TOPAZ HORIZON

Okay, so I said in a previous post, in its comments, that I was advised not to talk about my work when I blog. So I actually don't. I talk about Hollywood celebrities and fashion, I talk about how I have to wear this and that to a meeting or an event, but I never ever talk about the job itself. In fact, some of you don't even know what magazine I edit.

Well, what the heck, this is my baby:

Grab the October issue of OK! Philippines! It's already out. It's the annual Best Dressed in Hollywood special. We also have huge features on the super hot Vampire Diaries and the final season of Gossip Girl. Speaking of GG, we also have details on the super secret wedding of its star, Blake Lively, to super cutie Ryan Reynolds. There's a ton more goodies inside, like the extra magazine OK! Glam where we flood you with the perfect accessories for every budget and every outfit!

I love the October issue! And I'm sure you'll love it, too. So grab a copy now!


P.S. Are you a Zac Efron fan? Yes? He's in the country! Want to meet him? OK! is giving away free tickets to his fancon! Details on our Facebook page.

Okay. Y'all know I'm not a fan of Kristen Stewart. But she's been looking mighty fine since the cheating scandal a few weeks ago. She hid away from the world, and rightly so since the world just freaked out. Trampire, homewrecker, trailer trash, what-have-you.

I don't agree with the hate since I think she's young and everyone's done stupid things when they're young (although I have never ever gone out with a married man when I was a kid—even I wasn't that dumb). But the poor girl didn't deserve all that hate.

But hey, she comes out of hiding looking like this:

A lot thinner, her snobbish attitude gone, her I'm-too-good-for-this smirk gone. She looks fabulous! I love her super skinny body! And I love love love her smile! She's gorgeous!

Nothing like a big slice of humble pie, right? You look great, sweetheart. Keep smiling!


More photos of Kristen at Ocean Up and Just Jared.

I like Taylor Swift's new song, "We are Never Ever Getting Back Together." At my age, of course I can't relate to it haha. But I like Taylor. She spills her guts all over her songs the way I spill mine all over my blogs. Plus, she can write really catchy tunes!

Here are two videos of her song. Here's the one starring her:


And here's the one that's just all words, which makes it really easy to sing along to:


I like the lyrics video better! I love words. Taylor is easy on the eyes but I like the way words look better.

Which one do you like?


UPDATE: This song is about Jake Gyllenhaal, y'all!!!

Haven't been able to blog all week because of the biggest scandal to rock Tinseltown since Brad left Jen for Angelina: Kristen Stewart cheated on (the adorable) Robert Pattinson. As some of you know, I make a Hollywood entertainment magazine for a living so can you imagine the furor of the past week?!

What bothers me about this whole issue is the opinion that Rupert Sanders couldn't resist having an affair because the 22-year-old, fair-skinned, dark-haired Kristen looks waaay better than his 33-year-old, fair-skinned, dark-haired wife, Liberty Ross.

Nope, I'm not watching the new Spidey movie. I don't think the moviegoers will appreciate me sneaking a 7-week-old infant in the theater. Yep, my baby boy breastfeeds like crazy and so we're semi-permanently attached.

I wanted to watch it not because of the story (seriously, did it really need a retelling?) but because of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. Here's why:

Patty and I like our men long and lean!

Oh well. Anyway, I just distracted myself with this fantabulous magazine:

To the amazing and super talented staff, you did one hell of a great job with this issue! Your gorgeous editor-in-chief (who, FYI to the mag's readers, was on maternity leave when this issue was produced) is very proud.

Hmm. I'm kinda feeling like I want Emma's hair here. But I'm 35 so maybe I'm too old for that look haha

I hope you guys grab a copy of the July issue of OK! magazine. You'll love it just as much as I did!

This was the cover of OK! Philippines when the TomKat phenomenon took the world by storm 7 years ago. Ah, 2005. That was the year Brad and Jen split, then Brad and Angelina hooked up, and then Tom and Katie got engaged within a few weeks of meeting, and then both leading ladies of the year's biggest romances got knocked up. Truly an epic year for entertainment magazines!

Fast forward to 2012. This is the year Brangelina finally got engaged and the year TomKat split. Another epic year. Katie was the one who filed the divorce papers, allegedly taking Tom by surprise since he was still singing her praises while promoting Rock of Ages. She's asking for custody of their daughter, Suri, and everyone is leaning forward in their seats, waiting for the ugly divorce and custody war. And this is Tom Cruise, only one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. It's a brave soul who goes up against him and everyone's eagerly waiting to watch how Katie will get what she wants.

But the divorce makes me sad. So many people--the entire world it seemed!--wanted Tom and Katie to fail. We all doomed their relationship from the very start. So each year they celebrated together was a triumph I quietly enjoyed. Then this.

It makes me sad. Tom and Katie fought so hard for their love, they were the epitome of you-and-me-against-the-world, that evil, cynical world. They fought back hard but in the end, the world won.

I haven't watched Hunger Games yet but it is definitely the movie to watch this weekend. So since I haven't watched it, I'm not doing a movie review. I'll just tell you why Vince thinks there's no contest between Gale and Peeta (guy in black shirt). Yes, my husband read the book!

Seems like everyone's taking sides on which boy Katniss should pick. Vince says Gale never had a chance. And his reason is simple: If the girl you cared for was picked to go to the Hunger Games, you'd volunteer to take her place. That's what Katniss did for her sister. Vince said, "That's what I'd do for you." He added that he'd make sure he'd win, too, so that he can come back to me, with all the lifetime winnings of a champion, and take care of me!

*Insert kilig moment here*

Well, it's always been obvious to me that Peeta wins hands down but my reason is silly. Peeta had me at "She came here with me." There could be no other guy after that! Enjoy your weekend!

In one episode of HBO's truly magnificent gangster series Boardwalk Empire, a badly burned agent woke up in his hospital bed and told Agent Van Alden, "I see you. I know." Those cryptic declarations sent Van Alden in a whirl of panic. On paper, Van Alden was a God-fearing, laced-up, Bible verse-spouting Prohibition agent. Behind that facade, he's actually a lying, cheating, adulterous, murderous man. And when the burned agent said those words, "I see you. I know," he set off a chain of events that led to the guilty and frightened Van Alden's undoing.

There's this story I heard--and I don't know if it's true--that a long time ago, the writer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, of Sherlock Holmes fame, played a simple practical joke on English society. Legend has it that he sent anonymous notes to the five most powerful families one morning with these words: "Your secret is out. Flee!" By that evening, the families have fled. Interesting, right?

What I'm driving at is the terrible secrets that we all seem to have. I've been mulling over this because of the whole Piolo-KC and Mo-Rhian thing. Piolo's supposed to be gay and Rhian's allegedly had at least one abortion. For a while there, I was as riveted as everyone but finally, I was just scratching my head. So what if he's gay? So what if she's had an abortion? I'm not saying I heartily approve, I'm just saying that we all have our secrets and too bad theirs came out.

KC and Piolo

Mo and Rhian

I will confess that I have no secrets. My life is an open book. I guess that's why I took to blogging so quickly. My mother always hated my indiscretion--that's her term--but I just don't see the point of hiding things. If you ask me a question, I will answer it. And never ever tell me your secret because I will not keep it. I won't spread it but if someone asks, I always find myself blurting it out with no guilt whatsoever. My friends have learned very quickly. They never tell me anything!

There is one secret I've only told my nearest and dearest but that's because it isn't my secret. It's a family secret--it isn't mine, it's someone else's. I don't see anything wrong about sharing it but my Mama made me promise not to blog about it. So I won't blog about it.

Other than that, I have nothing to hide. Yep, no sex tape (yet!). And I promise that if I do have a secret to confess tearfully on national TV, I will do so in a designer dress, with salon blowout hair and fabulous makeup! Well, maybe no mascara. Just kidding!

Seriously, there is such marvelous freedom and lightness and beauty at having absolutely no secrets! That doesn't mean I'm blameless and spotless. I've done things that would make you blush, that the absolutely conservative ones will frown upon and condemn. But I never hid them away. I always stood up for what I think is right, for what I am passionate about, so I've always talked about my life openly because I'm not ashamed of it. It's not perfect but I believe my life is very well thought out, very well planned, and very well lived. I have no deep, dark, dirty secrets--whatever dark or dirty deed I've done, it's all accounted for, confessed, forgiven. I am free!

So if you're young, please just don't let life happen to you. Take charge. If you've made mistakes, acknowledge them, take responsibility and move on. If you are doing something that you truly believe in is good and right but others don't understand, fight for it. If you had a nose job, boob job, don't lie and say you blossomed. You have to rid your life of the baggage of secrets! You have to stop living a life of lies and deceit and shame. Then you can avoid the disastrous scandals our local stars are wallowing in!

And on that note, I am done with local showbiz! I am much happier delving into the life of Hollywood celebrities. Not cleaner, not at all, but definitely less messy. There's something to be said about Hollywood's fierce publicity machine. It makes everything so fake but ain't it pretty?

Was browsing through web pages last night for sales and discounts (you'd be surprised at all the stuff you can find, from discount codes on shoes to abt electronics coupons!) and I stumbled upon these instead... Tron: Legacy merchandise.


Frakkin' cool! Those shoes are mind-blowing. And yet so nerdy at the same time. I can't get over it! Making such sexy gear for such a geeky film (and making the merchandise really expensive) definitely adds a cool element to the Tron franchise. Well, those and Olivia Wilde, of course.

Olivia in real life. Yes, that's what she looks like in real life!

Now, for those of you kiddies who were too young to watch this classic sci-fi flick, Tron is a 1982 flick that dealt with theft, intrigue and conspiracy in the world of video games and software development. Did that make you fall asleep? Well, the fun part is the sci-fi part, when the lead character Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) zaps himself with a laser so he can go into the computer mainframe. Yes, like, literally. Now that he's literally inside the computer he battles programs to... Okay, okay, I won't bore you with the details.

Anyway, it's great fun but only to nerds, I think. Like Chuck Bartowski, who has a Tron poster on his bedroom wall...
...and a really hot girlfriend who happens to be a spy, too. See? Nerds do get the girl! The Third World Nerd (who got himself a hot girl, too!) and I certainly enjoyed watching it again a few months ago. We're definitely looking forward to Tron: Legacy, which hits local theaters this December, just before the awful MMFF season dominates our screens.

Last night, OK! managing editor Lana Chan and I attended the Sex and The City 2 premiere at Power Plant Mall. It was thrown by Solar Entertainment and I had a lovely time seeing old friends.

You see, unless my job requires me to go out (for example, to an advertiser's event), I haven't really been socializing since I got pregnant. Three reasons: I'm terribly sleepy, I had really bad acne in the first trimester, and I'm more susceptible to infections and diseases. When I got pneumonia, for example, that happened a week after I attended an advertiser's event. So I'm pretty much cloistered lately.

So last night was fun. There was a plethora of style--I had fun checking out dresses, bags, jewelry, heels, boots, hairstyles. Really, I think I've been cooped up too long! Thank goodness for Facebook (and this blog!), people I haven't seen in months (some, years) were not shocked to see me pregnant. We were all pretty much up to date with each other's lives!

I didn't go in the theater to watch the movie, however. I always seem to get sick when I'm in a crowded enclosed space! So I bid my friends buh-bye and went off to Sango to buy my yummy husband his dinner. 
Vince and I have always loved Sango's burgers, but after two pregnancy-induced nausea fits, we haven't had any. Thankfully, last night, my nose was cooperative! When I got home, Vince just also arrived from work (and he was soooo happy to see me! So cute!) and we had a grand time munching away happily.

So that was my night! How was yours?

Someone, impressed with my husband's gift-giving skills, asked me why I didn't blog about Vince's Christmas gift to me. Well, because by the time December and January came along, I was in the midst of that first trimester madness and totally forgot that my Christmas--despite all the morning sickness, sleepiness, fatigue, etc--was extremely happy and blessed!

So what did Vince give me for Christmas? Actually, we gave this to each other because we both wanted it and since it was kinda not cheap, we both decided it'll be perfect for us both! We got ourselves this:

Happiness! We totally love Rock Band 2! Super funnest game ever! Ya, I know the girls reading this are disappointed ("A video game? WTF?!") but you have to understand I'm a geek and I'm really good at some video games. That would make me every guy's dream girl, right? But Vince doesn't even want to play with me sometimes because I can get fiercely competitive. It's not about having fun for me, it's about annihilating the enemy (and if you're the other guy, that would mean killing you). Worse, I'm a sore loser. I don't take defeat lightly at all, which makes playing games with me totally not fun. 

But Rock Band is just fun. Fun! Fun! Fun! I've never had so much fun playing with others--we've even done Rock Band parties because it's the kind of game that just makes everyone happy.

Thanks, GQ! Any magazine with Johnny Depp on its cover is the perfect magazine cover really. What a dreamboat!

I don't know if you know but I'm a teacher. I started by teaching Sunday School. I was also a preschool teacher ten years ago. Today, I may be a magazine editor but I still teach my staff (and other magazine staff!) about making a magazine. It comes very naturally to me, teaching. I like getting knowledge and I like sharing it as well. And I've been blessed that some people have actually called me their mentor. That's such a big role and to be called one is amazing!


So when Theodore P, a DLSU student, requested that I visit their college class and give a talk about the celebrity magazine industry, I was excited. And nervous. Well, part of the jitters came from looking blotchy because of an allergic reaction to an acne treatment facial I had a few days before the talk, but I was nervous because I haven't been in a classroom as a teacher for so many years. Thankfully, the allergy subsided the day before my talk.

When I entered the classroom and everyone started taking their seats, I felt a tad more comfortable. But it was when there were a few latecomers that burst in—this is a pet peeve!—the old Teacher Frances snapped back and I was in business.


I had a lot of fun at my talk. Theodore warned me that their professor can be intimidating and will grill me about magazines. I assured him I'd be fine; she may be teaching it but I'm living it. And at the talk, their professor was such a sweetheart! She and her class asked a lot of very good questions. They were difficult questions, too (I love difficult questions!), which says a lot about their level of interest and intelligence. I could've gone on and on and on but, alas, we only had an hour and a half.


Well, I found the experience so invigorating that I really don't mind doing it again! It's so lovely to be surrounded by young people. They're so beautiful and they don't even know it. Remember when I said that my hubby says I can still be mistaken for a college student? I used to believe him until I actually saw hundreds of college students at the DLSU campus. They're so young and perfect—the bright eyes, the taut skin, the shiny hair, the swift grace of limbs, the refreshing unsophistication and (I envy most of all), the flat tummies!



If you're a student (or a teacher) and would like to have me over and talk to your class, drop me an email! If I have time, I'd be glad to go.

To Theodore, Bianca and Pau, thank you for inviting me to your class. I really enjoyed myself and I'm glad your class had fun, too. I wish we had more time, though! I'll keep an eye on you three—I have a feeling you'll be big names in the media one day!

My favorite story is the one on the third wedding anniversary of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Read that again--third wedding anniversary. Imagine that! The photo album we made on their marriage shows the couple so in love that I was ashamed for thinking they wouldn't last a heartbeat. Oh well, I do like to be proven wrong and seeing a happily married couple go on and on being happily married is always a good thing.

The November issue is also our Power Issue so we gathered the juiciest trivia about how many Hollywood celebs are just so demanding! It's fascinating! And a little disgusting, if you ask my honest opinion. Remember my fury a few weeks back? Get the November issue to find out who the star was!

Right now, the staff and I are starting on 2010. We're planning a more exciting OK! magazine for you--featuring anything and everything Hollywood plus how to get that celeb look and lifestyle! Yes, expect to see more beauty tips and tricks, fashion how-to's, and thorough reviews on everything from the perfect shade of lipstick and the most trustworthy medical spas to how to burn belly fat and buy the best running shoes!

Anyway, I wasn't able to go on my monthly TV guestings and radio tours to promote this issue. I've been feeling very depressed since Galady died and just can't work up the energy needed for TV and radio. So I'll just share these pics from my radio tours for the October issue at one of my favorite radio stations to visit:Danielle and Rico are sweethearts. They make my job easy. I hope you also all help make my job easy and make me feel better by buying the November issue. Thanks everybody!

Okay, I know I still have to continue my Uniquely Singapore Series but let me get these out of the way first. I had promised to announce some promos, events and contests and you may be interested to support them...

You can help out and rock out at the same time! Join my friend Kate Torralba and her other fierce musician pals tonight for Girls Go Tik Tok Rockin', an evening with some of the finest femme-fronted acts in town: TECHY ROMANTICS, SARAH of TAKEN BY CARS, DUSTER, UP DHARMA DOWN, TURBO GOTH and of course KATE TORRALBA!

Pass-the-hat and in-kind donations welcome! Proceeds go to typhoon victims via Rock Ed Relief. Kate will tell you more about the Tik Tok Pilipinas Campaign and how it can help mitigate Climate Change. This event is presented by KT Designs and Cafe Saguijo. In cooperation with Rock Ed Philippines, DAKILA Philippines, Tik Tok Pilipinas, Stylebible.ph and Jam 88.3 FM.

God bless you, Kate, for doing this. I'd love to go but I'm down with a really nasty bug. But I'll be sending my warmest thoughts your way!



These newlyweds are finalists in the Ultimate Thailand Explorers: Ultimate Travel Competition. Michael Paul and Jennifer have the cutest long-distance relationship love story ever! I, for one, don't believe in LDRs and then these two came along and my faith is restored! Reward their love by giving these two adventurers the ultimate honeymoon. And your good will may just win you $2,500, a Thailand travel package and HTC phones. Vote now!

I haven't gone to Thailand myself but Vince and I are planning a trip. Watched Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations visit to Chiang Mai and my mouth watered just looking at all the food he ate! Ya, I'm a food and culture traveler. Not a shopping person at all.

• Food bloggers! Share your best yummy discOVIry! Email it to fooddiscOVIry@ovi.com.
• Fashion and beauty bloggers! Share your most fashionable and beautiful discOVIry! Email it to fashiondiscOVIry@ovi.com.
• Tech bloggers! Share your best tech/gadget/game discOVIry! Email it to techdiscOVIry@ovi.com.

You'll have to create an OVI account first, though. Register here. Contest period is from October 27 to November 20. There will be 10 winners per category and each wins P1,000 Ayala e-GC. That's not a lot, if you ask me. Come on, Nokia, you're so rich, you can give more--perhaps P5,000 each?

Did you know you can now enjoy free downloads of Asphalt 4, Prince of Persia, and other premium games on your Nokia device? Ovi Store lets you download up to 10 premium games for free! These games have never before been made freely available, but you can download them for a limited time only! Too good to be true? It's possible now thanks to Nokia's partnership with Gameloft, the maverick creators of unrivaled gaming experiences. Game for it? Check out the Ovi store now!

I don't have an OVI phone but I do play Asphalt 4 on my Samsung Omnia, which I won in a contest and am loving now. Anyway, Asphalt 4 is such an annoying game! Cars... I'll never understand them!

Well, that's that. Regular programming commences tonight. Or tomorrow. I'm kinda sleepy... need to rest. Must get well before my 33rd birthday!

Recently, Penelope Cruz sparked frenzied rumors of an engagement with longtime love Javier Bardem when she was spotted wearing this huge sapphire ring:I don't know why that would cause a flurry when Penelope's been wearing loads of fabulous jewelry every time she makes a public appearance.

Fine, it is on the right finger... or rather, on the left ring finger. And it is very similar to Diana's engagement ring. But until Penelope and Javier confirm an engagement (oh, I'd love for them to get married!), we will assume it's just another ring in the Spanish beauty's collection.

Recently, I've also been spotted with a huge sapphire ring. Similar to Diana's engagement ring and to Penelope's alleged engagement ring. It, too, has caused gasps from everyone who's seen it.

I assure you all I am not engaged. Still very happily married, in fact. I'm just very happy I'm turning 33 in a week! And this blue bauble is my birthday present to myself! What's that you said? You want to give me a present, too? Well, go here now for my requests! Or you can help replenish my seriously depleted bank account and buy these shoes! Thank you!