Singapore Adventure

The husband and I celebrated our Wedding Anniversary last October.  Since I ran out of creative ideas onwhat to give him (and I can't afford his wish - an IWC watch!!), I decided to surprise him with a trip to Singapore for myself, Nica and him (wise gift huh?)

We stayed at the Concorde Hotel along Orchard Road for 4 days and 3 nights.  It was a good location since Orchard Road is where all the prime Shopping malls in Singapore are located.  We spent Day 1 just strolling along Orchard Road.  We did a little shopping in Ion and Takashimaya.

We went to Sentosa Park on our second day and stayed there the whole Day until Closing time.  The daughter loved the theme Parks there particularly Underwater World and Siloso Beach.  She wanted to swim in Siloso but we did not bring swimwear thus she had to make do with just a plain stroll along the shore. The Songs of the Sea presentation was spectacular as well.

Since the little girl was not able to swim in Siloso Beach, we allowed her to swim in the Hotel pool on our third day.  She had a great time as the pool was all hers the whole morning.  We again went around the Shopping Malls in Orchard during the afternoon to buy Pasalubong.  I was tempted to get another bag but realized that it's cheaper to get it in Hongkong instead. :)

We went to the Night Safari on our last night in Singapore. Nica was hesitant to go at first since she's afraid of animals in the Dark.  She got more agitated when she saw that the animals were not in cages but were roaming freely.  After a while though, she got relaxed and enjoyed the tram ride. She even bought pasalubong to all her classmates from the Night Safari stores.  Her best buy - a furry backpack with little windows and animals inside the windows that can be pulled out and enjoyed individually.

Our last day in Singapore was spent shopping for last minute stuff and more pasalubongs.  I had to sneak around Rhoand as I had to buy him a birthday gift.  Good thing he was also busy getting some stuff thus, he didn't notice. It was also not a good day for me as I received word from home that my maternal grandfather passed away.  I was very close to my lolo thus, it was a hard time for me.  Good thing we were bound home when it happened.

All in all we enjoyed our vacation.  Nica loved Singapore more than Hongkong.  It was not exactly an ideal place for shopping as everything is expensive, but we had fun going around the theme parks.  I heard that Universal Studios will open there sometime early next year.  We may have to make another visit just for this. :)

The smell of Christmas . .

Christmas is literally around the corner and I can already smell it.  I usually associate Christmas with the smell of pine, peppermint, cranberry and cinnamon.  I had friends who recently came from the States and I asked them to get me my favorite products for a truly Christmas spirit:

What used to be Very Merry Cranberry and fun frosted cranberry  is now called Frosted Cranberry.  I adore their scented candle and the body splash (so sorry it was discontinued). Good thing they still have the scented oils, the candles and the soap and lotion caddy. This envelopes you in a vivid blend of strawberry, cranberry and raspberry scents for a truly joyful air.

This is the special Christmas bottle for Vanilla Bean Noel hand soap.  It is a mixture of fresh vanilla bean and warm caramel scents. The scent is sooo yummy, one would wash his hand over and over again.

HIERARCHY at The Fort

The husband and I are not fond of bar hopping anymore maybe because we've burned out from too much night outs during our younger (er single) days.  We would rather play poker or mahjong in our friends' houses than go to bars. 


The only bar we love to visit is the Hierarchy Bar at The Fort Strip.  It is owned by a good friend of ours and we love the feel and ambiance of the bar. It's classy, not too noisy and the crowd is not rowdy.  We would often hang out every Thursdays as they have a band where the audience could jam with.  They also have a VIP area should one wish to have some privacy.

http://www.hierarchyclub.com/

The bar is also perfect for corporate events as they are very flexible with the time, budget and menu.  It caters to young and old alike as they have themed nights such as a hip-hop night for the young ones and the totally 80's night for the still young ones like us (LOL!).

She loves Yaya and Angelina . .

Nica is fascinated with Yaya and Angelina, thus we decided to bring her with us for the VIP premiere of the movie.  She had so much fun and relates well to Angelina (sigh . .)  She thinks Angelina is fun and cute.  Though, she loves Michael V as well.

We also went briefly to the after movie dinner in Gerry's Grill Promenade.  The little girl was up and about despite the late time.  She went home calling me "yaya" and herself Angelina (Oh my!!).  That is the power of media :)

Rafe Shoes and Bags SALE!!!

World renowned bags and accessories designer Rafe Totengco is donating shoes and bags for the victims of typhoon Ondoy and Tapulanga Foundation in Negros. This one day only SALE will be held at Promocentral 3F Promenade Building 198 Wilson cor P. Guevarra Sts., San Juan on November 14, 2009 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM.


Rafe shoes and bags will be sold for Php 2,500 - Php 5,000 - that's 70% - 85% off the original price. Rafe products are unique, classy and fnctional. One of my favorite tote bags is made by Rafe in blue patent leather. It's huge, with lots of compartments and looks great with jeans and a white tee.

 So, grab stocks early on as the supplies are on a limited basis. Please bring cash as payments are on cash basis only.

I wish I had . . .

. . . a Dior gaucho bag in white.  I heart this bag so much but it's no longer available in Dior stores.  A friend of mine got hers in black and brown and another friend has the limited edition in croc skin.  They are really soooo beautiful. The maroon one is nice too but I have too much red bags already thus, I covet the white one.

The Gaucho is made of supple washed calf leather folded over for a true saddle shape.  The bag has two compartments and is very roomy.  It has chunky "antiqued" metal hardwares and a Dior medalion that sets it off nicely. The entire bag has a "vintage" look and feel to it.

It's quite costly at over $2K but it's really unique and classy. Oh well . .

Date Codes in Louis Vuitton's

Ever wondered what the date codes in your LV bags mean?  One way of identifying a fake from a real LV piece are the date codes.  If the codes do not mean anything, chances are the item is counterfeit.

Louis Vuitton started using date codes in 1980 thus, any vintage pieces before then will not have date codes. The date codes are usually two letters followed by four numbers. In older pieces, this may not hold true. But for the new ones, the first 2 letters would indicate the country where the piece was manufactured (LV started manufacturing bags outside France in 1990). Some are made in the USA, Spain or Italy.


Those made in France should have the codes: A0, A1, A2, AA, AN, AR, AS, BA, BJ, CT, DU, ET, FL, MB, MI,NO, RA, RI, SD, SL, SN, SP, SR, TH, VI
 Those made in USA should have the codes:  FC, FH, LA, OS, SD
 Those made in Spain: CA, LO, LB, LM, LW


Those made in Italy: CE and SA


Those made in Germany: LP

The 4 numbers following the letters would indicate the month and year the item was manufactured. The first and third number represents the month and the second and fourth represent the year. For instance, a bag with date code AR 0979 means that this item was made in Italy in July 1999.

Note though that in 2007, LV again changed the number format to indicate the week the item was made. The first and third numbers indicate the week of the year the bag was made. Thus an item with date code FC 1087 would mean that this item was made in the USA on the 18th week of the year 2007.


Hope this info helps!

Top Ten Hunk Hotties

My top ten gorgeous hunks in particular order:

1.  Pierce Brosnan - Loved him way back in Remington Steele days.  He's still to die for even at 56.

2. Channing Tatum - I can't get over my infatuation with this gorgeous hunk when I saw him on G.I Joe.  Uber hot!

3. Ben Affleck - An epitome of tall, dark and handsome.  Lucky lucky Jen Garner.

4. Brandon Routh - He really did justice to Superman Returns.  Pity there's no sequel yet.

5. David Boreanaz -  Am still an obsessed fan of Buffy and Angel.

6. Ryan Reynolds - Got my attention as Deadpool in Wolverine.  Soooo cute as well in "The Proposal".

7. Hugh Jackman - I liked him as Wolverine but was really impressed when he hosted the 81st Academy Awards.  He's got Talent!!

8. Eric Dane - Saw him first in Charmed and he was cute!  He gained recognition as Multiple Man in X Men and as Dr. Sloan in Greys Anatomy.

9.  Val Kilmer - I stll think he is the best Bruce Wayne ever!

10. Julian McMahon - As Cole Turner in Charmed, he got me hooked on the series.  I stopped watching when he was gone.

Nokia N97

My Husband and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary last October 7.  We have decided to save on extravagant presents this year as we had several huge expenses the past months or rather, HE had huge expenses this year (LOL!!) - he got me my Rolex for my birthday, a new car and two vacations all in one year. My gift to him (which doubled as a birthday gift) was a trip to Singapore with our Unica Hija.

I did not expect him to get me any presents since we agreed not to spend.  He surprised me with a new phone though!!  I really planned on getting a new cellphone since I lost my Nokia cellphone last May and had to make do with our spare Ericson phone,  but I planned on getting the N6300 only.  To my great pleasure, he got me the new Nokia N97 cellphone.

The N97 has a 5 megapixel camera with LED flash and video light; it has an internal memory of 32GB; and is on 3.5G Network; it has a touchscreen function but can also slide to reveal the keyboard.  Technically, it is capable of so much more but I am not a techie person so, I have not fully discovered its potential.

Dream Vacations

If I had an unlimited supply of moolah, I would spend most of it on travelling. My family loves to travel. We would make it a point to travel at least twice a year. It's our stress buster and a way of getting away from the pressures of our usual routine.

Our dream vacations would be in:

                                           Champs Elysee

1. Paris, France - We would take the Da Vinci Tour and visit the Louvre. We would stroll down Champs Elysee and have coffee and beignets. Then, we would go check out the famous Eiffel Tower. Shopping in Paris would also be definitely heaven for me.

2. Switzerland - Who would not want to see the Swiss Alps even if one cannot ski? My daughter is fond of snow and would surely love it here. The husband would have a grand time in Geneva as he has a passion for watches.

3. Disneyworld, Florida - My friends and in laws who have been to Disneyworld would say that it is grander compared to Disneyland in LA. We had a great time in Anaheim and would surely have a better time in Disneyworld Florida. After maybe 2 days in Disneyworld, we can explore Miami beach and enjoy the tropical weather there.

4. Rome, Italy - It would be perfect if we can attend mass in St. Peter's Basilica with the Pope officiating. Then we could explore Ancient Rome and see the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and Castel Sant' Angelo.

5. Athens, Greece - Ever since I was a child, I was fascinated with Greek Mythology. When kids my age would read fairy tales, I would read the story of the ancient gods and godesses. Greece would be a perfect destination to discover and see for myself what I only read in books. Top attarctions for me would be: The Temple of Zeus in Olympia, The Parthenon, The Temple of Hephaestus and the Statue of Athena.

These are dream vacations for now, but I hope in the future, we will have the opportunity, time and moolah to visit these destinations.

Let's help the victims of Typhoon Ondoy

The tragedy brought about by Typhoon Ondoy (International code name: Ketsana) in the Philippines was very traumatic and unexpected. It was thought to be just another typhoon that hits the country several times a year. We were shocked when we saw on TV that people lost their homes, their cars, their lives from the huge flood that suddenly appeared. I'm very thankful that God spared my family and loved ones from this devastation but sad as well coz some officemates and friemds were greatly affected by it.

Our officemates and other friends truly showed their Kabayanihan spirit by donating food, money, clothing and water to the vistims of the typhoon. I also got some food from the grocery like noodles, canned goods, drinks and biscuits to donate.

Donations may still be delivered in GMA, ABS CBN, Ateneo Covered Courts and Philippine Red Cross. To friends and kababayans in the USA, if you wish to help, pls call the American Red Cross at 1-800-435-7669. Please specify that this is for Ondoy Philippines relief operations.

Let us all pray and hope that all the victims may be able to recover physically, emotionally and financially. Let's not lose hope and faith.

Top Ten Must Read Books

I love to read. Books are my passion. I'd rather read every night than watch tv. My all time favorite authors are: Judith McNaught (for historical and modern day romance); Nora Roberts for light romance with a hint of suspense on her newer releases and Dan Brown for his Langdon series. My top ten recommended books are:

1. Paradise - Judith McNaught (my absolute favorite!!)

2. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown (very popular must read)

3. Twilight - Stephanie Meyer (need I say more?)

4. Double Standards - Judith McNaught

5. Angels and Demons

6. Breaking Dawn - Stephanie Meyer

7. The Promise - Danielle Steele (the only D Steele book I enjoyed. the others are too "heavy" for my taste)

8. Mac Gregor Series - Nora Roberts (these are a series of harlequin books about the Mac Gregors. Very entertaing and light

9. Whitney My Love - Judith McNaught (historical romance)

10. Bloodline - Sydney Sheldon

Princess Hongkong Invasion

The Princesses were off to Hongkong last August to take part in the great Hongkong Shopping Sale. We were able to book promo tickets last April courtesy of Tracy's tiyaga. There were 7 of us who went: Tricia, Snowy, Tracy, Regie, Charina, myself and my hubby. We were booked at the Marco Polo Hotel in Harbor City coz we wanted to have easy access to all the shops early on.

We went to Hongkong Disneyland on our first day to visit our "turf" and shopped at the Outlet Stores in TungChung afterwards. For dinner, we went in search for our favorite roast duck and suckling pig (cholesterol high!!). We were out strolling along Nathan Road until 11PM and got great steals from our usual haunts - Bonjour, Zara, Marks and Spencer, Sasa, HMV and Esprit.

 

On our second day, we just went around the Harbour City Shops. I was looking for a bag as usual and had to decide whether to get the LV Galliera, Jimmy Choo Mona or a Chanel tote. I eventually got myself the Chanel and vowed to get my Jimmy Choo next Time (lol!!). The other princesses went crazy shopping too!! Reg got a Cartier watch, Tricia got a Gucci Jolie, Trae got a Guccy large joy bag and the Snowy got so much stuff that I can't name them all. We also went to Times Square to check out the Designer Bazaar. Designer stuff like Juicy Couture, Michael Kors and Mossimo Dutti were on 50% to 70% off!! I almost got a juicy patent bag but realized it was a dog carrier hahaha!!

Tracy, Tricia and myself had a bet that whoever spends the least in HK shall be entitled to a special treat from the 2 losers who spent more. Of course, Tricia and I lost to Tracy and we got her a Zara jacket (haaay. . . why do we bet against her when we always lose).

Day 3 was our last day and the hubby was complaining why we had to book for 3 days only. Unfortunately, our tickets were non rebookable :) We went to Toys are Us to get Nica some pasalubong. The hubby got some stuff from Bally and I got my very first pair of Christian Louboutin from Lane Crawford (soooo excited!!). After checking out of the hotel, we went to Elements Mall to do express check in. We had about an hour to go so I got more goodies from See's Candies and more Zara.

All in all, it was pure fun, fun, fun!!! Our next plan is to go to either Japan, Seoul or Australia. Wish us luck!

The Scent of Royalty

I am not really a perfume person as I love lighter scents of colognes. So far, I have only liked and used Clinique Happy, Givenchy Tartine et Chocolat, Prescriptives Calyx and for a short while, L'eau Par Kenzo. I am more inclined towards citrus-y scents more than floral notes. That is until I discovered Creed Spring Flower by Creed.

It is said to be a scent designed for Royalty (appropriate for Princesses hehehe). It begins with citrus fruity notes of peach, lemon, bergamot and peach with a touch of herbal notes. Then this perfume has middle notes of jasmine, rose, waterlilies, melon, and apple. The base notes of Spring Flower are made of cedarwood, musk, amber and vanilla. It is very fragrant, very vivid and has a long lasting power after eight hours. It's a very citrus fruity yet floral scent with a freshness that most women would find appropriate of all ages. Spring Flower by Creed is perfect for both day and night.

It is quite an investment as it is more pricey than the usual perfumes, but I tell you, it's well worth it. So, go visit Rustan's and get yourself a bottle.:)

We love Baguio

Baguio 2009

Baguio 2006

I am probably one of the few people who prefers cold places to Beaches like Boracay. One of my all time local favorite destination . . . BAGUIO. Our family always make it a point to go to Baguio at least once a year. We normally stay at the Manor in Camp John Hay as Nica loves running around their grounds. Me and the husband meanwhile love the Outlets there.

The cold weather is really relaxing for us and the daughter loves it as well. She would normally go horseback riding (her favorite Baguio activity). My husband and I looove the coffee and biscuit plus the ambiance of Cafe by the ruins at night. :) Am not so fond of fresh strawberries but the Butter Oats from Baguio are soooo yummy. Try them next time you're there.

My Family . . .

This is my family . . my love . . my life. That's my hubby Rhoand and unica hija Nica. Our daughter is 8 years old and already starting to be soooo bratty and maarte. I wonder where she got those traits (hehehe). We're hoping to have a baby boy soon and we're praying hard for one. My hubby is an only child as well as my Mom. It must run in both our families thus, we only have one child so far. I wish we'd be able to break that trend.

Meet the Princesses

Can you imagine a group of middle aged girls and gays who calls themselves "the princesses" and actually believe they are? That's us!! In the picture are: Noel F, Tracy (aka Princess Fiona), Tricia (aka Gingy aka Gingerbreadman aka Belle whew), Anette (aka Rose Red), Elaine (aka Alice), Aileen (aka Sleeping Beauty) and myself (aka Cinderella). Not in picture is the Head Princess "Snowy" for Snow White. You'll meet him (or it) in my future blogs. We made a surprise CD for him on his last birthday thus, he's not in the picture. We mostly hang around the Castle to play mahjong or poker. We sometimes go to Gingy's bar at the Fort or just eat out. Whatever we do, we always make sure we have lots of fun.