It's been three years since Cara, Honey, Kris and I walked around the streets of Milan pretending to be hard-core fashion students. All the adventures, misadventures, instant risotto and fashion parties we took part in still feel like they were all from yesterday.
Last night, SOFA (School of Fashion and the Arts, owned by Marangoni alum Amina Aranaz Alunan) hosted a Marangoni party at Members Only, for us alumni and future Marangoni-ists. A/X dressed us "muses" up in their Summer 2009 collection as we all got together to meet, greet and reminisce.
I enjoyed being with the Milano girls!!! We promised to go back for a reunion...In ten years, maybe? Who wants to give me money? :-)
Here's a look back...
Marangoni girls at Just Cavalli Club (with Nicole) THEN... 2006
And NOW--at the Marangoni party at Members Only :-) 2009
xoxo, A.  | Go-See | Apr 1, '09 1:12 AM
for everyone |
 A few months ago, my mom bought me and my brother one Sanso painting each. Today we went to the Galerie Stephanie, where Juvenal Sanso had a day of authenticating his work (he signs the back and writes you a little dedication, and then you get photographed). Darwin came along and helped me bring the paintings down from the car.
  For my next piece of art, i want....Sandro Botticelli :p
Two days ago, i found a life plan i formulated from way back in the year 2000 (Done in John Robert Powers's Personal Growth class). It said that by the year 2009, I'd have P10 million in my bank account and my own shiny sports car.
None of that ever materialized. Either I was too idealistic or I'm just lazy.
Anyway, tonight, Darwin and I went to his good friend Robert Rapadas's house warming. It was special for Robert because he was the one who designed and built his family's new house. Robert is an architect and at 24 (with only two years out of college), he is made. For a short while in 2007 he sort of spearheaded a BIG hospital project at the Fort area (will not mention here), and then moved to another firm because he found it boring. Last year he began building his parents' house. Took a few photos of the home. He did most of the interior design, too, while aunt Ivy Almario (google her) helped with the positioning of their paintings.
The guest bathroom by their "art gallery" of a living room
 Robert's bathroom
You can see the kitchen from the dining room. Only a glass wall separates the two   Front door (too many people were at the party so i couldn't take a clean, humanless shot) 
We featured Robert in METRO's March issue (20 Hot Men of Summer) photo by Jason Penaloza for METRO Magazine
He's super humble All their doors are made of Narra.
Anyway I made Bert promise he'd build my house one day. Imagine how much better he will be in a few years :)
At 1 year and 2 months, Birkin is a full grown Frenchie. Today there was good lighting so decided to take advantage and snap a few photos because I want you all to see how CUTE our little baby is! He is really special since he has a HEART marked on his back (see 2nd photo).
 Went on a lunch and shopping date with Eloise, Cara and Isabel today--first we gossiped over Greek food at Cyma, and then we walked around to get some yogurt at the new store in Shang--the place is called YOSWIRLS, located at the 4/L of Edsa Shang.
Since i totally forgot to take product shots, i'll just make kwento: They have chocolate, vanilla, combination (choco and vanilla), and plain forzen yogurt. Toppings are the usual, except it's so wawa they don't have MOCHI. Even the saleslady didn't know what Mochi was when i asked her. Oh well. The chocolate is good anyway--a bit sweet for "real" froze yogurt though...THey say it's just sweetened, but it still tastes like soft serve.
Cara and I shared a chocolate flavored one with oreo toppings. YUUUMMY.
Here are Eloise, Cara and Isabel by the new yogurt stand. 
 
To all the frozen yogurt fanatics, i'd say this one's worth a visit.
When i got the email from Mia Borromeo last week about the trunk show and tea party for Mix, i knew right away it would be nice to attend. The latest Charina Sarte, Ipanema, Rafe and Kenneth Jay Lane pieces were on display.
   
Isha 
Erica prepared dinner and had us over the other night. On the menu were Shrimp Tika Mesala and chicken something curry (she cooked and it was really a winner!). We had fun oinking...I think the curry got to our brains because at some point the conversation was headed nowhere (clue: each metro staffer now has a SUPER SECRET BUT USELESS SUPERPOWER. Thanks Kat!). And then even later on as our desserts got the best of us, fun dinner became an editorial meeting.
Scarfing down the food.
Erica preparing her special pizza (excellent housewife material woohoo. Thanks for being a gracious host!)  The yummy chicken curry thing
Shrimp Tika Mesala  Erica, Ananda, and a very assaulted Jacs (ananda dolled him up and made him wear that crown of fro the entire evening.And she wants to keep him in a "door cage" under her bed "for ever ever ever ever EVER!").
My editorial team beats yours.
Press junket at the Camaya Coast. Tita Rosary Ysmael and company took us to spend the day at the yet to be finished residential resort in Bataan. It was an afternoon of food (Billy King's Le Chef catered), fun (kayaking, frisbee, beach soccer and volleyball) and friendly skies (the weather was great. a bit gray at first but the sky turned blue later on).
Sky is blue by 2pm! Thought i'd drop by ALMOST FAMOUS (Rumples and Angela's multi-brand, all Filipino store) the other day to grab myself a dress for the B.C. fashion show. Was nice to see Rumps at her store. I can't believe it's a REAL STORE with credit card terminal and receipts and all! Hahahaha.
ALMOST FAMOUS has been up since October last year and I'm pretty sure you all have been here since. You know me, always huli sa balita!
Had dinner with a few friends later that night, and then hopped on to a couple of events. Party season is here again! Time to buy new clothes (and figure out how to make more money)!!
Rumples making sure the merchandise is in place (because i made gulo some things)
That's my shopping bag hanging. I wanted it to "pose" 
A cute pair of baby pink peeptoes by a young designer whose name i forget. Rumples help! :) These shoes feel nice and don't feel "cheap"
 The ceiling doodle makes a good focal point. It goes right above the accessories table :)
Dinner at Mary Grace with Iwi and Cars (love Iwi's hat!)
 Me and my new BC dress! Spotted at the Kerastase party: Erica (Metro's Beauty Ed) and Nichole (of OK! Magazine)
 La Consing Lopez, style editor of Rogue. So nice to see him again after forever! :)
The event was all about dessert! They shut down Sonja's, Miss Desserts and that Cuillere place and we went mad over chocolate.
Passed by the BC fashion show later that night...here are Celline and Berry looking gorgeous backstage, in their new summer line (B.C. stuff are also available at ALMOST FAMOUS) : Sidney Yap doing his trademark "fierce" face with Berry Andrea Ignacio debuts her line of bags named Trove 
Sara Black, together with Dove, has just come out with her first book entitled "When I Look in the Mirror"
This coffee table book, part of Dove's campaign for real beauty, captures 50 (dare i say gorgeous?) women who show that life is even more beautiful with a little imperfection.
The book was launched today with a special photo exhibit at Greenbelt 5's The Gallery. Below is a photo of my photo! Go take a look if ever you're there! My shot is the one closer to the stairs and by Ac+632. Haha :-)
Photo of me and my scar :)  
The photo exhibit runs at The Gallery, 2/L of Greenbelt 5 (near Ac+632), until March 22, 2009
Bruno knows how to pose (and hold it) for the camera. Here he is making pa-cute on my bed tonight.
Okay Bruno, turn your chin a bit to your right and give me a serious face... 
Now, quarter angle and lift your chin. Raise your right paw up ever so slightly...
Okay now pretend you are Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra...
See???
Good dog!    Went to Greenbelt 5 today after the Tamera online event. Walked into Myth to check out Joey, Ivar and Randy's new stuff when i saw the always fashionable Ruby (franchiser of Schu) in her gorgeous blue suede shoes from ZARA!
Ever since stepping into FLATS mode, it's been soooo hard going back to high heels. They're super painful! i don't know how i braved 3 or 4 inches while walking around and shooting editorials back in my days as fashion assistant.
Comfort over chic for me now.
Incase some of you haven't figured out yet: Gladiators are OUT, while cage-like and strappy-thick are IN.
Saturday-Sunday: Spent the weekend in Highlands for some R&R with bestfriends. Diego and Leo biked from Alabang to Tagaytay and met us (Darwin, Cara, Eloise and myself) there by 11am. What we did: a massage at --- --- (i shall not reveal the name of place, as per Selleria owners' request) and lunch at Buon Giorno, a nice little Italian restaurant in...i forget the name of the place. When Bebs and Geoff arrived later, we all enjoyed the salad and pasta buffet at Highlands Greenhousen. The girls did gossip and junk food as the men caught up on sleep. The next day we ate and slept (again) like there was no tomorrow. My kind of weekend!
Viva la Buhay de Baboy!
Buon Giorno in Tagaytay serves some good italian. Their pastas and shakes are must-haves:)
looking forward to lunch because we hadn't eaten all day (if chicken nuggets don't qualify as real food)  Prawn and Garlic Spaghetti in Aglio e Olio is to die for! Try with their watermelon shake!
Last week, Bob Zozobrado invited a few of us to lunch at Le Souffle (Rockwell Club), care of Macau government's marketing manager for the Philippines. As part of their program to promote Macau, a few (non-Makanese) restaurants have been asked to incorporate a Makanese menu into their current list. Late last year, the chefs of several restaurants were flown to an immersion trip in Macau to train for this event. Chef Jessie delighted us with her rendition of chicken macau, bacalau, african chicken, etc. Then surprised us with her trademark desserts apres entree. Photos of food are in reverse order. (i'm still trying to figure out this whole blog thing)
The Flavors of Macau festival runs till March 21st at Le Souffle, Chateau 1771, Sala Bistro (and others i've forgotten haha)
The Ceradurra (Chef Jessie's staple)
Molotov (melts in your mouth) 
Black Olives (came with Pate and Chorizos) 
Chicken Macau (served with rice and vegetables) 
Shrimp Croquetta! (thanks chris)    Even way back in university, my good friend Chris was always really into girls. As in obsessed with girls. He was always in the company of pretty freshmen, if not telling me about his most recent "find" over lunch break. Now i still remember each and every one in his list. Haaaay nako Chris.
But anyway fast forward to today (he works in a Japanese-run company somewhere in Salcedo Village) Chris sends me a link to his flickr account and i am actually surprised---the former lady-hobbyist has turned his lady-fascination into a reel hobby, using his cameras (a humble collection of a Mamiya C220, Nikon FE, Nikon F75, Canon AE-1, Seagull 4B-1, and a Lomo LKA) to photograph.
I told him that he can probably be the Pinoy version of Scott Schuman (The Sartorialist)... Or maybe work with Mangored? Hahaha. Just kidding. But he wants to stick to keeping it a hobby.
Oh well, check his site out. He says he's amateur--ok. But still, for an amateur...GALING because he uses film.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdafox/
PHOTO CREDIT: Chris Yambing
   Been out of the facebook loop for 12 days.
38 to go!!!
Hello again, Multiply (for now)!
 | NYC tre | Oct 17, '08 8:55 AM
for everyone |
|  | Last minute pasyal!
Big Daddy's Diner along Park avenue
Central Park
The Metropolitan Museum of Art |
| | -the usual brunch from Brown cafe
-Soho shopping-- Lafayette, Broadway, and Mercer Streets!!
-Lombardi's Pizza and Pinkberry at Spring Street
-Greenwich village stroll
-Dinner at Peter Luger in Brooklyn |
| | Brunch at Brown Cafe
Hot chocolate and pastries at Venieros
Sushi in Takahashi
Pray at St. Patrick's Cathedral
Shop on Fifth Avenue
Sunset walk around the Upper West Side
Evening stroll with Darwin at the East village |
| |
