Jacqui's Gift!

We were shopping around in Dimensione and then Jacqui bought me something!! She knows that in my bag, my earphones is just in there unravelled and getting destroyed by the minute. 

Isn't it the cutest little thing? I guess I should have ended with the plug located elsewhere, my gingerbread man looks like he has a _____.

P44.00 only! Love it!

My New Love.

Conch Shell dangling earrings with brown diamonds in rose gold. Designed by yours truly. 

I am so in love with them. The sweet color of pink that's light at one part and goes darker to the other side. The delicate rose "petals" are enhanced by brown diamonds that give just the right amount of glitter. 3 inches long and falls perfectly on the ear, this pair will surely make a statement.  

Goes so very well with same shade of lipstick! 

Benetton, MAJOR FAIL!

Benetton was such a big brand back in the 80's, when I was a teenager. Whoever had a clothing by the brand was automatically cool. This was when I was in the US studying. 

When I got to Manila, it still had that upper status in ready to wear clothing industry. In my book, it was more special than Esprit or Guess. 

But now, I don't know anyone that wears the brand anymore. In fact, I don't see too many of the stores in the mall. If I am right, one in Robinson's and in Megamall and they are almost always empty. But in any case, to me, the brand has died. 

So why is everyone talking about Benetton once again? 

I can assure you, it's nothing about their nice collection of clothing. It's not about who's endorsing their product. It's not about a new store opening. It's actually not something I am happy about. I find it weird, rude and done with awful taste. Although the message they are sending is quite an important one, I think they have represented it wrongly in the eyes of the consumers. 

In fact, even if I hadn't bought a single Benetton clothing in years, I have come to hate the brand because of this ad. 

Not only does it disrespect the people on it, I imagine the young, innocent children who see it on the sidewalk or billboards. Even if the one-word UNHATE is on it, a photo may give out the wrong message. 

Benetton Group is known for its controversial ads but in the first place aren't the people used in an ad supposed to be asked if they can use their faces before printing it? 

The irony of it all, they are promoting UNHATE but I have 3 words for it. 

I HATE IT!

A digitally altered advertisement by United Colors of Benetton depicting President Barack Obama kissing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is seen in a handout image. 

 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak.

U.S. President Barack Obama and China's President Hu Jintao are shown. B

Other world figures include Pope Benedict XVI and Dr. Ahmed al Tayyeb, the grand sheikh of Cairo's Al Azhar Mosque. This image was pulled from the campaign after a complaint by the Vatican.

Benetton withdrew an advertisement using an image of Pope Benedict kissing an imam on the mouth after the Vatican protested on Wednesday at the Italian clothing firm's latest shock campaign. 

A man strolls in front of the Benetton store in downtown Rome November 16, 2011. 

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

All photos by: (REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini)

Little Mermaid in Meralco!

I am so excited to watch The Little Mermaid, the Musical. 

When I learned about this play a few months ago from my friend, Chari Arespacochaga, who happens to be one of the directors, I vowed to watch it with my kiddos. 

When the dates were announced, I immediately called the organizer and bought 30 tickets. I knew it wouldn't be hard to invite my friends and family to watch it. (Besides, buying more means group discount, hehe.)

Orchestra, center baby!!! The only way to watch. 

Thank you to Atlantis Productions for bringing us a world class theatrical experience! 

Ariel will be Rachel Ann Go and Prince Eric is Erik Santos. 

For tickets call 8927078

Going to Cambodia? WARNING!

Beautiful right? Definitely very expensive right?

Not necessarily. 

Cubic zirconia is the cubic crystalline form of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2). The synthesized material is hard, optically flawless and usually colorless, but may be made in a variety of different colors.

In other words, CZ are laboratory made stones. In the world of jewellery, they are called synthetic gems. They are not real therefore, very inexpensive.

This morning, a client came to see me and was very excited with her loot that she got from Cambodia.

I had a bad feeling right away. Cambodia-Gems-Tourist....NOT a good combination. She excitedly showed me her recent purchases are all I could do was to give her a knowing look. Sadly they were all fake.

"Oh my gosh, I am so depressed! How can they sell these and say they are real. The owner of the store even said that they own the land where these stones were mined!"

I checked out the receipt. It did say that the stones are rubies, sapphires and aquamarine.

LIES.

I am posting this because this is not the first client who has bought stones from Cambodia believing that they are all real. At least 10 similar incidents have come my way in the last 5 years and I hope that whoever plans to go to Cambodia and chances upon this post, that they will avoid being cheated by this store and possibly others.

The receipt does indicate that their company name is called CITYGEM and so does their shopping bag. I tried researching them in the net but none showed up from Cambodia. In the receipt, you will not find an email address or a website. Only the address and the phone number. 

We informed the client and her friends to call their credit card company and declare the transaction as  fraud and try to make the sale void. 

Let this be a warning. If you don't know your gems, I suggest you avoid buying them from Cambodia. I am not saying that the whole country does not sell any real ones but if you are not sure of what you are buying, then don't buy it at all. Arm yourself with information. Buy a gem book.  

I don't care if they put the stones under fire (the salesperson did this in front of my client just to prove that they are real. It's not the way to test it).

Can I just say that a 36 carat flawless, pigeon's blood-color RUBY will probably cost you around $1,000,000 per carat, that's $36,000,000. My client got hers for $500. That in itself should already set off warning bells. 

Caution to those who are planning to go to Cambodia or anywhere else. 

Don't get suckered into buying gems that seem so cheap it seems too good to be true because it probably isn't, because Candy says so. 

Level Up with Rajo for Parisian!

It was all I could read about in Twitter. How excited people were to see the collection that Rajo designed for Parisian. This is not the first time Rajo Laurel designed shoes. In fact he had a few pairs before that he used for a show and of course, I have one. I think it was for T. 

Anyway, I made the long and difficult trip from Shangri-la to MOA. I don't particularly like going to this mall because of the traffic and distance but for Rajo and shoes, I made the sacrifice. 

When I got there, about 300 people were waiting anxiously. Luckily, I was waiting with fabulous people like Venisse, Sam and Jae. After a while Jujin, Melvin and Paolo came to my side and we all made chika! I had to take a photo of Paolo's shoes because it seems like something even Lady Gaga would find wild! 

The show started and I got a little bit of the start using my iPhone because smart as I am, I forgot my camera in Shang. 

After the fashion show, it was chaos at the shopping corner. Thank goodness I had a lookbook and all I had to do is sit and order by pointing to the salesman. He was very efficient. Made my shopping so much easier. 

As I paid, everyone wanted a photo of me (NAKS) because I had purchased 12 pairs. But wait, before you think I am a shoeholic, I am not. I shopped for my sisters and daughters.

Thanks to Jenni Epperson for this photo!

Here's what I got.....

....and what I am wearing today. 

And with hot and sexy shoes like this, you can afford to put your feet on the table! 

This is what I got for Mitzi! 

Wore these the whole day last Monday. It didn't hurt because of the 5 inch height but there is a slight scratching at the back because of the zipper. 

This came in two colors which Jody and Anne both loved and wore last Tuesday. 

Got these for Jacqui.

And this one went to Lucille but in a purple color. 

The other pairs of shoes already went to my other "sisters" but I haven't seen them wearing theirs yet. When they do, be sure to check back on this post because I will update it. 

Basically, 12 pairs of shoes for one person is nothing new to some people but this shopping experience made 7 girls happy to have a RAJO for PARISIAN. 

The price range is about P999 - P2,200. Very reasonable for something so fashionable. 

By the way, I bumped into Harley Sy the other night. He actually thanked me for my purchase. He also said, "I saw you that night and wanted to say hello but you were being swarmed by photographers so I didn't get to."(Hanep sa leveling!)

Imagine, one of Henry Sy's son thanked me for buying shoes. How awesome is that? 

Anyway, Rajo, my love, congratulations to you and Parisian for a successful launch and tie up!

Fashion Watch Finale, 2011!

Were you one that missed the Fashion Watch Finale held at Makati Shangri-la Hotel? Well, no worries, I got it all on video.

Here's to an exciting Fashion Watch 2012!

My 39th at Lifestyle Asia!

Thank you to Lifestyle Asia for always supporting me and Jul B. Dizon.

I am touched that you covered my birthday party last July. Thank you Anna Sobrepena, Lorraine Belmonte and Sari Yap and everyone behind the magazine!

Buy your copy now!!!

Leveling up na naman!