TOPAZ HORIZON

Whenever I watch the Oscars, I love the speeches best. How can you thank anyone at all when you're overwhelmed with so much emotion? So, in that very raw moment, you do get to see a very intimate glimpse of the person.

So now let me let you have a little glimpse of me! I have been very lucky to be the recipient of three blogging awards. I love them all and am greedy for more! Thank you to Duni, RanRan and Austenfan. Your recognition is much appreciated.

This blog is actually just a fun little hobby. My husband is a bit annoyed with it because total strangers and family (worse, he thinks!) come up to him knowing details about our lives all because they've stumbled upon this blog. And yet he is amazed at how many friends I've made through this blog (ladies, you know who you are and I love you truly). He's also happy that this little pastime earns me a bit of money, too (which is what I use to buy him presents!).

So this blog makes me very happy! And I am even happier that some of you are entertained by my silly stories, some of you are moved by my stories of love, marriage and my dear Mama, and some of you are moved enough to call me your friend. Thank you.

When I was a student of Creative Writing, my professor said, "Writers are most arrogant. We write down what we think and expect people to read it. Reading means setting aside time from one's life to actually sit down and focus on the material. So we, as writers, are arrogant to believe we can ask people for their time. So we, as writers, must make what we write worth their time."

Thank you for your time, my dearest readers. Your time, the comments that you leave, and your friendship makes my heart just puff up with happiness. You are all very important to me and I am filled with the deepest and most profound gratitude that you think I am worth your time and that you have welcomed me into your life. Thank you!


I pass this on to Wendy Brandes Jewelry, Daisy Chain Dreams, Lovely Purses, Annie Spandex and Whatever She Said, Then I'm That.


I pass this on to Girl Meets NYC, Beautiful Things to Share, Absolutely Beautiful Things, Style Redux and Sea of Shoes.


I pass this on to NY Minute Now, Marriage and Beyond, Tales of the Domesticated Husband's Wife, Memoirs of a New Missus and Nevergirl's.

I hope you, too, can pass your awards to blogs that inspire you the way you inspire me!

One of my favorite mags is Vanity Fair and they just launched an online poll called, "Who Is The Most Handsome Man In The World?"


But in the poll--as I type--Robert Pattinson is leading with a whopping 102,291 votes while my dear Johnny has 15,572. People, the question is who is most handsome not who has the most unwashed hair.

Johnny is the coolest, sexiest, smartest, handsomest man ever! Well, he's a step below Vince Sales, of course, but no one on earth can topple my man off the top of that list. I mean, really, it's unfair to even put Vince on that list because the hubby is the bestest of the best ever!

But back to the poll. Pleeeease do me a favor and vote for Johnny Depp (not Brad, George, David, Leonardo, Hugh, Clive, et al!). I want Johnny to win! Help!


*photos from Vanity Fair's website

So I know I've disappeared for a bit! After the TV show taping on Monday, I had my radio tour on Wednesday then a complete revamp of OK!'s July cover and cover story on Thursday, and a spa checkout on Friday. Whew!

When I'm feeling awfully tired, I go shopping online. Finding goodies online just really revitalizes me! But I found these lovely bags on eBay and one of them is quite pricey so now, instead of feeling happy, I'm getting all stressed again.

I love Fendi mostly because they feature my initial on almost all their bags. This Fendi pochette has the double F logo in shiny red, which makes it all the more fab. And at just PHP 2,400 (USD 51), it's calling out to me every day.
However, this bag is calling out to me every single minute. I found this vintage Chanel quilted tasseled bag. It's from the mid-'80s and I just love it. Problem is I don't love the PHP 16,500 (USD 350) price. I know that's cheap for a Chanel bag but it costs as much as one of my Ghosts. And, for a journalist like me, that's still an insane price for a bag. I don't mind paying for laptops and furniture, but for a bag...? Sigh, but no.

Oh, it would be so nice if I can have the Chanel bag or both bags! I'll just need to make more money then... Or maybe you can donate to my bag fund? =D

P.S. Also an online shopper? Do check out Pretty Peddler, this new beauty blog which sells the best beauty products for much less!

I start every month with a promoting blitz for OK! magazine. So tomorrow you may want to watch Juicy on TV5 at 11am (here's hoping my spot doesn't get bumped off again!). Here are some pics from the taping yesterday (yey, I finally have photos where my red hair looks red!):


So much fun! Also tomorrow I'll be on the following radio shows:

• Jam 88.3 at 2 PM
• Wave 89.1 at 3 PM
• 99.5 RT at 4 PM
• RX 93.1 at 8 PM
• Magic 89.9 at 10 PM

Listen in if you like! I have a very squeaky voice but I'm smart and funny so you can expect to be entertained. And please please grab a copy of the June issue of OK! magazine.

Better yet, send me a photo of yourself with my magazine! Here's my email: frances@topazhorizon.com. My favorite photo wins a prize!

So did ya get your customized pair of Havaianas flip-flops at the Rockwell Tent? Today was the last day and I hear the entire promo was a hit. The media and special VIPs got to attend the launch party last week and we each got a free pair. Mine is a brown and pink pair (the colors of my wedding!) with a clover leaf, a flower and the Philippine archipelago pins.


There was a fashion show, musical numbers and lots of yummy hors d'oeuvres. And tons of happy flipflopped people! Congratulations to Havaianas, to Terry SA and to Amor Maclang for such a fab event!