Love Those Lips!

Yearly, Fall season has always been associated with grays, blacks, boots, smoky eyes, and, red lips… All can be easily acquired and pulled off, except for the red lips… It’s really hard to put on flashing red lips because it has got to match your whole look… From your foundation, to your hair, from your clothes, to your shoes… And of course, the When should be considered! Should be worn during the night (evening out), everything must go hand in hand… Or else, you won’t end up looking like these women…

How to achieve their look???

1. Keep it bare. All it takes are perfectly shaped eyebrows, single coating of black mascara, light bronzer, and a little eye shimmer, that’s it, stop right there!

2. It would be very easy if you could use a red lip liner. Spread it all over your lips. Your red lipstick would surely adhere to your lips easily.

3. Choose a blue-based red lipstick. The deep red effect can make your teeth look whiter, plus, it looks more dramatic.

I'm pretty sure you'd look as beautiful as the girls above...

Credits: shefinds

Could It Be???

Hmmmm... Makes me wonder... Wentworth's gay??? The other guy used to hang out with T.R. McKnight... I think he's cute too...

Home-Cooked Dinner

Nothing beats having a home-cooked dinner, followed by a sip of freshly brewed coffee, while engrossed in a deep, interesting, funny, and lengthy conversation with friends... MG and AG
invited us for dinner at their newly renovated house... They got married last January, and they're still in the "starting anew" phase so a few furnitures were still missing... But we were seated comfortably at their dining hall. Plus! We get to eat free, sumptuous homemade cooking using their newly bought WMF silverware!!! Wheow!!! We were the first ones to use those expensive utensils!!!

For appetizers, we had chips and salsa.

For our main dish, they served us Chicken, Tuna Pasta, Baked Salmon, and Spare Ribs

And for dessert, we had Blue Mountain Coffee, Leche Flan, and Walnut Brownies.

Uh-oh, another pound gained...

And here's my favorite pic... It never fails to soften my heart seeing a husband doing chores... (they don't have maids) For me, it's so macho!!!

Thanks MG and AG for the lovely evening!!!

Thank You!

When I was a kid, I was taught by my parents to say "thank you" when receiving something or getting help from other people. When I was in high school, I was taught by my teachers to say "thank you" during my prayers, before asking God for his help. When I was in college, I was taught by my professors to say "thank you" for all the blessings He gave me, and to say "thank you" in behalf of all the people who turned their backs from God.

Now that I am no longer in school, I still say "thank you", but for no reason at all... Just the words thank you, for me, means that I give myself to Him, letting Him shower me with blessings, and allowing Him to pour me with trials, for I know that everything will be under His own hands...

Here's one inspiring email I received this afternoon. Thank you Lord, for using the internet to send me this.

THANK YOU

By Oprah Winfrey

I live in the space of thankfulness - and I have been rewarded a million times over for it.

I started out giving thanks for small things, and the more thankful I became, the more my bounty increased. That's because what you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it. Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful no matter what happened in my life.

"Say thank you!" Those words from my friend and mentor Maya Angelou turned my life around. One day about ten years ago, I was sitting in my bathroom with the door closed and the toilet lid down, booing and ahooing on the phone so uncontrollably that I was incoherent.

"Stop it! Stop it right now and say thank you!" Maya chided. "But - you don't understand," I sobbed.

To this day, I can't remember what it was that had me so far gone, which only proves the point Maya was trying to make. "I do understand," she told me. "I want to hear you say it now. Out loud.

'Thank you.'" Tentatively, I repeated it:

"Thank you - but what am I saying thank you for?"

"You're saying thank you," Maya said, "because your faith is so strong that you don't doubt that whatever the problem, you'll get through it. You're saying thank you because you know that even in the eye of the storm, God has put a rainbow in the clouds. You're saying thank you because you know there's no problem created that can compare to the Creator of all things. Say thank you!"

So I did - and still do. Only now I do it every day. I kept a gratitude journal, as Sarah Ban Breathnach suggests in Simple Abundance, listing at least five things that I'm grateful for. My list includes small pleasures: the feel of Kentucky bluegrass under my feet (like damp silk); a walk in the woods with all nine of my dogs and my cocker spaniel Sophie trying to keep up; cooking fried green tomatoes with Stedman and eating them while they're hot; reading a good book and knowing another awaits.

My thank-you list also includes things too important to take for granted: an "okay" mammogram, friends who love me, 15 years at the same job (and loving it more than the first day I started), a chance to share my vision for a better life, staying centered, having financial security.

I won't kid you, having money for all the things I want is a blessing. But as I look back over my journals, which I've kept since I was 15 years old, 99 per cent of what brought me real joy had nothing to do with money . (It had a lot to do with food, however.)

It's not easy being grateful all the time. But it's when you feel least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you: PERSPECTIVE. Just knowing you have that daily list to complete allows you to look at your day differently, with an awareness of every sweet gesture and kind thought passed your way. When you learn to say thank you, see the world anew. And as Meister Eckhart so eloquently stated: "If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is 'Thank you God', that would suffice."

Gotta Have This!

Last Sunday, my baby's yaya (baby caregiver) took the day off so I had to stay home the whole day... Got sick and tired of TV and the couch, so tomorrow, I will make sure that I'd be out of this house before 1pm!!!

I'm going to reward myself with one of these MAC 3D lipglosses!!!



Yes, one only... I used to buy 2 different shades of glosses everytime and always end up using only one shade... We all do have our favorites, don't we?... So, to avoid wasting money, I commit myself to buying only one shade and choose the best color for my skin tone...

Me likey, likey...



Me so excited...

Can't Stop Them!

Fakes are everywhere - from bags, shoes, tops, jeans, etc... Name it, they fake it!!! I heard on the news that even the latest Harry Potter book was copied and sold in the sidewalks in China. Jeez, we really can't stop them from making those imitations. Just look at this, I was in Greenhills the other day and saw the Louis Vuitton Braided Bag... phew...

People buy them because they look almost the same as the original and way, way cheaper!!!
Sellers tell buyers that these products are "semi-original", that all parts are original raw materials of Louis Vuitton but manufactured only in China... Hahahaha, nice term, "semi-original".

Shopping Bags

We are now going towards the Green Earth/Save the Planet Movement... Shoppers are encouraged to use reusable shopping bags so came the:

Louis Vuitton Braided Bag

and the


Anya Hindmarch's I'm Not A Plastic Bag

I remember when I bought 2 loaves of wheat bread at Le Coure De France, I was told that the next time I buy, I should bring my own plastic bag, or basket, or container, or wherever I want to put the bread, because they are now selling their Le Coure plastic bags/pouches... They said that, to promote the "save the planet" movement, they're selling the bags just to encourage customers to use reusable/washable bags... I think it is a great move... A little risky, but Filipino people will learn... They will soon accept... It will just take a while...

Here are some other cute shopping bags...

Ain't that Chic???

Credits: ThisNext

Cosmopolitan

I'm not much of a drinker... Actually, I seldom take alcoholic beverages... But sometimes, when I feel like it, I usually order Cosmopolitan... Of course I admit, I did taste it right after I heard it from SJP in Sex and the City... (late bloomer, eek!) I'm not into concoctions and everything, so it's impossible for me to serve this drink at home, but I do want to do that... Guess what, Smirnoff has granted my wish...



I can now serve and drink Cosmo at the comforts of my own home... But the question is... Is this available here in Manila???

Get Even Note Cards

Don't you just sometimes wish you could send this to your boss, mother in law, ex-bf, ex-husband, cook, yaya, or to whoever you want to kill??? Ella Studio has created these "Fucking Cards" for you to voice out your feelings... Would you dare???

Note Cards

Jotters Pad

Sticky Memo Pads

The Fucking Cards

Happy Fucking Birthday : Fuck You : Fuck You Very Much : Fuck! : Holy Shit! : Holy Crap! : What the Fuck? : Go Fuck Yourself : Fuck Off! : Piss Off! : Bite Me : Cram It : You Suck : Asshole : Bitch : Slut : Douche Bag : Dipshit : Dumbass : Ass Clown : Ass Wipe : Numbnuts : Moron : Loser

Bad side is, I still have to spend a buck just to piss them!

Mahalia Jackson

As Chuvaness would always say, "mahalia jackson", means "expensive" in queer language... My cousins and sister, all five of us, had dinner at Lemuria last week...

They serve Wagyu and Angus Steaks... Serving is a bit small, that's why we had to order soup and salad, plus dessert(s)...


If you're planning to dine at Lemuria, expect to pay at least, P3,000.00 ($66.00) per head. Here's our bill:

Loved the Wagyu...

Loved the ambience...

Loved the food presentation...

I'd rate it 4 big stars...

Diaper Bags

I don't usually carry Diaper Bags, either the nanny carries them, or my hubby... Don't get me wrong guys, here in Manila, it's very typical for every household to have a nanny... Especially if you have a baby, we do hire special care givers for the baby. I don't know why, maybe because were just used to that kind of lifestyle... I guess it is because we're in the third world....

Anyways, I was having troubles which Diaper Bag should I buy this time... My first baby used to have the Avent Bag... It was black, easy to carry, even my hubby can carry it with no fuss at all... Now that my daughter is 5 years old, she likes carrying pink totes with cute character pics... My hubby refuses to bring the bag because he said that it ruins his look... hahahaha.... So I had to bring the bag if my daughter's too tired to tote it... (refusing also coz' it really ruins the "look")

So I surfed the net and looked for cute diaper bags, hoping that I could find something that -

1. Has very good quality
2. Can be worn by my hubby
3. Is Easy to carry
4. Has good insulated pockets for milk
5. Has Good design
6. Will not ruin anybody's outfit
7. Has very nice reviews
8. Is being tried and tested by other moms

whew.... too many requirements, eh???

Here goes...

Looks manly. But I don't think this lasts... Those seams can easily be torn especially if carrying very heavy stuff.

Cute, but too ragged...

I know this is not manly, but I like it...

This one also... Too cute...Functional look

Just like the first one, Manly, but don't think it's durable enough...

I liked all of them... But I have to let my hubby choose... 'Coz he's the one toting it most of the time, teehee.... And also, I can only buy one... So I chose this -


Took a picture of it at home... I must say, it passed all my requirements, so I hope this is a good buy...

Typing Test

Yesterday, my hubby asked me if I could do him a favor. I was curious what that was because he sounded so sincere that I could see in his face that I'm the only one who could help him. So I asked what it is, and was really ready to help him. Then he handed me a bundle of papers. It was a price list. A price list of tires. And boy, it was typed in number 8 Arial font, and 7 damn Excel pages. Right there and then I realized what he was asking from me. An encoding job. Wheow...

When I came to the office last Monday, finished my work, and was ready to do the "encoding thing", I first stared at it. Focused on myself that I'd do it. Tried to force myself that it is easy. After 5 minutes of contemplation, I decided. No, I will not do it. I can't. It'll take half of my day, and won't be able to surf, blog, read, play with my baby, etc....

The next day, I saw the papers again... I told myself that I'll try to type them when I have the chance... Later that afternoon, I started typing... I finished it in 1 1/2 hours, (including snacks, answering the telephone, and office chit chat). I never realized it'd be that easy. That led me to surf for a typing test and try my typing skills. I discovered that I'm not that fast. But at least, I don't look at the keyboard. My average was 77 words per minute. How about you? Try it out...

Manila

Here's something I want you guys to see... Some of these pictures were emailed to me, and I felt that I need to share them with you because they made me appreciate the place where I grew up... I used to hate Manila, but looking at these pictures made me smile, and felt that I am lucky that I've seen some of them and actually been to these places when I was uhummm, well, younger... For my children, this I think is worth blogging for. I am definitely going to save these pictures for my children's children to see...

Manila 1940's

Quiapo, Manila 1960's

EDSA, entering Makati, from Guadalupe

Ayala Avenue, Makati, 1960's

Rustan's Makati

Roxas Boulevard, 1960's

And now...

Makati

Manila Bay

Roxas Boulevard

We watch the news, we read newspapers, but what we often get are bad pictures, sad news, ugly sights, cheesy celebrities. Doesn't it feel good to see the beautiful side of Manila? For a change???

Credits: www.skyscrapercity.com

Ratatouille

I was able to watch the movie last week... It is really cute... But actually, I don't like rats, (eeek, who does???) There were several scenes in the movie that I find gross, like the reunion of the colony, where in they all got together, to help Remy.

Their tails, their hair, eeooowww, I swear, they looked real! Sorry guys, I can just imagine the sudden change in your face while looking at his picture... Pardon...

Anyways, it was planned a month ago that Disney was about to launch a Ratatouille Wine that will be sold at Costco. The label shows Remy the cartoon rat, holding a glass of wine, and the other one, Remy peeking behind the bottle of wine...




It was supposed to connote "that adult wine drinkers can also sometimes be a child", but the plan didn't push through... Of course there were negative feedbacks about the proposal that, it is also possible for the children to think that the particular wine is for them... Hence, the plan was cancelled... I definitely agree with them not pursuing with this plan... But I believe that many Disney movie lovers will surely buy a bottle or two for them to taste, and, oh well, keep...

Credits:

www.winespectator.com

www.luxist.com