B and I are hooked on The Amazing Race Asia again! We were so glad siblings Henry and Bernie were eliminated in last night's episode. I don't like them especially nung napikon sila sa pagka-yield sa kanila ni Geoff and Tish. Haler, it's a game. Natural may strategy para manalo. Super swerte naman ng Malaysian moms na si Aida and Tanya. Twice na sila last nag-arrive sa pitstop at twice din silang hindi na-eliminate. Buti na lang second-to-arrive sila kagabi sa pitstop. I like them. They're so cool at ang fun nila mag-race. They're really in it for the adventure.Joining team Malaysia and team Philippines in the final four are the Hong Kong boys Sam and Vince, and Singapore's AD and Fuzzy. Of course, we're rooting for team Philippines--the hot-headed Geoff and the beautiful Tisha. We really hope they win this time after Marc and Rovilson's frustrating loss last season.*****Before TARA3, though, we tune in to another reality show: I Survived a Japanese Game Show. Siempre riot ang show na ito! Ano ba naman ieexpect mo from a Japanese game show??? San ka pa ba naman makakakita ng Velcro suits, panda and gorilla mascots, mga balloons na puno ng itlog at ng instructions na ganito?
The Japanese game show is called Majide and the host is so cool. Nakakatuwa kaya minsan sinasabayan namin ni B ang audience sa pagsigaw ng MAJIDE! Hehehe.*****Grabe, I can't believe it's going to be November tomorrow, and just 36 days before our wedding day! Waaah! Ang bilis!Happy Halloween everyone! And to those in Pinas, have a safe Undas! Rawr!
What's enviable: Selena has a unique singing voice (mine is unique as well but not as pleasant hahaha) and she's a rockstar!!! She's a vocalist for Ang Bandang Shirley (buy their album!!!)How did you discover you could sing?It was a gradual process, actually. When I was 8, my Mom enrolled me in singing lessons for the summer, which implied to me that i needed to learn how to sing, meaning I didn't know how to in the first place. My teacher did not rave particularly about my voice, though she was happy enough that I could carry a tune. Add to that the fact that my kuya used to tease me about my singing (he once played a recording of my lessons during a family Christmas reunion without my consent) and you can see why I was a bit insecure about my voice.What I did know was that I loved music. In high school, we were taught how to play the guitar, and I saw it as an opportunity to hear all the songs I loved whenever I felt like hearing them. Of course, this meant that I had to sing to the music, and that's when friends told me I had a nice singing voice. But even after that, it took years before I realized it had a unique quality, because I'd always felt that I was only copying how my idols (Sarah McLachlan etc.) sounded.Which side of the family did you get the talent from?My mother's side has amazing musical talents: my cousin Joey Valenciano is a well-known jazz drummer and the only sitarist in the Philippines, while my Lolo was supposedly a fantastic jazz pianist as well. But I suspect that my vocal powers are from my father's side, since my voice is similar in timbre to those of my titas (they sing beautifully, though rarely) and the only other sibling of mine who looks like my father has a good voice, too.What was the first song you sang?I don't remember. But for a performance, I think it was "Bahay Kubo", which my Mom made me learn for coronation night of Prinsipe and Prinsesita of Moonville '87. Hahaha.Who are your musical influences?Allan Siegfried Montero of Soft Pillow Kisses and Candyaudioline is my biggest musical influence because he introduced me to my favorite umbrella genre of indie. He's really helped me shape my musical tastes and opened my mind about how to achieve beauty in sound.I also love The Beatles in terms of their musical scope and their awesome awesomeness! My favorite Beatle is Paul McCartney, and ever since "No More Lonely Nights" I've been a fan, even before I knew he was a Beatle. I think I've always tried to sing like him.Favorite singers/bands of all time?Eraserheads, The Beatles, Wilco, Sarah McLachlan, Radiohead, +/-, The Radio Dept., Versus, Soft Pillow Kisses, Candyaudioline, Bagetsafonik, Twin Lobster, Ciudad, Third Eye Blind, New OrderWhich decade's music do you love most? Why?I think the '80s. I LOVE New Wave, I loved the dancing, I loved the musical possibilities of synthesizers. But I think the 2000's fusion of rock and '80s pop is fantastic, too. There's a lot of redundant stuff out there, but when there's something brilliant, it's REALLY brilliant.Do/did you ever have stage fright?All the time haha. But not as much now as I used to, I guess. The smaller and more unfamiliar the setting, the more nervous I get.What does it take to write a song?Oh my, I think this is different for everybody. For the longest time (I've been in bands since 2002), songwriting has been my waterloo. I just didn't have the inspiration (or courage?) to write before this year. But, I don't know, something clicked in me this February 2008 so that I was able to write something for the first time in my life. I think it helped that I was surrounded by bandmates who were musically imaginative and supportive of any kind of creative effort. Their genius was so inspiring that I was finally able to find my groove. Since February, I've now written 4 songs.Usually, I start with a concept that interests me: a situation or a person, maybe. Then I think of the approach (happy, sad, rock, indie pop?). Then I play around with chords on my guitar and try to hum a melody. When something feels right, that's when I start penning lyrics. Then revise, revise, tweak here and there.If you were a musical instrument, what would you be? Why?I'll always be the guitar, I think, because it's so accessible, so basic. You can learn it just by reading a chord chart and practicing diligently. You don't have to sound fantastic when you play it, but it's ALWAYs fun.
Napadpad ako sa Raffles City Mall kahapon para kunin ang pinaalter ko na pantalon sa Dorothy Perkins. On my way to the shop, nakita ko na naman ang nakakahumaling na 50% off sign sa Warehouse at sa Topshop. Ang hirap magresist! Talagang hinugot ko ang anumang natitirang pagtitimpi sa katawan ko para lang pigilan ang sarili sa pagpasok sa store. I can't justify another purchase. I reached my limit for the month already. Kaya nagmadali akong kunin ang pantalon ko at kumaripas palabas. Resisting temptation consumes a lot of energy. Para akong nanghina after. Hehehe.
(Dani with her daughter, Isis)What's enviable: Si Dani ay isang magaling na journalist. Once an editor for a local paper in Baguio and a contributor to PCIJ's magazine. She is currently the editor of a property magazine.When did you find out you could write well?In second year high school, I wrote a piece about how I pitied my mom and how difficult her life was. My teacher gave me 1.0 and said my mom was lucky to have a child who understood her. A few weeks later, my Phil. History teacher asked me to write a column for a high school journal (for various high schools) that she was editing. Does it run in the family?Definitely. My lolo chronicled his part in World War II, my dad wrote my mom feverish love poems, my nephew is song writer (and guitarist and lead singer) for HardBoiledEggz. Isis writes well-written hate letters to me. What was the first piece you ever wrote?"Run, run, run, my son." Hahaha. My sister was learning to play with the guitar and wanted me to write words for a few chords. It was gothic, at age 5, about a son who has to run away from a mad killer. How do you build your vocabulary?Read. read. read. Merriam Webster word of the day?What books do you usually read?Mostly classics now. As a knee-jerk reaction, modern American writers. Am trying to read all works of Nobel-prize winners. Favorite authors?Salman Rushdie, still. Hemingway in my early 20s. There's a list on my Facebook; couldn't help it. Any rituals?None, because I'm a hack writer now and have to write on a deadline. But there's a period of soaking up info. There's a period of gestation. Then there's a period where it writes itself in an explosion (like an orgasm! hahaha). Then you edit this draft. Then wait, then edit again. Tips for writers or aspiring writers:Read. read. read. Live on the edge (well but don't fall off). Live a full life. Be unafraid. Write. write. write. Accept criticism. Believe that you have something to say. Be willing to sacrifice comfort.
We bought our tickets to Avenue Q last night. We're watching the matinee show on November 1. Wag naman sana kami dalawin ng mga spirits ng mga ninuno namin. We're also planning to purchase tickets for Cinderella. It might be our only chance to see Lea Salonga on stage kaya go go go kami! We're watching with some friends so it should be fun. Has anyone of you Manila peeps seen either one of these shows? *****
There are only 44 days left till the fiesta! Although we have taken care of the big stuff, there are still quite a lot of details we have yet to finalize. Here are our have-yet-to-do's before we say our i-do's:Buy guestbook (SM)Layout map for invitations Send invitationsLayout and print place cardsCreate love story AVP Buy bling-bling!Finalize headcount Begin seating planWrite speech for receptionHave final dress fittingConfirm details with catererNotify caterer of final guest and vendor countBreak in wedding shoes Finalize seating planArrange transportation and accommodations for guestsAll these can be done!I had a weird dream again last night. It was our wedding day but we forgot about it! We only remembered it was December 6, the day of our wedding, around 5:30pm eh the ceremony daw was 6pm. We made it to the church on time though. Kumpleto ang entourage pero nalimutan daw ng lahat ng suppliers namin and our coordinator is nowhere to be found. Hahaha. Ewan ko ba kung san galing yan, hindi naman ako stressed sa preps.
What's enviable: Beauty, brains and writing prowess. My blockmate and very good friend George graduated magna cum laude from journ school and was a reporter for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. She recently moved on to greener and less stressful pastures. =)
When did you find out you could write well?Actually, my mom did that for me (although I do not consider myself a really really good writer, or at least someone at par with the writers I admire). I think I was six years old then, and I wrote a poem about nature out of boredom. The smile on my mama's face made me really proud of myself.Does it run in the family?Nope heehee. They all hate writing. My brother has some talent, but he does not have enough confidence to pursue it. Writing is all guts, I always tell him. He does not listen and continues to watch tv. Someday (soon), he'll have to be pulled off the sofa with a crane.What was the first piece you ever wrote?The nature poem. Eeeew. Hehe.How do you build your vocabulary?I read. It is only through reading that you learn new words and how to use them in context.What books do you usually read?Anything I could get my hands on :) but I now have a preference for young adult lit and anthropological stuff. It really depends on my mood.Favorite authors?J.D. Salinger, Ian McEwan and Kazuo Ishiguro. I like the clean and honest way they write.Any rituals?None. Whenever I encounter writer's block, I just talk to the people around me until I get the urge (or the inspiration) to write again :)Tip for writers or aspiring writers:Read, read, read. And always write what you know.
Jec forwarded a news item about The Times Higher Education - QS World University Rankings for 2008. Ateneo is the highest ranked university in the Philippines at number 254. My beloved UP is ranked at 276. Not bad. De La Salle and UST are also in the list.The rankings are based on the universities' scores on a peer review survey; an employer survey; the student-faculty ratio; research performance relative to the size of the research body; the proportion of international faculty and the proportion of international students.The National University of Singapore is number 30 in the world, while Nanyang Tech is ranked at 77.Big difference, no?
But I'm happy UP made it to the list. 
What's enviable: Iggy is a prolific writer. She published three chick lit books under her name. When did you find out you could write well?As a kid I always liked to read, being read to, and making up my own stories. Around age 9 I started keeping a diary, and for the longest time my writing was really just limited to my personal journal. It was only in college, in my ENG106 (Creative Writing) class that I found out that my classmates liked what I wrote and actually encouraged me to write more. Does it run in the family? My family's very artistic. My mom paints, I have some uncles who draw and paint, my dad writes well, both my lolas sing, my aunts love to do crafts and I just discovered my brother's blog - and he's actually good! So I guess creativity runs in both sides of the family. What was the first piece you ever wrote?I had little stories and scenarios in my diaries, but the first complete short story I did was for ENG106. I forgot what the title was but it was about a female bodybuilder and her overly dependent dad. Very boring stuff, and my prof said that it read like a feminist manifesto. The second story I did, "Lysol", was about a guy with obsessive-compulsive disorder who goes to live with his crazy cousin. My classmates liked that one a lot. At that time I wrote a lot of fantasy-type/urban-horror stories. I started doing chick lit after getting married and being a whole lot less angsty about stuff. :)How do you build your vocabulary?I read a lot, and I read all kinds of books, from graphic novels and fantasy to non-fiction and young adult, and I pick up a lot of nifty words from them.What books do you usually read?I don't have a preference for a particular genre or author, but I do like plot. I'm quite traditional in that I want "story" stories that go somewhere, so some of the newer authors like Dave Eggers I don't really like. But my standby - as in the stuff I read when I want to feel comforted - is definitely fantasy. Favorite authors?Neil Gaiman - a lot of the spines of the books on my shelf have his name; Jeffrey Eugenides; JRR Tolkien; and Jane Austen - she's the Holy Grail of chick lit.Any rituals?When I start a book I'm so excited about it that it's all I can talk about. I bore my friends senseless about details and plans. About after five chapters the steam runs out and I have to psyche myself up to keep the momentum going. I read book reviews and author interviews to kind of encourage myself, like, "you're not going to get any interviews if you just sit around procastinating!" Sometimes, I also have to switch up how I write. I usually write on the PC, at the office (sshhh!), but that gets monotonous and I do have a tendency to edit myself as I write, which can result in three really great chapters but not a whole book. So sometimes I just write bits of dialogue for a future chapter on Notepad, or on a real honest-to-goodness notebook. Most of the time the dialogue doesn't make it to the book, but it's important in that I know that there's a future plot goal that I'm working towards, and this helps me stop from revisiting and re-editing finished chapters. Tip for writers or aspiring writers.Just keep on writing. If you have trusted friends whom you know will not ridicule your efforts and will give you solid feedback, show your work to them. When I wrote Pink Shoes I would send the chapters to a couple of friends, and they were really instrumental in getting that book off the ground. I really think that feedback is the best resource in honing the "craft", so steel yourself for criticism and be responsive to comments. And the last bit of advice contradicts what I previously wrote - if you really, truly believe in something - whether it's a plot device or a character or even a story idea - go ahead and write it and don't mind what the naysayers say. They'll be blown away by the finished product.
Me and my girls, George and Marge, circa 200X. 
Blockmates/college mates/friends, Marge, Mhay, George, JP and Jos.Ah, we all looked so carefree then.
I attended the Bobbi Brown Glamour Nude Make Up Artistry Workshop last Saturday. It was fun using all those Bobbi Brown products and learning the proper way of applying them. Here is my before and after pic:
Before: The ngarag I-can't-even-fix-my-bangs look. Medyo malelate na kasi ako for class niyan.After: I thought the eyes looked too shiny pero when I got home it was beautiful pala. I told B with matching pungay ng mata, "mukha akong seductress!." Hehehe. I guess di lang bumagay sa suot ko.So, what did I learn?1. Invest in make up brushes. This I have yet to do. Ang brush lang na nageexist sa kikay kit ko eh yung Bench blush brush na binili ko eons ago. 2. Apply make up only on clean and moisturized skin. During the class, we were instructed to apply cleanser first tapos toner. After cleansing, naglagay kami ng serum (anti-aging) then face base. I loved the serum. Feeling ko instantly naging firm ang skin ko. Naglagay din kami ng lip balm tsaka eye cream. 3. Find the foundation that best matches your skin tone. At kung susubok kayo from the counter, iapply sa skin na malapit sa jawline, hindi sa wrist. Try at least two shades of foundation.4. Bago maglagay ng foundation, do all the corrective work first. During the class, pinagamit kami ng color corrector at concealer under the eyes para mawala ang dark circles.5. After applying foundation, seal it with loose powder, not pressed powder. Pressed powder is only for retouching. (This I didn't know.)6. Apply blush. Smile so you can find the highest point of your cheeks. Tapos ang pagapply is three small strokes downward, one sweeping stroke toward the temple then blend with downward strokes. 7. Then apply lipstick. Yes, lips muna kasi ito daw ang magbibigay ng kulay sa mukha. Tsaka hindi daw everyday may oras tayo to apply eye makeup. Kailangan daw nakasmile din para nagkakaron din ng color yung lines sa lips. Top it off with lip gloss.8. Work your eyebrows. Sabi ng kuya na nag-assist sa akin, maganda na daw ang brows ko (thanks Aaron) so no need to put brow liner. Natural brow shaper ang nirecommend niyang gamitin ko. In mahogany. Never use black on your brows daw kasi lahat daw tayo may brown undertones. At ang sundin is color ng hair, hindi ng lash. Tinuruan din nila kami pano sukatin ang eyebrows.9. Here comes the complicated part: the eyes. Medyo nawindang ako sa instructions pagdating sa eye make up kaya buti na lang nirescue ako ni kuya. Basta sabi nila it's all about layering. And patience. Hehehe. 10. Nakakuha din ako ng madaling method ng pagaapply ng mascara (which is the only eye makeup I put on everyday). Dapat yung mirror mas mababa kesa sa face tapos tingala ng kaunti then your eyes should look down. Hilahin ng kaunti pataas ang brow para mastretch yung talukap then curl your lash. Same din ang position pagapply ng mascara. I tried it today and it worked!!! Mas madali nga maglagay ng mascara.I would say the $150 fee I paid was sulit. Aside from learning the basics, I was able to take home a lot of goodies pa! Tada!
Aylavet!******
That same day, I also rinsed my hair with a mixture of lemon juice and water (juice of one lemon and three parts water). I felt I needed a clarifying rinse since I use mousse on my hair daily. I rinsed my hair with the lemon mixture after using shampoo and conditioner then rinsed it with water after three minutes. Effective! 
Super clean ng feeling ng scalp and hair. Tanggal ang residues . I will rinse my hair with it weekly na.
It's Monday yet again and it doesn't help that it's overcast here in la Singapura. With only six hours of sleep (12-6), I have to entertain myself to stay awake. I plugged in my earphones and am currently listening to dance music (Akon's Dangerous, Pink's So What and house staples like Ever After and Everything).
Anyway, have you looked at our pre-nup photos yet? I did and looking at them made me realize that I've gained too much weight! I became depressed for a while (like 30 minutes) and kept thinking about why I let myself go. Of course, me being me, I caught the destructive and useless negative thoughts and decided to just make the right choices from now on.
I know, I know. I've probably promised to take care of myself a million times already. I've been breaking those promises each time that even B is skeptical about me making my nth vow to be healthier. But this time, I will do my best-est to have a healthier lifestyle. I'm not getting any younger and as long as I keep up my love affair with food, then I'd be more prone to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Now, it's not as much about looking good as having a healthy body.
I gotta go back to reading YOU on a Diet, which I bought a few months back only to let it rot on the shelf. I'm so sorry Dr. Oz. I'll make it work this time.
What's enviable: her ability (yes, superhero levels na itech) to wear (and bear) high heels; her fashion sense and confidence.
(Was so surprised to learn that Ems' feet hurt, too.
)How would you describe your personal style?Colorful. Girly. Relaxed.
Who is your fashion icon?I don't really have one, because I think even the top designers and fashionistas have their good and bad days. There are some designers I follow though, not because I wear their designs (how I wish!) but because I just LOOVE their work. For patterns and color combinations its Emilio Pucci. For dresses Kenzo and Etro. For red carpet and fasyon gowns, Badgley Mischka* and Monique Lhuillier. For sheer entertainment, Vivienne Westwood. Sexy everyday wear Collette Dinnigan. Punk rock outfits John Richmond. * For Spring 2009, I liked Basso & Brooke's Jap collection. :) Where do you usually shop for clothes? shoes? bags? Clothes - Of course there's the tried and tested Mango, Zara and H&M. Pag sale Club Monaco, DKNY, Calvin Klein and Patrizia Pepe. Most of my stuff however comes from local stores. There are tons of places to shop here, mostly nameless (or baka di ko lang maalala kasi they're in Chinese at di nag-re-register :P) I few I know are Zucozz, Izzue, In and Out, Maple and Focus. Shoes - VNC has the most stylish, affordable and comfortable shoes ever! In SG its Charles & Keith. Here you go to Lane Crawford, Pedder or IT outlets to get the good stuff. They carry designers like Chloe, Maison Martin Margiela, YSL, Dries Van Noten, Marni and Christian Louboutin. You can get past-season styles discounted 50 to 90 percent! (And we're not talking 90 percent off at HK$1,000 (P6k) here ha. I've found really nice shoes from there that were just about HK$100-200 (P600-1,200) Bags - I'm not a bag hag. Pangarap kong magka Chanel 255 someday, but right now I really can't get myself to spend so much on one single bag. So what I have for work are mostly from H&M, Esprit, Nine West (sale!), FCUK (sale!). But my greatest finds were amazingly from surplus stores (as in export overruns) and department stores like SM. (Makati has the best stuff)How much time do you spend in putting together a typical workday outfit? It was probably more when I lived in Manila. I don't really have time to think about what I'm going to wear before I go to work every morning, so I usually spend an hour or two on the weekend to try stuff on, see what works and I use those for the coming work week. Honestly, I'm not a mix-and-matcher ( I would love to be though) When I find a top that really goes well with a skirt, yun na yun. So I have a lot of tried and tested ensembles. It's no secret that you love shoes. How many pairs of shoes do you presently have? Around 50 in Manila and 60 here in HK. (Yes, I actually have a list- organized by color and classification, i.e winter/summer, sandal/pump. OC! Heheh :P)Do your feet feel any kind of pain at all? Constantly. I'm always saying that if my feet could, they'd kill me! Of course through the years I've learned to choose the right type of footwear to avoid further torture. I've invested in some comfy flats especially when I started working in HK. Tinanggap ko na na 5'2 and 3/4" lang talaga ako. :P Fashion tips: In general: Wear old, wear new, but always wear YOU. For sales: THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING! You just have to look hard enough.
this time from Reinier.
What's enviable: her sense of style. It's so effortless. So chic. And she knows her make up.How would you describe your personal style? Schizophrenic. Much as I'd like to have a style signature, I just can't make up my mind. Who is your fashion icon?Gaaaahhhd how difficult. Let's go with Kate Moss, Louise Brooks and Katharine Hepburn. Where do you usually shop for clothes? shoes? bags?I'm a sucker for fast fashion, so I have a lot of Zara, Topshop and Mango. I find my feminine shoes at Celine, CMG, The Ramp or Charles & Keith, but my favorite collection of oxfords are from the ukay-ukay in Baguio, and one pair of actual men's shoes from Mark's in Cubao X. Most of the bags I use were bought by my Mum and sisters, so I don't actually have a go-to place for bags. I look forward to my Mum's trips to the US, she buys really cheap old-season Nine West bags. How much time do you spend in putting together a typical workday outfit?When I want to try something new, I spend about 30 minutes to an hour trying it out at night. Or, I spend 15 minutes at night choosing a fail-safe outfit I've worn before, and make sure all components are available, therefore avoiding delay in the morning. What's inside your kikay kit?I have more products than I actually need, but I keep them there in case I decide to go all out with my makeup. The ones I use daily are tinted moisturizer, powder-foundation, powder blush, a blush brush, lip balm, and one of three lipsticks: (a peachy nude, bright pink or brownish red). For extra-special days (like weddings, and yet I carry them daily), I have a black felt-tip eyeliner, an eyelash curler, mascara, two eye shadow palettes (one in brown/army green tones, the other in gray/plum tones), a rounded eye shadow brush and an angled eyeliner brush. Oh, I also have hairpins in there. How long does it take for you to apply your workday make up? About 15 minutes, because I wait for the moisturizer to set in before I continue. I do it in front of my PC and then I get sidetracked by all my e-mails! Beauty tip:An actress mentioned this in a magazine interview, and I've subscribed to it since then: Do only the kind of makeup you can apply expertly. That said though, you COULD practice at home when the clock isn't ticking. Another thing I've learned is to buy proper makeup brushes. The free applicators are no good. Technique improves so much with the right tools, and then the options open up.
1: painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage2: obsolete : malice3: an object of envious notice or feeling <his new car made him the envy of his friends>Source: Merriam-Webster*****Envy is one of the seven deadly sins.And I am guilty of it.I’d like to believe I have a strong sense of self but like any other girl, there are things about me I wish were better (or smaller, hahaha). And, like any other girl, I look at other females and compare myself with them. Futile, I know, but hey, I’m a girl and sometimes, I give in to my she-go.Please indulge me as I get to know the secrets of the girls who make me green with envy. Rawr!!!This is just for play. Walang pain or resentment na involved dito. Besides, green is in.
Awash in an unexplainable sadness. Must be the hormones.
You can see more at Eugene's Multiply.
I found an amazing site today on the in'ernet: ETSY! It's a site for sellers and buyers of handmade items. I haven't browsed through the shops yet but I found a ceramic ring holder from Paloma's Nest we could use for our wedding. Mimi of M+K used one at their wedding and it's just so pretty! I was so excited I ordered right away. Can't wait for it to arrive at our doorstep!
I currently have Ang Bandang Shirley's Themesongs on repeat at my media player and I love it!
It's raining here in Singapore and all I want to do at work is listen to music. Add to the fact that the bosses are not around. Hahaha
Congrats Selena and Ang Bandang Shirley! Ang ganda ng album! More, more!!! Thanks for my CD (I owe you Selena) and for the autographs!
If I were not in the office. In the past couple of hours, I've been watching wedding videos at Jason Magbanua and Threelogy's sites and I swear, each one just makes my eyes water! Just proves that all weddings are beautiful and your suppliers just gotta be talented enough to capture it. So to future brides, don't stress! Whatever happens, your wedding will be beautiful. Siempre, I'm sure ours will too!
******
We had our pre-nup photo shoot yesterday with three brilliant photographers -- Almin, Eugene and Reinier. Since we didn't have time to shoot our pre-nup back home with our main man (Jason of Imagine Nation), we just asked A, E and R to do it for us, and they did! The shoot was tiring but super fun. We realized it's hard to be a model. Hindi madaling magpose ha! We made up for the pagod by eating at Jumbo Seafood. Ang sarap ng chilli crab tsaka ng cereal prawn!
I'm so excited to see our photos. I'm sure they'll turn out great. Will post them once I have them. =) Thanks A, E and R! We really appreciate you for agreeing to do this.
Oh, and thanks Nell for being an uber cool PA.
Pag walang magawa, pag-initan ang buhok.Presenting my latest look--
I'm lovin' the bangs and the enhanced curls. Now the Amazona look I'm gunning for is complete. Hehehe.
The photo was taken right after Rachel Aguila of H Salon cut and styled it so it is still well behaved. Ngayon, medyo nagkukulang ata ako ng lagay sa mousse kaya medyo rebellious. Nevertheless, I'm happy I got a cut. I feel much lighter now, less manang-ish and more free.
To celebrate the launch of Handbag Planet on October 15, they are giving away a free handbag every hour of that date for 24 hours. Handbags from Handbag planet are inspired by popular designer brands and priced between US$30 and US$80. If you want to win one of those pretty bags, click here.
This is our fifth day home and so far, we've done everything we should, and we're on schedule! B and I had our measurements taken for our wedding day outfits; we made down payments to the mananahi, the caterer, the hotel, the cake supplier and the bridal car provider; we had our final interview with the priest, and even if we had to memorize the Act of Contrition/Pagsisisi on the spot, pumasa kami. I had my hair and make up trial and met with our OTD coordinator too.Everything's easy for us because we've decided on the details long before we actually started planning and meeting suppliers. Ang bibilis lang ng meetings namin and laging straight to the point. Madali talaga if you already know what you want and how much you're willing to spend before speaking with any vendor.I love all my suppliers. The Manila-based ones (WINK, ImagineNation, Threelogy and The Make Up Studio) have really great reviews at W@W. Although they're a bit on the pricey side, the money we'll be paying them is worth the services we'll get. We decided to invest in photo and video kasi ito lang ang makikeep namin talaga until uugod-ugod na kami. The make up kasi siempre we have to look good, and the invites kasi ito ang unang makikita ng guests.Proud din ako sa mga San Pablo-based suppliers namin. Alam ko ang kalidad ng Gem's Bakeshop (cake) and Kusina Salud (catering) kasi our family has been a suki of both for a couple of years na. Masarap ang cake sa Gem's (mas masarap pa sa Goldilocks). Siya ang gumawa ng cake ko when I turned 18.
Super sarap din ng food sa Kusina Salud. Yung pagkain din ayaw namin tipirin kasi una, we love food. Pangalawa, ito lang ang malamang maaalala ng guests after. Ayaw namin ni Reden na alalahanin pa ang quality ng food kaya dun na kami sa sigurado at paborito namin.
Lola's Fashion House (gown) naman is a favorite of the sosyaleras of San Pablo City. The young women of San Pablo turn to him for gowns, may it be for their debut, wedding or the annual reynahan or sagala. I love Lola kasi he asks you what you want then nagsasuggest kung anong babagay sa'yo, pano iiimprove ang dress etc. Pero in the end, ikaw pa din ang masusunod. Sir Egay (coordinator) and Ryan (flowers) were both recommended by Lola. Ryan was my friend's florist when she got married last year and maayos naman and super affordable.
Maganda naman ang nakuha kong feedback from the other suppliers about Sir Egay. Okay siya kasi masipag and he knows where to get what, who supplies the best of something etc. Plus, nakakatawad siya sa suppliers at nagagamit din niya ang karisma niya to get what we want. I'm so glad I got him kasi may initiative siya. Ginawa na niya yung missalette namin at program and had a mock up printed already. Maayos naman and all I had to do was edit the text. Meron na din siyang layout para sa reception venue at kailangan ko na lang magassign ng seats at gawin ang place cards! Yey!
Hindi naman ako stressed, unless pera na ang pinapagusapan. Hehehe. Nakakaexcite na nakakatakot harapin ang Excel files namin. Makikita namin ano na yung accomplished pero at the same time, andun din yung mga kailangan pang bayaran at pagipunan. Pero okay lang. This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and we want it to be beautiful kasi sabi nga ni Bo Sanchez, it's an investment. Pag tanda namin we'll look back at our wedding day and have smiles on our faces. We'll have stories to tell our kids and our grandchildren pa! At may stunning video and beautiful photos as proof. Bongga!
Just a few more days left. I'll have my fitting with Lola on Saturday while Reden will be getting his barong na (from Lumban). In the meantime, we'll have some R&R, a bit of shopping and a haircut done first.
