Best compliment ever!

I normally don't take note of the outfits I wear on a daily basis but allow me to make an exception. As I was stepping out to a lunch meeting yesterday, Anissa who was home from school said to me

Mom, that's the best thing I've seen you wear so far!

At first, I joked her about what she said and I asked her if she thought all this time that my clothes are baduy (outdated).  Of course she laughed and clarified her statement.  Whether or not she was trying to inch her way out of an awkward situation, I really don't care.  I almost never get compliments from my teenager so this one felt extra special.

So what was I wearing?  I honestly didn't have a difficult time putting it together.

Inner : Linen long top, Zara Woman

Topper : Chiffon printed jacket from Toppicks Couture (Facebook)

Bottom : Black skinny jeans, Forever 21

Shoes : Nude platform stilettos, Aldo

Did I survive in those 4.5" heels?  For a few hours, yes I did!

Thank you, my dearest girl, for that absolutely wonderful compliment!

It made my day!

When bored, buy shoes

At Anissa's cheer dance competition today, I had some time to go around with Neal while we were waiting for the competition's winners to be announced. What else was there for us to do inside a shopping mall? We had never been to SM Southmall together and the last time I was there was in the 90's when it had just opened! I was surprised to find some really good brands there like Promod, FX, Nine West, Charles and Keith. In the area where we stayed most of the time, the ALDO signage kept calling out to me. But I guess it was calling out to Neal too because he was the one who entered the store first, I merely followed suit.

He thought he had found a nice leather messenger bag, but wanted to think about it a little more. Meantime, while he was looking around, I did the same. To cut a long story short, he didn't buy the bag but I scored these

I chose between this nude shade and an olive one. I went for this because I was so close to buying nude YSL Tribute Sandals recently. I decided not to because I didn't know whether I wanted it in a low or high heel. I guess this should satisfy my craving for a pair of nude pumps/sandals. It was also the last pair in my size! Was it really for me?

Don't ask me how I'm gonna walk around in 4 1/2" heels. I still don't know. All I know is I can't wait to take them on a road test. I'm suddenly reminded that I have a lunch meeting tomorrow. That means I won't have to do much walking. Maybe these babies should come with me.

So what do you think ... should I get the YSL Tributes in black?

HAHAHA!!!

Meet my new bestfriends

That's Majolica Majorca's Lash Expander Mascara and MAC's Penultimate Eye Liner

Neal got these for me in HK. At first I thought he'd go nuts trying to look for them. I totally underestimated him haha! After being so loyal all these years to Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara (I'll still buy another one for back up, that's for sure), I decided to try MM's Lash Expander because of the many good reviews I've read about it.

I first tried out the Penultimate Eye Liner upon my friend, Pia's, insistence one time. We were going to a party and I was snooping through her train case and saw it. I tried it and I vowed to get one for myself.

Look at how "alive" my eye looks in this photo

Come to think of it, my lashes look like they're extensions. That's how good this mascara is! And the liner on the upper lid really helped achieve that wide-eyed look I was aiming for.

Although some of the reviews I've read say it dries fast, I would tend to disagree. See those dark spots on my undereye area? That's mascara. I blinked my eye too soon so that's what happened. Just make sure you have eye makeup remover on hand.

What people are saying about MM's Lash Expander Mascara is also true ... it is really very difficult to remove. My trusted Vitamin E cream from The Body Shop can do it though, but it requires more than the usual amount I use. So if I were you, I wouldn't use this everyday. Only when you need your lashes to look extra pretty. But all in all, I'd still recommend this because of it's fabulous effect. It's like wearing false lashes, promise!

Back to the grind!

I've known about this for quite sometime. It's actually another reason that I've been blogging less lately. With one eye open, I'd been on the lookout for my next work project. There were a few prospects here and there, but nothing seemed to fit. I've learned all these years not to settle for anything, especially if the only thing that makes me go for it is the income. It has to be something I'm really interested in and good at. So I stopped looking for a while.

You know how things just fall on your lap especially when you're not looking?

Well, this thing did.

Today, I had a really busy morning which began at around 7:15. By noon, I had accomplished so much work my upper back started to hurt. Nope, not complaining, just saying.

I couldn't talk about this new venture even when work officially started around 2 weeks ago. We had a timeline and I had to adhere to it. But anyway, it's totally safe to talk about it now. In fact, I will have a tendency to sound like I'm bragging about it so please bear with me.

Meet the latest addition to my list of consulting projects

Of all the projects I've worked on, I'm most excited about this. Primarily because Pia M. is a good friend and I truly believe we are passionate about the same things. Secondly, I'm part of a start-up effort and we all intend to make this work. The challenge is looking me straight in the eye but the excitement remains.

For more info on the foundation, you may visit the following sites:

www.francismagalonafoundation.com

(sign up to support here, too)
www.theonecore.com

More news later!

New hair, more layers

When it comes to my hair, I've always been slightly on the obsessive-compulsive side. I started having my hair rebonded probably 2 years ago and I've done it thrice since. The last time was in July this year. Eversince then, I've wanted more layers done, to give my hair a bit more personality. But my stylist always tells me that cutting or styling the hair the same day it's rebonded or even soon after, can have an adverse effect. If I want the rebonding to take full effect, I need to be patient. And so I waited. It's been 3 months since that day and I finally got my wish last Saturday. I had to go back to get my roots retouched (I hate grey hair!) so I thought of getting that much-needed haircut at the same time.

My hair is slightly shorter but it's definitely got more shape than before

It's a lot easier to fix now because it's thinner, less bulky.

Neal also got me a new hair dryer from HK!

Will share that and other HK loot-related details soon.

Sick Sick Sick

Yes, I've been sick since Saturday night. I felt the onset of a bad cold that afternoon, en route to Araneta Coliseum where my teenager was to watch the 2011 UAAP Cheerdance Competition with her Pep Squad Mates. I guess the fact that there were throngs of people in the area made it worse. That same evening, even if I was feeling a bit off, I still had to go out to fulfill a previous commitment. So by the time I got home just before midnight, my body was desperate for rest. But I couldn't fall asleep right away, because Neal's flight from HK was arriving at 11:55 pm and I wanted to be awake when he got home.

Sunday was worse. I woke up SO LATE, like close to lunchtime. And I went back to bed at around 2pm and spent the entire afternoon there, asleep. I forced myself to get up so we could all visit Dad and be together for our usual Sunday dinner. Again, by the time I got home, I was just so out of it, I had to call for home service massage even if it was late.

So today, I was a total zombie. After abusing my body the past two days, I decided to stay put and hopefully be on the road to recovery. I think the worst is over. But just to stay on the safe side, I don't plan on going anywhere just yet.

My best friends other than Bioflu?

Homemade Chicken Macaroni Soup with vegetables

And huge glasses of Pineapple Juice

(the one in the photo was my 3rd tall glass today)

I'm hoping I'll feel slightly better when I wake up tomorrow.

I still have to share all the good stuff Neal brought home from Hong Kong.

Take care, everyone! Load up on your vitamins because 'tis the season for the flu!

Shopping in HK (while in Manila)

Yup, it IS possible. How? When the hubby decides to go on a 6-day business trip to China and turns the last 3 days to an "all boys" Hong Kong jaunt. I'm seriously not peeved that this is happening as I type. In fact, I've always been in touch with my own high school friends. So I'm fine with it. But I guess he was ready for the trade-off : a long list of things to buy.

I'm not sure which ones he'll manage to successfully bring home but I'm excited nevertheless. Wanna see what's on that list?

From Cotton On

3/4 Ryan Pants

Ronnie Rib Waist Cargo

Manhattan Ballet Flats

(i've always had a thing for gold ballerinas)

From H and M

Denim Shorts

3-pack faux leather bracelets

Leather Satchel

Belted Trousers (in black too, if they have my size)

From Zara

Love at first sight!

Cut Out Top

Gold Braided Thong Sandals

PLUS PLUS PLUS

A few things for my traincase from Majolica Majorca, which can be found in Watson's and Sasa

Lash Expander Mascara

Puff de Cheek Blushes

Perfect Automatic Liner
So many great reviews about this product, I'm so excited to try it out!

And my staples, of course

MAC Studiofix Foundation in NC40
MAC Blot Powder in Medium
MAC Lipliner in Spice

Needless to say, the girls also have their own lists of wants. Poor Dad!
See you in a couple of days!

I can do this!

I'm on the 2nd day of my "no rice" diet. Yesterday for lunch, I only had steamed shrimp and sauteed veggies on oyster sauce. For dinner, I didn't cook because Monday dinners are held at my SIL's house. In fairness to her, she has no clue that I've decided to try giving up rice. When I got there and saw what she had cooked, I had to brace myself for a serious challenge. There was Kare Kare and Steamed Fish. You would think I opted for the fish, right? So much easier to eat alone compared to Kare Kare. By the way, for the benefit of those who are clueless, here's what Kare Kare is :

Kare-kare is a Philippine stew. It is made from peanut sauce with a variety of vegetables, stewed oxtail, beef, and occasionally offal or tripe. Meat variants may include goat meat or (rarely) chicken. It is often eaten with bagoong (shrimp paste), sometimes spiced with chili, and sprinkled with calamansi juice. Traditionally, any Filipino fiesta (particularly in Pampanga region) is not complete without kare-kare. In some Filipino-American versions of the dish, oxtail is exclusively used as the meat.

So yes, it's almost unthinkable to eat this dish without rice because of everything that's in it! But guess what? I did it successfully. Although I think I had just a little bit more than my usual serving. It didn't make me feel depressed though, so I knew I'd be up for this challenge.

Today, I cooked lunch again and, of course, I had to consider the others in the household who are not skipping rice or carbs. Besides, I really want to test my will power so I cooked Chicken Curry. Again, all that delicious sauce minus rice!

Seriously, I'm alright. I was never a big fan of rice and I'd only consume one whole cup when I'm starving. Otherwise, it's always just half a cup or 3/4.

The question is ... can I keep it up?

My online buddy, Phoebe sent me this for inspiration

Yes, I can!!!

Not feeling the holiday spirit yet

Been seeing shoutouts on Facebook about people starting to Christmas shop. I've always wanted to do holiday shopping earlier than the rest of the world. Have I ever gotten around to doing it? Nope. Not even when I'm without work and have all the free time to do it. I'm not so sure why. Maybe I'm a masochist. I'm a sucker for that feeling you get when you shop and you're surrounded by holiday decoration, people waiting forever at the check-out counter/cashier, long lines at the gift wrapping area. Some people I know would hate to go through all the hassle. For some strange reason, I get a kick out of being right in the middle of all the chaos. Okay, except for the monstrous traffic jams during this happy time of the year, because the streets can get really, really horribly congested. Other than that, I don't mind so much and in fact, I've crammed and shopped on Christmas Eve for the past 2-3 consecutive years. Call me crazy, because maybe I am.

We're almost halfway into September and the most I've done is look at my Christmas list. Take note, I haven't touched it. I've spent a number of hours looking for gift ideas online but haven't actually purchased anything yet.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a scrooge at all. I just don't feel the need to start this early.

To each his own, right? :)

Are you an early bird or a crammer like I am?

Current mood : grateful

Make that extremely grateful.  I recently wrote about what happened to my Dad and since then I've been running around like a headless chicken.  He was finally given the go signal to undergo knee surgery and the operation took place yesterday at 730am.  So after things were settled at home, we trooped to St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City to see how he was doing.  Our arrival was timely.  He had just woken up after being in the recovery room for more than two hours.  Although still slightly groggy from the spinal anesthesia, his face lit up as soon as my toddler walked through the door.  

I don't like hospitals.  Even simple and brief visits to the pediatrician make me feel uncomfortable.  This hospital smelled extra weird, so I had to walk around a bit to forget that I was starting to feel nauseous.  I noticed that there weren't too many options as far as dining was concerned.  There was only one indoor restaurant and the rest were outside, close to the main road and with very small spaces.  

We had no choice but to have dinner at Sweet Tomato Grill, the indoor restaurant.  I really wasn't too excited about the food, even after I saw all the food shots in the menu.  But I had judged them prematurely.  The food was good and the servings were quite generous.

Chicken Teriyaki w/ sauteed vegetables

Sirloin Tapa w/ egg and fried rice

Sauteed Fish Fillet w/ black bean sauce

Each of these dishes is good for sharing.  They'll tell you that it's a single order but trust me, if you're not a voracious eater, you can split this with a friend.  I tried all of them and I was quite impressed.

What was the best part of my meal though?  It was this.

My all-time favorite Filipino drink ... Sago Gulaman (tapioca pearls and agar jelly) with lots of shaved or crushed ice.  It won't quench your thirst the way water does, but it's so refreshing!  Even if the weather was gloomy, I didn't think twice about ordering it.  Really though, it's a popular summertime drink in the Philippines.  Do I care? Lol.

Thank God for that enjoyable dinner.  I totally forgot I was inside a hospital.  

P.S.  The Sago Gulaman was really exceptional, I had to have it again today. 

On the lookout for my next leather cuff

I don't really know why but I've been fascinated by them for a few months now.

My latest acquisition is this red one but only a few days after I got it, I'm now on the hunt again.

Some interesting-looking ones that I've bookmarked/put on my watchlist

Genuine Italian Leather Pyramid Stud Cuff

$65 on NexTag

Leather Wrap Bracelet w/ stones and grommets

$12.99 at Target

Wide Leather Bracelet w/ gold grommets

$16.99 at Target

Still looking at others but these are the ones I have my eye on for now.

Please let me know if you come across any. Thank you!

No sleep

This is what happens when you're so tired and sleepy and you don't fight it.

I was knocked out by 8pm last night, something which rarely happens considering that I spend many sleepless nights up by myself and watching my downloaded TV shows.  I guess the exhaustion and the stress of running a household while worrying about my Dad's medical condition have finally caught up with me.  Asleep by 8pm but wide awake at 1pm?  I honestly thought I would easily fall asleep an hour later, after spending time on Facebook and Twitter.  Sadly though, that didn't happen.

It's 6:11am and I'm still up, no sleep, not sleepy.

Dad's getting his knee operated on in about an hour and a half. I promised Mom I'd be in the hospital before lunch.  Maybe I can crash on Dad's bed there while waiting for him to come back. 

THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY

Have a productive last working day of the week and a fun weekend ahead everyone!