PGMA Lands RP in the NY Post Gossip Page

Tsk, tsk...

Read on...

August 7, 2009 --

THE economic downturn hasn't persuaded everyone to pinch pennies. Philippines President Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was at Le Cirque the other night with a large entourage enjoying the good life, even though the former comptroller of her country's armed serv ices, Carlos Garcia, was found guilty earlier this year of per jury and two of his sons were arrested in the US on bulk cash-smuggling charges. Maca pagal-Arroyo ordered several bottles of very expensive wine, pushing the dinner tab up to $20,000.

Here is the link.

Thanks BYSI!

I filled up a survey form for BYSI and I got a free haircut. Love it!


CONGRATULATIONS!

You just won a FREE HAIRCUT as one of the first 100 respondents of the Bysi customer survey! Please claim your prize at Bysi, 2nd level, The Podium Mall starting August 15. Don't forget your e-mail address and Bysi VIP Card for identification. Thanks, we hope to hear from you soon!

Thanks BYSI! Freebies are always welcome!

The Zoe Report is here!

Last month, I blogged about the Zoe Report by Rachel Zoe.

Well, last Tuesday, I received my first e-mail from the Zoe Report in my inbox. Her first feature was truly gorgeous:


In observance of my first official Zoe Report, I set my sights on something truly extraordinary. This mission was accomplished in the form of Brian Atwood’s latest imaginative creation. Equal parts friend and footwear guru— Atwood consistently brings my sole fantasies to life—and he has outdone himself with the Lola Platform Pumps. A striking leopard print, sexy elastic detailing and high platform—I DIE.

With fall just around the corner, these shooties* are a must-have transitional piece to help you segue through the seasons. That is, they’re relevant to your summer and fall wardrobe. To the wearer, the possibilities are endless. Lola’s eighties punk-meets-luxury aesthetic will bring your little black dress to life. The pumps are also perfect for upgrading a more casual look (think: dark skinny jeans, a tee and tuxedo jacket), so don’t be scared to rock them during the day. xoRZ

* shootie = shoe + booty

Don't you just love these shoes?

She then features a similar-looking shoe from Steve Madden for a fraction of the price! Will definitely be paying attention to her next emails.

Sign up for the Zoe Report here.

More Boo Boos

Apparently, Manila Bulletin was not the only one who "killed" the president.

Read Lala Rimando's apology here.

I can understand the confusion and why the (hopefully) inadvertent mistakes were made.

Is the Manila Bulletin prophetic?

Spotted on page 20 of the Manila Bulletin:



Rest in peace, Tita Cory.

Thanks Mrs. G for the tip!

Sandra Bullock in The Proposal

I just watched The Proposal this weekend. I was probably the last person on earth to watch it. Within the first thirty minutes, my bag-spotting eyes could not get enough of the beautiful bag Sandra Bullock was wearing. Love it! Love it!





Thanks to the ever helpful (and enabling) Purse Forum members, I found out that the bag was a Prada Cervo Antik shopper tote!





Darn it! Now, I don't own a Prada. The designs have never appealed to me. This bag, however, is gorgeous. The neutral color makes it go well with my wardrobe.


I have to admit though that I really went to watch the movie to check out Ryan Reynolds wearing nothing but a towel. That scene should have been longer. Hehehe.

Bag Sighting: MV's Givenchy Nightingale

It's been so nice to be working with fellow lawyer and baglover MV lately. In between serious conversations about work, we get to sneak in discussions about our shared love for bags.

Anyway, she mentioned that she bought a new bag. I freaked when I found out it was the Givenchy Nightingale. I totally love this bag! The bag's leather is so soft. I also like the shape which reminds me of the YSL Muse. The nice thing, about this bag is the extra strap which lets you carry the bag across your shoulder. Great minds must think alike because I was crushing on the gray version. Most importantly, she got it on sale from Adora. Here are some pictures:

Loving the Hermes Twilly tied as a bag scarf.

A thank you goes out to Mr. MV (aka LV) who sent me the pictures from his wife. Hehehe.

Watching Tim Gunn's Guide to Style

I'm watching Tim Gunn's Guide to Style! I love the new season with Gretta Monahan. She seems friendlier and a lot more approachable than Veronica Webb.

I want a Tim Gunn intervention!

This week's episode is about Erica Mollica, a bride-to-be, who is tall and thin and has been having difficulty finding clothes to fit her 5'11" frame.

I totally cannot relate.

However, that doesn't stop me from trying to pick up a tip or two and sharing them with you.

He just said that there would be no "keeper" capris. He is totally against them. I feel so guilty! Darn! Had to head to my closet and fold the capris away.

Skirts should fall just above, just below or right at the knee. I'm good on this point.

The makeover starts with an underwear fitting. Her confidence boosted with the proper bra at the right size. Mental note: Get bra fitting during the weekend.

Tim Gunn shows the girl a lifesize image of her. I'm scared at how my image would have looked like.

Silhouette. Proportion. Fit. - Tim Gunn's three key words.

She got to wear Brian Atwood shoes. I'm jealous.

Tyson Beckford is in the house. I'm now beyond jealous. Even his voice is beyond sexy. He kissed her hand. I just died! This girl is really lucky!

It's shopping time. Tim Gunn hands the girl his ten essential items. I'm checking my closet to see if I have these ten items and what needs to be updated. Yes! More reasons (excuses!) to go shopping.

She's now on a visit to InStyle magazine where they are planning her honeymoon outfit. She got a DVF gift set with two bikinis and a coverup. Is there a local Tim Gunn version and is he visiting me soon?

They're now shopping at Neiman Marcus. I'm annoyed at how tall and thin she is. Her legs are probably taller than me. Sourgraping me!

Designer Yigal Azrouel is actually hot. His clothes are gorgeous too. She gets to choose a dress! I would cry too.

Hair and makeup. Tip: Wear a button down shirt when getting your hair and makeup done. Otherwise, how will you change into your fancy clothes without ruining your hair and makeup?

It's reveal time. I love the dress she chose. Her husband-t0-be is floored. It's a Cinderella story!

Shoes for the Vertically Challenged

For the vertically challenged male, help may soon be here. Introducing the Bradford AddHeight Elevator Shoes:





I saw their two page ad today in the Manila Bulletin's Lifestyle Special Issue. I couldn't believe it. I had to check their website to see what they're all about. How does it work? Well, according to the website:



The secret of the height increase that our quality footwear provides lies in the carefully crafted hidden height increaser and interior construction. The hidden height increaser improves your posture and gives you an immediate feeling of increased confidence and an increase of up to 4 inches in height depending on the shoes style. In real terms that means a man who stands at 5'5" would achieve a height of 5'9" with our 'regular looking' shoes as soon as he slipped them on!

A bold promise! I can think of several friends I can recommend this to. Hehehe. If you want to try these shoes out, the company offers free overnight express shipping. BP, what are you waiting for?!

Parking Guard in Boots

I have barely blogged about the Jimmy Choo wellington boots when look at what I saw a parking guard casually strolling around in rain boots:



We can all take lessons from how the parking guard I saw rocked his rain boots:

1. Comfort is key. These boots are made for schlepping around in the rain. That's exactly how you should use them.

2. Do tuck your pants into the boots. After all, with the new skinny jeans trend, it's a miracle if your boots can fit under your pants.

3. When in doubt, wear black. After all, you will be wearing them year after year in our rainy weather.

4. It's better if you get flat boots. I am the ultimate clumsy girl. If I got rain boots with heels, I am asking to be placed in a cast again.

5. Be comfortable with your body. You don't need to be a model to wear these boots. Think about it. Paddington bear was not exactly tall and he rocked his boots everyday.

By the way, this photo was taken at JT Manukan along Gilmore Street. I love the chicken inasal there drizzled liberally with chicken oil (my arteries started tightening even as I type this).

Jimmy Choo Wellington Boots

With the weather this awful, can anyone blame me if I am coveting, absolutely about to die - heart palpitations on overload, these Jimmy Choo boots?

If Paddington Bear was female, he would have insisted on these boots to match his trench coat. Wait! I have a trench coat. Now all I need are these boots. Perfect rationalization at work.

What's for Dessert?

I nearly died laughing when I saw what was for dessert this week:

Date fingers? Sounds kinky, don't you think? It conjures all kinds of nasty images which I cannot divulge in this PG-rated blog. Hehehe. This is what it actually looks like:

I don't know about you but I've never seen a finger like this. I think I should tell the caterer to change the name. Or maybe I'm the only dirty mind who thought this was funny.

Anyway, the finger was a bit too sweet for me so I didn't finish it. Having the mango flan tomorrow.

CB's New "Babies"

Congratulations are in order for CB who came home with new "babies" courtesy of Janina Dizon Hoschka. Here's a picture:



Do pass by Janina's shop for babies you can bring home. Here's the link to her website. Her blog, on the other hand, features gorgeous ladies wearing her designs.

Interested in getting one of her designs? Her shop is on sale until June 21, 2009. Hurry! Hurry!

Photo credits

YSL.com sale

Hold on to your credit cards, girls!

The official online store of YSL is now on sale! I'm not sure up to when the sale will last. And it's irrelevant to me since I'm not a US resident. Sob!

In any case, I'm still drooling. Here are some of my picks if money was something I picked up from a trust fund:




It's hard to put on and it's got an ankle strap. There are several reasons why these silver Cage platform shoes are not the most practical buys. However, bear with me as I dream.



These Muse shades are so cool! I can see myself shielding my eyes with them while walking through the urban jungle shopping mall.



This is a blog about bags after all. And the over sized blue iridescent patent Muse is really pretty. I like the fact that the color is almost a neutral so you can wear it with almost anything in your wardrobe.

Anyhoo, as you can see I am back to blogging. With the sale season in full swing, there will be plenty of bags (and other stuff) to blog about.

Sale Alerts

While on the topic of shoes, check out what Stella Luna Rockwell texted:

It's time for Stella Luna Rockwell's Bootie Call. From July 1 to August 31, 2009. Get a free pair of Stella Luna shoes from our special collection every time you purchase any of our choice boots.

Yikes! The shopping ban is in danger of being breached!

It's Friday! Take your heels out!

What should a girl wear on a Friday? Why, heels, of course!

L-R: Shoes by Stella Luna and Zara

P.S. It rained. Horribly. Leaving the girls pictured above stuck drinking beer at their office cafeteria because they were too afraid to get their heels wet.

Possible brain injury should they slip on their 4.5 inch heels and hit the pavement was another disincentive to braving the rains to get to their cars.

How we suffer for fashion.

Get the Zoe Report

If you love watching the Rachel Zoe Project, then you should definitely sign up for the Zoe Report, a daily mailing list from Rachel Zoe on the hottest apparel, shoes and accessories. The website promises that the Report will be bananas!

It's not up yet but it will be in a few weeks. Stay tuned!

Celestina Nora Aunor clutch

Yes, your eyes did not deceive you. That is the actual name of this clutch I found on Outnet, the sister company of Net a Porter.

The clutch is described as:

Tiger Pen mosaic shell box clutch with ebony wood edged trim. Celestina clutch has a suede lining and comes with a small wood framed signature mirror. Some natural inclusions may be apparent in the smooth finish, which are characteristic of the natural materials used and simply add to the charm of the piece.

Do you think it's fitting tribute to the Philippines' very own Superstar, Nora Aunor? I'm sure most of the international buyers may not be familiar with the significance of the bag's name. If you are interested, the clutch can be purchased here. It's 40% off.

Lanvin Paris Sale in Hong Kong

With the swine flu epidemic, I am as afraid as the next sane person about travelling to a foreign country. Hence, you can understand why this announcement from Butterboom is making me weep. The Lanvin Grand Sale is a 4-day affair from 18-21 June 2009 with up to 90% off on ready-to-wear and accessories.

It's not too late to purchase that ticket and spend a weekend indulging in retail therapy. The Hong Kong sale season has started and it promises to be really good

Register with Butterboom and get updates on upcoming sales in Hong Kong.

Photo from Butterboom.