Time Out, New York

4:20 PM / Posted by Mariel / comments (6)

Concrete jungle where dreams are made...if you have the stamina and chutzpah.

One day in 2008 I lay in bed thinking, "What if I never had to work? What if I didn't have to get up everyday to be somewhere?" It was around fall, I was working as a proofreader and copy editor at J.Crew, and the prospect of another cold, bone-piercing winter had long lost its appeal. And, I was simply...tired. From the time I was 20 until I moved to New York at 27 to pursue my publishing dreams, I never stopped working. I never had that year off college co-eds usually take after graduation to "explore and look around," only because I was lucky to have found the perfect job match off the bat, working at Seventeen Magazine when it launched in Manila in 2000. (I did get to go on yearly US vacations though.)

Yet, it's true that we gravitate toward the things that we want and have a hand at making them happen. By December of that year, I'd lost my job and had to quickly pack up my apartment; stashed meaningful and useful items in storage, donated the rest of my belongings to the Salvation Army, and off I was to Denver to recuperate from the whirlwind that was New York Round One.

Fast forward to 2010: I've made three trips back and forth between Manila and Denver; vacationed in beautiful beaches; had a lovely destination wedding (with a beach-side reception); cooked and baked my heart out; blogged and wrote about food and musings on life, love, and career (and got paid for it at times!); spent quality time with family, flying/boating to far-flung places; took on lucrative freelance projects (to help finance the above), and more.

I couldn't have asked for a better sabbatical.

While I agree that a certain amount of stress can be beneficial (studies show that a little of it actually helps you perform better), too much can be detrimental not only to your health, but also to your productivity and morale.

So, if you're feeling the onset of a burnout, I highly recommend taking some time off. True, you may have to cut back on certain things (I've had to give up living in NY full-time to ease the pressure of rent and other expenses) but, in the bigger scheme of life, it's absolutely worth it.

That said, I'm now back in New York, recharged and ready for Round Two. With my freelance plate full, I no longer dread having to work at a new job requiring me to be somewhere everyday—no matter the weather, whatever the season.

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Beyond Shoes and Bags

4:00 PM / Posted by Mariel / comments (4)

A world beyond shoes and clothes.

At my own internship experience 10 years ago, I looked forward to coming to work everyday. Each opportunity presented a new learning experience, and I was happy to take in as much as I could. The magazine industry in Manila back then was still somewhat in its infancy, and we were all still finding our feet. I reckon it was a great time to have been able to dip my toe in, and then jump (and swim) in the growing magazine pool. Among friends, we still refer to a certain time as the Golden Age of Glossies.

Fast-forward to 2010, it's nice to know that magazines are standing the test of time (in a not-so-glossy economy) and have evolved to breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and excellently edited works compiled by the most talented and hardworking people in the business. And most importantly, they are still very much FUN. True, the demands have grown, the responsibilities are more vast, and the consequences to delinquent behavior are more magnified, but I still see it as one happy and dynamic capsule, exploding with infinite opportunities.

When I see interns Alex, Gaile, and Yen at work, I catch a glimpse of this sense of wonder and eagerness to be part of something bigger than themselves; to explore the world beyond their comfort zones. I notice Alex arrive 30 minutes before everybody else; Gaile, quietly and diligently helping our fashion editor with her pages; and Yen discovering the wonderful—and tedious—world of beauty. So much to take in, so little time.

I ended up staying on board as an intern for four months, eventually becoming an editor for many years. Magazine publishing remains my first love and forever home, wherever I am in the world, and however it is presented (online, over the iPad, in the moon...). And for Alex, Gaile, and Yen, I paraphrase the words of Stanley Tucci's character, Nigel, in The Devil Wears Prada: I only hope for the best—I have to.


Originally published at Cosmo.ph/FlawlessatWork. Image courtesy of Cinecon.com and 20th Century Fox

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Talking about suppliers

6:56 PM / Posted by Mariel / comments (17)

Designer Kate Torralba's trademark handbags with her custom dresses.

Now, I was no bridezilla and friends could attest to that. In fact, I was kind of spacey and floaty about the whole thing. When asked for certain preferences when it came to bridal fashion, flowers, or fabrics, I left a big part of the decision-making process to whomever was the expert. I had my basic 'requirements' ("I slouch so I would like for the straps to cross at the back so they don't fall off, and I also have a paunch.") and palette ("The colors of the Diane Von Furstenberg romper I bought with my first copy editor paycheck."), and practically gave the suppliers free reign to do whatever they did best.

And it was so worth it; I was blown away by the result. You definitely get what you pay for and if you trust people to do their thing, you could really end up with something unbelievably good, beautiful, and lovely. If you're planning your own wedding, this is a good time to pause and ponder priorities. What aspects of the big day are important to you and your partner? For Alvs and myself, we skipped the videographer altogether (I don't really like all those hot, bright lights blocking the ceremony in sight) and alloted our budget on photography, hiring the best wedding photographer we know, Pat Dy.

Good photography: can't be beat.

So again, the best way to talk about my wedding suppliers is through photos and anecdotes. Starting with...

THE DESIGNER

None other than Kate Torralba, who I met way back in Seventeen. Those early days were just fun and promising, and it was nice getting to know certain people during that time. While many people would assume that having been a beauty editor meant instant access to a busload of designers, that is actually only the case if you're a fashion editor. There is a difference. The beauty side of the magazine may be glamorous yet oftentimes, it's more nerdy and science-related than most people think. We get to know clothes by necessity, when we have to pull items from shops and use them for shoots. Occasionally, we contact designers for custom pieces, but this is rare in the world of beauty editorials which feature closeup pictures of models' faces.

Anyway, the point of all the above is, I only know and have worked with a few fashion designers. Less than five, actually. All except three of the custom pieces I own are made by Kate. So it was very easy to decide to go with her for my wedding gown.

Absolutely LOVE my dress!

FLOWERS

Our wedding coordinator, Bong Abela, also happened to be an event stylist and florist. And again, I'm not particular about flowers and I just wanted them to basically follow the color scheme and essentially not be ugly. Plus, we were on a budget. Fortunately, the fabrics from the motif were already very busy and flowery, that we got away with using plenty of foilage and greens. Honestly, I don't even remember what the flower arrangement looked like at the church. And by reception, it was already dark so I didn't even notice. Again, priorities.


HAIR & MAKEUP

The first makeup artist I ever met when I started working almost 10 years ago in Seventeen was Peddy Acebo. At the time, I knew NOTHING about makeup and he basically let me go through his makeup box, showing me a bottle of BeneTint in the process. Over the years, we would go on out-of-town shoots and the staff simply loved booking Peddy because of his great work ethic, and of course, talent for beautifying. I loved how, on the day of the wedding, he exclaimed, "You're the only bride who asked for blue [eyeshadow]!"

Peddy also brought along hairstylist Bong Vicentico, who did a fab job with my purposely-tousled updo. You won't have to worry about hair styling products if you get a supplier who is experienced in the field of magazine editorials and advertising; or even just someone who has done numerous bridal parties to know what works for each hair type, who could also recommend a good shampoo and conditioner for you.


Flawless, thanks to Peddy and Bong!

CHURCH & VENUE

As some of you may already know, we decided three months before the wedding to move it out of town, to the lovely city of Cebu, and have a beach reception. My husband is great with logistics and details, and I believe I'm good with big-picture stuff, so it worked out. Of course we had our share of fighting and arguing (mostly him complaining about how I was so up in the air about the big event), but we did good. And I also got plenty of help with the travel planning and family coordination thanks to my cousin, Jacque, who's more like a sister.

Be Resorts (formerly Microtel Inn & Suites) in Mactan Island, Cebu.


The beautiful Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral


INVITATIONS

I'm still good friends with my only ex-boyfriend, Ruben Flores, (his family owns The Chocolate Kiss Cafe—a good reason to never burn bridges!) whose new girlfriend Trina Valenzuela, makes the best wedding invites, in my very biased opinion. No, seriously, her work is absolutely beautiful, thorough, and unique. From the custom artwork to the paper quality, down to the handling and delivery, everything is just so exquisitely made (she delivers the invites in this neat white box tied with a chocolate brown bow, tagged with the logo). To see is to believe. Drop by http://vprojekt.multiply.com to see more of her excellent work.

If you like good-quality paper and stationery, Trina Valenzuela of
village pro'jekt designs and concepts is your girl.

Okay, I'm sure I'm forgetting other suppliers, but this is enough wedding talk for now. If you would like contact details of all those mentioned above, just leave a comment and I'll answer your questions :)

DVF Romper photo courtesy of Thisnext.com. All other photographs except for the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral (which I took) are by Pat Dy and team.

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I got married!

5:43 AM / Posted by Mariel / comments (8)

Something old and something new: I inherited my grandmother's ring from 1949,
and my mother-in-law's jeweler made a matching band for my husband.

I've put off blogging about the wedding (and blogging, for that matter) for over a month now. After all, how does one encapsulate the most beautiful, spectacular, amazing, and surreal day of her life in a single post? For one, I hardly ever talk about my husband, or my love life, in the present tense. It's tough enough sharing him with the rest of the online world (he's an email marketing manager) along with friends—female and otherwise—lurking in cyberspace. That and having emerged from a lengthy and tedious long-distance relationship, time with Albert Vincent ultimately is precious.

With my new husband.

Anyhow, my husband did quite a thorough job of chronicling the wedding—in three blog posts, to be exact—over at JustAnotherGame.com. I suggest clicking over there first as I don't know how I'll get to completely talk about the big event, maybe I might not even come close. I might just talk about it in increments. There's just so much to remember and write about. Perhaps this sense of overwhelm is what has kept me from blogging all these weeks in the first place. My good friend and Matron of Honor, Frances Amper Sales, by the way, also wrote a couple of entries at her blog, Topaz Horizon: Mariel becomes a wife!; More Photos of Mariel's Wedding; and Behind-the-scenes at Mariel's Wedding.

Also, as a general rule I rarely ever post pictures of family, most especially the kids—so I won't (of the latter). But do note that it was such a lovely family affair that I will forever and ever treasure in my heart. I could never thank my loved ones enough for all their contributions and most importantly, their love, support, and presence. The wedding weekend wouldn't have been as wonderful if it weren't for the people who had gone out of their way to travel out of town to join us. From Tita Joan and Tito Al who threw us a scrumptious and generous Despedida de Soltera in Shangri-la Mactan, to the hoards of friends who marked their calendars and flew out mostly at their own expense to celebrate with us. Truly it was a weekend filled with love and happiness beyond words.

Papa, meeting me halfway down the aisle.

I guess the best way for me to further tell my wedding story is through the fabulous pictures taken by our amazing photographer, Pat Dy, and his team. In later posts, I'll add photos taken by friends and family members gathered from Facebook, along with anecdotes and more details on my wonderful suppliers :)


Entourage (and NBA) moment. Alvs with two of his closest friends. Don't the boys look so good in suits? If you're a guy reading this blog, you might want to check out this Men's Suit Buying Guide and this helpful clothing buying guide. If you'd like to learn about Blazer Basics, click here.


Absolutely precious. This is Lola Feleng, my 86-year-old grandmother whom I love dearly. So close to my heart she always is and forever will be that our wedding anniversary falls on her birthday. That's Papa smiling in the background.


So surreal. Speaking of family, a wedding, I realized, is the perfect time to honor one's parents. It was a beautiful day because Mama and Papa—who are no longer together—both got to walk me down the aisle. It was the first time in almost 10 years that they had seen each other after splitting up.


Lovely ladies. Maid of Honor Rikka Marie Morales and Matron of Honor Frances
Amper Sales. Seen on lefthand side is principal sponsor, former boss,
and dear friend, Ianne Evangelista.

These photographs, again, were taken by Pat Dy (visit PatDyPhotography.com) and team, namely, Francis Perez, Jonathan Baldonado, and Warren Diotay. For more of their lovely shots, below is the slideshow they presented at the wedding reception. Talk about fast! Thanks, guys!


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Off to be wed!

3:59 AM / Posted by Mariel / comments (9)

I haven’t been blogging because I’m actually getting married—soon! I’m in the middle of packing and I’m posting a shout-out now because I’m sure it’s going to be hectic in the coming days/weeks. So until my next post, enjoy reading my earlier entries and of course, feel free to drop by my Yummy.ph blog!

Lovelots,
Mariel

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