rita Nazareno

Many more pictures from the event can be found here.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Stores Specialists, Inc., led by their president Zenaida Tantoco and the Charriol family led by Philippe Charriol and his children Alexandre and Coralie, hosted a St-Tropez-inspired party to introduce the latest collection from the famed brand.

Spotted celebrating Charriol were Philippe Charriol and daughter Coralie

Alexandre Charriol with Paloma

Stores Specialists, Inc. Executive Vice President Anton Huang with Peter Jentes

Philippe Charriol International Area Manager for Asia Pacific and Oceania Antoine Lecomte, Solenn Heussaff and Alex Jentes

Max and Zelda Kienle

Heart Evangelista wore a watch from Charriol’s St-Tropez Collection

And French singer Antoine Debarge performed the brand’s new soundtrack, Hey Charriol

Moet & Chandon and Belvedere Vodka kept the guests partying as they grooved to the beats of DJ Callum David

More than just well known names, Charriol and Stores Specialists, Inc. initiated corporate social responsibility by announcing a month long fund-raising campaign for the benefit of The Carewell Community—a non-profit organization that provides support, education, and hope to persons with cancer and their loved ones.
For every purchase of a Charriol Watch from October 13 to November 12, 2012 across all 15 Charriol stores in the Philippines, PHP 1,000 will be donated to the CAREWELL Community.

In the Philippines, Charriol is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI), located at Greenbelt 4, Power Plant Mall, Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Tower, Gateway Mall, SM Mall of Asia, 158 Designers’ Boulevard Alabang Town Center, TriNoma, Robinsons Midtown, Newport Resorts World, The Podium, Rustan’s Ayala Cebu, Abreeza Davao and Limketkai Cagayan De Oro.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Jumpstart your Christmas shopping this Thursday to Sunday, October 25-28, 2012, as SSI brands go on sale at the Megatent in Libis, Quezon City.
Take up to 70% off Gap, Gucci, Zara, Prada, Beauty Bar, Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Diesel, Fruits & Passion, Furla, Kate Spade, Lesportsac, Lush, Make Room, Samsonite, Tefal and more!
Use your Citibank card to enter. Take advantage of 0% interest when paying for your purchases.
Non-Citibank cardholders may also enter by applying for a Citibank credit card, but can only purchase using cash.

To know more, click here.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Wasn’t sure I would make it to Manila FAME this year. I was supposed to judge, but I turned it down due to a trip to Hong Kong, which I had to cancel due to a court hearing we had to attend.
I made it to SMX on Thursday afternoon with Mich Dulce.
The first thing I did was see my friend Rita Nazareno, who makes some of my favorite things—the woven baskets, caddies, and organizers in different shapes and sizes.

I was able to take one home. So yay! It has all the things I need on my nightstand

The brand is S.C. Vizcarra, named after Rita’s grandmother.
Aside from these lovely organizers, Vizcarra also makes bags and home accessories for export.



The good news: the go on pre-holiday sale this Thursday to Saturday, October 25-27, 2012 at the One Roxas Triangle Social Hall. Open from 10 AM-6 PM.
Take 30-70% off selected bags, home accessories, and personalized presents.

http://www.vizcarra1925.com/

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Well thank God they gave me authority to take pictures at Manila FAME (and thanks Kathy for dropping off the invites!)

In the past I found it useless to blog about Manila FAME because we weren’t allowed to take photos.
The first thing I did after visiting Rita Nazareno’s booth was have merienda with Mich Dulce at Via Mare.
I didn’t realize Via Mare had the best pancit luglog in town! I ended up there because Cibo was nowhere to be found, which was a disappointment.
Via Mare serves mostly Filipino food, so I thought about the foreign buyers who had to eat.
Then again, there were hardly any foreigners at the trade show.
Maybe I saw less than 20 foreigners, including Josie Natori and company

Also spotted: Angel Aquino

Mich Dulce and Erwin Romulo

On the way up I saw my mom’s favorite designer, Cesar Gaupo.

Stopped by Joyce Makitalo’s booth

Saw cool mats

and oh, The Village People are coming back

Okay, Precious Moments come from the Philippines and I love cute belens.

Despite the Press ID, someone stopped me from taking more pictures of Iñigo Elizalde’s work

I’m a fan of Chrysara!

Thanks to Kissa McDermott I was able to buy some stuff for my apartment,

Specifically some doll heads which freaked out Liza Ilarde

Funny, I never thought of baby heads as creepy. Maybe these are…

At the center of it all is Kenneth Cobonpue

My sister is lucky to have these cork stools at home

Brangelina’s bedKris Aquino’s bed (she has it in pink!)

Kenneth was being photographed

He looked like a star next to this lovely yellow chair

Ito Kish was next door, on his Gregoria chair

His lamps were a bestseller

Elsewhere, I spotted this cute bench with planter

Kamagong night stands

I loved the super tall Locsin chairs snapped up by a Dutch buyer

Triboa Bay also has a nice shop at LRI Design Plaza in Makati

I love this wooden thingy—thanks to Candy Dizon for this photo.

Each of us has a different eye that sees different things. See more of what Candy saw at Manila FAME in her blog.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Earlier today, I searched Instagram for photos on H&M’s launch party to celebrate its collaboration with Maison Martin Margiela.
Held in the historical 5 Beekman Street in New York’s financial district, the event was attended by models and celebrities who wore pieces from the collection.

Spotted on the red carpet concrete floor were Sarah Jessica Parker

Chace Crawford

Doutzen Kroes

Alan Cumming

Mena Suvari

Helena Christensen

Leigh Lezark

Margareta van den Bosch, Creative Advisor at H&M

Bart Freundlich and Julianne Moore

and more

Guests didn’t know what to expect as each room in every floor held surprises—such as art installations by Daniel Arsham, Frederique Chauveaux and Noemie Goudal, who created sculptures, projections and photographs exclusively for the event.

The collection was also revealed in dance performances choreographer by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker.

Then lucky guests were welcomed inside pop-up stores in some of the rooms, where they got first dibs from the collection.

While the rest of us mortals wait as the Maison Martin Margiela with H&M collection launches November 15th in 230+ H&M stores worldwide.
Watch.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

We hear about crime all the time, but the impact is always stronger when it happens to someone we know.
With elections coming up on May 13th next year, it’s time to think about who we’re voting for.
We need to vote for people who really care about making changes for good, and making this country a safer place for all of us.

MALATE—October 10, 2012

Carlos Celdran was attacked in his own neighborhood, Malate, and posted this on his Facebook page:
“After having noodles at Qan Do Lami last night—due to rain and poor visibility—I backed up my car and accidentally tipped over a motorbike.
When I came out to check if everything was OK, I was accosted by the very, very drunk owner of the bike, who had just left one of the girly bars next door.
After a few kicks to my torso, and punches to my head, bystanders managed to hold him back.
But as I tried to drive away, the man and his companion broke away from the bystanders’ grasp, pulled out my side mirror and punched in my back window with a rod.
Thank God he did not have a gun. I do have a bump in the back of my ear as a souvenir of the evening.”

Later, Carlos returned to the girly bar on Sinagoga and Mabini.
The staff said the attacker is a “marketer” or a pimp that takes commission from bars for bringing Koreans and Japanese tourists to meet Guest Relations Officers.
“His name is Rey and the people in the bars don’t like him either. I’ll let this go. This guy is scum and I wouldn’t put it past him to have me shot on the street for a few bucks,” Carlos wrote.

Quezon Avenue—October 23, 2012

Yesterday morning, my husband was on board a van with a driver and three office staff, when they saw a white Toyota Vios with plate number PQT 567 coming from the right side lane, with blinking lights.
At first they thought it wanted to change lanes, but it moved slowly, closer to the van.
A man rolled down the window of the front passenger seat and shouted to the driver: “Tabi mo! Tabi mo!”

In Manila you’re not supposed to stop for anything while on the road—due to carnappers, kidnappers, hold-uppers, or hostage-taking. My husband told the driver not to stop.
The sped up a little but the car kept cutting in front of them and signaling them to move to the right inner lane.

“You’re thinking lots of things at this moment and wondering what this is about. Since there were two men wearing shirts marked Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board and we were five people in the van, we decided to stop,” my husband said.
“One of the men came out of the car and approached our driver’s window. He looked inside and mumbled something and left. According to my staff he was checking if our private van was being used as an unregistered PUV (public utility vehicle) that transports people for a fee.”

My husband took a photo and tweeted it to @LTFRB_Official and @MMDA

@LTFRB_Official replied:

It appears whoever is tweeting for @LTFRB_Official is lost in translation.
We shall send this entry to Asec. Torres.
@MMDA never replied by the way.
What the hell is going on? Does anybody have a clue? Does anybody care??

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

As the sun sets I pray for the Krim family in NYC who lost both their children last night. Let’s send millions of prayers their way.

— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) October 27, 2012

 
Last night I couldn’t sleep thinking about Kevin and Marina of New York, whose two children were killed by the nanny in their Manhattan home, while Kevin was on a flight back to the city and Marina was taking care of their other child, Nessie.

Marina and Kevin Krim in December 3, 2009 (Photo: Patrick McMullan)

Kevin and Maria Krim had three children: Leo was 2, Nessie is 3, and Lucia was 6.

When Leo was born they decided to hire a nanny based on the recommendation of the nanny’s sister, whom Marina met at her daughter’s ballet class.
Yoselyn Ortega, 50, had been working for the Krim family for two years. She was treated like family, and the Krim family even flew to the Dominican Republic to meet Ortega’s family.
Here’s what happened to them on October 25, Thursday.

Lots of thoughts came to my mind:

1) Aside from the shock I felt as a mom, I also felt relief that the nanny isn’t Filipino. I dread the repercussions on countless Filipino nannies all over the world, if ever the evil nanny turned out to be Filipino.
2) I was trying to think what would motivate Yoselyn Ortega to kill the children. I’ve heard that some yayas (Filipino for nanny) take revenge on their wards whenever they feel resentment towards their employers. This was one of the speculations I read about last night.
3) I thought about some of my friends and relatives who left their careers abroad to raise their children here, where a village can really raise one child. Here there are many arms willing to hold a baby or child.
4) I thought about my own experience with four different yayas who had hurt my children—the horror stories ranged from the pinching to the dunking of the head in the toilet bowl. I don’t know for sure, and I don’t want to know. I don’t want to think or talk about it anymore.
5) Grateful as I am to the good yayas we’ve had, I’m also relieved whenever one of my kids grow old enough not to need one.
6) Yoselyn Ortega was the Krim’s first nanny. I know it’s really hard to get a nanny in New York, unlike here. But there is safety in numbers. It’s better if a nanny can also get relieved by another nanny or maid. I wouldn’t leave my children alone with only one person, that’s why I like to hire many people.
7) If you see many red flags, or if something doesn’t look or feel right, get rid of them. Many witnesses said Yoselyn Ortega seemed cold and distant. Go by your gut feel and get rid of people with bad vibes.
8) Even the best yayas have expiration dates. Some of them start out nice and sweet. You feel so grateful, you treat them like family. You spoil them and raise their salary. You give them many perks. And then after a few years they change. They’re not so nice and sweet anymore to you and your kids. You see the red flags. Don’t be afraid to let go.
9) Listen to your friends and relatives. If one of them hears or sees something wrong with how your yaya is treating your child, take heed. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
10) Countless other thoughts, many of them I can’t write about. I prayed for Marina Krim last night before falling asleep. The Krims will be in my thoughts and prayers in the days to come. I hope they find answers to their questions. I hope justice will be served. I hope they find peace. I know children cannot be replaced, but I do hope they’ll be blessed with new babies.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Time flew. Nine years passed by quickly since we moved into our house.
I’m a firm believer in updating, so our house is in constant renovation. There’s always something that needs to be fixed. I’m running out of ideas.
And now that the older boys are in their tweens, they’re no longer using the playroom downstairs. Who would’ve thought a simple iPad would replace all the toys we had amassed since they were little?

Right now we are fixing the roofdeck which has been a problematic source of leaks.
There are termites in one part of the house. Ceiling fans and floors have to be replaced, etc.
Two of the things I really want to change are the closets in our dressing room and our broken kitchen.
Both are falling apart.

Last month, on my way to browse for furniture at the LRI Plaza, I saw this building coming up on Nicanor Garcia Street in Makati.

I knew Poliform as an expensive Italian brand online, but have never been inside a showroom.
Luckily my cousin knew the owners. I was invited to a preview before they opened to the public last week.
I found out Ed Calma was behind the showroom design. Aside from Poliform furniture and closets, it also showcases Varenna kitchens.

Downstairs are the living room furniture and kitchens

The kitchens make me cry because they cost around 6 million to build (read: impossible dream)

The kitchens are so beautiful, they were designed for display—as in open kitchens that are trendy now.

We went upstairs and saw expensive beds.

I asked about the wooden stool, one of the simplest things I couldn’t afford. I think they said Php 80,000++!

Moving along…it was the closets that really made me want to cry.
Back in 2005, I thought these Philux see-through closets were heaven, even though they look ghostly (read: parang may mumu). The thought of seeing my bag collection behind glass appealed to me.

Now check out Poliform’s see-through closet!

That small section is estimated at Php 900,000! I felt my heart sink as I would need at least three of that to store my current collection. I can’t justify a closet that costs more than my clothes.
They are really gorgeous though, if you can afford it, with other finishes to choose from.

But for me, it’s just a dream to have a closet that looks like a store. And you?

POLIFORM is at 219 Nicanor Garcia Street, Makati City, Philippines
Tel: +63 2 804.2776 • 804.2778
Email: agchia@poliform.ph

http://www.poliform.it

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

This October I went on this crazy diet that’s been difficult to stay on. One month later I’ve lost 6 lbs.
I’m not ready to share what I’m doing until I’ve reached my weight goal, which is another 7-10 lbs. to go.
Everyday is a struggle to think about what to eat and say no to things that will contribute to weight gain.
Six lbs. means a lot to my small frame. I feel satisfied when my clothes feel loose and my face looks thinner.
I’m not getting younger so I really need to watch my food, instead of eating to my heart and stomach’s content.

I get even more inspired whenever I see pictures of women who have won the battle of the bulge.
Julia Kozerski is an American photographer whose work explores universal themes of beauty, body-image, and identity. Following her wedding in July 2009, she decided to make a lifestyle change in order to lose weight.
During the year that followed, she successfully lost over 160 pounds. This, she documented in a series of iPhone photos titled Changing Room.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Nearly 200 images were taken, and I borrowed only nine.
Wanna see the rest of it? See the complete series HERE.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

I’ve been quiet about NAIA for a while. Not because I haven’t been traveling. I’ve just been waiting for things to happen, since a huge budget was supposedly approved for its renovation.
If they have already started, I can’t really tell. I’ve given up using the restrooms there. I just try to hold it in until I’m boarded on the plane.
Last November 1st, I was back at NAIA Terminal 1, on my way to Japan. I didn’t need to use the toilet, thank God. But I was hungry. There is no food in NAIA by the way.
First I checked out the offerings at the Japan Airlines Lounge.

All they had were some sad little sandwiches

and a this jar of peanuts. And some butter.

I decided to check out the drinks. They had unchilled drinks in a refrigerator that wasn’t doing its job (no offence to Coke!).

I had 20 minutes till boarding, so I stepped outside in search of food. First stop: Kalayaan Snack Bar.

I was craving for siomai. But listen, do NOT order siomai at Kalayaan Snack Bar. I got four hard balls soaked in soy sauce. When I stuck my plastic fork into it, I swear the fork almost broke.
I didn’t eat it. I did return it to the staff and left to look for another option.
I found this bizarre “food court” in a waiting area.
Now check out the carpet. I do hope they allot some budget to remove this unappetizing carpet.

Here are your food choices:
1) Bo’s Coffee

2) Sweet Ideas Cafe

3) Transit Snack (I have no idea why it’s dark)

but this is where they sell those banned Korean noodles a cancerous ingredient

4) Here’s where I ended up buying siomai

It had no taste, but at least it was hot and a squeeze of calamansi made it bearable.

5) I have no idea

6) Oh, and the darkest eatery had the most people—maybe because they had seating

Meawnhile, check out some of the food I had in other airports, such as Saboten in Hong Kong

Shrimps in salted egg, Hong Kong

Xiao long bao, Hong Kong

Beef Bowl, Narita

Tori karaage and fries at Narita

Fried chicken wings and crispy pandan, Bangkok

Mango and sticky rice, Bangkok

Breaded shrimp at McDonald’s Schipol

Hot wings and fries, Singapore

With so many food choices in Manila, why can’t we have some Cibo, Bizu, Dulcinea, Pepper Lunch, or even Jollibee, KFC or McDonald’s inside NAIA?
Don’t you wish the Ayalas would run the airport instead, so it would have restrooms like Greenbelt 5? Or why not hire someone like Malu Pineda to run the show like Powerplant Mall?

To whomever is in charge of renovating the airport:
The airport is the first and last thing a foreigner sees when they visit a country. If a foreigner sees a disgusting airport, it will set the mood for that person’s stay. It will stay in their memory.
You want to make money from tourism? You need to draw in decent tourists with money.
People with taste and money will have no desire to visit our country with this kind of airport. Just look at the people sitting around in the “food court” photos I took—what are they thinking??

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

In our current world, it’s very hard to find The One, and when they do, lots of couples opt not to marry.
That’s why I find it very touching that two people whom others may not find conventional chose to do the right thing and get married in church. And they did it their way.

Creative couple Ryan Vergara and Garovs Garovillo of Everywhere We Shoot have been a couple since their college years at St. Benilde. I have not known them to break up or date anyone else.
I’m sad I wasn’t there on their big day. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I watched this video on my phone, while having vanilla ice cream in Ginza last night.
It’s a good thing I’m in a happy marriage myself, otherwise I might have cried harder.
We love this couple.

Ryan x Garovs | Wedding Same Day Edit from Hello on Vimeo.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

The first time I heard about mobile wifi abroad was when Grace brought this Virgin device to Shake Shack, New York.

Of course we have gadgets like these in Manila. But I never know where to get it when traveling.
Whenever I travel, I usually check if there’s Globe BDU or Bridge DataRoam Unlimited so I can surf, tweet, whatsapp, BBM, email, or Instagram whenever I want, without worrying about the charges.
The day before I left for Tokyo I found out there is no Globe BDU in Japan, so I did what smart people do: I googled.
I found out you can rent a Japanese SIM card, mobile phone, or mobile wifi at Narita airport.
After clearing immigration and customs, I looked around for such service and found this stall near the exit.

I decided to rent a mobile wifi so I could use my BlackBerry and Samsung Galaxy Note anytime.
After filling out a form and presenting my credit card, I got this packet:

The unit was already charged so we got to use the wifi during the one-hour car ride to Ginza.
The password is located on the unit

What a great device. I can no longer live with text alone. I need data all the time.

At the end of the trip I looked for the Telecom Square stall at Narita (very near the JAL check in counters) and surrendered the unit. My bill for five days came to about 7,800 yen or almost Php 4,000. I don’t mind paying this versus the Php 130,000 Globe bill I once got on a five-day trip to Singapore.

http://www.telecomsquare.co.jp/en/.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

How did you spend the long holiday>
While some “people” were busy trolling on Twitter and blaming others for their miserable existence, I was taking in the coolness of Tokyo with my friend Jujiin.

Photographer and filmmaker Jujiin visits Tokyo often to stay with his mom who works in the city.
It’s been a dream of mine to hang out with Jujiin in Tokyo but it has never happened, until last week.
We met up in front of the Mitsukoshi department store in Ginza, then joined my mom, sister, and SIL for lunch at a nearby shabu-shabu place.

After lunch, Jujiin and I went to the new Dover Street Market in Ginza.

We started at the top floor where Rose Bakery is. My first impression was: bawal ang baduy dito!
Everybody was so chic.

I bought my favorite shortbread cookies

From there we worked our way down to the 6th floor, where this afam told us not to take pictures. Hmmp. I was just admiring the wallpaper…

The 5th floor is where Jujiin and I spent the longest time, and where I did the most damage to my wallet

Next I dragged him to Hakuhinkan Toy Park, which is one of my must-stops in Ginza.
I was really shy to bring him there, so I shopped as fast as I could.

The following day we met up again at Comme des Garçons Aoyama and spent the day walking around the area, all the way to Harajuku.
After buying Belly Button shoes for my sister Ana, Jujiin was stopped by this guy, whom I first thought was soliciting. My eyes popped out when he showed us a cover of the world-famous STREET magazine of Tokyo.

He was in fact asking to photograph Jujiin who was wearing a strange outfit.
I immediately knew what to do. I grabbed Jujiin’s shopping bags (containing Ana’s shoes), stepped back and watched.

Here’s the photographer

It was the highlight of our day. I hope it comes out!
I can’t tell you how much fun we had, so little time. There’s never enough time to see Tokyo.
Maybe Jujiin’s video will give you an idea, and Twitter hater can only wish he had the means to experience this.
Watch.

http://www.jujiin.com/

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Besides my own mother whom I call “Mom”, there’s Mommy, who is really my friend Jude’s mom.
I just realized I didn’t know her name until she died last Sunday.

You may have seen her at Fat Michael’s Place many years ago or at The Frazzled Cook sitting on the couch and reading the paper. She may have given you the paper if she sensed you were interested in it.

I was in bed in Tokyo, when I got a text from Jude that said, “Are you awake?”
Jude never texts in the morning.
“Yes why?”
“Mommy’s gone.”

Thank God for Viber, which I’d installed only a few days ago.
I spoke to Jude for 28 minutes and found out Mommy died at home at night after a headache and vomiting.
She was pronounced dead on arrival at the nearest hospital. There were no tubes, no blood. She died a kind death.
There was no autopsy.

That day I struggled to think what is Mommy’s name and couldn’t figure it out. That’s because when I met her, she instantly warmed up to me. And I said to her, “What do I call you, tita?”
“Call me Mommy,” she said.
And so I called her Mommy.

Would you believe she never had to dye her hair?
She loved Olay, which I gladly supplied her with.
She walked to church daily and was a devotee of Our Lady.
She had a few close calls with death. I remember visiting her in the hospital.
Last Christmas she gave the boys plush toys, which they called Wrinkles and Monty.

Whenever I had an extra heavy problem, I would ask her to pray for me. And she would say, “I pray for you everyday.”
Every time I saw her she would greet me with a hug. When I left she would say, “I love you anak.”
I had to remind myself not to compliment her on her wardrobe, because the last time I said she had a cute jacket on, she took it off and gave it to me.

When Mommy died, Jude found a piece of paper she had scribbled on.
It read: “If and when I die, I would like to inform my or our friends and relatives…”

I was touched to see my name and Jeroen’s at number 2.
On the day she died, Jeroen passed by the wake at Loyola in Guadalupe and sent me this photo.
Now I know her name.

When I arrived at NAIA on Monday night, I went straight to the funeral parlor.
I was relieved that Mommy looked so beautiful in her Vivienne Tam dress.
“I’m so glad you took care of her,” I told Jude.
I don’t need to wax poetic about Mommy. She knows I love her and I know she loves me.

P.S. Jude mentioned a woman named Chary Lagdameo who would pick up Mommy to go to church every Sunday.
We have been trying to contact her before Mommy’s cremation on Saturday. We don’t want Mrs. Lagdameo to pass by on Sunday to find out Mommy is gone.
If any one of you should know her, please tell Mrs. Lagdameo about Naty Mancuyas.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Everything from books and art and headphones—take advantage of sales around the metro!

1. Department of Avant-Garde Clichés offers a one-time sale of its entire inventory of art works and artist books from November 10 to December 22, 2012.
All works from past shows will be available at a generous discount.
Come to the opening reception on November 10, Saturday at 7 PM.
Musical performance by Encounters with a Yeti starts at 10 PM, with David Griggs’ video work in the background.

2) NATIONAL BOOKSTORE WAREHOUSE SALE
Beat the Christmas rush and complete your holiday shopping list at National Book Store’s Warehouse Sale.
Take up to 80% off on books, supplies and gift items from November 15 to 18, 2012 at the 4th floor, National Book Store Quezon Avenue corner Scout Borromeo and Panay Avenue.
Store hours: 10 AM to 7 PM only.

3) SKULLCANDY goes on nationwide sale of up to 50% off on select models of headphones and earphones.
Choose from more than 200 designs in over 100 partner retail stores from November 1 to 30, or while supplies last.
The selection of headphones includes Skullcrushers, Icon 2, TI, SK Pro, Agent, Hesh, and the Lowriders.
Get the best earphones deals for the Ink’d, Riot, FMJ, Chop buds, JIB, and the Smokin’ Buds.
Skullcandy audio products are available in AstroVision stores, Bratpack, DC, Gadgets in Style, Mobile 1, A. Shop, R.O.X, Robinson’s department stores in Ermita and Galleria, Tribu, and more.
Find a list of partner retail stores at http://www.facebook.com/SkullcandyPH.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Truffle is a fungus, which Italians call “tartufo”.
Highly prized, it is often called “the diamond of the kitchen.”

Indulge in fresh white truffles from Italy as Lusso offers special cheeses like Robiola and Crescenza, and select truffle dishes for a very limited time.
Robiola is an Italian soft-ripened cheese made with cow’s, goat’s, and sheep’s milk. It has a tangy taste and is infused with wild herbs

Crescenza is an Italian cow’s milk cheese, eaten very young, with a soft, creamy texture and mild, delicate flavor

Lusso’s en cocotte are eggs cooked in cream

Truffles are also sold per gram at Lusso, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati.
To reserve, call 756-5893.
To know more, like Lusso on Facebook.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Once a year the country’s audio and videophiles gather at the Dusit Thani Hotel to feast on the latest Hifi and home theater offering from around the globe.
The November Hifi Show is the only audio/video exhibition in the country produced by enthusiasts for the enthusiast. See vacuum tube amps, modern turntables, restored reel-to-reel players, the latest flat-screen TVs, lots of LP records/vinyls for sale, and much more.
Be there this weekend, November 10 and 11, 2012 at the Dusit Thani Hotel, Makati from 10 AM to 5 PM.
Entrance is free.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.

Inspired by the drawings of Ruffa Gutierrez’ daughters, Lorin and Venice, fashion designer Rajo Laurel created the Love Collection for girls under the House of Laurel.
LOVE = LOrin + VEnice

The capsule ‘kiddie chic’ collection consists of 10 dainty party dresses named after Lorin and Venice’s best friends in school:
Martha, a two-tone taffeta bias dress
Mariella, a patchwork dress with panels
Ysabella, a sleeveless two-tone dropwaist dress
Yasmeen, a sleeveless blouson top with vest and A-line mini skirt
Trixie, a two-panel fully pleated A-line Dress
Iya, a two-tone sleeveless dropwaist party dress with crystal pleated skirt
Annika, a mini dress with pockets and bow
Rocio, a two-tone party dress with pleated hem
Louise, a sleeveless A-line dress, and
Ylisse, a party dress with a multi-layered organza skirt

The dresses are made of silk taffeta, silk organza, silk stretch crepe, and tulle— in festive jewel tones of turquoise, purple, fuchsia, aqua, and a vibrant orange.
The collection also boasts of kid-friendly details such as flower cutouts, beadwork, pleats, and patchwork.
The Love Collection will be launched November 10 at The House of Laurel.

Originally published at Chuvaness.com. You can comment here or there.