Just the best night of my life. Period. Maybe hypnotized. And i will repeat it again given the chance. There’s just something about the positivity, and happiness (AAAND sadness) that each song brings.I will be forever a fan and thank you Coldplay for this night. See below my Youtube video of the #AHFOD tour in Manila
Last December, I started gifting friends and family with items that I really thought of. I’ve been saving up since last year and I realized that the value of my presents doesn’t matter if I make them really special, unique and personal.
And so for Father’s Day week, I found some items that are less ordinary than alcohol, perfumes or clothes that we usually give to our dads. This website is pretty amazing! Personally, my dad is a big spender on branded stuff – bikes, clothes, belts, cars. He has always liked the perfumes I give him (and receive from events of fragrances for men haha) but this time, I think he would get to see how unique these are and complement it with his things.
1. Personalized Whisky Glass
Since he loves Johnnie Walker so much ( but I wanted to give him the cool whiskey stones in the web!!!) and bonding with us while drinking (haha), I think that this would perfectly fit his curated office and den. Made by Becky Broome, “you can enter up to five lines of text with a message of your choice. You can enter up to ten uppercase characters including spaces and punctuation for lines one, two and three (larger font). You can then add up to eighteen uppercase characters including spacing and punctuation for lines four and five.”
2. Wooden Wireless Charger
My dad has around 5-10 gadgets (I think our parents are becoming really techy!!) and aside from the wireless speakers I gifted him before, this would be the perfect partner to his Facebook (and IG!!!) world. This is made by Make Me Something Special in collab with Aircharge, a UK based company that specialise in wireless phone charging technology. While Aircharge supply the wireless technology, we have designed a perfect and beautiful personalised wooden holder, handcrafted from our hand selected English Oak and our Amish American Black Walnut in our Surrey Hills Workshop, carved, smooth and finished to perfection and can be engraved with your choice of words or lettering.”
3. Hip Flask
Last year, I bough a Scorpio-inspired flash from a bazaar and I saw my dad using it on trips. This is just perfect for all of our cool dads! Created by Highland Angel, “The flask can be engraved with your own message of up to four lines, with a maximum of up to 28 characters in each. There is a choice of a plain or script font to match your style.”
4. Personalized Watch Stand
Men’s top accessory is a watch unlike us girls with so many stuff so a personalizes and curated stand would like nice on their desks!! Perfect to gift this season or even this Christmas! “Handmade from beautiful English Oak and Amish American Black Walnut in our Surrey Hills workshop, these stunning oak watch holders can be personalised to make a truly unique and timeless gift. When it is down time – you will always know where you left your watch.”
5. Photo print!
I found a similar one that I gifted my mom last Christmas and thinking of making and personalizing one for him with photos of his trail and bike adventures!!!
These are really amazing items from Gifts Less Ordinary!. We all know gifting is big in our country and this would make it really special.
Just discovered Boozy.ph, an online liquor delivery service that allows you to order your favorite liquor brands and have it conveniently delivered to your doorstep – in 90 minutes! Boozy.ph currently delivers to the following areas – Bonifacio Global City, Makati, Mandaluyong, Ortigas Center and Pasig Kapitolyo. Very soon, the entire Metro Manila (hello Valenzuela!) will be serviced and we will never have to leave the comfort of your home (or office!) again whenever you wish to purchase liquor. Especially that I just spend my weekends at my newly renovated room 😉
Whether it’s your favorite vodka, your go to whisky – Hennessy and Johnnie Walker!, imported beer, or a rare single malt that you’ve been wanting to try, Boozy has a wide selection of premium liquors conveniently available online with a few clicks. It’s also a great gift idea! I gifted some of below to my Dad and friends during their hotel birthday parties the past weeks.
Overall, I really like the great selection and services of this. It’s easy and quick especially if you underforecast your drinks for a party, which usually happens with my friends haha
*Boozy.ph takes orders online 24/7 but orders and deliveries are processed on Mondays from 1PM to 10PM and on Tuesdays through Saturdays from 3PM to 1AM. Cash on delivery and credit card/PayPal are accepted.
It’s this year that I really got to watch and think about #MissUniverse. I only started really watching this 1-2 years ago when MUO has been dramatically changing the platform, and notions of what it means to be a “beauty queen” regardless of color, size, and creed – which was showed especially this week. Exciting times indeed for beaucons! Congrats to ALL women who performed, competed at this pageant and most importantly, showed real sisterhood!
Below are photos i took during the preliminaries and dress rehearsals. Thanks Ate Kim Galang of Valenzuela for the tickets! You made us happy!!
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It’s pageant season! The #65thMissUniverse began last January 12, 2017 and will culminate with a live telecast on January 30, 2017 at the Mall of Asia Arena Philippines. I can feel the hype from everyone in my LGBT and non-LGBT community friends!
What’s really good about holding this locally is that aside from promoting our cultural works and workers – like Mindanao fabrics, our every own fashion designers, photographers, etc – our team of top-notch local color artists will be providing makeup for the contestants throughout the pageant! A special team of makeup artists by MAC will also be available for the Miss Universe Organization, current title holder Pia Wurtzbach, VIPs, judges, and hosts. I think that makeup artists do major work back stage and let’s see the looks they’ve curated for this event!
The official team of makeup artists for the contestants includes Al De Leon, Anacleta Paredes, Angel Manhilot, Apple Fara-on, Byron Velasquez, Don De Jesus, Emer Buenaventura, Emman Concepcion, Gela Laurel, Gery Penaso, Jaycee Matias, Kusie Ho, Leah Casio, Mikee Raymundo, Omar Ermita, Pong Niu, Raf Bardon, RB Chanco, Ria Aquino, and Ryan Wong.
with the VERY talented Raf Manosca when he discussed to me the makeup that will be used on the girls
The Miss Universe MAC makeup kit
Rounding up the special events team are Renen Bautista, Pia Reyes, Bea Colet, Alex Lisbona, Jorence Delimos, Cielo Desamperado, Erin Cabrera, Mhike Gonzales, and Jaja Pangilinan.
MAC Miss Universe color artist team
As the Official Makeup Sponsor, M·A·C Cosmetics was present during their official registration and fittings. Once the candidates arrived, they went through interviews, fittings and final registration to officially be signed as a candidate for the pageant. (see below backstage photos from MAC)
M·A·C Cosmetics helped the girls get all glammed up for their official photoshoots and they met with all 86 candidates to give them the perfect MISS UNIVERSE KIT compliments their skin tone.
I can say that glowing nudes and neutrals will be the thing, but cool to see statement colors as well!
Raf Manosca placing contrast through a complimentary warm blue eyeliner on Miss Curacao
Mikey Raymundo on Miss Guam
Jayce Matias doing a subtle sexy smokey eye look on Miss Peru
Ms Pong Niu!!
My favorite makeup looks from what all the BTS pictures I saw.
Leah Casio’s work on Miss Bahamas
Miss Switzerland and Miss Australia!
Can you guess what MAC lipstick Miss Brazil is wearing? Definitely perfect for her beauty!
Super excited! Who are your bets for this year’s #MissUniverse? =)
Along with the rise of the Manila indie culture, concept restaurants have been sprouting like mushrooms. These restaurants double up as coffee shops by day and dining hubs by night, offering a wide array of local and internationally inspired meals.
Once such dining place that has been gaining attention down south is the upstart yet promising Buku-Buku Kafe, owned by mother-daughter-son creative trio Lyn Santiago who heads the operations, Jessica Santiago who handles digital marketing, and Nicholas Santiago who spearheads all marketing efforts. Buku-Buku is a Bahasa term for ‘many, many books’. The idea of putting up a concept café that offers a full dining experience came about when founder Jessica traveled to the US where she chanced upon small street coffee shops with very artsy vibes to them. She saw how the spaces allowed artists to do poetry reading and live sessions with bands. “Traveling made me want to bring my experiences home”, said Jessica Santiago, Digital Marketing Manager.
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More than just a dining spot, Buku-Buku Kafe serves as a ‘book reading space’ which bookworms will definitely enjoy. They also have komiks and zines, which the owners have been collecting for years – one thing that’s not usually common in most mainstream bookstores. Apart from that, they also sell prints, postcards, notebooks, and other unique finds.
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Love for comfort food is the one thing that the owners enjoy the most. Whenever they travel, food tasting is on their priority list. Across their travels, they’ve explored different dining gems in Malaysia and Europe, the founders decided to add a well-curated full dining menu to their café. If you’re a meat lover, indulge with their Beef Brisket Tapa – a full plated dish of slow-cooked beef served with garlic rice, fried egg, roasted tomatoes with added pickled onions and corn salsa. Another best seller in the house is their Romi Lamen which is a creative twist resulting in something that looks like ramen but tastes like upgraded lomi. This dish is something you wouldn’t want to miss. Served with pork broth, roasted pork, pork liver, soft-boiled egg, shitake nori, chicharron, and kimchi. Apart from their staple coffee drinks, they also serve cocktail drinks that are perfect for a chill night with friends and live music.
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Buku-Buku Kafe not only provides good food and comfort, it also serves as a space for young, independent artists to showcase their craft. The prints, zines, and trinkets in the café are curated by members of the team, who also participate in small press expos and comics conventions themselves.
• Manic Pixie Depressive Gremlin – a self-published anthology of poems by author Pia Besmonte. There are only 700 copies in print. Pia’s verses, accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations by Raf Banzuela, discuss the trials and triumphs of the 21st century Filipina.
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The emergence of dining spots like Buku-Buku Kafe is a testament that the food and art scene down south is surely picking up.
Buku-Buku Kafe is located at the ground floor of Promenade Wing, The District in Imus Cavite. Check out Buku-Buku Kafe on Facebook (facebook.com/BukuBukuKafe) and on Instagram (@buku.bukukafe) for more information.
Last #WorldAidsDay, we learned that 1 Viva Glam lipstick can:
Let’s continue to support this good lipstick especially this December (review here). More photos of the launch below. #Everydayisworldaidsday
“The M·A·C AIDS Fund is supported exclusively by a consumer based model that directs 100 percent of the purchase price (minus VAT where applicable) of VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass to the Fund. M·A·C Cosmetics underwrites all of the production costs of the VIVA GLAM line, donating the full sale price to the Fund, including would-be profits for retail partners.” (press release)
Since 1994, M·A·C Cosmetics has launched permanent lipstick variants, and limited edition ones featuring celebrities and artists who champion the cause: RuPaul, k.d. Lang, Lil‟ Kim, Sir Elton John, Mary J. Blige, Shirley Manson, Linda Evangelista, Boy George, Christina Aguilera, Missy Elliott, Pamela Anderson, Lisa Marie Presley, Debbie Harry, Eve, Dita Von Teese, Fergie, Cyndi Lauper, Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and recently, Arianna Grande. I’ve been following these launches for years because they’re also just so pretty!
With the model, truly, one can easily contribute to the fund, which helps people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. But what more if we add our sales and marketing support! Last week, actress Antoinette Taus led a store takeover that will encourage ladies to check out or buy Viva Glam lippies. She invited me to participate in this challenge, together with her friends, Tom Taus, Julienne and Joaquin who were all so nice and game for this. Up to now, I still can’t believe that I met Tony (Antoinette’s nickname) given that I’ve been watching her on TV growing up. She’s just one of the most authentic, inspiring and passionate person I’ve met this year and I’m very grateful that we’re collaborating next year for some a humanitarian project.
It was such a great day and night with these people, and MAC Cosmetics (thanks also to Vani and Marco!). I swatched and did “sales talk”of Viva Glam which we all know will be given to the Aids Fund, and it’s something I don’t get to do everyday (well, we can still buy and recommend the permanent lippies forever!). So thank You, and MAC, for this experience!
While at the store, I checked out some new highlighters (below) and eyeshadows (last) that are just blinding in beauty! OMG!!
I’ve always wanted to watch him perform ever since Middle, Talk, and Sober, and finally, he came back to Manila again. This producer (of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way) and DJ is so talented and creative!
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Noel Bazaar, the country’s leading holiday shopping event opened last Nov. 18 and will continue until the 30th at the World Trade Center. I visited yesterday with my sister Mikka, to shop and beat the Christmas Rush and I got some pretty unique items for myself and for gifting that I was so happy about! I kinda got dizzy with the huge space and number of shops there but that’s good right? Lots of good options, indeed. And let me share that to you below.
Aside from shopping, there are lots of activities as well to make our shopping festive! Make sure to catch the exciting line-up of activities from makeup (see my schedule below) and blogging/photography workshops (featuring my co-bloggers), demos, fashion shows to games, raffles and variety shows featuring your favorite GMA Kapuso celebrities and more! Event highlights include the GMA Celebrity Ukay-Ukay and Auction featuring GMA Kapuso artists – Ruru Madrid and Gabbi Garcia, Miguel Tanfelix and Bianca Umali, and with special participation of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza.
What’s also good is that Noel aims to benefit the GMA Kapuso Foundation, Bantayog ng mga Bayani Foundation and Associate Missionaries of Assumption, along with the Noel P. Gozon Medical Clinic and the Sts. Peter and John Parish. My blog is sponsoring this bazaar, let’s support entrepreneurs and these organizations this Christmas, yes?
You can win tickets to this bazaar on my IG, and don’t forget to visit Mikka’s Closet booth too, our baby brand in bazaars =)
BEAUTY FINDS
Mary Kay (one of the most improved makeup brands I’ve seen – I’m posting reviews soon) and I are having series of makeup workshops. I have one this coming Tuesday, 5pm and hope to see you there!
Below are cosmetic items I found interesting in the bazaar! Check them out.
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Mary Kay demo’s at their booth
CURATED STYLE & HOME FINDS
Below is a pretty long list because this is really what I search for when I go to bazaar’s.
Shopping at The Manila Shopper booth featuring these cute items
From curated and creative watches, cases, wallets, pouches, bags and apparel, these are perfect for gifting or amping up your IG!
new Craft Central items which I blogged here
FOOOOOOOD!
This is my next favorite in bazaar’s and let’s start with Fronen sausages priced at P150 in Noel Bazaar. I really love how premium the sausages and deli meats are, you can really taste it. My favorite is the hungarian variant which is made with select fine ground beef and pork mixed with their blend of paprika, black pepper and other spices.
Fronen sausages and charcoal black bun WHOA, looks amazing!!
There are two more legs (Dec. 15-18 at SMX Convention Center and Dec 2-4 at Filinvest Tent, Alabang) this holiday so save these dates too and see you there!
The Noel Bazaar Series 2016 is organized in partnership with Smart Communications, Inc. and Petron Corporation and in cooperation with the GMA Network and the Philippine Daily Inquirer. This event is supported by their Official Ride Partner– Grab, Media Partners–GMA Network, GMA News TV, Philippine Daily Inquirer, INQUIRER.net, Super Radyo DZBB 594khz, BARANGAY LS 97.1FM, The Foreign Post, Summit Media, Preview Magazine, YES! Magazine, Female Network, pep.ph, When In Manila.com, Clickthecity, Manila Shopper and What’s to Love PH.
For more information, email at noelbazaarseries@gmail.com