TOPAZ HORIZON

Last week, I attended the launch of Real Living magazine's fifth book, Real Home Ideas 5: Small Space Solutions. The event was held at SM Megamall's Atrium and you all know why I had to go: My house is on the cover!

There are much better photos at Real Living's official blog and even more details like designers present and the home exhibits they did featuring stuff from SM Homeworld. Anyway, I'm glad to report that it was a very successful event. How did I know? Well, first, it was well attended.

Second, everyone lined up to have their books signed by RL's editor-in-chief, the fabulous Rachelle Medina!

Third, there were celebrities (like Rica Peralejo, TinTin Bersola and Issa Litton), which meant that...
Fourth, there'd be tons of media coverage (I cropped out the cameramen and photographers from above photo, though).

This is RL's super design-savvy staff. I can't imagine creating a book (and the fifth one, no less!) while creating a monthly magazine at the same time. Sounds like suicide to me actually, so congratulations for a job well done, guys!

Oh, and look at me! When the event was over, I just had to get up on that stage and pose beside the super duper blown up cover. I imagine that it's a doorway to my house! I must admit that I did wish that were true. I wanted to go home just looking at that cover...

Then here's the RL version of my sitting area using stuff from SM Homeworld. Not bad, not bad. But I must say that I quite prefer the setup Vince and I have at home! Not RL's fault actually, more like SM's har har!

Oh, and here's a pleasant surprise! I met a blog reader, Joanna. She approached me and told me she's been reading Topaz Horizon for quite a while now. Well, that was just the cherry on top of the icing on the cake that was such a happy day! Thanks for reading, Joanna!

Grab your copy of Real Home Ideas 5: Small Space Solutions at your nearest bookstore, magazine stand, supermarket and department store for only P195.

Oh, and you can also WIN YOUR OWN COPY! 

Outfit details: I'm wearing a Collezione dress. This was originally quite long--its hem ended at that spot between your calf and the ankle, which means it wasn't a very flattering length. So I had it shortened to the knee. I liked it before (I like how I look like a pregnant zebra!) but now I find the top part annoying. My shoulders are supposed to be exposed, but every time I move my arms, it rolls up so I have to constantly adjust it. That's poor design.

This is what I wore to my doctor's appointment today and to the Forever 21 VIP opening party.

Such a pretty dress, right? I bought it from Kamiseta. Yep, I'm 8 months pregnant and still no maternity clothes! You just really have to spot which normal dresses can accommodate a big belly.

I try to look pretty because if I don't try, I will just get depressed. I know to most people, I'm not a fat pregnant woman but to me, 100 lbs average, I am huge! And when I say that, I get a rolling of the eyes but it really is very strange to be buying clothes in large sizes and underwear in XXL. I've been XS or S for the past 32 years, for crying out loud!

I also feel so heavy--130 lbs is not easy to carry. I walk slowly and with a most ungraceful duck-like gait. My back hurts like hell. Stretch marks are now very visible on my abdomen and thighs. Cellulite is everywhere. There's milia on my cheeks. My armpits have turned black. My toes and fingers look like sausages.

I'm not complaining, though. Everything will go back to normal (or so I hope!) in a few weeks' time and I'll have a beautiful baby boy to erase all the ugliness in my body away.

I'm so glad that even when my husband pointed out the cellulite on my thighs and the stretch marks on my tummy, he did so ever so gently and with a tender rueful smile. He understands. And for that, I'm definitely booking a laser appointment for those nasty stretch marks, a deep cleansing and whitening facial for the milia and acne scars, more whitening treatments for the armpits, and hitting the gym for the cellulite! Because Vince deserves a gorgeous wife just for being so nice to me!

Was invited to an exclusive sneak peek at a soon-to-open store. It's so frikkin' exciting!

I tried on the sunglasses...

I tried on the shoes...

Fellow blogger Shen's Addiction was just as excited!

But we can't shop yet till this long-awaited brand from L.A. opens this Friday. Yes, this Friday!

I have so many more photos and updates and even price points but I'll be too busy this week with my magazine deadlines to post them all. But I can tell you that a few select bloggers are already posting about this store launch so if you go around Pinoy fashion cyberspace (or join the brand's Facebook page), I'm sure you already know what store I'm talking about!

Ack! So exciting! Ladies, get your wallets ready and make sure you wear comfy shoes and leggings and tank tops (so that it's easy for you to just try on stuff without needing to go to the dressing room)! This coming weekend is all about serious shopping!

UPDATE!
Click to see fun details of where I am (Part 1 and Part 2).
Click for the VIP private party.

Hi readers! Just doing a quick drop by before I drag my pregnant ass out of the house today. In just a few weeks, I'm going to pop out a baby boy and I'm not really ready yet! So today we're off to see the OBG for the bi-weekly checkups, then I'm off to the mall for an exclusive bloggers sneak peek at a soon-to-open store. While I'm there, I guess I'll check out the baby section to see what a newborn baby needs. One of the things I'm hoping to find is some good allergy bedding--Vince and I are highly allergic people so maybe the baby might be the same so need to check that out. What else? What else? Oh, and we'll visit my in-laws, too, because my sister-in-law has tons of baby stuff to hand-me-down to the little Jelly Bean. So that's it! I'll update again soon!

Meanwhile, my mommy blog and my beauty blog are updated, and you can join my Topaz Horizon Facebook page whilst I'm away. And now I am off and I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Okay, the real official name is "football" but in these parts, if you say football, Filipinos think you mean American football so for the benefit of those who don't know any better (ehehe), we will use the term "soccer."

Vince and I spent the long Independence Day weekend at Hotel Sofitel with the Sales family to watch World Cup. That's Vince pretending he's being chased by a giant soccer ball! Cute, cute, cute.

Well, at least that was the plan. But when we sank into the famous Sofitel MyBed, soccer was the last thing on our minds. This king-sized bed is just so huge and soft and comfy, you just fall asleep! It's like the best bed I've ever slept in. Ever! In fact, Vince just slept and slept and slept. And we found out that you can actually buy the special lining of that bed but that it was out of stock but as soon as it's available, we are definitely getting one!

This is me in the spacious bathroom and I caught a Peeping Vince! Naughty Vince!

We love the bathroom--towels were fluffy, shower was huge, and there were luxe bath products from L'Occitane for our use. Love it!

We also love that each room has its own balcony and that the views of the bay and the city skyline were cool. Too bad it was raining that weekend so we didn't get to see the famous Manila Bay sunset. 

That didn't stop the kids from enjoying the pool, though! Doesn't that look so inviting? I didn't take a dip; people might think I'm a whale! When I told this reason to Vince's niece, she looked at me and with all her 9-year-old wisdom gently said, "Auntie Frances, you're not fat; you're pregnant."

Sweet girl! Well, if we ate at Spiral's amazing buffet every day, we'd need some apidexin coupons to lose weight! I didn't take a lot of photos (hungry! hungry! hungry!) but we started with...
... all sorts of sushi and ended with a bevy of yummy desserts.

If you had eaten at Spiral, you'd know those two photos above do it great injustice. There were sooo many food stations--Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mediterranean food. The grill station was groaning with sizzling meat. The seafood station was piled high with huge mussels, prawns, oysters. And here's Vince again at the dessert buffet with chocolate soccer mascot sculptures behind him!

Oh, what a lovely weekend! We're definitely doing that again. If only it wasn't so expensive! We can't stop thanking Mom and Dad for the Sofitel treat. Now we have to start saving for another weekend there!

Outfit details: I'm wearing a silk jersey Diane Von Furstenberg ladybug dress, Vince, a Threadless.com t-shirt.