Photoshoot with Niccolo Cosme

At the Globe One Youth Headshot Clinic in Capones.

With fashion photographer, Niccolo Cosme

Launches, Fashion Shows and Events

At the Museum

Ola amigas, dora and boots! It's 2:30AM and I just finished updating Style and Relax with the latest fashion show that happened last night at the Glass Garden. As usual, this week was fun-filled and literally event-full.

Glass Garden with Azrael

This morning, I left the house early to go to the Manila Contemporary Museum which was hidden somewhere in Magallanes. The place was awesome! and Globe turned it into a product launch venue.

I met my former boss there and a handful of new persons. I will feature the event soon on Style and Relax, a lot of ladies looked nice in their outfit during the launch.

Opening and blessing of Walter Mart Santa Maria

Would you believe that I also reached Bulacan area? I went there for the opening of a new lifestyle mall - Walter Mart and I was reminded of when SM Bacoor first opened. I could feel the excitement and the enthusiasm of the people in Bulacan as they flock Walter Mart for the first time. Again, more on that soon.

At Red Box with Desiree de Valle, Oyo Boy Sotto, and Erich Gonzales

The other day, I met celebrities at the karaoke party of TV5 at Red Box in Greenbelt too. I was speechless because Ejay (winner of PBB) dropped by and I swear I love his looks. I got to interview Nina Jose and Erich Gonzales though. Got to bring home a gift basket from Santi's Deli, thanks Myk! :) My mama loves the grocery showcase haha ^^

I keep my mama happy with all the loot, tonight she got a digital photo frame which she always wanted. Now I have to recharge it and fill it with her and Anya's travel photos.

If you notice I keep a balance of the stories I feature on Style and Relax. I'm very much encouraged to keep the blog in tip top shape especially when I receive "love emails" from readers! Thank you very much, I never imagined random people will actually write to me that they are looking forward to my updates and for me to keep it up. It feels like Cloud 9! :)

Now I feel like the travelling gnome. Good night! :)

Make Up Day

Rissa and Marie Calica my two fab fairies for the day!

I know nothing about makeup, so when the opportunity to spend a day with Marie Claire's Beauty Editor, Marie Calica arrived, I said YES! They needed a model for a beauty workshop coming on March 2.

At the Tea Party in an undisclosed location

In college, I loved prettifying but when work kicked in, I had make up and style amnesia. My style is now in check but make-up skills? forget it. My face was so happy to be brushed and colored again with MAC, La Mer, Shiseido - yes that kind of make-up.

totally mismatched outfit, blame the virus but the pool looks divine!

Good thing I had an afternoon tea party to attend, so the make-up was put to great use :) I looked pretty (ahem) at Tamera Online's launch somewhere in Makati. It is an online make-up store and that's so perfect! I didn't look kawawa and naive about make-up.

Confine me at Blue Water Day Spa

Last Wednesday, Blue Water Day Spa sponsored cocktails and treatments at their Spa Theater. I closed my eyes and enjoyed every moment of my massage. From my feet to my head, ahhhh...


Now that I am sick, I want to go back and can I check in this spa please?

I felt like a celebrity that day with a lot of staff that were all attentive. The OJ was refreshing too.

Read more at Blue Water Day Spa

Sick and Beatiful + Ipanema Launch

I am terribly sick, maybe because there is so much going on in our calendar and also the crazy weather. Last night on my way to the Ipanema Launch of Gisele Bundchen, I was burning with fever and my eyes were really hot.


In my new Ipanemas by Gisele Bundchen

The food at Le Souffle comforted me though, but the entire evening I was wiping my nose. Still today I am sick and missed one occassion but tomorrow I should be well for my makeover session and photoshoot with Marie, Rissa, and Mica Calica. I love these girls and I won't let them down.

After that, I have confirmed to go to a tea party for a makeup line somewhere in Makati. Then go home and eat my mama's wonderful dinner.


With Francisco Patxi Elizalde, Managing Director of ELRO

The Ipanema Launch had a different fashion show and it starred Ballet Philippines wearing the sandals. The lighting was also perfect as I looked decent despite of fever and flu. I went home with my own Ipanema Sandals (it should be for Mama but it was size 8) and another pair for Yeyey in size 5. I promised Mama to get her a pair soon.



Anyway, I'll be writing more about the Ipanema Launch at Style and Relax. I have yet to convert and watermark my photos :D I also need to follow up on some discussions, I should get back to work after my long trip somewhere out there.

And a BIG welcome for 24!

I've never had a birthday this fun and busy. I told you I'll make the most out of it, even when Azrael kept on bugging me.



I woke up at 11AM and ran to Jollibee to pick up our family lunch feast - 2 buckets of chicken joy and a Red Ribbon Dulce de Leche cake. Even as an adult, our birthdays are not complete without Jollibee! I still have the 7 year old kid in me who celebrated her birthday in Jollibee Guadulupe.

Here's me and Jollibee on my 24th birthday :)



Then, I dressed up and went to another relaxing trip to The Ramp. This is now my favorite shop! ever! I love all the structured dresses, the shiny ruffles, the brands, and the friendly staff. Here, I picked up Azrael's gift for me. Purple detachable ruffles just like the lanvin dress of Rebecca Bloomwood! :)


with RPA & Communicate and Kankan Ramos of Yehey.com


At the front row

And I wore this to the Sassa Fashion Show at Aquaknox. I met the people behind RPA & Communicate, the PR firm handling Sassa and a lot of fashion people. Everyone greeted me a happy birthday and I daydreamed I was having my own party at this posh Vietnamese Resto & Bar.


The fashion show was great, especially in the front row. It really is summer and Sassa gave me my own swimwear. Thank you very much!


my own Sassa! Salamat doc for the sexy back, front shot to follow after some ab crunches! ^^

From morning till the wee hours, my 24th birthday is worth remembering. Yey!

Cheers for 23!

February 16- the day before my birthday. I promised myself that every year, I'd make my birthdays a fantabulous one, it only happens once! So, I left 23 stylishly last night in a rose bolero from Ilaya couture. I felt like a flower! :)


I got it from The Ramp where I also gifted myself with another fabulous piece, just before I met Azrael for some snacks at Figaro. Fate was with me because I never knew Figaro had a neat corner where someone like me can imagine being in New York or Paris. It's literally just a corner, at my back were coffee presses and tea mugs while at my right side was a shelf of books. On my left side was a glass window with a fake sill outside adorned with some plants.

It reminded me well of the last episode of Sex and the City were Carrie was exploring Paris and when she wore a dress with several layers. I only had a thick bolero but it served my day dreaming well.


At the movies, I managed to squeeze myself in a decent row and how I loved Confessions of a Shopaholic. I did not win a Gucci bag but I went home with premium movie items, 2 Confessions of a Shopaholic purse (I one the second in a raffle), a keychain with trinkets, and a notepad. Mama texted me "Sayang talaga pero ganyan in all games, there are losers. Di bale may chicken joy ka naman" she's so sweet!

Before heading home, I bought a bunch of Mister Donut Belgian Bites, one of my favorite munchies. Then, Azrael and I shared a can of corned beef and fried some eggs.


Now I am 24! Thank you everyone for making 23 a fun year! :) Everyone should always put an effort to make their lives worth living and enjoying. We only live once and hence, must make the most out of it :) Later, I'll celebrate 24th with 2 buckets of chicken joy at home - thank you Jollibee for remembering my birthday, and I'll end it with a summer fashion show at night.

Cheers!

San Miguel Beer's Valentine Party - Hot and Fun!

With the SMB Brazilian Models

Valentine's Day has never been this big! This is the first time I've heard of a Valentine street party and it's at one of the busiest business district - Ortigas. The San Miguel Beer Valentine Barkada Party happened the night before Valentine's Day, just as everyone should be preparing for the big day - with or without a date.



It felt good to see working people unwinding with their friends, drinking ice cold beer on a Friday night. I can just imagine how refreshing this absolutely free Valentine party is for them!



I just arrived in time, around 8:00PM and the parteh was just starting. There were lots of tables and chairs which was great, but it's always greater to be inside the VIP area :) We met friends from San Miguel like Gab and Estella who were working on the clock but didn't fail to have a great time singing and rocking.



Our blogger friends and special thanks to Juned were also present. We had a great time chatting while munching on snacks like freshly cooked cheese sticks, nachos and tahong which was free flowing just like the beers.




Fun became more of HOT when the Mocha girls took the stage like Pussy Cat Dolls singing "When I Grow Up". It was my first time to watch them live and my jaw dropped. Since I was inside the VIP area, I got to watch them right in front of the stage. These ladies are single but they know how to have a blast on Valentine's Day. Screw "Single Awareness Day" chuchu, love is not only for couples but friends, family, and celebrating love in all it's sense.


At the San Miguel Barkada Valentine, guests received instant prizes via Bluetooth!

Right after the Mocha Girls, Kamikaze rocked the stage until 3 in the morning! Everyone held a toast at exactly 12 midnight, just like New Year's. San Miguel never fails to do this and I remembered the fun we had last Oktoberfest. The party was super organized, there were strict bouncers, security, portalets, chairs, food, prizes, and loads of Valentine's Day barkada fun.


Lace and Mocha

I had a great time and I am sure everyone did! Thank you to Juned and San Miguel Beer for providing everyone a fantastic party! :)

Lace's Valentine

I get embarrassed when I see couples dating on Valentine's Day, holding hands and being featured on TV Patrol, with shots from Luneta Park or a popular mall. Last year, Azrael gave me a bunch of flowers and caught it on video. It was nice to get a present but I dreaded carrying the flowers on V-Day, I wanted to disappear.


A quick stop to grab a peach-mango pie before the movie



Now it's Valentine's Day again and I promised to spend it with style. What can be better than watching Audrey Hepburn's Breakfast at Tiffany's at Rockwell? Lovely! Thank you very much to Rockwell for the tickets and some snacks that Azrael and I enjoyed in the front row.



This is not any form of blog advertising but I enjoyed killing V-Day time inside Rockwell. It was not cheesy but you can feel cupid everywhere. Flowers, sweets, and Valentine's Day sales at the different boutiques. Azrael and I tasted cheesecake balls and macarons at the Baker's Fair.


After the movie, we ran to Rockwell Tent for the O Amor Em Carnaval - it was all about partying Brazilian style! There were ladies in costume and live beats were performed as everyone danced on the floor. We also grabbed some drinks, thanks to Havaianas.




Then we also had VIP tickets to the Lovapalooza. We got there around 10PM and the place was packed with people. The taxi driver said that the people look like ants marching to Mall of Asia. Before we could get into the VIP area, the show was already done. The restos were all full so we decided to head home and finish mama's icecream tub.



Meanwhile, my sister Joni is the winner! She spent her Valentine's Day with Vincent and Anya at the posh restaurant called Fifteen, the place by Chef Jamie Oliver.

All I want for next year is a Valentine at Tiffany's, or Louis Vuitton... or Chanel for a change.

P.S. Thank you Mama for trimming my bangs! :) Now I can wear my hair the way everyone likes it again ^^

My Shopaholic Confession

Hi My name is Lace and I'm a Shopaholic!

Shopping at The Venetian in Macau

There’s something about carrying a posh shopping bag on my right hand. Actually, I slip their delicate handles to hang on my right elbow as I turn the hallways of a mall into a runway. Magically, the shopping bags make me feel taller and safer from the prying looks of lipstick jungle’s inhabitants. How could a 19 year old college student afford to shop every week just to feed this fetish of hanging shopping bags on her elbow?

Shopaholic's Closet

Blame it on the college fair when a super hip music video channel tied up with a bank that’s just across the university. Everyone in my class was given a form and in less than a week, I had a shiny magic plastic card to feed my shopping frenzy.

Suddenly, my shopping bags had more popular names and they became a staple to my everyday outfit. I will never go on a date without stopping by a boutique to complete my outfit. The boys I dated grew fond of my shopping addiction and they said they found it “cute”.

Shopping carts ready at Singapore's Duty Free!

Shiny plastic card and I became best friends reaching shopping destinations like Singapore and Bangkok where I acquired International shopping bags from almost all the shopping malls in Orchard road. My closet and room was filled with piles of clothes, bags, accessories and gifts that I intended to give in some unknown occasions.

12 midnight, flea market in Bangkok, Thailand

Though my friendship with shiny plastic card was expensive, I skipped lunch and snacks just to keep it alive and kicking with credit. I sold clothes to relatives but annual fees are so much more expensive. My shopaholic days were counted and days passed when my outfit was missing its centerpiece- the shopping bag. I had to say good bye to my best friend and ritually cut it in half like a broken-heart. This also happened when I was in the middle of reading Sophie Kinsella’s first book – Confessions of a Shopaholic.

Signal no. 5 in Hongkong won't keep me away from Louis Vuitton!

Yet, I still received letters from shiny plastic card reminding me to pay BILL. Breaking up with a credit card can be so agonizing! I promised myself never to retain credit again but save so I can shop with a peace of mind.

I learned so much from being a shopaholic and opened up a blog called Pinay Money Maker to help other recovering shopaholics veer away from excessive use of credit cards and to focus on saving. Being a shopaholic also pushed me on how to become stylish sans the debt and become more creative when it comes to fashion. This is one of the reasons why I also opened the Style and Relax blog. Being a shopaholic has never been this so enlightening!

Catch "Confessions of a Shopaholic" in Cinemas on February 18, 2009!