TOPAZ HORIZON

This is my brand new red Samsung Omnia SGH-i900. I love it because it's sleek, fast, elegant, and red!
I won it in a writing contest, too, so I'm very puffed up with pride and happiness right now. Samsung held the contest early this year, asking people to answer this question: "How can the Samsung Omnia make your wishes come true?" So you write down your wishes and then you describe how the Omnia's features can make your wishes come true. Simple enough except by the time I joined, there were thousands of entries already. I truly did hesitate!
But I figured I have something going for me--I can write pretty darn well so this writing contest shouldn't be so hard! I studied the phone's features. It has a sensitive touch screen, very much like the iPhone (Vince's phone) and I liked that. You can surf the Internet with it, has Windows Mobile and Microsoft Office suites so it's like a super miniature netbook. And then there's that fantastic 5MP camera which beats iPhone's sad excuse for a camera. Oh, don't think I dislike the iPhone, okay? I love the iPhone, too! The Omnia has a host of other fab features but I don't really know what they are (really! All I do with this is text and call and fill up the calendar) so I'll let PinoyTechBlog give you the details instead.
Anyway, it looked like a phone I'd like to win so I wrote down my answers (there was a word limit, too, which added to the challenge!) and submitted my entry with fingers, wrists, arms, toes, ankles, legs and eyes crossed --yes, this is my lucky secret! I think I did well but I didn't think I did that well because when I got the email from Samsung congratulating me that I was the one and only winner in the entire country, I was shocked to my bones!
Oh, I'm so happy. This is the second prize I've won this year in a writing contest. The first one was the Gucci bag.I actually claimed this phone just before Typhoon Ondoy struck so, even though I was so happy with my luck, I didn't feel it was right to write about it when there was so much suffering everywhere. But life goes on and, despite the fact that bad things are to be expected in life, good things happen, too, and I'd really like to point those out and be grateful.

Oh, what a lucky girl I am! There are many other contests actually--do check out Nuffnang--but I only join when I really really want the prize. And I do believe that if you really really want something and you work for it, the universe will give it to you. Uh, yes, you still have to work for it!

1. A recent blog post of Vince on Citizen Nerd. I think that in the wake of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, we people need to save the earth... and our data! And don't you just think that my husband writes so well? Hop on over to his blog to see what I mean!
2. The Christmas decor at Rustan's Makati. And all the lit up trees and carols blaring over the speakers. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas indeed!
3. Being the only girl in white in a glam event (see more about the affair here). The only other time this happened was at my wedding and that was more than two years ago. So it felt nice to be different again!
Oh, and there's one more thing I also am loving right now... visiting your blogs! That's why I haven't updated--I've been reading your blogs and discovering my readers. This could also be the reason why I have dark circles under my eyes--I've been staying up till 4am reading so many interesting blogs! You're a pretty cool bunch, did ya know? Thanks for always dropping by and leaving such nice comments! I feel like I have so many friends suddenly!

Hot accessory brand Vita Fede had a lovely gathering this afternoon for us magazine editors. They were keen to show us their fab products--to-die-for rings, necklaces and bangles made of Italian leather and plated in 24-karat gold--and we were all blown away by how edgy the designs were and yet still simple and elegant. Love, love them!

I was especially interested because Hollywood celebs are all wearing Vita Fede. Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Katherin Heigl, Lindsay Lohan, Emmy Rossum, Paris Hilton, Hayden Panettiere, Ashlee Simpson, Ashley Tisdale, Carrie Underwood, Eva Longoria, Fergie, Halle Berry, Jennifer Hudson, Jessica Simpson, Jessica Biel, Katy Perry, Lauren Conrad, Leighton Meester, Michelle Trachtenberg, Miley Cyrus, Mischa Barton, Rihanna and Selena Gomez are just some of the stars who are fans of Vita Fede.
Quite pricey, though. With prices ranging from PHP 2,250 to PHP 9,250, owning one of these babies will be a status symbol. But you're paying for the design, the luxurious material and the 24-karat gold and sterling silver. And for the fact that Hollywood's crazy over these accessories.



My favorite part? My engagement ring can fit in the tiny pocket. So--ideas for my male readers--why don't you surprise your girl with a Vita Fede bracelet and then watch her scream her head off when she realizes the bracelet is hiding a diamond ring? I think it's a fantabulous idea! If I were a guy, I'd do just that! Unless you're giving her a huge rock! I think only a one-carat diamond will fit... But it's a fab idea, yes?

Vita Fede will be launched in November and will be available in Rustan's Makati and select boutiques. All photos courtesy of Vita Fede.

At a recent event, a woman was introduced to me. I said, "Hello, I'm Frances Sales from OK!"

"Oh," she said. "What's your position?"

"I'm the editor-in-chief."

"Really? What's OK! anyway?"

"It's a Hollywood celebrity magazine."

"Omigod, that's my favorite magazine ever! I, like, read it every month. I have every issue! I, like, read every page! It is so nice meeting you! What's your name again?"

I said, "Wow. Thank you for being a huge fan of OK!." Then I walked away.

She's either stupid or she thinks I'm stupid. I don't mind if you don't read my magazine--my own husband doesn't. I don't even mind if you don't like the magazine--I get hate mail regularly enough to not care. It's a gossip rag anyway so I totally get why a lot of people wouldn't waste their time and money on it. But please don't lie to me. Ever.

Meanwhile, for those who are actually fans of OK!, I'm hoping you've already gotten yourselves the October issue. It's our annual style issue featuring the closets of Taylor Swift, Eva Longoria Parker and Nicole Richie. We also have our Best Dressed Celebrities List, with the lovely Anne Hathaway and Emma Watson (yes, the girl from Harry Potter!) as just two of the glamour goddesses we picked for this year's list. We got an interview with Project Runway's Tim Gunn and a ton of style tips and tricks from a host of Hollywood stars!

It's another fantastic issue and I hope you pick up a copy. But if Hollywood's not your thing, it's okay, really. I'd rather meet honest folks who don't like celebrities than annoying people who fawn over you when they find out you're a magazine editor and aren't even very good at hiding how fake they are.

The Manila String Machine.



My brother, a cellist, is part of this quartet, and they were the ones who played at my wedding. They also played at Issa Litton's wedding. And they will perform soon at my friend Mariel's wedding.

I noticed as I was blog-hopping that there are so many bride-to-be's out there, all furiously/dreamily/feverishly planning their wedding. Well, might I make a suggestion? If you're the type of bride and groom who care about the details, then a string quartet definitely makes your wedding more elegant and more beautiful.

My wedding was just lovely--intimate, quiet and glamorous. Well, my parents would have preferred a large and noisy event (I'm from a large and ridiculously noisy family) but for Vince and me, the only sound we wanted to hear that day was that of well wishes and laughter and the music of strings.

My uncle, Papa's brother, did decide to stir things up and campaign for a senator (to my horror, the uncle even showed up in jeans and a campaign shirt)... and that is a story for another day!

Aside from that annoying snafu, my wedding was elegant. And while I have my friends and sisters-in-law to thank for that, I also know that the beautiful music my brother and his friends played was the thread that held it all together. Never underestimate the power of music. In this case, on perhaps the happiest day of your life, the Manila String Machine will be the perfect accompaniment to start your journey to happily ever after!