Coconut Waffles & Vogue

2010-08-03T18:55:00.001-07:00

I know I promised to blog more frequently but, as usual, I always end up not having enough time to write a decent entry. Aside from the fact that I do not have an office job anymore (no computer to do illegal blogging during office hours), I am also too tired by the end of the day to do anything. I know, it sucks big time. It's not that I lead a very boring life, it's very interesting actually. I have a lot of stories to tell you guys about the kids and the fun things we learn and do everyday but I just don't have energy to blog. Well, for now at least.

So right this moment, while I wait for the Husband (who's very busy preparing for a presentation) to bring me to the grocery to have our water refilled, I have some little free time to squeeze an entry or two.

Oh the joys of free time ;) So anyway, lately I have been thinking a lot about friendships. I'm not a social butterfly and I can't see myself being close to everyone and just anyone. I only have a number of good friends but I am proud to say that they are definitely true friends. It doesn't matter if we see each other in 5 or 10 years, we're still the same people and when we get together, it's like we've never even been apart. And I love that about real friends and REAL FRIENDSHIP. They're effortless and very much second nature. You don't have to put out a lot of effort just to be updated with your friend's life as if being in the know will make you a better friend to him or her. I know a lot of people who have friends for the wrong reasons and I can't help but be disappointed when I see it happening. I'm not perfect but I always try to look at the good side of every person I come across. If I don't get along with someone then I don't get along with that someone. I don't have to tell everyone else NOT to talk to her or be her friend. We are all different. Who am I to hate that person when he or she is not even doing anything to hurt me? To me the key to a happy life is to be nice :) I don't want to waste any energy being angry or being plastic.

So I think I'm being a little bit too preachy now... Sorry, my thoughts are just everywhere. I can't help it. But bottom line is, I just really want to express my appreciation, love and gratefulness to my true friends. The people who know me well enough, accept me as me without condition and understand that I cannot be there 24/7 to be that "perfect" friend.

I love how I can say goodbye to my best friend, who now lives thousands of miles away, feeling like I can just call her name out the window and see her look across from our neighbor's window.

2010-04-19T14:11:00.000-07:00

This week, The Husband (I'm assuming he's up for it) and I are going to work on renovating our bedroom. Maybe just change things up a little with the furniture and stuff, no huge renovation going on--no painting of the walls and very little carpentry work. I just feel that our bedroom has been forever in clutter/chaos and weekend speed cleanings don't do the trick anymore. I need to make new space for new things and try to get rid of those things we hardly even use. Case in point, Harry Potter wands I know The Husband will never let go of, old shoes I also can't get rid of and old dusty books I never ever got to read but feel bad throwing away.

But as in Feng Shui, it's not good to collect too many things. The mess and clutter of a crowded living space disrupts the peace and balance and this is exactly how I feel at the moment. Distracted, stressed and heavy. Come to think of it, is my current weight gain due to emotional/stress eating related to this?! (I should google this topic)

So anyway, yesterday I went to Target with The Fam and bought some things for the house: orchid with grass in a glass, crystal candle holders that are so cute (3.99 only!) and some storing containers that were on sale. We also went to Ikea to get a matching side table for The Husband and matching orchid too! haha! I doubt if he'll like one on his side of the bed but I just got one incase. It's always nice to have matching bed tables :)

Will take pictures soon. It's just really been crazy busy at work and during the evenings plus, whenever I get free time, instead of fixing our chaotic room I tend to binge on dry fruits and nuts because I do not want to face the mess---you get it.

Will make promise to self to blog again as soon as room looks like the cover of Elle Decor ;)

No, I'm kidding.

2010-04-15T16:27:00.000-07:00

It's always nice to be back after a long hiatus. It's just been crazy busy here at home with all the work, cleaning, organizing, planning, etc. There also always seems to be the presence of a lot of useless "noise" in the background of everyday life: pop culture distractions, loss of energy, never ending lists of things to do, trashy tv shows to watch, internet bingeing, etc. And as much as I want to live cleaner, greener, and healthier, random things just have to come up to disrupt my path to peace and nirvana.

So Spring is finally here (my second favorite season of the year) and I am more than ecstatic to do some 'spring cleaning.' Now aside from literal house cleaning and organizing, I am also planning to put Tracy Anderson's free goop workout videos to test to see if I can really achieve that bikini worthy body within the next couple of weeks. I was initially planning to go all out on a crash diet (one meal a day type of thing--yes, I'm that desperate) but realized that it can only bring me so far. I need a diet plan that will stick and work well with my current lifestyle of fruit loop breakfasts and maybe some In-N-Out weekends. A proper and legit eating strategy that would prevent me from being totally distraught because some skinny bitch beside me is eating Krispy Kreme or Salt & Pepper chips while I cannot. But anyway, this diet conundrum is another story for another time. I'll get back to you about this in a couple of days.

Now back to regular programming. Spring cleaning :) Below is a list of tips I've come up with on how to effectively "spring clean" your closet. Hope you like my little list. Enjoy :)

1. Spring is a time of renewal, getting rid of the old and focusing on the new. I suggest that before you go any further purchasing new dresses, skirts and other clothing for the warm weather, you should first and foremost get rid of (or put away) all things "winter." Dry clean an overly used coat before storing it. Collect and store all thick sweater sand jackets that cannot be used during Spring lest you want to sweat all day and feel overly uncomfortable and irate. Winter boots and rain boots should be kept as well. This doesn't just save you space, it lessens the appearance of clutter in you closet making certain things easier to look for.

2. Now with your warm weather clothes, make sure they're the ones you still want to wear. Put aside those dresses and shirts that no longer fit. The last thing we want this Spring is to wear something utterly unflattering. Do something good and donate them ASAP. Don't let them linger at home for they tend to go back to your closet (happens to me all the time) and they tend to be left in some corner, ahem…CLUTTER!

3. You can empty your closet and do a general cleaning of the shelves, etc. Dust, clean with disinfecting wipes, dry and make sure to add a new scent for your closet. The cost-free way I do this is to put an unused soap on the shelves---like those expensive soaps you'd receive as gifts. They'll definitely last longer and even if you haven't taken a shower in ages, grabbing a clean crisp linen blouse from your closet can keep you smelling fresh as a bar of soap. This never fails. btw, not that I don't take a shower beyond 3 days.

4. Something that has helped me a lot aside from color-coding my clothes is arranging them in different categories: comfy pjs, sexy lingerie, chillin' at home clothes, work tops, formal tops, weekend brunch dresses, linen blouses, etc. the list goes on and on. That way, the only thing I do is think of where I'm going and look for that perfect top in the appropriate category. Saves me a lot of time.

5. Okay so now that you're almost done cleaning the closet, the last and most important piece of advice I can give is to STICK to it. Follow these steps, be consistent in categorizing. When I get really lazy I tend to dump everything in and it's such a hassle to discover that the silk top you have to wear ASAP is crumpled and crushed in between two also crumpled and crushed cardigans. I'm sure you have an idea of what a bitch it is to iron it in 30 seconds or less!)

So there you have it (if indeed you read it!) My humble tips on the easiest way to clean your closet this Spring. :)

2010-02-12T23:22:00.001-08:00

I don't understand how some people still have this awful crab mentality, especially in Manila. I swear. Why can't everybody be happy for each other's success?!?

Just this week (if I remember right) Rajo Laurel's cobweb dress made it to the cover of WWD. Yahoo! :) I've never felt so proud. And although I am no fashion expert, my obsession for fashion magazines and runway updates allow me to say with confidence that I can easily spot a beautiful, original and well-tailored dress when I see one! Now going back to my story, as soon as I saw Mr. Rajo Laurel's work on the front page of the most read newspaper in the whole fashion industry, I was very very happy. Needless to say, it made my day and made me (as always) proud to be a Filipino, 100%.

But of course, as usual, some of my fellow countrymen are having issues with the cobweb dress as it is a copycat of something previously done by a Cebu-based designer. (I shall not mention names for fear of adding unnecessary publicity to this designer--as if I even have 20 readers anyway.) I am trying at wits end to understand the validity of this issue but seriously, come on! The Cobweb dress/fabric whatever you want to call it has been used a thousand times by a thousand designers known and unknown. It's not something this designer has invented and has every right to call her own. If her fans are saying Mr. Laurel's clothes look exactly like the ones she's created then I don't think it's fair. It's just like saying that only ONE DESIGNER can make a lace dress or a tied dyed one?!?

There's this 3.1 Phillip Lim dress I've been eyeing on since it first came out early last year. The lace dress on his resort 2010 collection. The name of the brand escapes me now but I remember that certain fashion house having almost the same lace dress as Phillip Lim's. I mean of course, NOT EXACTLY THE SAME MIRROR IMAGE and it was ok. It is ok as long as it isn't a replica. The only thing Rajo did was make a dress in his own design using a common method in dress-making: SHREDDING. Gosh, even fashion bloggers do it. WTH?!??

I'm not being biased here (aside from the fact that I love and most importantly have so much respect for Mr. Rajo Laurel's designs--i'm not an obsessed fan but simply an observer of good taste and aesthetics ) but I cannot help but be affected and fight for the fact that THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE COBWEB DRESS AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE ABOUT IT. Just like there isn't an issue with silk chiffon draping and Missoni-like knits that are everywhere. If only my memory is that of a consistent Gingko Biloba drinker, I can give a lot more valid and in-your-face examples.

I don't work in the fashion industry nor am I a rich snob who knows the A to Z's of fashion but I love looking at clothes and seeing local designers rise to international success. So it hurts me to see fashion designers attack other designers for something that really, is quite shallow. Quit that crab mentality. It's embarrassing and disturbing. Papansin, much?

So there, my little opinion carved in cyberspace history. Don't get me wrong, I'm not attacking anyone, I am simply defending someone who I believe should be spared from this kind of treatment and inconvenience. And to attack the theme of his designs with another issue regarding arachnids and insects being different. Well, to this person bringing up this other issue: you are right. arachnids are not insects but Mr. Rajo Laurel can do whatever he chooses with his collection and call it whatever he wants because he made it and it's his and only his. Not yours, not anyone else's. Not even the Discovery Channel or National Geographic are a bit bothered by this.

Okay, this entry is too long. Whew! But I just want to voice out my thoughts on this whole cobweb dress issue. Please, let's be happy for one another:) For what good is there if you keep minding other people's business and keep complaining about this and that? I heard there's a Kampihan going on in the Philippine fashion industry. How sad.

Seriously, we don't need that right now. Let's just be happy ok? Because Rajo Laurel has been in the business for a long time. I think those years of continued success and a clean, professional reputation as a genuine designer have proven him to be deserving of whatever recognition he is receiving right now. Be it locally or internationally.

Mr. Laurel, I hope you're reading this because seriously, we are proud of you and we will make sure that you continue to be a huge success and an inspiration to all of us women who believe, like you do, that we should all be happy and channel positive energy to the world in whatever it is that we do :)

Ah...for the love of fashion. I can write an entry this long at this late an hour :)

xoxo. goodnight guys. M.

2010-02-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

I am loving my macbook right now. Aside from it being squeaky clean, (Thank you to Will of the Apple Store & Mr. Clean's magic eraser) they also put a new keyboard in! yay! I'm soo happy as I've been thinking of getting a wireless keyboard to use because I'm weird like that. No, but I have this weird fetish. I love the sound and touch of clean and crisp keypads.

I had my laptop checked at the Apple Store the other day thinking my Apple Care was still effective. Turns out it expired TWO days before my trip to the store. So I was a little bit frustrated with myself because I didn't check my files to confirm the expiration date. And I was thinking of having the cracked body replaced and all. So i was initially sad but thanks to Apple, they offered to have it diagnosed for free. So when they checked it in, it came back a few days after super clean and almost brand new* I love Apple! I haven't used a PC since I started using mac.

At first I really didn't want the idea of my Mac being somewhere else aside from home. I had to wait last minute to have it checked because I seriously have a hard time parting with it. It has been an extension of myself and everybody who owns a laptop knows this feeling. It's like not having a telephone, pager or cellphone with you. It's like you're naked without it. So I never planned on having this baby checked but thought that it was about time since this has been with me for the past 3 years already. It needs a legit check up by an apple genius.

Moving on, I'm glad my Montessori classroom rug arrived today. (finally after almost a month of waiting and following up-- I don't think I'll ever order from them again though) I had two Czech-French kids with their mom checking the school out. I hope they decide to get enrolled because it would be such a privilege to teach and take care of those cute little kids. Aww...loveliness.

I am also ecstatic as my Elle Magazine arrived today in the mail :) And was in perfect condition. I love how Spring issues are really thick. I actually don't mind those one million ads that make the magazine two inches thicker than usual because I love fashion ads with a vengeance. Sometimes, a single ad can inspire me the whole month. It's a marketing spell. So anyway, no complains except that they didn't send me the issue where JLo was the cover. But I'm too tired to rant about it here.

Another topic. Been thinking about going veggie all the way but seriously think I cannot do it just yet (In-n-Out burgers, Chicken Nuggets and my leather handbags?!?!) Am I a bad person??? Maybe I'll go meatless one day a week. I read about Meatless Mondays by the McCartneys and it doesn't sound so bad. I will try. After watching BBC's Planet Earth I realized how much fear and negative energy we get from the meat we eat. Who wants to get the energy of a chicken tortured to his death? It's not appetizing. Fruits and vegetables on the other hand, have no problem with that :)

So what to do? What to do? I swear, by the end of this month, I have to accomplish something really great be it taking a shower only every other day (to save water) or buying organic/eco-friendly things for the house. I love it how Jeanne (she's the super Mom I dream of being like one day) does things so effortlessly and with such style and ease. I'll talk about her in another entry. But for now, I have to focus on the things on my list.

So there goes another random entry. Enjoy your Wednesdays guys! :)

xoxo

2010-02-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

Today I am going to finish 4 papers due tomorrow and work overtime til the wee hours in the morning. It's going to be great and I'll keep telling myself this until Sunday when all the school stuff is over. Right now I feel a little unproductive with all the clutter and chaos in my room, I honestly can't concentrate. I know it's a bit anal but seriously, how can I start doing something if my bedroom looks like a complete and utter mess? Doesn't feel right for me. (I have this weird habit of fixing my bedroom and making sure the whole place is neat before I start working on something--people, is this normal?!?!)

For the past couple of days my Dad has been so into feng shui and it kind of makes me think of how the mess in my room is related to how I feel at the moment. Drained, tired and not so motivated. Does the drawer in the Northeast side of the house really affect my good luck and fortune? Is this why thing's aren't really happening as well as I planned? Does this call for a trip to Chinatown to get an antidote for it? Apparently, those drawers are making the "King Lion" not so pleased and that I have to offer something in return for using up his space. I have to hire an expert to answer that question I guess.

But on a more serious note, I want to know how effective feng shui really is. It's not that I'm going hard core about it but I just want to know why people who practice it believe it to be true. I'm sure there are some common sense to it. I do believe in this good energy that we have to nurture and foster in our homes but going all the way (breaking down doors and walls, mirrors here and there) ---that I'm a little doubtful.

I probably will go to a store and buy what my Dad told me to put on the Northeast side of the house. Plus, he says I need to get a money plant for the Southeast corner. Feng Shui can be a little expensive , eh?

I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope all this feng shui madness works. Or if all else fails, maybe just letting the air inside the house and doing more practical /common sense things will help me breathe properly and make me feel more energetic. I don't know but right this moment, I'm sort of considering going to Barnes & Noble with my dad to read more about Feng Shui and maybe get a decent book about it. (which reminds me I need to buy a Shu Uemura mascara and a Nars Super Orgasm blush at Sephora--another blog entry for those!)

Oh, whatever! Maybe I just seriously need a clean and organized living and working place. Doesn't everybody just want that?

2010-02-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

It feels like the past few weeks felt like a breeze and it's funny how I feel like I haven't really accomplished much for this year considering I have a free schedule with the luxury of getting busy on matters that are interesting to me. But now there is that feeling of incompetence I wish not to dwell on further. I ask myself sometimes if I push myself too hard or maybe not at all, which is probably the reason why I feel numb and uber dull. No inspiration to shake me up and no healthy stress either to keep me going. Today was the first time I woke up at 6 am and I'm really wishing I had that jetlag back. I'd rather be asleep at 7 pm and wake up at 4 to 5 am than be in this very dreadful sleeping schedule/rut. Not so productive. I miss yoga.

But anyway, instead of wasting time ranting about how inefficient I feel at the moment, let me focus on the brighter side of things. A new day, a new morning to start things right. (This is why I love mornings so much) Reminds me of all the opportunities waiting to be grabbed, ideas to be shared and inspiration to be acted on. (Forgive the randomness of this post) I just seriously want to get busy (busy in the fulfilling/productive/effective sense) Busy as in, I want t have a challenging schedule that offers me just the right amount of time working on interesting and important things and also the right balance of business and pleasure. Basically what I'm asking for is a healthy schedule for my mind, body and spirit.

I realize for the past few weeks that that only thing that really excites me (aside from the cherry coke from the gas station) is watching Belle du Jour reruns on the internet which I'm not really proud of. (I love the show though, don't get me wrong but that's another story for another day.)

Okay so I've been typing away. I better stop and start my paper which is due on this Saturday's class.

But seriously, why do we feel so dumb and disoriented sometimes? Or maybe it's just me.

2010-01-19T16:43:00.001-08:00

Last week I received my January 2010 issue of US Elle in the mail. The Lady Gaga/ Britney Spears cover. And guess what?!? It was torn, crumpled and dirty. WTH right?!? I freaking paid for it and what they give me is a dilapidated version of it. I was a bit mad but mainly disappointed. Now guys, THIS is the reason why sometimes, aside from my subscription, I also buy another copy at cover price--just incase my favorite editorial comes to me ripped or worse, gone! So anyway, yes, I was disappointed because it looked like trash and worse, the inside pages of my magazine looked like it had been read a thousand times by a frustrated customer in a beauty salon. It's not funny and more importantly not fair. I already paid for it a couple of weeks back, or was it a month back? I can't remember but I have my checkbook to prove it.

I subscribe to a number of magazine's and have been doing this for almost six years already and this has never happened, EVER. Except now. US Vogue has always sent their magazines to me, if not in a waterproof-dirtproof plastic packaging, still in good and perfect condition. I never had any reason to be dissatisfied with their service. And I love how they send free stuff as rewards for longtime subscribers. Now that, is good customer service.

Don't get me wrong. I love, love, love ELLE. It's the magazine that has my favorite cover in the world. I love how it's very different from Vogue and more accessible to girls like me who have real lives and real budgets. It's always a good read but they really have to fix this whole mailing issue. I don't know if it's the post office's fault or what. They should know that some of their clients, get their magazines in very bad shape.

Should I send a complaint now? I think not as there's still the February issue to redeem them and I don't want to be a bad customer. I'd rather waste my time questioning Gloria why she thinks running for office again is a good idea. I don't effing get it.

2010-01-14T00:16:00.000-08:00

I can't sleep. It's 11:15 pm (i know, a little too early to complain about sleeping problems but in my standards, already pretty late). I'm planning to wake up at 5 am tomorrow but not sure how to survive only six hours of sleep. People who know me well know that I love to sleep anytime and anywhere. But who knows, maybe morning yoga will help keep me awake.

I did beginner's yoga today by myself on my little mat and it was very interesting. I actually searched youtube, found a decent female instructor (soothing voice with a cool Irish-y accent) and voila! i was on my way to becoming a yogi. well, sort of. I did basic yoga poses which i have to admit was a little hard at first because of all the stretching and balancing involved. I bought a hot pink yoga mat a few years back and never got the chance to use it except today so that thought kept me motivated to endure all the hard work. Actually, that pink mat made me realize how easily I make resolutions but take forever to fulfill them. I bought it with a promise I would use them ASAP. But whatever happened to that?

Now going back to my morning with yoga, I have to admit, it really did wonders to my mood, posture and thinking. I didn't expect to feel the calming effects so soon considering it was just my first time and I only did it for a good 10 minutes. But man I swear, it really felt like an hour. Thank God for it though because I felt more revived, calm and focused. I plan to do it every morning (hence, the 5 am alarm) and accompany it with a decent hearty breakfast. Yum. Let's see how far I can go with that schedule.

So anyway, aside from having a really calm and fulfilling morning, Paulo and I went to Church today too. I always love to do things that enrich my faith. Praying, meditating and just being silent. I love how they keep me grounded and focused on the more important things in life like family, friends, faith, love and inner peace.

Lately I've been a little lazy and have been internet bingeing (does the term even exist?). I read somewhere that sometimes you really have to take a break from all these things. Facebook, email, twitter, blogs, etc. I've been planning to do this whole internet detox thing I read in an article on the January issue of ELLE. Like staying away from the computer for a whole week. Even just thinking about not going online sends shivers down me spine. It'll will definitely make me feel naked and incomplete. No emails, no web surfing, blog readings and just jared, for a week. I have no idea how it's going to end up. First of all, work requires it. And….ok, let's say I just check my email once or twice a day. Hmmm…that sounds doable. :) Maybe I can do that starting tomorrow. But then something comes to mind. How about the blogs I've been waiting updates on?!?! Yes, i know, what a dilemma.

But maybe what I really need to do is to learn to let go. Let go of all these things I want to do and want to be. Just get rid of my infinite to do list that I tell myself I have to complete in order to be happy. Sometimes it gets too overwhelming. I want to learn so much and to be updated with everything happening around me but then I start to lose me, the REAL ME. I start to forget the things that really REALLY make me happy and the things that matter to me.

It is written. 2010 says I need to take a break from all my past habits of wanting to be everything to everyone. I will stop people pleasing and ass kissing. From now on, i have to learn to manage my time and prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. I should have a vision of what I want to accomplish and not just go with the flow all the time. This year I will focus on having direction. A main goal.

Whew, that was a little overwhelming but I guess it's time I get serious. I'm not getting any younger.

Now with all that said, i am reminded of an earlier dilemma. It's 12 am and I have to wake up in five hours to start all these good things. I'm not a bit sleepy but I will force my eyes shut after I publish this. Wish me luck.

2010-01-12T20:34:00.000-08:00

It's always nice to have this little writing room in cyberspace. I'm sure 2010 is going to be a blast. I have a long list of reasons why. I've learned a lot the past years and I know that this time, I am ready and a lot more optimistic about the future. Thanks to positive thoughts, good friends, calm, peace and a balanced lifestyle. I am finally getting there.

So lately I've been very busy redecorating our room and I'm trying to be as neat and organized as possible. It's hard if you have a fixed budget and even harder when you find yourself drooling over things you see at Elle Decor. Thank God for Ikea and Target where I can find a lot of good cheap deals. I've always been crazy in love with fresh flowers in my home and especially bedroom but it's just so hard to maintain. Also, fresh flowers can cost a lot sometimes. But nevertheless, I should make mental note to self that fresh flowers are so worth it. Peonies, white roses, orchids and hydrangeas for me equal happiness. But for now, I really don't mind settling for those faux blooms. They look lovely and I can't complain.

the bedroom on one of those rare afternoons I am inspired to cook.

My mother-in-law gave us these nice light blue and white floral quilt for Christmas which i love very much and think matches our gold embroidered pinya throw pillows i bought in Manila. I've also added some scented candles on my bedside and a few reading materials. I am currently loving it but I think it's still a little cluttered. Well, it's still is a work in progress.