TOPAZ HORIZON

I started coloring my hair when I turned 18. That's because I started getting tons of white hair at the back of my head when I was 15. It's a genetic thing--my mother's family are the salt-and-pepper type. Since I didn't want to be gray in my teens, I begged for hair color and Mama allowed me to do it at 18. So I've been black, mahogany, chestnut, warm brown, bluish black, red, strawberry red and even blond since then.


Obviously, I love coloring my hair! And since I've found Louis Phillip Kee in 2006, I have discovered the glory of highlights. I tell ya, folks, Louis is the best hair colorist ever! You have to be the adventurous type though to appreciate the many layers of colors he puts on your hair. The last time I visited Louis was in late October, where I had my hair colored bright red with blond highlights and dark red lowlights.


Then I became pregnant in November and my husband has forbidden me to have my hair colored. Ditto with my OB. Now, I'm taking prenatal vitamins, which I believe are the best multivitamins ever. I've taken vitamins before but my body's really changed with prenatals--my nails are so strong, for example, and my hair grows really fast now. That's great, of course, except that my roots are showing!


Now my hair is red, blond and 3 inches of dark brown. It doesn't look good at all! Of course everyone says, "That's okay, you're pregnant." And, just to assure y'all, I really won't get my hair colored till after I give birth, but... Don't I look weird???

My, my, wasn't yesterday's post petulant (and mildly grammatically incorrect in some parts!)? I blame it on PMS. Migraine, mood swings, more tired than usual and you get whiny me. I guess I got envious of the women around me--efficient and impeccable because they have an army of assistants and maids to help them out.

But my reader Nikki of AskMeWhats, whom I've never met, saw through all my complaints and observed quite accurately, "I have a feeling you're someone who'd rather do things themselves as you know 'the right way' to do it, just like me. That's why I'd rather do things on my own than ask someone to do it then, at the end, not be satisfied!" Indeed, Nikki. That is who I am--I complain of all the work but when people help, I get more annoyed than grateful. And it's because I have a way of doing things and if it's not done just so, I get angry. So I end up doing everything myself! So I should stop complaining!!!

Goodness, I also want to add that my house is always perfectly clean and that I need not think about washing the dishes. I just want to put that out there because my darling sweet husband doesn't want you to think that our house is a mess. It isn't and that's because Vince is such a sweetheart with tidying things up. Why, just today he waxed and polished the floors! Thanks, Vince! Whatever would I do without you?

Yes, I'm in a better mood now. Had spicy tuna maki and tuna sashimi and miso soup--this always puts me in a good mood, this and tinolang manok and my mother-in-law's caldereta. Also went shopping recently. Bought a nice dress, got some seriously cool shoes. Booked an appointment with beauty maestro Louis Phillip Kee. I'm also preparing to leave for an all-expense-paid trip to Singapore this weekend. Well, there you go! What should I be complaining about when I'm the luckiest girl in the world? Shame on me indeed!

Middle of the year and that means it's time to change the staff photos in OK! magazine. Why? Well, my editor's photo still features my long brown hair of last year (see that photo here). So when I go to meetings and events, the PR people and brand managers don't recognize me with my short and very red hair--and that's not a good thing! So a regular photo shoot is necessary.

We started early in the morning. The makeup artists (Marie Calica and Ces Guerrero) and hairstylists (Ogie Rayel and Emar Cabiltes) were tasked to prettify the entire staff. Nichole Reyes, OK!'s former fashion and beauty editor, is now a freelance makeup artist and stylist and we got her to style the shoot. Here are the dresses and the shoes:
Here's our photographer Ocs Alvarez setting up:
This is me before makeup:
And this is me in the middle of Ces's makeover magic:
Omar fixes my flat thin lifeless hair (I do love my hair color and highlights courtesy of color magician Louis Phillip Kee!):
Now that my face and hair are perfect, I'm ready to try on the outfits! But first, let me show you what I wore to the shoot.This is an old jumpsuit I bought at YRYS for a mere PHP 700 (USD 14.50) about four or five years ago. I am so happy it's back in fashion... and that it still fits! It's like wearing pajamas seriously. I wore it with my Nine West gladiator wedges and my Kenneth Cole necklace.

Tip: When you're having your hair and makeup done (wedding, debut, etc), always wear something you can easily take off, like a button-down shirt or dresses you can step out of. Do not wear t-shirts and the like, as taking them off will ruin your hair and makeup!

Now, in the tradition of The Insider's Lara Spencer's Wardrobe Cam, this is me trying on outfits...

First option was this pink dress with pixelated flower print from United Pop. Nope, it isn't working for me.

Second option was this Sinequanone dress with a Missoni-like print. It's nice but as editor-in-chief, I have to look more respectable than sexy so off it went. Besides, it makes me look pregnant!

Third option was this United Pop dress with a neckline beaded heavily with shells and sequins. I love it! It's very me. And, of course, it's orange and my readers know I love orange! Winner!

And if you ever wondered how those models in fashion magazines look like their clothes were tailored for them, here's the secret: Binder clips!
Et voila! Moi!

This photo will be published in OK!'s August issue! Pleeeease grab a copy!

United Pop pink dress (PHP 2,100), United Pop orange dress (PHP 2,400), available at The Ramp Crossings
Sinequanone blue dress (PHP 13,500), available at Rustan's Makati

I've had long hair for the last 3 years. Louis Phillip Kee, my absolutely fantabulous hairstylist, has kept me looking sexy and gorgeous but I've grown tired of long hair and wanted to go short again. So last week, I visited his posh new salon at One McKinley and got a chop.

Louis' new salon is so luxe, it's divine. The wallpaper is from London, the chairs are all sink-into-heaven comfy, the mirrors are perfect (meaning I don't look wobbly or fat in them!), the shampoo chairs are soooo comfortable, and the lighting always makes me look soft and feminine. And the service is excellent.

Once I sat down, the polite and efficient staff asked if I wanted a cappuccino or an iced tea. I love how their coffee is served in gold-edged china. The sugar is muscovado. Yummy and healthy!

After coffee and a few magazines were served, Louis came up and chatted. He always asks me what I want. I used to always say, "Whatever you feel like, darling." But this time I said I wanted to go really short. Louis said, "Let's do it gradually. But I do admire your courage!" Here are Louis and Angie deciding on the fate of my mane. They both suggest something very bold--a deep vibrant red. I say, "Sure!"

This is Gilbert. He always attends to me when I'm here. He's like my personal assistant--he massages me while I wait, he shampoos my hair, he gets me drinks... Gilbert is the best! And his massages are to die for!

Since coloring hair can be a long wait, the staff offered refreshments and snacks. Here's a plate of the yummy seafood pasta I had. Sigh. I do love this salon!

And here's a before pic...And this is what I looked like after!I am loving the red hair, and everyone loves it, too! It's not so obvious here. Under lights (especially sunlight), it's quite vivid! Very bold. In fact when I first saw it, I kinda blanched and said, "Louis, it's very... red." And he replied, "Honey, when I first saw you, you were blond!" Ehehe, that's right--I used to have this terrible blond dye job. Anyway, like Louis said, we're doing it gradually so my hair is still kinda long. But I plan to return in a couple of weeks to go utterly short. Soooo excited!


Louis Phillip Kee Salon
G/F One McKinley Place, 25th Street and 4th Avenue,
Bonifacio Flobal City, Taguig
Tel nos. (02) 856-3388, (02) 856-4848, (0918) 842-4888

I am still alive. Spent the last 13 days...

... having a wonderful party with my high school friends Tatin, Stephanie and May
... exploring the walkways in Makati with Vince and resolving to exercise more because, dammit, those stairs took our breath away!
... paying for overdue bills!!!
... opening a checking account because I will no longer use credit cards and will instead pay with checks! NO TO HSBC CREDIT CARDS! The damn bank refused to reverse the charges.
... cleaning the house for the Real Living photo shoot
... having a great time at the Real Living shoot, the staff of which taught me how to arrange flowers and how to arrange our shoe collection
... going to my stylist Louis Kee at his fantabulous uber posh new salon and getting a sexy haircut, great new color and highlights, a terrific hair treatment, and an hour-long massage... bliss!
... buying new bedsheets at SM Makati with Vince
... and trying to avoid all the malls (unsuccessfully, too) because of all the sales! Imagine that--pretty dresses, fab shoes, great books, discount furniture, and a lot more!

That's it. Just checking in while I catch my breath!

My wedding was featured again last night on an ETC show. Actually, they were featuring Kate Torralba as a wedding gown designer but since Kate said I was her favorite bride, the show used photos from my wedding.

Now why was I Kate's favorite? No, it wasn't because I'm her friend. She liked me best because I wasn't a bridezilla and I let her do whatever she wanted. All I told her was the color motif and that I don't want to look like the traditional bride; instead I want to look like I'm on my way to the Oscars! When Kate showed me the initial sketches, I got scared--STRIPES! I was thinking, "Good lord, we're going to look like psychedelic zebras," but aloud I said, "Well, you're the designer, Kate, so you know better." Anyway, thank goodness I didn't impose myself on Kate because she came up with gowns that were incredibly beautiful.

Anyway, I'm making this post because I noticed that a lot of readers come to this blog because they were searching "wedding", "kate torralba", "archbishop's palace", "entourage gowns" on Google. Well, here's a list of our wedding suppliers. They come highly recommended and they are so very reasonable when it comes to prices. Have a happy wedding!

Ceremony: Contrary to its name, this is a small chapel, charming and near everything.
Villa San Miguel, Archbishop's Palace
438 Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City
531-7069/7034

Reception: Very classy and again, in the middle of everything. And the food is amazing.
Le Souffle at Fernando's
G/L Amorsolo Square, Amorsolo Drive, Rockwell Center
890-6543/7630

Photographer: He's the lifestyle photojournalist of the Philippine Daily Inquirer so his specialty is candid shots.
Chito Vecina
Unit 4D-4E Casa Bougainvilla 3834 Mascardo St., Pasong Tamo, Makati
www.chitovecina.net
809-6190

Jeweler:
Goldenhills Jewelry
Level 3A-053 Expansion Mall, Robinsons Galleria, EDSA cor. Ortigas Ave, QC
631-8146, 299-6122

Designer: No need to add anything! =D
Kate Torralba
Greenbelt 5, Makati
0917-6221229

Tailor: He's the personal tailor of former President Erap Estrada! He charges an arm and a leg, though, but my groom (and my little pages) looked fabulous!
Napoleon Arienza
0917-5295028

Makeup was done by my old high school friend. Love him!
Jigs Mayuga, Chief Makeup Artist for L'Oreal Paris
0917-5748556

Hair was done by a friend, too. We didn't even have a trial session. Ney just made me look perfect from the get go :
Ney Guesse, Chief Hairstylist for L'Oreal Paris
0915-2089007

Hair coloring: Louis is the best when it comes to hair color. Your hair will look like it's naturally that gorgeous. Even my husband tells me that he now appreciates Louis because he can tell which ones have bottle-colored hair!
Louis Phillip Kee
Louis Phillip Kee Salon
G/F One McKinley Place,
Bonifacio Global City

Florist: From the very beginning of our relationship, Vince got me flowers from Holland Tulips. It only made sense that they do our wedding!
Holland Tulips
www.hollandtulips.com.ph
807-7854, 809-2435

Stationery: I think they're the cheapest quality stationer in the country. Emphasis on quality.
QP Designs
www.qpdesigns.com
733-2339/2307

Cake Artist: People talked about the wedding cake for weeks! They forgot everything else. That's how good the cake was.
Gel Colet
0917-5367829

String Quartet: He's my brother, yes, but he's very very talented and will make any wedding special.
The Manila String Machine
http://manilastringmachine.blogspot.com/
Theodore Amper
0918-9066377