TOPAZ HORIZON

Every once in a while, Vince and I go to the bookstore and go on a shopping spree. No, we don't do it every week or even every month because then we'll just end up buying lots of books and then have no time to read them.

To be honest, we haven't even opened the books we bought on our last book-buying spree. That was in July. Vince and I have been up to our eyeballs in work and parenting duties. Actually, Vince does find pockets of time to read. I haven't been able to. At all. So I figured we won't visit the bookstore until I finish at least one book from the July shopping.

But then came Gwyneth Paltrow on the cover of InStyle's October issue. So off I trooped to National Bookstore, dragging Vince with me of course!

I'm turning 36 in exactly 10 days!

Woah. Let me just say that typing that sentence took me completely by surprise. If you've been reading my blog long enough, you'd know that I'm obsessed with my birthday. I usually write a birthday wish list weeks and weeks before the big day so that my loved ones have a shopping guide. But this year? I forgot to make a list!!! I have changed. Either that or I was just too busy these past few weeks!

I don't want to be too busy. Too busy is not a good thing. That's my 36th year Resolution #1: Don't be busy! Frak. So busy I forgot my own birthday!

It's a good thing Cuzo remembered! I've been blogging about this Filipino bag brand a few times recently and Bunnie, the owner, discussed with me the possibility of a design collaboration, a Topaz Horizon bag or maybe a Topaz Mommy diaper bag. So exciting! I dunno if I'll actually do this (I'm a writer, not a designer) but I like to think I will!

Well, for my birthday, Bunnie sent me this:

Oh wow! Shopping! Thanks, Bunnie! I've picked out these bags. Which one should I get for my birthday present???

If you want to give Cuzo gift certificates, head on over to the Cuzo online shop now. They come in a special croc-stamped leather envelope so they make really great gifts for your mom, sister and friends for their birthday and for Christmas, too.

Happy shopping!


UPDATE: I got the Mica red nylon tote. I love it!

These are from random days from the past 2 weeks. I didn't post them because they're bad outfit shots. Ya know, bad because you don't see the whole outfit or it's too dark or my face is weird. If Tyra Banks were to judge these photos, she'd say I didn't showcase the products and that's a bad fashion photo haha.

The OK! staff loves to eat and when we have a particularly looooong meeting, we have to eat. And Chow Fun Modern Chinese Bistro in San Juan is our meeting place! I was supposed to blog about this fabulous Chinese restaurant months ago but, well, life got busy. But here it finally is!
My team. You all already met them a few posts back. But just to refresh your memory, that's (from left) Red, Elaine, Lana, Joanna, Sandra and Fran (read Frannywanny's review of Chow Fun). Not in photo are Kabbie and Mary Love. Oh, and me!

Here I am! This is really a long delayed post because look at the baby. Let's see, Iñigo is almost 3 months old here. You've seen this photo before, in my Photo Dump! post.

The rest of my photos are of a more recent trip. Here we are on our way to Chow Fun. It's best to arrive early so you can get parking, which is just on the street.

We arrived early! That's us reflected in the mirror.

Okay, I took photos of the food but I was really hungry (plus I had a baby in my arms) so my hand must've been shaking because all my photos were blurry! Sorry, hindi ako food blogger haha but let me make it up to you with my descriptions. I'm pretty good at describing taste!

Anyway, I grabbed photos from the Facebook page of Chow Fun—with permission! The photos are much better than my blurry, dark ones, which is good so you can better appreciate the super sarap menu!
First thing we ordered: the Chinese Fun-due. It's baby squid, radish cakes, fish balls all breaded or battered and served with bubbling hot dips of curry cream cheese (in photo) and sweet chili sauce. This really whets the appetite so if you're on a diet, beware!

Another item on the menu that will ruin your diet? The awesome Shanghai Duck Rolls! I can snack on these all day. Crispy, crunchy then really tasty fillings! And to add to what's already fantastic, the rolls come with the perfect dips of orange sauce, vinaigrette and hot sauce!

Okay, okay, it gets better. This here is the Sour Caramel Pork. Tender pork bites bathed in a crunchy sweet and sour marinade and sprinkled with sesame seeds. I just love the yin and yang of this dish—sweet and sour, tender and crispy, all delicious. I love this. I really truly do.

But I love this more: the Chow Fun Chicken Fry. Best fried chicken ever! Side story: When Vince and I started dating, I've never really gone out. House, school, church—that was my life. So when Vince took me to restaurants, I didn't know how to order! He gave me a really helpful tip, "If you don't know what to get, always get the house specialty. That's the one with the restaurant's name attached to it."

So when I saw that Chow Fun had Chow Fun Chicken Fry on their menu, I had to try it. And yes, their fried chicken does make chowing super fun! I know it's Chinese but I found it very Pinoy—crispy skin, juicy meat, and it's a mix of salty and sweet. Really good. Argh, I got hungry just remembering this chicken!!! Next dish!

I'm a veggie lover. I always try to have my meals with vegetables or else I won't be satisfied. The X.O. Vegetables dish happily satisfied me. The greens are succulent and fresh and there's a generous dollop of... I actually don't know what is that Chow Fun poured over the veggies but whatever it is, it sure added happiness!

Of course, since we're Pinoys, we never eat anything without rice. I'm a plain rice kinda gal but, upon Fran's enthusiastic recommendation, I tried the Duck Fried Rice. Grabe. Kanin pa lang, ulam na! It's generously tossed with lots of chopped up goodies and topped with minced duck sauce.

For the next stuff we ate, I have no photos (there are no pics on Chow Fun's Facebook page either!), which is such a big boo-boo, because much as I loved the kanin and ulam, it was dessert I enjoyed the most! When you eat at Chow Fun, make sure you finish off your meal with their Dark Chocolate Buchi and Reese's Pieces Buchi. OMG. OMG! One serving is three big balls of buchi, and inside awaits a rich hot chocolate sauce that spurts in your mouth when you bite into the chewy, sesame-smothered shell. Absolutely orgasmic! I swear, hindi enough ang one serving. I always order 2 or 3 servings of this!!!

I also order 2 servings of their special Haw Flakes Pastry. Okay, you guys, this Haw Flakes Pastry is the stuff dreams are made of. It's a big square of fluffy pastry filled with melted haw flakes. Then you dip this heavenly thing into a sauce made of five spices. The sauce surprised me because I use five spices for marinating meat. This dessert is just divine.

Sigh! I love eating at Chow Fun! I love their decor, too. I love the generous space and the chairs and upholstered booths. I usually just put Iñigo behind me (haha) so I can eat. Don't fret—I hold onto him!

I'm not posing—I'm holding on to Iñigo! Oh, see the brown bags? They're mine. Take out for Vince!

Bagong gising Iñigo! That's how comfy the seats are. He's almost 5 months old here.

(My outfit details here!)

You can tell from our photo that we love Chow Fun. So burpy busog!

Chow Fun is on Jose Abad Santos St. in Little Baguio, San Juan. You can see it from Wilson St., it's just right at the bungad. Enjoy!


*all food photos and Chow Fun door photo are from Chow Fun Facebook page, used with permission.

Well, they're not actually designer bags haha but I think I like them better! Meet Charro y Churro cotton tote bags:




They're so silly! And just P500 each! I found them on AVA, an online shop for Pinoy stylistas. Plenty of fab finds there. I'm seriously considering buying these bags as Christmas gifts for my girlfriends. My friends will find these bags really funny, even funnier than I find them because, well, unlike me, they actually own Birkins and Chanels and Balenciagas!

This is the last of the OK! shoot story! A fashion post so you can see that while we all looked glammed up and red-carpet ready, our outfits weren't on a Hollywood budget!

This is me. "Very Town & Country," Lana said. Haha. You've already met my dress. It's the Anja column dress from Catalogue 63 that I wore to the Esquire Ball two weeks ago. It's just P2,600! I'm wearing Forever 21 crystal drop earrings. And you don't see my shoes (such a shame), which are BCBG gold brocade heels. My lipstick is shu uemura Supreme Matte Lipstick in hot pink.

Lana's shoulder dusters are from Forever 21. Her forest green halter gown is from Tint. I love Tint dresses! They're very simple but the fabric is always nice. The Tint in Power Plant Mall has been replaced by the new Kiehl's boutique, though, so I don't know where to buy Tint bags and dresses now!

Joanna's wearing a Topshop peplum dress, a statement necklace from SM Dept Store and fabulous Stella Luna shoes. I love those shoes! I have this silly thing about shoes, that a woman should have a pair of yellow shoes or purple shoes. For luck. I know it doesn't make sense at all but I've come across stylish women featured in magazines and they always say that yellow and/or purple shoes are lucky. I used to have yellow heels. I have purple ones. Must buy yellow!

On Elaine is a mullet dress from Forever 21, necklace from Yhansy and shoes from Celine. Pink is Elaine's color. She's such a girly girl! And she'll be a bride soon! I wonder what her wedding motif will be. I'm betting it will be pink!


I don't know where Red's clothes came from. He didn't say. But he's always dressed like that when he goes to work. Or he'll come in wearing suspenders and a hat. He's very dapper.

I don't have a full photo of Jay! Oh no! He had really great shoes from Salvatore Mann. His shirt and coat are 101 New York, trousers are Maldita Man and bow tie is SM Dept Store. He's sooo cute! I hired him for his looks. I'm not ashamed to admit it. To my great relief, his looks came with writing talent and a sense of humor haha.

Franny looks so adorable in this Dorothy Perkins dress. The purple really made her skin look creamier than ever. Her Yhansy necklace adds edge. Shoes from Payless.

Mary Love is wearing a Forever 21 tangerine dress, an Avon necklace and cage heels from Charles & Keith. And you can't tell from this photo but her lipstick is orange. And she looks amazing with orange lipstick!

What we wore are really from our own closets, or from Kabbie's closets haha. And that's Topaz Fashion this week! See you all next week!