the fash packs: ilocos

at just past midnight on tuesday, off we went on a road trip. driving
with no cars and no people (and no lights!) on the road, we reached
vigan just before sunrise. had breakfast there and did the requisite
(albeit quickie) tour in the ilocos region: heritage village, baluarte
zoo, paoay church, all the way to pagudpud just before sunset.
yesterday, the waves were pretty strong. someone said it was like
swimming in a washing machine haha.. today the sea is calm but the sky
is rainy. tour continues today to see the bangui windmills. saw the
tops on the way here. they look like giant electric fans!

feeling fat, looking thin

a few days ago, we tried on the gown we intend to wear to the tatler ball happening this friday. homaigad we really have to lose weight. starting today, no rice, no alcohol, no sweets. kaya ba natin toh?? crash diet here we come. after we tried on that gown we decided that we should wear our tightest clothes every day para it feels masikip and we feel fat, therefore refrain from eating fattening stuff. or refrain from eating, period. and one of the tightest garments in our closet is a pair of calvin klein jeans. we got a pair of dark-wash, five-pocket, skinny-fit "body" jeans at the greenbelt 5 store. (price: P5,450. the faded wash, which is softer, costs about a thousand more.)
it's probably the same jeans eva mendes wears in the window and in photos around the store...
now here comes the problem with these jeans (although we're not sure you'd call it a problem). these jeans have what they call "shape enhancing fit technology." the tag says it has an "engineered back.. for contoured fit. body slimming.. side seams." what all that means is when we wore the jeans (and yes we had to lie down to zip it up and forget about bending to put on your shoes!), it made us look thin! we can't tell you how many compliments we got that day. you're so thin! how do you stay so slim? i'm so inggit! are you losing weight? and you know what that does to a person. you lap up the compliments! you believe them! you realize there's no need to diet! but today we tried the gown on again. haay... no rice, no alcohol, no sweets for the next seven days... damn you, calvin klein, for making us look thin!

superga for a supergal

it was one of those nights when we found ourselves in greenbelt 5 with the hubby and decided to stay and have dinner there. so on the way out to lorenzo's way (excellent filipino food by the LJC group, by the way—we've been back three times), the hubby stopped in his tracks and said, superga is here??
don't you mean supergal or supergirl or is it superwoman? :-o apparently, superga is one of those sneaker brands that has been around forever. but these are not performance sneakers for running or basketball or tennis; these are more for knocking around in. this is the classic canvas sneaker that the hubby grew up coveting. it wasn't easy to come by then because it's made in italy. and who goes to italy??
so in we go. cute stuff! and surprisingly affordable—prices average P2,500 (plus they have a sale now and some styles go for as low as P700!) and it's no longer just about the white sneaker anymore. they've got color! for your kid and the kid in you:
feeling golden? plus more metallics:
and if you're feeling prints, we love these colorful graphics, menswear checks, and preppy stripes:
we wanted these disney designs!
we also wanted the brown canvas on the left, but unfortunately they only come in men's sizes (so if you have big feet, lucky you!). the hubby got the black cords on the right:
we decided we were in the market for a pair of white sneakers, but not just any ol' white sneakers. what do you think of these rosette embellishments:
we ended up getting a pair of white logo sneakers. oops no pic! just go to the store and find them!

this way to escolta

tonight was one of those nights when everyone decided to schedule their events on the same day at the same time. what do you expect, it's a thursday! but after that last event marathon turned blog-a-thon about a month ago, we decided no schlepping tonight! it's too tiring. two events in a night is our limit, but tonight we decided to attend only one event and we have to apologize to our other friends whose launches we missed :-( sowi!! tonight it was all about escolta. now before you think we drove all the way downtown to chinatown, well, guess what, there's a new escolta in town and it's in makati city! at the peninsula manila specifically. the former nielsen's closed down months ago for renovation and for revamping and renaming. it is now called escolta (we don't know why—cause for confusion, we know.. as in, where are you going? i'm going to escolta. which one??).
the name nielsen was named after the original airport which is across the street and apparently, it was misspelled because the correct name was nielson. we've always wondered about that. but there is a private dining room, which is still called nielson for sentimental reasons...
this was a two-day opening. last night was for the oldies and tonight was for the younger crowd (young daw o! hey, they said it, not us!). and of course where there's free champagne, the fash pack is there :-P
escolta's layout is similar to all the other five-star hotels, which have renovated their coffee shops into theater-style, open-kitchen layout. so now the choices are seemingly endless, with cuisines segregated into their own little counters: japanese, chinese, indian, dessert, etc.
plus there's a lounge area deep in the back that had a band playing. we don't know, though, if this is going to be a regular thing. GM jonathan crook told us that they'll be experimenting with a band, maybe a jazz trio, if they'll be stationed here or there, if they'll enclose a section with glass to keep the sound in.
and check out the staff uniforms designed by rajo laurel! it's tailored, beige, has subtle embroidery, patterned after the classic barong tagalog. it's soft, classic, unobtrusive yet distinct, just the way it should be. you want to be able to spot the waitstaff yet at the same time, guests need not be afraid of being mistaken for one!
escolta, the peninsula manila, tel (2) 887-2888

travelife: holiday 2009-2010

model/host sarah meier-albano enjoys a cocktail at blu lobster bar and restaurant in shangri-la hotel beijing. photographed by willy saw. styling by liza ilarde. hair and makeup by mickey see for shu uemura. dress by dennis lustico.

permanent blow-dry

we just finished watching "ugly betty" on star world. parang ang luma na ng season na toh. we love ugly betty, though. a month ago, if we had to go in costume for some pre-halloween party, we could've easily gone as betty suarez. and we wouldn't even need a wig. because yes our hair was THAT buhaghag. just add the glasses, the braces, and the goofy smile (oh and the goofy outfit, no problem), then this would easily have been us: so whenever we have the time and someone to drive us to the nearest salon (ANY salon), we try and get a blowout. and each time we do, we always sigh and say, "we wish we woke up every morning with hair like this..." well, you know what they say: be careful what you wish for because it might come true... so have you heard of the permanent blow-dry? this is the sign right outside basement salon at power plant mall. now wouldn't you be curious too?? so we got one! and it was the best thing we ever did with our hair! now we wake up every morning with soft, straight hair like this (glam makeup optional): so what exactly is a permanent blow-dry? the name is actually a misnomer because unlike rebonding, which is REALLY permanent, this is like a blowout that lasts for weeks and your hair eventually gets SOME of its wave back (but don't worry, not betty-buhaghag). but be prepared for the entire process. step one: set aside an ENTIRE DAY. yes, it takes THAT LONG. so we decided to split the process into two days. since your hair will end up very straight, your hair needs to be an even color from roots to tips, otherwise any regrowth will be super obvious. so we opted to get the color three days before the permanent blow-dry. that took an entire afternoon (three hours to be exact). then we booked the permanent blow-dry on a saturday because we sure as hell couldn't skip work just to get our hair done! our guy rodel was with us from start to finish and this is what he did to us...

1. shampoo four consecutive times with a special shampoo. this is to get rid of all dirt, product buildup, and oils, and to open up the hair cuticles in order to better absorb the chemicals. hair has to be squeaky clean.
2. hair was dried with a blow-dryer.
3. then liquid keratin was applied. this is the chemical that keeps your hair straight. don't be alarmed if your hair guy (or gal) puts on a gas mask—he does this every day up to four times a day, so he has to protect himself. (needless to say, this is not recommended for pregnant women.)
4. you will be provided with eye goggles in case you become sensitive to the fumes. we had to put them on at some point.
5. you wait 20 minutes for your hair to soak it all in. meanwhile, you can read magazines, facebook (they have free wifi), accept offers of complimentary coffee or iced tea, or order for food from any of the food establishments in the mall.
6. after, they blow-dried our hair while combing through it. this part took two people to accomplish! and after enduring this for we don't know how many minutes, we were finally witnessing miraculously straight hair happening before our very eyes!
7. then hair has to rest for one hour. some people actually step out of the salon to shop or eat. but why do that when you can get a foot spa and pedicure.
8. when that hour was over, our hair was rinsed with cooold waaaterrr—bbbrrrr...
9. then a neutralizer was applied, which is supposed to soften the hair, so it doesn't get that walis-tingting effect that you normally get with rebonding. that's left on for 10 minutes then rinsed off again.
10. finally our hair was dried with a hair dryer without the aid of a brush or comb and voila! our hair dried super straight! wow! it's a miracle! what a dream come true!!! (total number of hours we sat on that chair: five hours, excluding the haircolor)
11. oh, one more thing: you have to use a special salt-free shampoo by davines that will maintain the straightness of the hair. DON'T use your regular shampoo; otherwise you'll have to return for a back job.

PS: now for the damage... we'll be honest, this dream-come-true doesn't come cheap. depending on hair length, it can cost from P8k to P11k. our hair is just a little past shoulder length, which is considered medium length, so the price was about P9k. but the feeling we get when we wake up every morning and look at the mirror: priceless!

basement salon, 2/f power plant mall, tel (2) 899 6666 or 898 2222

agatha's affordable jewelry

today we took a mental health day. that simply means we played hooky from the office. sometimes you just gotta stay away for a day because you're so sick of its four white walls (well, one wall is actually windows). so we went chirstmas shopping. actually, more like window christmas shopping—reconnaissance muna, check out what's out there, make potential lists, and figure out a budget before we make actual purchases. we went from robinsons galleria to SM megamall to glorietta 4, and finally ended up in greenbelt 5. look at the pretty white christmas tree and the fancy white tufted sofa. of course we had our picture taken sitting on it!
as we went up the escalator, agatha was the first store we spotted and decided to enter. we never go in because it looks kinda intimidating and expensive. we're not that familiar with this brand; all we know is that they're french and they carry mostly sterling silver jewelry and their logo is the silhouette of a scottish terrier. cute! well, imagine our surprise at how affordable the items were! inexpensive enough to purchase as gifts for some special people in your life.
they have bracelets and bangles priced from about P1k+ to P5k+ (sorry, we didn't get to write down any prices!)...
also some nice rings from P2k+ to P5k+...
they also have lots of necklaces and some resin pieces, but what really caught our eye were the little charms. super cute! prices start at P1k+ for the letters and go higher as the design gets more elaborate and bigger and enamel colors. we plan to get the initials of all our nieces' names (yikes that's 10 of them)...

man(ny) of the year

or (pac)man of the year? congratulations, manny pacquiao! he wins by TKO vs miguel cotto

the newest must-hav

so what took havaianas so long to come up with this? it's the perfect partner to a pair of flip-flops: a bag! the casual, everyday bags are not made of rubber (they're made of canvas) but they do feature the familiar elements found in every havaianas flip-flop: color, the rice pattern on the sole, the greek pattern on the straps, the straps themselves, and the round rubber button that attaches the strap to the sole. these will make great christmas presents for the havaianas addict! (or anyone who needs a new bag.) check out the six styles available and see how the models carry them, so you can also see how big they are. which bag do you like??

MEGA (solid and printed):
MEGA NS:
TOTE:
SIDE:
SACK:
ZIP:

too many events!

thursday is almost always event night. that's when everybody schedules their launches, openings, galas, shows, and all other types of parties. last night, there were no less than five events: rustan's launch of a holiday collection by jojie lloren for jill and luna; havaianas launch of their first bag collection; launch of rajo laurel's limited-edition collection for wharton shirts; vicky zubiri's art-exhibit opening; and edsa shangri-la's chirstmas-tree lighting. (there could have been more we didn't know about!) we decided to go to two: rustan's and havaianas (because those were the only two we were invited to hehe). we'll first write about the jill and luna collections, which were presented at rustan's makati's gallerie section. we just snap-snap-snapped away not knowing which was jill and which was luna. we'll skip the reviews and just post some choice pieces. depending on how formal or casual your needs are, these will be perfect for your full social calendar for the next month and a half.

LITTLE BLACK DRESSES:
BLACK + COLOR:
WEAR IT AS A DRESS OR A COAT:
WEAR A SHIRTDRESS 3 WAYS:

KT for PD

that's kate torralba for paper dolls, a mass-market brand that's been around forever. but this is the first time they did a collaboration with an established designer. and who doesn't love KT?? the fash pack met the attractive, young couple who owns paper dolls—they love fashion and it shows, they're both so chic! as guests entered rockwell tent, they could have their picture taken at a trompe l'oeil glam sala set.
guests were also encouraged to pledge clothing donations for calamity victims. and in exchange you get a 100-peso GC from paper dolls—nice exchange!
now for the collection! KT's muses tessa valdes, divine lee, karen pamintuan, and the magalona sisters wore outfits with wide bands of color.



kinda reminds us of another kate—as in spade!
of course, prints are a very distinct feature in any kate torralba collection. there were short and long dresses...
tops...
leggings...
but she had solid colors too...
and peaked shoulders! an important trend to watch for in 2010!
kate torralba collection for paper dolls available at select SM department stores starting nov 15.

the metrowear experience

ok, this is all about our own personal experience. from the lyn et al launch, we managed to make it in time for lulu tan gan's show at NBC tent. most people were seated and we went straight to reception. apparently they were strict with seat assignments and had to give you a number, so we gave our name. it wasn't on the list. not on the media list, not on lulu's list, not on metro's list. and maybe the gals manning the table were tired and cranky, but they made no effort. they just quickly flipped through their folders and said our name wasn't on the list. but this was never a problem in previous metrowear events. and we would always receive an invitation from them. were we taken off the list?? call daw the EIC katrina holigores if we wanted to get in. homaigad we felt like a gatecrasher! we should've left right there and then, but no, we wanted to be there to support lulu. she is one of the nicest, most talented people in the fashion industry and we wanted to be present for this important event. so we called kat's cell. no answer. we didn't expect her to answer, the woman was busy attending to her event! we didn't even want to call her! so they said we should go in and find her. once in, we couldn't even sneak in and just sit because we didn't have a seat number and the usher wouldn't part the velvet ropes for us. how strict! now we REALLY felt like a gatecrasher. we'll get in no matter what!! so out we go again to the reception and said we couldn't find her. siguro na-awa na sila sa amin kasi binigyan na kami ng number. third row. when the show started, we wanted to move to empty front-row seats, but we didn't want someone to approach us and say, excuse me, that's not your seat. now THAT would have been more embarrassing... these were the best shots we could get from where we were, but we want to post two short videos of this brilliant fashion-show concept, which they used several times throughout the show:

3 new brands

what do you do when there are two important events happening at the same time and you confirmed your attendance for both? that's what happened tonight. ben chan was launching three new brands at whitespace and lulu tan gan was holding a solo fashion show at NBC tent. and both are VVVIPs in our life! so what do you do? you schlep.

first, ben's launch. he brought in three new brands from thailand, namely lyn shoes, CC-OO (pronounced see-see double oh), and CPS chaps. we had never heard of these brands before, but apparently, they are owned by the jaspal group (adora carries their clothing). casual/funky stuff and fabulous shoes! a sampling below:

CC-OO:

LYN:

CPS chaps: CC-OO is located at SM mall of asia; lyn is located at greenbelt 5; CPS chaps is located at trinoma.

tomorrow, the metrowear experience...

randy O for P&P

the big launch of randy ortiz's capsule collection for plains & prints was one of those events that got postponed due to typhoon ondoy. it was re-scheduled to another date and unfortunately we were no longer free to go. looks like we missed a good show, though. P&P also turned the launch into a buyers night—20% of sales from pre-orders made during the event were donated to a fund for typhoon victims. check out the ruffly blouses, striped tops, and printed dresses:

style savvy

whenever we do online research for work, we encounter lotsa crap. lotsa fun crap, that is. sometimes that's why work takes so long because our brain welcomes fun crap—why write when we can waste the day away with mindless albeit entertaining drivel. like look what we found this morning: something called style savvy, which is similar to looklet, only this one is cartoony and guess what, it scores you on your styling skills! it's an actual game by nintendo! but you can play for free on "the official site of style savvy by nintendo". try it!

here's a review by nytimes.com's the moment.

WOMEN'S FASHION November 2, 2009, 5:34 PM
Geek Chic | Retail Therapy With Style Savvy
By LINDSEY GATHRIGHT AND ALEXANDRIA SYMONDS

What’s more fun, working in fashion or pretending that you do with Style Savvy, a new video game that was released today? Tough call. For the past week, The Moment has been geeking out with a demo copy, and we’re somewhat embarrassed to admit the Nintendo DSi game is more fun than it has any right to be: you play a young, eager, fashion-forward girl trying to take the Horatio Alger route from retail sales assistant to world-famous stylist and entrepreneur.

You begin with an entry-level position at Strata, the “It” store of the game’s anime universe, where you help pick out the best looks for clients like Quinn (who “works long hours” and has $1,600 to blow) and Flora (who “heads up a committee to create more bike lanes” and has a paltry $48 budget). It’s a tall order: you’ve got to pay attention to the customers’ budgets and requests; scour virtual fashion magazines, like the hilariously titled Nuances, for the latest trends; dodge the undermining comments of a passive-aggressive fellow stylist named Renée; and familiarize yourself with the game’s clothing lines — we’re partial to Alvarado, with its $1,600 tied leather jacket, and Capsule, which offers vintage-inspired shirtdresses and ill-advised retro pants. (In a small attempt at fashion cred, the game includes five pieces from Charlotte Ronson’s fall collection.)

If all goes well at Strata, the store’s skinny-suit-wearing owner, Dominic, will ask you to open a boutique of your own. After that, we’re guessing, comes a pop-up shop, a Bravo series and an opportunity to work with Michelle Obama.
Above, from left: Style Savvy looks channeling Phoebe Philo’s sporty separates look, Comme des Garçons’ spandex shorts, and Balenciaga’s bright striped accent pieces.