[Ny Minute Now]

Mini lemon pies from Go For A Bite.

Have you been to AllMySugar.com lately? Check out Go For A Bite—it's about this quaint little shop in Greenwich Village that sells delicious cream puffs (that are indeed, creamy AND airy!), and Orange Chocolate, my latest sweet indulgence from Target.

I haven't forgotten about this blog though. I've just been...busy, for lack of a better word. Over Thanksgiving break, I went home to Denver for a little R&R...where I actually got to make cream puffs from a recent issue of Martha Stewart Everyday Food. More on that in another post.

On the work and writing front, my plate is quite full these days, even if you exclude the mounting blog backlog (sometimes I wish I had one of those tiny, tiny Sony Vaio netbooks, so I can blog whenever, wherever. I do have an Acer that's pretty much portable so I essentially have no excuse). As for the search for a new writing day job, I've been applying here and there so for sure I will keep you all posted when I have exciting news to share.

Labels: career, dessert, holiday, New York, New York minutes, travel, work

I was just reading actress Helen Mirren's Proust questionnaire over at VanityFair.com and thought I'd add a little bit more fun here and answer one myself. I have a feeling I've already done this in some form sometime ago. And, now that I'm writing this last sentence as I've typed up and edited my answers, I noticed that many of them resemble Helen's! (You can even answer the interactive questionnaire on the VF website and your answers are then compared to famous people. I haven't tried it, feel free to leave a comment about it.)

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A weekend nap with my husband on high-thread-count sheets and a fluffy comforter on a heavenly mattress that can support both our aching backs; our 90-pound dog also snoozing on the floor at the edge of the bed where the comforter dangles.

Which living person do you most admire?
My grandmother who's 86. She raised eight children (and lost a ninth); baked native bread to sell during the war in a makeshift oven that she made; took care of many of her children's children as the young parents were setting up shop; sang at the church choir. My Lola is the original SUPERWOMAN.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Procrastination.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Deceit in any form no matter how "small."

What is your greatest extravagance?
Food.

What is your favorite journey?
Any "journey" involving hopping on a car (or plane) and then being on a boat headed somewhere sunny and sandy.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Punctuality in the morning. Although I agree that many successful people are early risers (e.g. Martha Stewart). Hence, I've hopped on the early morning bandwagon.

On what occasion do you lie?
On forms that require you to list some form of numerical (or informational) valuation of the financial (or career) kind.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
Once a month, I feel ridiculously bloated all over. That's when I seem to 'dislike' everything. All other times, I'm fine and happy with how I look.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Oh my gosh.

What is your greatest regret?
Every time something happens wherein I feel a deep sense of regret and convince myself that I would remember that day or moment forever, I seem to forget what it was weeks or months after! So, right now, no regrets.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My husband. He's one of a kind. I'm absolutely happy that he never listened to me all those times I wanted to give up because of the whole long distance "challenge."

When and where were you happiest?
You know what, I never thought I would ever say this in my life, but it is what it is: I was happiest at my wedding! There was so much love (and fashion and beach and family…) all around!

What is your current state of mind
Calm after that dreadful (PMS) storm.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd like to be less paranoid and less influenced and affected by the varying temperaments around me.

What is your favorite occupation?
The sum of all that follows: writing, reading, being in the kitchen, sleeping.

What is the quality you most like in a person?
Honesty.

What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.

Who are your favorite writers?
I don't have a single favorite. There are so many brilliant writers out there!

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
British aristocracy—still married to the British aristocratic version of my husband who has the Royal Ascot version of our fat and lovable dog as a pet :)


Illustrations by Risko. Photo courtesy of http://coolstuffaround.net.

Labels: 30-Day Blog Challenge, celebrities, family, food, life musings, magazines, New York minutes, travel

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.

Labels: career, college, family, magazines, milestones, New York, New York minutes, travel, work

At the Hong Kong airport last week, the first thing that came to mind was "I want to buy a [Canon] G11 camera." But, with a pending green card renewal that would set me back at least $800, plus, new expenses relating to my next NY move, a new gadget is definitely out of the question.

For those who know me, I'm not big on big-ticket items and fancy electronics. While my purchases seem to be done out of impulse—as in the case of my Nokia phone and Acer netbook—the splurges usually 'pay' for themselves in the form of the number of years I use them (very much like that famous fashion equation when justifying a purchase). I still have the same phone mentioned above bought back in 2007, and the only reason I bought a netbook was because a new battery for my seven-year-old iBook cost half of the price of my new computer. And, I needed something more portable for the new 'mobile' lifestyle I'd aimed for at the start of my freelance career.

Going back to the subject of cameras, I still have my trusty, sturdy, Sony Cybershot, now five years old! It fits the palm of my hand and still takes beautiful pictures (like the one above and most on this blog). It only occurred to me to upgrade when I saw how the newly-launched cameras featured ridiculously amazing and precise Auto settings, as seen in the G11, or my friends Frances and Vince's Olympus E-PL1. Oh well, for now, a new camera will have to wait.

Anyway, here are some thoughts on my recent layover in HK:

1) It's huge!

Other big airports are the way they are because they accommodate larger locales, but for a small country, this one had plenty of space. I flew out on a Monday and it felt like a VIP, as if the terminals were cleared for me to walk in peace! Anna Wintour alone on the elevator immediately came to mind.

2) So many stylish women!

I noticed a handful young ladies in heels, while the older women were in custom pantsuits and spring jackets in lovely prints. I spotted one in a black knit (or lace?) bolero paired with pearls. Good thing I've made it a personal policy to be dressed at the airport, ever since I started flying regularly almost a decade ago. (For the first two years, I always wore comfy sweatpants and trainers on long-haul flights. One time, I decided to experiment by wearing a tailored jacket and pointy kitten-heels—and I noticed everyone became nicer!)

3) It has a cute food court.

By 'cute' I mean it has substantial offerings in the form of hefty bowls of noodle soup, freshly-baked cookies and muffins, and the sort of things I like to eat and tote along when traveling. Anyhow, for more on food, visit my other blog, AllMySugar.com, where I've just written about finally making buttercream frosting. I'm in a baking frenzy! But more on that on my next blog post.

Labels: fashion, gadgets, New York, travel

When Food Network Magazine launched in the fall of 2008, I felt a pinch in my heart: It had just been a few months since my work at Hearst Magazines ended and I never saw them coming—the new magazine and the loss of a job. In a short time I would start a proofreading and copy editing job at J.Crew, but I still smarted from losing access to the most beautiful cafeteria in Manhattan. I actually missed the Hearst Café more than my old job.

To share a short backstory though, in the spring of the same year, I'd applied to be an editorial assistant to the managing editor at Quick & Simple. I know by then it had been eight years since I last worked as an EA, but I was raring to move on from my marketing assistant post in the international department—I was an editorial girl at heart. (I loved working with Harper's BAZAAR, though.)

I didn't get the Quick & Simple job which turned out to be a blessing because in just a few months after I'd interviewed with my prospective boss, the magazine folded!

So back to Food Network Magazine, from what I know of, some Q&S staffers moved on to work for the new title. What pained me the most at the time was how much I loved, lived, and breathed Food Network, the TV station. For as long as I could remember, I only watched a single channel whenever I'd turned on the television. When I was still based in Manila, I would spend yearly month-long vacations in Denver and would practically just watch the shows on the network whenever I was at my mother's house. Sure, every now and then I would catch some favorite shows on USA Network and E!, but Food Network was my TV home.

When I moved to New York, I recorded shows on my roommates' DVR. So needless to say, I'm very much a Food Network fan and when the magazine opened, I felt a sense of yearning, and a little envy, for not being...there.

My editorial background is in lifestyle and beauty journalism. But food has definitely always been in the picture (my first blog was the Chocolate Soundboard, which I closed after five years when I moved to this address). My earliest assignments in Seventeen Magazine were food-related, with my first being an article on giving dorm food a makeover. Whenever we would go on location, I usually got assigned travel pieces in relation to where we were and photographs of food were almost always the centerpieces of my stories. I could go on and on about my relationship with food, and how now, as a freelancer, I've taken to writing and blogging more and more about it, and unintentionally opening AllMySugar.com as a venue for all these food-related posts. (My original plan was to move all my blogging activities there and close NyMinuteNow.com. But like life, one never really leaves New York.)

Anyhow, the point of all of this is, last weekend, I finally picked up a copy of Food Network Magazine. It's a lovely read filled with vibrant photographs of food and straightforward lifestyle features. I feel a sense of belonging which is both premature and relevant. What job would perfectly marry my love of food and love of magazines?

Once I wrap up my two-month project with Cosmopolitan Magazine Philippines and Pond's, I am commencing a full-blown job-hunt for the first time in almost two years since going freelance. So, I hope editor-in-chief Maile Carpenter and managing editor Maria Baugh have Google Alerts on their names because girls, if you're reading this, I'll be bugging you for work when I get back to NYC this summer!

Labels: career, food, freelancing, life musings, magazines, New York, New York minutes, travel, work

Hi, friends!

I've spent the last seven days in and out of airports and de-jetlagging out of town—that's why I've been M.I.A. over here at NyMinuteNow.com. I just wanted to give everybody a heads up that I'm still blogging, and that I'm just warming up for the next round of entries. (And my sleeping patterns are still somewhat strange despite the R&R!) So stay tuned and thank you as always for dropping by here!

Officially beached and sunkissed,
Mariel

Labels: always summer, love Manila, travel

When I decided to finally move abroad, I had to tackle eight years’ worth of belongings back at my old apartment. This included trinkets and mementos from high school, stacked notebooks from college, and paper calendars, photos, and cards collected over time. Not included here are shoes, clothes, handbags, and accessories amassed from working all those years as a magazine editor.

It also didn’t help that I was a classic hoarder and easily found sentimental value in anything and everything.

A few months before I’d planned to leave, I was walking out of Mall of Asia from a lunch event and passed through National Bookstore to get to the exit. And then this book called out to me: It’s All Too Much by Peter Walsh [FREE PRESS/Simon & Schuster]. In bright tangerine, its cover wasn’t hard to miss. Immediately I picked it up and impulse-bought into “An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff.”

And boy-oh-boy was this book life-changing! (It’s also one of my favorite books to date.) Not only did it help make sense out of letting go of things I’ve collected, it also de-mystified my age-long struggle with hoarding. Walsh, a professional organizer and host of TLC’s Clean Sweep, shares a systematic approach to getting rid of emotional and physical clutter so that one can create a happier, more stress-free home and life.

“Clutter stops us from living in the present,” says Walsh. “The future is important. But you have to consider the quality of your life today and strike a balance between the life you are living today and the multitude of possible paths your life may take in the future.”

This means, say, you find a little black dress you love but doesn’t fit, don’t buy just because you may (or may not) lose weight in the future. Same goes for those jeans you’ve had in first year college that you’re still hoping to fit into “someday.”

“The clutter somehow becomes a life raft for all the ‘just in cases’ we can imagine,” explains Walsh.

Other than the I-might-need-it-one-day excuse, the book lists other excuses we make for keeping things we don’t need around in our homes, work desks, and anywhere there is space. Walsh also walks the reader through each room, sharing tips and strategies for establishing zones, determining function, and dealing with sentimental objects you do want to keep: giving them places of honor in your home and not somewhere gathering dust.

For example, if you’ve inherited heirloom pieces from a loved one, don’t keep them stashed, forgotten in boxes. Instead, start using them already or put them up in display shelves. “You can’t own everything so you have to pick and choose,” says Walsh. “The value you say an item holds for you must be reflected in the place you give that item in your life, otherwise your words have no meaning and the object is little more than clutter.”

As for unused ‘special’ plates and kubyertos sitting pretty in dining room cabinets, here’s what Walsh has to say on the subject (you might want to clue Mom in on this):

“If you have formal china, do you guard it as if it were a national treasure? China can be expensive and beautiful, but what’s the point of owning it if you never use it? This is not to say that you should serve your three-year-old hot dogs on a Royal Copenhagen platter, but please try to use and enjoy it.”

One of the memorable sections in the book is the quiz, “How Clutter Free Are You?” When I first took it more than two years ago, I turned out to be a “Hard-core Hoarder.” Yikes.

While writing this blog post I went through the questions again. And I’m happy to say that I’m now in between “Clutter Victim” and “Clutter Free”—a huge leap from the hoarder that I was years ago.

True, even if I still hold on to precious trinkets, gadgets, and mementos here and there, and haven’t followed Walsh’s advice to the letter, plenty of the things I’d picked up from his book have afforded me a more mobile lifestyle mostly free of useless clutter to lug around.

(And just so all of you know, I’m never ever going to get rid of my seven-year-old iBook in the event that it finally conks out for real in the future. I reckon, it would still make for a lovely, shiny white paper weight.)

Part of this month's Cosmo Series, 11th of 16 posts also published at Cosmo.ph.

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Labels: books, Cosmopolitan, gadgets, life musings, love Manila, pro-blogging, stuff I buy, travel

The last couple of days have been so busy that I didn't even realize I haven't blogged in 10 days! Yikes! Sorry to keep you all hanging. Now back to regular Inspiration programming :)

I was in New York this week, and have had quite a productive time out there. The trip included a list of tasks and errands to accomplish, and I must say I'm happy with the results.

The first thing that came to mind when I got to Grand Central was…I didn't miss it. Not just yet. Strange, huh? Then I went to Serafina—an old favorite hangout, for the fruity olive oil, blocks of parmesan, crusty-chewy bread, and thin-crust gorgonzola/pesto pizza—and saw two friends. I managed to squeeze in an errand in Harlem, a place I likened to Cubao, for the street vendors, clustered shops, and overall feeling of alertness I've had to harness at a young age while learning to commute around Manila.

More than the errands and brimming to-do list, I discovered certain things about myself and the kind of lifestyle I'm drawn towards:

1. I was happy to go around town on my own, and I still enjoyed the pace people walked and the accessibility of each block.

2. I didn't find the need to fraternize with a large group, instead choosing simple one-on-one catch-up sessions with just a few friends.

3. I enjoyed the familiarity, but knew in my heart it wasn't time to go back. Again, not just yet.

Re: #2, at sporadic points during my trip, I felt a little bit sad after realizing that it's taken me some time to heal from the trauma of some failed friendships I had made over a year ago. If you read this blog regularly, I think you'd be able to piece together bits and parts of the story: from the breast cysts I got from the stress, down to the disbelief of being talked about for the first time in years, since high school.

I caught myself talking about this carelessly, when in fact, it should have already long been a closed book. Upon realizing this, I'd resolved to completely move on and refrain from even broaching the subject.

At mass earlier, it was as if God, through the Gospel reading, was telling me to do the exact same thing:

"Nothing that enters one from the outside can defile that person; but the things that come from within are what defile."

I likened this to the saying, "You can't change certain things or certain people; but you can change your reaction towards the circumstances."

It's true: Whatever hurt I'd experienced in the past, whatever the betrayal, the dishonesty, the misunderstandings…those were all external. And the only thing that can truly heal me, other than prayer, is my reaction and desire to move forward. So that's exactly what I'll will myself to do from this point on. Even if it means limiting the social scope of my future life in the city. So this time, I am truly going for quality. And besides, I'm not one to play the victim, it's so not my theme in life.

During the homily, as if echoing my decision to be more scrutinizing of the friendships I make and keep, the priest talked about the difference between being judgmental and protecting one's self. "If you have to avoid 'Fred' not because you are condemning him but protecting your own salvation, that's not being judgmental," he said. "But if you're focusing on Fred's faults, then the other saying from Christ Himself applies to you: 'Why do you look at the splinter on your friend's eyes, but not the beam in yours?'"

So this time, and like I've always had anyway but have at times succumbed to indulgent gossiping, I'm now all for 'peace that passes understanding.'

DAY 6 of the Inspiration Series
DAY 5 - "Take the plunge."
DAY 4 - "I have all I need."
DAY 3 - "Just wait for it."
DAY 2 - "You're a kind soul."
DAY 1 - "It smells like God."

Labels: faith, inspiration, life musings, New York minutes, travel

Today I made a call to the Digital Film Academy in New York City to inquire about their 14-week Digital Film Making course which gives students a chance to learn to write, produce, direct, edit, and publish their own films. This skill set, I believe, is great to have in this economic clime, where print media is struggling to meet advertising quotas and at the same time churn out quality content even with skeletal staffs on board. (I DO still love paper, magazines, books, and newspapers by the way!)

I spoke to the president, Patrick DiRenna, who had a very subtle New York accent and whose demeanor on the phone was surprisingly very helpful. In my head I felt that I had to speed it up and ask the appropriate questions so as not to waste his time—but I also could tell that he welcomed my inquiry.

After getting all the information I needed, I politely said goodbye, thank you, and take care, to which he warmly replied, "You're a kind soul, I could tell by your voice."

I was stunned yet, at the same time, felt a surge of happiness. Comments like that are heartwarming, especially for someone who's been rejected the world over in a span of less than two years in Manhattan. These career blows are mainly why, this year, I've taken to living and traveling anywhere and everywhere else but NYC. (Part of my income still comes from there though, from off-site editing work. And my belongings are in a storage facility in Queens.)

But recent developments, along with this detoxing, stress-relieving sabbatical, have truly recharged my batteries and put things back in perspective: I feel that next year would be better and I would be able to take another bite of the Big Apple. I, once again, have a grasp of the little bits and pieces that will propel me towards my next undertaking. I just have to listen, seek, and very importantly: follow through.

DAY 2 of the Inspiration Series
DAY 1 "It smells like God."

Image courtesy of Paulo Barcellos at Flickr.com

Labels: faith, inspiration, magazines, New York minutes, travel, work

As I write this, I am sipping cold strawberry milk from a champagne flute...simply because it keeps the liquid cold and it looks nice—the perfect accompaniment for chewy chocolate chip bars.

I just got home from watching Julie & Julia and Oh. My. Gosh. It felt exactly like when I first watched The Devil Wears Prada, also starring Meryl Streep. I kept tearing up at several scenes (no, they're not sad) because they struck way too many chords in my heart. Most reverberating were Julie Powell's (played by Amy Adams) lines, character, and situation. There were several parallels to what I'm going through. Off the top of my head:

1) Julie was 29 going 30. Age isn't really an issue for me, because I hardly feel like my age. I have a childlike disposition, to put it mildly. But like her, I am in a dilemma of What's next? in my life. It's like I'm in limbo yet at the same time, feel like I'm on the brink of something big, and that I just have to piece the puzzle together.

2) Julie finished a novel. But hers had no publisher. I have a publisher, but my manuscript needs a major rewrite/overhaul. It's taken me years to finish, and I'm hoping I don't take as long polishing it. Right now, two writer/editor friends are reading and critiquing it. Meanwhile, I'm learning more and more about plot, conflict, and resolution. Also, Julia Child worked on hers for eight years before finally getting published.

3) Julie lived in Long Island City, Queens. My last apartment was in Queens! I lived on the border of LIC and Sunnyside and like her, took the 7 train everyday.

...And so many more! Her love for food, her doting partner (who loved her and her food). I can go on and on about it. I'm definitely buying the DVD once it comes out. If only to take down notes on the quotes that freakily struck those chords. Maybe down the line, I could also tackle some of Julia Child's recipes from her famous book, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" (Knopf).

When I first watched Prada, I had just gotten back from a fantabulous series of press junkets that included New York, Amsterdam, and Rome on the itinerary. My career was where I'd imagined it to be, and I was finally ready to move to a foreign place, hoping to take everything to the next level. Well some of you know how that turned out to be. (For a backgrounder, read this magazine clip or this post. And the muffins and brownies that followed here.) I moved to New York about eight months after I'd seen the movie. In fact, I even ended up working for a milder Miranda and Nigel combo. It was as if my life mirrored the movie. And instead of a bitchy British colleague, Emily, I got a friendly French cohort named Caroline. But you know how that movie ends :)


So now I'm feeling slightly disturbed and fidgety. I keep thinking that I should be doing more and getting the ball rolling with the goals I've set for myself. Some are really far out, but like I've mentioned before, I've been taught to break down big goals into smaller, doable pieces. Will it be a ritzy hotel front desk job? Will I be working for a PR person formerly based in New York? Or will my next 30-Day Blog Challenge be to the tune of "My 30 days of frying chicken at KFC?" Only time will tell. And I have this blog to chronicle what happens this point forward.

Now, if there's a celebrity chef I love to watch, it's Ina Garten. Not just because she lovingly churns out delicious concoctions from her homebase in the Hamptons, but also because she entertains with flair and practically does everything from scratch. Yum! This photo was taken at my old office in Manhattan, where she was guest chef for a week in my favorite cafeteria in the whole wide world.

Images courtesy of http://www.chron.com (Meryl Streep as Julia Child) and http://www.thecinemasource.com ( The Devil Wears Prada movie still).

Labels: celebrities, food, life musings, movies, New York minutes, something French, travel, work

I'm so excited about our family's upcoming trip to Washington DC. I told myself earlier this year I would try to channel all the traveling I did a while back, and so far the ball is rolling. (I still crave a European trip though and I'm not sure when I'll get to go.)

Last night I was compiling some accessories to bring to DC and stumbled upon this combination of silver/metallic jewelry.


Looking at my wrist, I loved the playful mix of trinkets, because each represented a story, a person, or a moment.

The bracelets are actually two necklaces combined. I'm not even sure if they're made of silver or stainless steel, or even something cheaper. I got them back when hair and makeup artist, Benjie Angeles, used to drop by the Summit offices years ago hawking an assortment of accessories, all at least one of the following: chunky, bohemian, intricate, or in this case, 'blingy.'

When traveling, I like to bring multi-purpose pieces, mostly beaded necklaces that I can twirl around my wrist, or cocktail rings that stylishly cap off my no-frills, wrinkle-proof portable outfits.

I'm particularly drawn to men's watches, so I rarely wear (or own) anything smaller, like the one I have on in this photo—a sleek and dainty Timex watch given to me by my dad's wife, Leena. She and my dad have been together for eight years now, and she has been nothing but sweet, delightful, and kind. She got my dad into loving dogs, and then cats, so their house is now filled with furry friends: four Chows and about seven Ragdolls and Bengals, if you don't count the kittens that arrive every now and then. My dad's favorite cat is Maurin, a name he'd coined by combining the cat's father's name, "Mau" and "rin" (Filipino for "too"). "Mau-rin," get it? (This post tells you more about my dad and his humor.)

And of course, there's my engagement ring, from the guy who used to leave M&Ms and other sweet treats at my desk; who also always packed a big "chocolate stash" in my suitcase every time I traveled out of the country.

As I no longer have many of the valuable things from my childhood and now mostly own colorful costume pieces, it's so refreshing and wonderful to know that I have something truly precious to take along with me, wherever life leads me.

Labels: childhood, chocolate, family, fashion, travel, work

Up until recently I had no idea that brides-to-be were to have and to hold the following on their wedding day:

Something old, something new Something borrowed, something blue And a silver sixpence in her shoe.

(See somethingoldsomethingnew.co.uk)

Thanks to my good friend, Frances of Topaz Horizon, I'm now privy to this info. By the way, she, her husband, Vince, and her classical musician brother, Theodore, are gifting us with the quartet services on the wedding! So thankful!

The other day, my mom and I got talking about her old jewelry; the pieces I saw her wear growing up. There aren't very many, a lot of them are dainty pieces made out of 24-karat gold. Some were gifts from Lola Pacing, my late grandmother on my father's side. I remember her giving me a soft, pliable gold ring that I wore at maybe seven years old. When my mother left for the States, I had with me a few pieces that I think are now with my Auntie Tata (my dad's youngest sister). Maybe you can tell, I'm not very good at keeping jewelry. Most of what I own now are costume and chunky beads of all shapes and sizes. At the moment, my only mega-precious piece is my engagement ring.

Anyway, in the photo is Mom's old Gucci watch. It comes with different colored bands and a jewel-rimmed one. She claims she'd tried to give me the watch a while back but I don't remember. So we agreed she'd give it to me after the wedding, so it can be my 'Something Borrowed.' And my 'Something Old' will be this delicate gold necklace that apparently I'd owned as a child but completely forgot about. It has two tiny heart pendants that are so apt for the occasion.

The thing about Gucci, is I don't own anything from the brand. I purposefully have chosen not to. Three years ago on a trip to Rome—where I was generally blown away by the architecture and history, among many other things (including having my eyes opened for the first time to the massive luxury retail options) I decided I would only by a Gucci bag once I turn 30, and I'll have to pay for it in cash, no credit card, in celebration of my financial independence. It was going to be particularly momentous; I wanted the whole shebang of flying to Rome again, going to the Gucci store, and watching them wrap the package, tissue paper, and all.

However, I doubt if I will see any part of Europe this year. With the wedding plans, I cannot afford an expensive side trip, all the more the shopping involved. It's okay because Italy is still a viable option for a honeymoon. And for now, I'll have the watch to fulfill the 'Gucci plan' for this year. The bag will just have to wait.

Labels: family, fashion, life musings, stuff I buy, travel

I bought this last night at Target for a steal. I first came across this Swiss Gear 17" rolling carry-on bag in Las Vegas last October; it was just soo cute and compact. At the time, I didn't really need it. My fiancé and I just ended up getting him the bigger version in black. I have my own trusty red rolling suitcase that's been with me EVERYWHERE. I won't go into detail but that bag, along with a giant wheeled duffel, were the perfect travel companions.

Last week, I saw the luggage again and noticed it was on sale. Again, I hesitated, despite my mother's urging to get it. Anyway, I saw her packing last night for an upcoming family trip to Wasington D.C. and thought about the Swiss Gear carry-on once more. She said, "Let's go to Target now and buy it." It was 9 p.m.

Within 30 minutes I was the proud owner of this supercute pewter bag. The picture doesn't do it justice. Oh, I'm not retiring my precious red maleta, I'll just be converting it into my mobile beauty trolley for future makeup gigs.

Image courtesy of Target.com.

Labels: beauty, family, stuff I buy, travel

I woke up today realizing I haven't made pasta in months. A notable observation as friends old and new would attest to the fact that I make this almost every week if not at least once a month. My favorite thing to make is what I like to call "Comfort Spaghetti," which I blogged about here.

So after a light brunch of a banana and the juice of two freshly-squeezed oranges, I decided to re-tread the Italian waters lightly by whipping up a simple angel hair Aglio Olio Pepperoncino—a recipe I learned from the back of the package of parsley and red pepper flakes I bought on a trip to Milan (wherein I also hoarded packs of Perugina Bacci!). It starts with olive oil heated in a pan, red pepper flakes, minced garlic, parsley, and your pasta of choice. It finishes with a little of the pasta water, salt, pepper, and as much cheese as you like. Well, the cheese part is my personal touch, I used parmesan and cheddar. I think the original recipe calls for just the former. I have a sky's-the-limit take on cheese as you can see.

Another dish I never tire of eating but rarely get to make much of is Puttanesca (pictured), which literally means, "Whore's Pasta." Mark Bittman of the New York Times blog, Bitten, writes, "It is said that pasta puttanesca was designed to lure customers with its aroma. Other explanations have more appeal to the minimalist cook: that the prostitutes were too busy to cook much, or that they had no storage for fresh ingredients and cooked entirely from the pantry."

Puttanesca is a tasty toss of olive oil, garlic, capers, anchovies, tomatoes, and olives. You can find an authentic Italian recipe at http://culinariaitalia.wordpress.com. And that's what's next on my (cooking) to-do list. Buon appetito!

Image courtesy of http://www.bbcgoodfood.com.

Labels: fab friends, food, New York minutes, travel

Lately I've made it a point to find a spot outside the house to work on my writing and editing deadlines. I find that when I am indoors, I am more inclined to procrastinate, sleep (or both), or tinker about and nitpick a la Martha Stewart.

Since I'm on deadline and strapped for a more eloquent blog post, I'll let these pictures do the talking. I must say my four-year-old Sony Cybershot is still mighty dandy when it comes to lovely snaps of this wonderful working vacation.

As you can see, I've finally retired (sort of) my almost-seven-year-old iBook (sniff!). It still works, but can no longer be toted around because the batteries (main one and internal) are dead. I'm quite happy with my new Acer Aspire One netbook. The 8.9 screen is a little modest and not the best thing for navigating huge Excel documents, but the 160gb hard drive, three USB ports, card slots, and all that technical garble make it absolutely delightful. And the best part is, it's the size of a clutch and fits perfectly inside my roomy bag.

I recently had lunch with family in Balducci at The Fort, and it was delightful! So scrumptious it was that I went back for dinner there with my dear friend, Frances. Try the salmon and caviar pizza with mascarpone cheese (pictured), tuna carpaccio with lemon, olive oil and capers, and creamy ravioli stuffed with white cheese and spinach. These all have Italian names on the menu but I don't remember any of them.

That's Frances at dinner before the Kérastase Nuit event in Serendra. Check out her lovely outfit! And you should have seen her shoes. Before the event, we went around High Street to look at some heels and sandals at Charles & Keith and Nine West. I must say I've been good lately: I've gone back and forth to several shoe stores (mostly different branches of Charles & Keith) but haven't bought anything so far :) I am eyeing these bejeweled gold sandals and a lovely pair of brown booties—the latter being quite a steal considering there's no winter here.

Speaking of Serendra and Bonifacio High Street, lately I've been a frequent turista of the area. I love how one can walk around and window-shop while soaking up the heat, wind, and humidity—made bearable and enjoyable by regular and frequent bursts of finely-misted water from gigantic fans outside the air-conditioned stores.

Now, if it gets way too hot, this huge rock installation—that doubles as a water fountain—may be an open invitation to shower in public :D

I've also been dealing with a serious craving for Pasta a la Carlo from Figaro. My former boss, Maya, is actually friends with the dish's namesake. I am this close to begging for the recipe. Ordering it three days in a row is not good for the wallet.

I am pretty sure this dish has the following: olive oil, garlic, capers, olives, tomatoes, tuna (or anchovies), parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. But I am also quite certain I've missed a key ingredient—or maybe more. Carlo Tanseco: You don't know me but if you are reading this, I hope you could share the recipe. I promise I won't profit from it, just my kitchen and hungry belly :)

Last but not the least, I've been spa-ing and salon-ing at the rate of a true blue beauty bee. In my line of work, it's sometimes a challenge distinguishing a deadline-related errand, or shameless, honest-to-goodness pampering on my end. So I've been hitting two birds with one stone and erring on the safe (and paranoid) side by cruising anonymously in beauty hotspots, asking questions like a typical nosy client, paying at the counter, and leaving with a polite, chirpy, 'Thank you,' all the while forming some sort of critique in my head. Whether it's a massage, facial, lash extensions, haircut, I've been finding this nondescript road-testing and quiet traipsing-around-town the perfect strategy for enjoying my stay while actually getting some work done.

Labels: always summer, beauty, fab friends, family, fashion, food, love Manila, stuff I buy, travel, work

Labels: chocolate, dessert, food, travel