My friend Yodel and I were just talking about Herschel bags earlier and its simple, lightweight, cool designs.
By coincidence, my cousin RJ posted this image in his Instagram account

I immediately went to the site and ordered two backpacks for my older boys.

Herschel Supply promises to donate 100% of the sale price to Typhoon Haiyan relief.
Designed using inspiration from the Philippine flag, Herchel’s Heritage silhouette is constructed using a coated cotton-poly liner, colored rubber detailing and full-grain leather zipper pulls.

The Typhoon Haiyan Relief backpack is available exclusively through the Herschel Supply online store.
To order, click HERE.

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

Greenfield Development Corporation—one of the country’s pioneering real estate developers today—ushers the Yuletide season as it hosts Art for Generations, a two-day art fair on December 7 and 8, 2013 at the Central Park of Greenfield District.

“At Greenfield, we believe our land is our legacy. Our founders have nurtured these prized possessions for years, and our responsibility is to develop these lands into communities that will remain relevant throughout the years,” says Jeffrey D.Y. Campos, Chairman and President of Greenfield Development Corporation.

Staged in partnership with various art groups, the outdoor art fair—a first at the 12.8 hectare Greenfield District in Mandaluyong City—aims to foster greater public appreciation for local contemporary art and craftsmanship through a variety of activities.
Hundreds of unique pieces will be featured at The Art Market. Guests can also watch art films on an outdoor movie screen at Art Films in the Sky.
Those who share the passion for art can attend art appreciation talks spearheaded by noted artists at The Right Art.
And visitors will be serenaded by a string quartet and jazz band at String and Jazz.

“Beyond being a pioneering art event, Art for Generations gives people a glimpse into the unique experience of being part of the Greenfield District family—a community of creative people with an innovative vision,” shares Campos. “Through this, we hope to help enliven the season by reminding people of the heritage, legacy, and joy that Christmas brings.”

To know more, like them on Facebook or go to http://www.greenfield.com.ph.
For inquiries, email inquire@greenfield.com.ph or call (02)72-GREEN • (02)53-GREEN • (0917)-53-GREEN

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

Fashion and lifestyle retailer, Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI), marks another milestone with the launch of its “SSI Life” mobile app.
Smartphone users will now be able to browse and get app-exclusive offers from more than 600 store locations of more than 80 different SSI brands.
Catherine Huang, Manager of SSI’s Digital Media Office says, “Based on market statistics, it is estimated that over 90 percent of the local customer base for lifestyle brands are already using smartphones. The SSI Life mobile app will be our primary mode for reaching the market through this medium.”

L-R: SSI EVP Anton Huang, SSI Digital Media Officer Thea Lizardo, SSI Digital Media Manager Catherine Huang and Rustans Group Head of IT Reuben Ravago

SSI has partnered with leading mobile retail marketing system Sprooki Pte Ltd. to deliver this revolutionary mobile app.
Aside from receiving exclusive vouchers and information on what’s new with SSI’s brands, users of the app will also get exclusive campaign notifications every time they visit malls in the country where SSI brands are located.

Anton Huang, Executive Vice President of SSI, says: “With the lifestyles of our customers becoming more mobile, we are happy to be able to connect with them more personally thru the SSI Life app. This is definitely in keeping with SSI’s role as the leading lifestyle purveyor in the country. As a retailer, we have always been the first to bring the best of the world to the Filipino consumer, and this time around, we’ll be the first to connect on a very intimate way with our customer thru this new medium.”

The SSI Life app is available for IOS and Android FREE on the Apple Store and Google Play.

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

I’m a condo owner. Just a small, beautiful studio at the Shang that I decorated with the help of Kellyn See and Rex Gapuz.
When the unit was turned over, I was extremely disappointed because of what we got versus what we expected, based on the showroom model we saw. Our condo unit was much smaller, had cheap cabinetry and bathroom fixtures.
We had to tear everything down.
After so much work, finally the wallpaper I ordered from the UK has arrived but needs to be installed. Once finished I will share with you new photos.

I’m not a condo expert, but a friend of mine who works in the industry sent me a check list of what condo owners need to know (apart from the surprise I mentioned above). Here’s what it says:

A residential condo is a most viable dwelling place nowadays in urban areas because of the convenient lifestyle it offers to unit owners. The requisites for a hassle-free living are all there—location, security, amenities, and being part of a thriving community. Indeed, condo living makes life easier.
But before deciding to live in a condo, be it a vertical or horizontal development, one should know the following before purchasing:

1. The property developer is the one who chooses the location where to build its residential condo project.
2. The developer will initiate pre-selling of the property, residential and commercial units, all throughout the construction phase.
3. The developer assigns third party property managers to oversee the interiors, security, common areas, and overall aesthetics of the residential condo before the turnover of the building. Clients may consult any concerns about their units with the assigned property management officers.
4. When the building is finished, a representative of the developer together with the client will inspect the bare unit to check for any apparent defects, which the industry refers to as punchlist. The most common defects found during punchlisting are minor detailing works.
5. Upon turnover of the unit, the unit owner signs an acceptance form signifying his conformity that the unit is in perfect condition at the time of inspection.
6. Unit owners, upon acceptance of the unit, relinquishes all the responsibilities from developer.
7. The developer usually gives at least one year warranty from hidden defects that may arise.
8. Upon full turnover of the property to unit owners, the residents should form a homeowners association that will take control of the condominium building (security, maintenance, house rules, and regulations) assigning in-house contractors and utility personnel, among others. The association is also responsible for the appointment of the property management company that will oversee the daily operations of the condominium building.
9. Remember that as a unit owner, you will be part of the association wherein you share the ownership of the common areas of the building. The association dues that each unit owner pays is used for the maintenance, security, utilities, and other expenses needed by the association to manage the property. Individual ownership only pertains to the condo units purchased.
10. The developer relinquishes its right over the operations of the building once the association is formed by the homeowners.
(End quote)

That said, be careful when you choose a condo. Sometimes it’s best to buy after the building is finished and units are done, so even though it’s more expensive, what you see is what you get.
Once you’ve moved in, make sure your association that collects the monthly dues spends the money wisely. You don’t want to see couches with holes and carpets with stains at the lobby. Hopefully your garbage disposal doesn’t stink and the building and its utilities are maintained. Because if shit happens, the developer is no longer liable. It’s your investment after all.

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

Yesterday I woke up with Maria Ressa’s tweet that Justin Bieber had arrived in the Philippines, on his way to Tacloban.

Justin Bieber arrives in Manila, to visit Yolanda areas: This is a breaking news story. Please refresh this p… http://t.co/z9A81O3q8n

— Maria Ressa (@maria_ressa) December 10, 2013

Unreal, I thought. I grew up seeing only has-beens visit the country. Never in the height of the career.
Of course things have changed since the last few years. Justin Bieber has been here but not One Direction.
Madonna still hasn’t been here and she’s past her prime (sorry Grace!).

The rest of the day, Twitter was all about Bieber in Tacloban.
Based on accounts, Bieber and his group landed in Manila around 5 AM via private plane.
He arrived through the help of TV5, PLDT, SMART, and MVP, whom he reached out to for assistance in his #GiveBackPhilippines advocacy.

Bieber expressed that he wanted to personally visit Tacloban and meet Yolanda survivors. His team didn’t want to announce his arrival and make it commercial. They asked that it be low-key and no-frills.
With that, PLDT and SMART arranged a private plane for his to visit Tacloban. The plane used is owned by gameshow host Willie Revillame (check out the tail).

After resting in Manila, Justin arrived in Tacloban around 2 PM, assisted by UNICEF on ground.
He sang “a series of Christmas songs and some of his hits as well, including Baby,” said Kate Donovan, a spokeswoman for UNICEF.

Justin gave away T-shirts to the kids of Tacloban and played street basketball, including a one-on-one with Coach Chot Reyes of Gilas Pilipinas.

His manager, Scooter Braun, said it was a very touching and emotional day for Justin, as you can see in these photos provided by SMART.

He returned to Manila in the evening and met with executives and endorsers of SMART, TV5 and PLDT at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel.
His manager, Scooter Braun took time to thank those who made the visit possible.

The meet and greet lasted for about 30 minutes, very quickly. No time to make chika. Those who had a chance to take photos with Bieber were in and out within a minute.
Justin Bieber with SMART executives Ramon Isberto, Olan Pena, Tina Mariano and the SMART engineers who were among the first responders to rebuild network and communication lines in Tacloban after Yolanda.

With SMART Broadband Team and endorsers Anne Curtis, Kobe Paras and Rico Blanco

L-R: Mikyle Quizon, Dani Barretto, Justin Bieber, Claudia Barretto, and Juliana Gomez

With SMART endorser Jasmine Curtis-Smith

and Billy Crawford

The Smart Postpaid Team with endorser Anne Curtis thanked Justin Bieber for extending his help to Yolanda-stricken areas in the Philippines.

To know more about Justin’s #‎GiveBackPhilippines‬ campaign, click HERE.

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

Don’t miss the newest and one of the biggest musical fountains in the country: Solaire’s very own signature musical fountain—a synchronized fire, water and light show accompanied by your favorite Christmas carols sung by Solaire’s guest choirs and other live performances.

Come to Solaire and witness this limited engagement spectacle on December 12 and 15, 2013 at 6 PM.
Solaire Resort and Casino is at Aseana Avenue, Parañaque City
For more information, call (02) 888-8888.

http://www.solaireresort.com/
#SolaireChristmas

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

Only eight days before Christmas and I already got my Christmas gift from God.
Lots of people don’t know what to give me for Christmas. I was once voted hardest to give a present to in my family—harder than my parents. It’s true I have most of the things I need, so the simplest things really make me happy, like my favorite Muji toast

or pointsettias

But only God knows what I really want.

Last week my son got sick and my world just stopped. You can see from my blog that I hardly went online.
He was cranky on Wednesday after school. On Thursday he had diarrhea about 17 times. I made him stay home.
The following day he insisted on going to school for an exam he didn’t want to miss. I agreed on his condition that he come home after the exam.

Against the doctor’s advice, I gave him 2 mg. of Imodium before sleeping and before going to school.
When he came home at noon he was already running a fever. He fell asleep in the car, weak and tired.
I felt scared and helpless. I called a nurse to help me at home. The nurse and I decided to stop the Imodium and treat him with Dolan, liquids, and a low fat diet.
At night the fever only got worse. The nurse actually panicked and wanted to take him to the E.R. in the middle of night.
Luckily it was only 1:30 AM. I took a chance and texted Dr. Aye Nuguid for advice. He called and told me to let him rest for two hours, nothing by mouth. My son fell asleep.

In the morning we had a new nurse who helped us get his stool and urine samples to the hospital. By 6 PM I had the results. Texted it to Dr. Aye, who gave us a prescription for gastroenteritis.
Soon after his first dose of medicine, my son’s fever started to go down and I started to calm down.
My son still has the runs but no more fever. He’s been back to school.

As a mom I suffered so much during those four days. I felt paralyzed, praying a lot until I fell asleep.
Thank God for the nurses and the doctors, we didn’t have to go to the hospital. Everything was treated at home, which is the most convenient setup for everyone—and cheaper too.
When my son started to get well, I started to get well. In my head I couldn’t stop thanking God for this early Christmas gift. For what does any mom want but to see her children well and happy?

After this, I really couldn’t ask for more.

That said, I am back to the land of the living. I will resume blogging because I have loads of prizes to give away—from tons of Oishi chips to books and cookie butter and Samsung Galaxy phones. Watch for it!

P.S. If you need a private nurse to care for you at home or in the hospital, I highly recommend you contact Moritz at (0917) 512-2441.

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

Fil-Am comedian and 2011 Aliw Awardee for Comedy, Rex Navarrete, is back in Manila for a one night show at the Grand Ballroom of the Solaire Resort & Casino on Saturday, December 21.

Opening the show will be Mike Unson.

Navarrete started doing comedy at the age of 19. His portrayals, which ranged from his ESL teacher Mrs. Scott to his Uncle Boy and to Maritess the domestic worker, gave him the voice to air his thoughts on issues and speak about things that otherwise wouldn’t be mentioned.
Navarrete gathers all of his material from what he calls “real Rex moments,” reality and shared life experiences. “I think everything has humor; you will always find humor. I don’t always make stuff up. Even though most of my material is geared for a Filipino audience, if you’re smart enough you’ll understand the universality of it,” he says.

He travels all over North America, touring cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and Hawaii, doing his one-man show. He has brought his act to Germany, Austria and Switzerland. His next plan of attack is to perform in the United Kingdom, where fans eagerly await his arrival.
Navarrete has performed alongside notable headliners such as George Lopez, DL Hughley, Paul Mooney, among others.
He has released several comedy CDs and produced, directed and released live standup DVD concerts. Navarrete’s fourth live comedy album, Live at Cobb’s is available on iTunes worldwide, as well as the reissue of his original three CDs in digital download format.

Tickets start at Php 750 and are available at Ticketworld outlets and HERE.
A portion of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the survivors of typhoon Yolanda.
The event is co-presented by Solaire Resort & Casino and Fox International Channel.
Sponsors include GRNMNGO, Bono Artisanal Gelato, Neutral Grounds, Don Papa Rum, Radio High 105.9 and 99.5 Play FM.

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

I’m so happy to say Tinay Villamiel is not an askhole!
Tinay is, of course, the creative owner of the store formerly known as Bleach Catastophe.
I’ve known her for a few years and seen her mature into a great designer. From fashion, her focus has grown up into home.

After collaborating with her on our capsule collection Heather Miss Grey, I convinced Tinay to sell things for the home, such as placemats and throw pillows—and these she did beautifully in her own way.
Bleach Home was born and became and instant success that she started thinking about rebranding and repackaging her apparel store into a home store with clothing.
After a drastic renovation, the new Bleach store reopened last week at the same location in Greenbelt 5.
Tinay texted me to come and visit but she wasn’t there when my friend Poma and I dropped by unannounced. I was pleasantly surprised, the little hairs on my arms stood up!

Tinay really outdid herself. The result looks like H&M Home meets Diesel Home meets Margiela Home—but all Philippine-made.
We don’t really see stuff like this in the Philippines, like the Margielic placemats

Seat cushions

Clutches

Totes and caddies

Pillows and cases

Loungewear

Table runners and totes

Stationery

This is a great place to do your last minute shopping as I did! The placemats are my favorite.
I’m so excited for Tinay and Bleach. It can only get better! And if I may gush Tinay, I’m so proud of you!
The new Bleach store is at the 2nd Level, Greenbelt 5 mall, Makati (right next to Swatch).

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

Just when we were feeling proud and amazed that a Philippine-made TV commercial has gained more than 14 million views on YouTube—only six weeks after its November 9, 2013 posting, we find out that the TV commercial closely resembles a Glee Project music video aired on June 26, 2011.
Here’s the Pantene TV commercial which went viral after being praised by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg

and here’s the Glee Project music video posted on August 27, 2011

No wonder it looked familiar.
I’m not in the ad industry so the copycat thing doesn’t affect me that much (pretty used to it as a Filipino). But I can imagine some people may be annoyed about this revelation. And you?
Check this out.

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

Over the next few days I’m going to be posting all sorts of fabulous giveaways, check often and join!
It ain’t Christmas until the Oishi truck comes along

And it ain’t Christmas until there’s a scandalous amount of Oishi chips in the house.
This is Oishi Christmas 2013 at home!

I ain’t selfish though, so I’m giving away three giant bags of Oishi packed with assorted bags of chips.

The thing is you have to guess how many bags of chips are inside the mother bag.

How to join:
1) Contest is open to any reader who is willing to pick up the giant Oishi bag at Pepper Lunch Shangri-La Plaza or my office at Bonifacio Global City. If you live reasonably near me, I can deliver!
2) Must have a Twitter or Facebook account.
3) Share this post by clicking the Tweet or Like button after the entry.
4) Guess the number of bags of chips and register HERE.
5) Contest runs until December 30, 2013 at 11 AM.
6) Contestants with the right answer will enter an electronic raffle. If no one guesses the number, the ones with the closest guesses will enter the raffle.
7) The three winners will be announced her shortly after the New Year and will be contacted via email.

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

As a mom that manages a household of 14 (family and househelp), I was concerned that Meralco was once again raising its rates.
Since my past issue with our electric bill, I’ve been careful about our power consumption. I didn’t want to get shocked upon opening the envelope so I did some research on this.

The Energy Regulatory Commission has approved Manila Electric Company’s Php 4.15 increase in its billing—the highest in Philippine history. The rate hike will be implemented in three tranches.
Meralco says the record rate increase is due to the scheduled maintenance of the Malampaya natural gas platform, which forced the company to get the bulk of its supply from the Wholesale Electricity Market (WESM).
Meralco will collect Php 7.67 per kwh in its December 2013 bill and spread the deferred cost over the February and March 2014 billings. That’s a bit of good news—better than paying the rate in one billing period.

The important thing is that every household to learn how to use energy properly.
For starters, you can download the Meralco app on your smartphone or tablet to give you round-the-clock access to Meralco’s services.

The app’s appliance calculator allows you to find the estimated cost of operating your individual home appliances while the bill manager allows you to know the estimated energy cost contribution of your home appliances to your total household energy cost.

The app also allows you to check your bill, find the nearest Bayad Center, get electricity tips, and more.
If yours is a high-consumption household like ours, try enrolling in Meralco’s Peak/Off-Peak rates program.
This is an alternative energy pricing scheme that is based on the time of day electricity is generated, and on the cost of supplying electricity during that time.
With this pricing scheme, Meralco customers can avail of lower generation costs in their total electricity rate during pre-defined off-peak hours.

Here are some energy-saving tips from Alfred Iporac, Meralco’s energy expert:

1) Using an HP inverter split-type aircon saves up to 50 percent savings versus a conventional split-type unit. It can reach the desired temperature setting faster, making it more energy efficient.

2) If your airconditioning unit is old (like ten years old), consider changing it as it costs more energy and money to operate an old aircon than to buy and operate a new one.
3) Did you know that lighting can account for up to 20 to 30 percent of your electrical bill? Use natural light whenever possible.

4) Maximize the operation of your washing machine. Use a water level appropriate for the size of the load.
If your washing machine doesn’t have different water level selections for different loads, always try to wash in full loads. Do not over-wash clothes. Different types of clothes require different wash cycles. That’s what those knobs are for,
5) Rice cookers have a keep warm function used for maintaining the appropriate amount of heat needed to keep rice warm after it is cooked. Prevent the unnecessary operation of the keep warm function by properly scheduling the cooking of rice in accordance to the eating time.

6) Schedule clothes ironing to once (if you are a small household) or twice (if you have a bigger one). Some say it is cheaper to iron at night than in daytime. A friend also recommended not ironing pajamas or sleeping clothes—you will save a lot!
7) Unplug power cords of household appliances when not in use because keeping them plugged generates phantom electrical use that adds up. If you are too lazy to plug and unplug like me, invest in power strips with power switches that light up. These will remind you to turn off the switch when you’re not using the appliance.

Luckily I didn’t get the bill shock this month. Hoping we will keep it down long after the ‘ber months are over.
And you? What are your power-saving tips?

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

Sorry for my absence! I have one more event to attend to—my parents’ Golden Wedding Anniversary tomorrow.
I can’t wait for the kids to go back to school so I can have my life back. I can finally show you my new office at the Fort where I hope to be working on my blog more regularly.
I need to go back to work mode.
Meanwhile more than 350 people tried to guess the number of Oishi bags inside these mother bags up for grabs

The correct number, according to Franco Santos of Bridges PR, is 186.
The three people who were able to guess closest to the number were:
Shiela Roxas (188)
Karla Erika Gavino (180)
Erika Fernandez (179)
I will email the girls on how to claim the giant mother of chips.
Meanwhile, wait for my next giveway!!

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

Prior to our Grand Zamora Reunion last December 29, where more than 800 Zamoras attended (including spouses), my view of Zamoras was quite limited.
Prior to the reunion, I would describe Zamoras as being curly-haired, near-sighted, being smart or smartass.
Zamoras love the latest gadgets as well as munching on chicharon and using cuss words.

After the reunion I realized that aside from lawyers and politicians, we also have a few singers (Paolo Santos and Rannie Raymundo are cousins), hairstylists (Piandré are also cousins), a couple of actors (Rem Zamora and Lance Raymundo are cousins), and at least one priest.

We have no beauty queens. We are not known for our looks, so whenever we spot a good-looking person in our reunion, the joke is, it’s an in-law!
My cousin Ana David Coscolluela, who led the planning of the grand reunion also compiled old photos of Zamora ancestors into a Facebook album. From these I was surprised to see a little bit of chicness from our family line.
Check out the girl in the tiered skirt—very Comme des Garçons

This family has that pre-war Hayao Miyazaki feel to it, fashion-wise

Simple styling and easy on the accessories

We love them veils

True chic looks effortless (even if it’s not)

Now you know why I love things gay and Japanese

Even the lolas were chic

Let’s not forget the boys

Check out the shoes

White suits for men are from a bygone era I would’ve loved to live in. I still wear bobby socks myself

These girls were probably more daring than the usual

I see chic people

Of course nothing is chicer than studying painting in Paris—Juan Zamora, he also died in Paris.

Keri Zamora (below, left) is very chic in that she wears whatever she wants and always has great shoes.
My Japanese friends think she’s a doll. She’s also an in-law which explains why she’s pretty, hehe.
(I’m just kidding)

So now you know how fashion runs through my veins

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

One of my fantasies is to have someone just literally leave a baby at my doorstep, in swadling clothes and inside a basket.
It’s no secret I love babies and unfortunately can’t have more.
Sometime last year I got a call from a friend that a housekeeper in the next village was giving away her newborn son. I went and took a look and the baby was cute. I wanted to take him home.
What stopped me was first, the baby had jaundice. That meant it was my responsibility to put him under the sun twice a day until the toxins are out.
Second, our house is under renovation and a mess. We had no room for the baby.
Third, the boys didn’t want a new baby.

By using social media I found the baby a loving home. Tell you the truth, I cried a little after handing him over to the social worker who took him to his new mom.
I still fantasize about having a baby fall into my lap again, even just to care for a few months, being a licensed foster parent. What stops me from adopting another one, aside from my age and constant tiredness, is the number of recollections I have to attend as a parent. That is the part I dislike about being Catholic. Too many recollections, and frankly I feel uncomfortable sitting still for hours and listening to personal stuff with a bunch of strangers.
If there were no recollections, I’d say I’d love to have another baby.

As a baby lover this video makes me cry. Whenever I hear about a baby that was abandoned in a bathroom stall or duffel bag, I wish that baby had gone to me instead.
Watch this trailer and see how a simple box in South Korea has saved precious lives.

“The Drop Box” – Documentary PROMO from Arbella Studios on Vimeo.

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

I have office space, yes I do!
I’ve been dreaming of an office space for a while now, since the boys have grown up and are going to school full-time. I just felt the need to separate work from home. Working from one’s bedroom can get one very sleepy, especially when dressed in one’s sweat pants. I needed a place where I can go out and get dressed and not feel tempted to take a nap.

I have no formal training in Interior Design, but if I were in my 20s again, maybe I would’ve have studied Interior instead of Fashion Design.
My interest in Interior Design started when we moved into our own house 10 years ago.
The house as designed by Ed Calma, so I guess his taste rubbed off on me, especially when it comes to straight lines and bathrooms. Unlike Ed though, I don’t consider myself a minimalist.
Pinterest helped compile my taste into one convenient site, as well as design books from National Bookstore.

Here are some office pegs I like: storage space

The long desk with the TV console

The long desk and bookshelves

The wooden shelves and much storage space

The bulletin board and long desk

God has been really good to me. Last year my dad suggested I see a therapist for my anxiety disorder. While waiting in her small office at St. Luke’s, I started to wish I had my own office space, even if tiny.

I just wanted a blank space with shelves and cabinets where I could store all my papers and press kits that have taken over our bedroom. The doctor thought it was a good idea. Right there and then I asked my dad if he had a spare room in his building I could rent.
“If there is, the rent is free,” my dad replied.
I couldn’t believe it!
The following day I was shown a 20-square-meter space in my dad’s building that was being used as a storage room for paintings.

I couldn’t believe it was mine, and rent-free! The room comes with free aircon and electricity.
But first I had to get rid of the furniture.

My friend Rem took me to LRI Design Plaza where I spotted this peacock chair by Luzon Rattan—SOLD!

Next I found this work table at Triboa Bay Living. The price was right!

I picked up a few things at home, such as the Philippe Starck special anniversary Lou Lou Ghost Chair (thank you Cedric) and the Comme des Garçons chair by Taro Okamoto (thank you Jappy).

The TV was donated by my dad

I had the space measured for wallpaper.

I also bought a Muji reclining sofa, which I later switched for a lighter shade

I’ve always wanted this sofa, and now I have it!

(To be continued)

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

Last October 24, 2013, I got my office space at the Fort. From that time until November, I was obsessed with fixing it.
December was very hectic for me. Besides Christmas and new year festivities, there were a couple of birthdays (my mom and Christian), my parents’ golden wedding anniversary, and the Grand Zamora Reunion—which all occurred on December 19, 24, 29, 31 and January 4.
New Year officially began for me this week as I recovered from all the physical and emotional stress December brings.
It made me glad to have an office space where I don’t feel cluttered and sleepy, where friends visit me.
After buying the main pieces of furniture it was time to choose wallpaper.

My husband and I are big fans of Piet Hein Eek, which we discovered in the Netherlands care of my father-in-law.
Luckily there are a few rolls available in Manila. I chose this one

The guy who applied it did an amazing job within hours!

Amazing how wallpaper can change the mood of a room just like that

Ghost coffee table from Dimensione

I met up with Pipo Garcia of Archion Architects and showed him my pegs for wall furniture.
We decided to focus on these two. I usually go by feel, for example, the picture of this office space makes my heart flutter.

That’s ususally a sign that it’s right.

I’m not a professional designer so I consult many people before making a decision.
Pipo did a rush job over the holidays

They did a great job on the wall furniture.

Et voila! This is how it looked yesterday. That poster on the floor should be up by tomorrow

My shelves are finally here, with junk that needs fixing

The TV keeps me company while I work

There’s the fluffy Muji couch we all love

My blanket

To make a space cozy, you need to fill it up with things you love, like the tissue box from Tinay Villamiel

The Philippe Starck special anniversary Ghost chair

My Fedrigoni stationery

and a Christmas gift from my sister Ana

My Chanel snow globe was a gift from Rustan’s

My red riding hood candles are from Sayoko Hokazono

Jude says I need to bring more books

There’s my favorite gnome from Tokyo, in front of Line toys I am giving away

My Monocle tote from Ethan Hawkes-Pippen of Monocle

Kakao toy from Fleishman Hillard, Ely Buendia doll from Secret Fresh, and yes, the Filipino can from Team Manila

This lucky cat is a gift from the hubby

The Yayoi Kusama mousepad

My reading glasses from the hubby

The Yoshitomo Nara candy case and a picture with Adrian Joffe of Comme des Garçons

I got a 2014 calendar of hottest Roman priests

and cord organizers need to be cute too.

Before:

After!

So yes, I am happy.
And to all the friendly PRs, ad agencies, entrepreneurs, and companies, here’s my office address if you want to send me something

Thank you to my benefactor

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

A global fashion icon comes back this Spring/Summer 2014 as the legendary Stan Smith tennis shoe returns from its sabbatical.
Removed from the shelves for the past few seasons, the classic style has been re-invigorated and updated while staying true to the look and shape of the original.

Since its debut as a tennis shoe, the Stan Smith has made its way from the tennis court to the street, becoming Adidas’ best-selling shoe of all time, with over 40 million pairs sold.
American tennis icon Stan Smith began wearing what was the world’s first ever leather tennis shoe in 1971, when he won the US Open on grass and the Davis Cup on clay with the American team.
In 1972 he won Wimbledon wearing the classic adidas shoe.

Originally introduced and developed for French tennis player Robert Haillet in the mid-1960s, the name of Stan Smith was added to the tennis shoe along with Haillet’s at the start of the 70s, before it was designated as the signature sneaker of the American sporting icon in 1972.

The Stan Smith is available in leading Adidas and Urban Athletics stores in the Philippines this January 2014.
To know more, go to http://facebook.com/adidasPH

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

I don’t really know how the expression “pag may time” originated, but I think it’s funny.
The first time I read it was when Carlos Celdran posted “selfie selfie pag may time.”
Well, it’s voting season again. I really don’t know why Preview’s Stylebible included me in their shortlist of Best Blogger of 2013 when (almost) everyone in that list is below the age of 25!!

When I first saw the shortlist I thought, I don’t stand a chance from these Instagram rockstars whose following runs into the hundreds of thousands.
So why do I want to win? Because my kids are excited to see mommy in it!
“I’m gonna use five iPads,” Markus said when he found out.
It’s a family thing I guess. The kids will put in some votes for me pag may time—from school, tutor, homework, and Minecraft.

“What’s the prize Mommy?” Ben said.
“Nothing, I think. Just bragging rights,” I said.
“What’s that?”
“Well, you get to brag that you won something.”
“Oh,” Ben said thoughtfully. With that, he voted for me 10 times last night before going to bed, while and my husband has been clicking away, bless him.

Please vote for me pag may time until January 31, 2013. And special thanks to Bes for keeping the votes up in U.S. time!
http://www.stylebible.ph/best-of-2013/blogger/

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

After featuring my new office space a couple of entries ago, some of you have been asking where I got the stuff, particularly the wallpaper, the print, and the throw blanket.

The Piet Hein Eek wallpaper was purchased from Mel Ongsue (mel_ongsue@yahoo.com). She has a very limited supply left, so check with her what she has. Hurry because her price is much cheaper than what you’ll find online.

I love uplifting prints, such as the ones I got from this Etsy shop.
These are nice to hang around to remind oneself to keep positive—it’s good for the soul.

The throw blanket was purchased from one of my favorite online stores, Fab.com.
I realize the message isn’t exactly positive, but there’s the other side of me, which is pasaway (naughty).

Here are some other finds you’ll see at Fab.com—the brick wall mural for $89

The giant ruler wall decal for only $29.50 is great for your children’s room

Manila poster by Loose Petals, $22

I’m thinking of purchasing the Brillo stool from the Andy Warhol Foundation, on sale for $379

Love the Merde pillow by Alexandra Ferguson, $99

Bookmark stand by Paul Cocksedge, $93

Suck UK pen holder, $23.50

Acrylic pencil holder, $38

and Another Fucking Tote, on sale for $12

I find that Fab.com is a great source of curated finds from cool brands and artists I may never hear about otherwise. I’ve been ordering from them since 2011. But since they don’t ship to the Philippines, I get my stuff sent through Johnny Air or my friend Cedric in the US, who sends them to me.
To see more, sign up Fab.com.

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