TOPAZ HORIZON

Omigosh, Mother's Day is upon us! What are you getting your mommy to show her your appreciation? If I may make a suggestion, check out Ni-QUA's Mother's Day gift: a piña cover-up and a mother-of-pearl and leather necklace!
The gift comes packaged like so: the cover-up in a pouch of the same material, and the necklace in a satin-lined suede envelope. Yes, it's two gifts in one!

The necklace features five pieces of golden mother-of-pearl linked together with golden chains. You tie this around the neck with soft leather bands. It's very light on the neck and the gold hues really flatter your face.

The piña cover-up comes in two colors: black and taupe. I got taupe. It's light enough to wear even here in the tropics but the weave does offer warmth when the night (or the office) gets cold.

 Here's the cover-up and the necklace on a real mommy: me!

The back flows behind you like a cape (because moms are superwomen, diba?). You can wrap it around your body when it gets cold or when you need coverage (for breastfeeding your baby, for example).

Get one for your mommy now! Only available at the online shop of Proudly Pinoy brand Ni-QUA. Shop now!

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I got pearls.

Thank you to the love of my life for always making me feel like a queen! Happy Valentine's Day, Vince!

A huge box of feminine prettifiers. I don't even know if prettifier is a word but anyway! Thanks, Unilab, for the loads of Myra, Body Cravings, Celeteque, Asian Secrets and Swish stuff! I'm especially liking the Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub. Thanks!

Three boxes of yummy mamon from Monde! This was our breakfast for almost all of December! Thanks so much for feeding us, Monde!

I love home fragrances. I have a shelf full of oils, candles and sprays. So this was a welcome gift. Three fragrances for a different part of your home—from kitchen to linen closet. Thanks, Zen Zest!

Okay, this gift made even the yayas happy. Vito gets to try out a lot of bath products but Iñigo is an exclusive Mustela user. Unlike Vito, Iñigo never had that newborn smell. You know that wonderful heavenly smell? Iñigo always smelled like a sweaty little boy. His pedia says it's because he's fat. It's the grease we smell. We tried all the baby bath products out there and it was this—Mustela!—that cleansed his skin so well and so gently that he smelled like a real baby. So for Iñigo, it's Mustela forevah! Thanks, Mustela, for the gift!

A surprise from Forme. Isn't Forme a fashion brand? I guess they're going into the lucrative beauty business, too! Thanks, Forme, for the hand and body lotion!

This made me squeal in delight! A set of luxury bedsheets and duvet cover from Butterfly Dreams. This is pricey because it's like the softest cloth ever with super high thread count! They were looking through my blog and said that my new Ethan Allen headboard needed fancier sheets (Vince says that's what we get for posting photos of our nice headboard and our ratty sheets!). Woah, diba?! Thanks, Butterfly Dreams, for being my fairy godmother!

Oh oh! I super love this gift from Sun Life! As you all know by now, Sun Life is our insurance and investments agency. So we love Sun Life. But now we love them more because of this Sun Jar! Vince used to have one. He loved it. And I broke it. It was a silly accident (stupid me put it on a narrow ledge) and I always said I'd replace it but this Sun Jar is just so expensive so I haven't. I think Vince has always been a little heartbroken because of that. So thank you, Sun Life, for saving my marriage!!!

Books for a book lover! Thanks, Fully Booked! What I love most about this gift is all the books here are published by Fully Booked. It inspired me to write a book and maybe let Fully Booked publish it!

All of the above beauty goodies are from L'Oreal! My dear L'Oreal family. I'm especially loving the Kiehl's, Pureology and Lancome stuff because I really use their products. I also use shu uemura's famous eyelash curler so I was freaking out in delight when they sent me a gold-plated one!!! The rest of the loot, I am so giddy to try out. Thanks, L'Oreal!

Okay, there's a lot more photos in my Blackberry (ya, sorry for the grainy shots!). I'll upload them in another post. Meanwhile, for this instalment, I just really want to say thank you to the people and brands who remembered me on Christmas. You are all so appreciated! Let's work together this 2013!

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!

Today was a fun day. Vince's push present finally arrived! And I'm so excited I didn't get the Olympus to take a sharp and proper photo, just BB'd and Tweeted it to the dear followers and now sharing with you here.

It's a set of stackable rings in matte gold with all our birthstones: amethyst, yellow topaz, peridot and emerald. I'm so in love with my push present!!!

What's a push present? Click here to find out!

I was born in 1976, which makes me a Fire Dragon. I'm not Chinese but every time I tell a Chinese person that I'm a Fire Dragon, they get really impressed, and I haven't even told them all my other accomplishments yet! Seems to me that, to them, to be born a Dragon is a huge accomplishment in itself. Then when they find out that I'm giving birth in the year of the Water Dragon to a male child no less, my Chinese friends get all wild and happy and envious and full of wonder. They think I'm the luckiest woman alive!

Well, I don't believe in astrology but I won't say no to good fortune. And if a huge number of people think I'm incredibly lucky and powerful and blessed, then so be it! After all, my life does seem to be pretty fantastic. Whether or not that was destined, I am grateful.

Anyway, to usher in the year of the most powerful astrological sign, many companies have some awesome stuff lined up. They have deluged my inbox with press kits and, only because I'm a Dragon and 2012 is supposed to be my year, I'd like to share with you some of the more interesting stuff I got!

The Dragon is believed to be the mightiest member of the Chinese astrology animal pack. The Dragon year is said to always be a lucky year because of the fierce energy it brings to everyone. Well, considering how terrible last year was (Japan earthquake and tsunami, political upheavals, Sendong), I say we need all the powerful and positive energy we can get this 2012!

Sun Life Financial (that's my family's insurance provider!) is celebrating the Dragon year with a truly terrific party! The morning of January 24 will witness a thousand-foot dragon dancing at the heart of the Chinese community in Binondo. It will parade through to Manila City Hall then Jones Bridge then end its dance spectacularly at Plaza Lorenzo. Why a dragon that's 1,000 feet long? Sun Life says it represents the "long and steady years that w ehave been of service to the Filipino and Chinese communities."

In the afternoon of the same day, the party continues in Bonifacio Global City. There will be performances by drumbeaters and zip and poi dancers. Plus, there will also be a special show called the "Fung Show," the highlight being a talk on improving your wealth, health and prosperity in the mighty year of the Dragon.

Bloggers who have those huge cameras (get an Olympus Pen, dammit! No, seriously, you don't need those mega-cameras in this day and age. Sa totoo lang talaga, hindi porke malaki camera mo, maganda na ang pictures mo) will definitely enjoy the chance to capture this colorful event. Families, too! Yes, everyone's invited! So if you're free on January 24, head on over to Binondo and BGC and enjoy the activities Sun Life lined up for you!

I wrote that title myself since the press release had a rather prosaic one: "Chinese New Year 2012 - The Year of the Dragon." Parang mas masaya yung sa akin!

Anyway, Alfred Dunhill himself designed these lovely little pieces. Intricately carved in solid sterling and hand finished (and you know I'm a sucker for anything handmade), the collection consists of cuff links, key fobs and ties.

Exquisite key chain

Good luck charm for your phones

An incredible gift to your impeccably dressed man. Or for yourself, if you like dressing up in crisp button-down shirts!

Press kit ends with "The Dragon sign is associated with bravery, honesty, pride and self-sufficiency. Dragons are irrepressible free spirits and enjoy grand gestures and ambitions." Sounds an awful lot like me! If you know a Dragon (ahem! ahem!), drop by Dunhill (Rustan's Makati, Newport Mall, Rustan's Tower) and get him/her a trinket.

I'd like the key chain please. Thanks!

There will be tons of celebrations next week and if anyone wants to invite me and my two Tigers (Vince and Vito were both born on Tiger years) to a party, drop me a comment below! I already know what gifts to bring the host and hostess and they'll be from Marks & Spencer.

I appreciate the very Britishness of Marks & Spencer so I think it's kinda cute that they prepared special treats (like gold coins, toffees and mints) for a Chinese holiday.

Hmm. Okay, so they're still nowhere near Chinese (not even close!) but, hey, who says no to sweet treats? Oh, you guys on a diet. Seriously, even on a happy holiday? Ditch the diet this long weekend! If you really can't, Marks & Spencer has some digestive biscuits. I actually like those a lot!

So there! Enjoy the long weekend with festivities, trinkets and treats! Happy New Year, everyone!

So Vince ordered the Cambridge Satchel from chocolate schu bar for me. It was his Valentine's Day gift. I was over the moon, I tell ya! schu told us to expect the shipment by March but delays in shipping do happen--I know this because I shop online a lot so I didn't mind at all.

And then, last Friday evening, Ruby of schu DM'd me on Twitter:

I was sooo excited! I kept Tweeting my excitement!

However, I had to wait till today before we finally picked up my new bag. Apparently, I am patient after all!

Vince gives me the best gifts--Vito being the bestest!

Unwrapping!

Et voila!

Sunshine!

I love it!!! Will post a detailed bag feature on Beauty For A Living soon! Sigh. Happy Valentine's Day! Thanks, Vince!

Sooo many invitations on my desk and email inbox right now. Lots of gadgets being launched, like the new Sony VAIO, the new LG green something, the new HTC Desire 2.2. That's Third World Nerd territory, though, so I'm browsing the Fossil website instead because also in my inbox is an email from OK!'s associate fashion editor Kabbie Rodriguez. And she said I should check these Mulberry Alexa lookalikes:

Fossil Vintage Re-Issue Messenger, $208

Fossil Vintage Re-Issue Flap, $148

Oh no! Well, it's very similar to the Alexa but it's still not the Alexa. The good thing is it doesn't have the price of the Alexa so... maybe I want one! But Vince already ordered the yellow Cambridge Satchel for me. It's his Valentine's Day gift (thanks, Vince!) so I really really shouldn't buy a new bag. I really really shouldn't!

But I'm going to Megamall this week to check it out anyway!