Saturday, July 31, 2010

The New Face of YSL


Yves Saint Laurent recently announced the release of Stefano Pilati's Fall Winter 2010-2011 advertising campaign. Modelizers, any guesses?

Fine, it's Daria! Photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin under the creative direction of Stefano Pilati, the campaign features Daria Werbowy inside Hôtel de Clermont-Tonnerre.

Hôtel de Clerment-Tonnerre is situated at rue François 1er in Paris, and is the headquarters of the Artémis Group, the holding company for Yves Saint Laurent parent PPR.

I've seen it on print in my August issue of Vogue, and it looks great! Makes me want the whole outfit here. The shoes look like a killer to walk in, but still. Ok, maybe I'd settle for that tunic and long necklace instead. Such a statement piece!

In the Philippines, Yves Saint Laurent is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) and is located at Rustan’s Makati, Ayala Center and Rustan’s Tower, Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Friday, July 30, 2010

More to Try at Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer’s new bakery line of muffins, sponge rolls, and tubs of sweet munchies are now available in M&S stores at Greenbelt 5, Glorietta 4, Trinoma, Shangri-La mall, SM Megamall, Alabang Town Center and SM Mall of Asia.

Here's a couple of what you'll find in store:

1. Choccocino muffin. A delicious moist coffee muffin loaded with big chunks of creamy milk and indulgently rich dark chocolate. A pack of 4 costs P195. No photo, but I can tell, that sounds yum!

2.  Extremely chocolate muffin. Loaded with chunks of creamy milk chocolate and richly indulgent dark chocolate. I'll bite into that!


3. Moist and fluffy blueberry muffin. Looks fresh out of the oven, huh?


4. Sponge rolls. Available in strawberry, chocolate, coffee and cappuccino flavors for P195 per box. 


5. When the munchies attack, fight it with,  tubs of Flapjacks, Chocolate Mini Rolls, Chocolate Crunchflakes and Caramel Cracklepops

Caramel Cracklepops are chocolate covered nuggets of chewy, caramel-drenched rice puffs. I think I can eat a tub of this by myself! No sharing!


Marks & Spencer is exclusively distributed by Rustan Marketing Specialists, Inc.

Banana Republic Fall 2010 Runway Looks

Banana Republic's A/W 2010 looks are all about contrasting textures, thoughtful tailoring and opposing pairings. Here are my favorite looks I'll be taking my cue from, come fall!


Black Monogram Leather Bomber Jacket, Loden Green Silk Satin V-Neck Dress, Dark Pewter Monogram Cashmere Foil Printed Scarf, Gold Mesh and Gunmetal Bib Necklace, Grey and Gold Sparkle Cashmere Socks, Black Suede Ring Reno Bootie


Grey Monogram Trench, Olive Silk Satin Long Sleeve Tunic Dress, Brown Cotton Camouflage Scarf, Gold Double Chain Bracelet, Brown and Gold Wool Cashmere Sparkle Socks, Black Suede Reno Bootie


Black Wool Two Button Blazer, Beige Sheer Embellished Sleeveless V-Neck, Army Green Wool Heritage Cargo Pant, Brown Camouflage Cotton Scarf, Black Leather Skinny Grommet Belt, Black Suede Reno Bootie

Yes, I'm inspired by the Menswear looks too!

Dark Olive Four Pocket Field Jacket, Dark Charcoal Monogram Extra Fine Merino Wool Cable Sweater, Blue Cotton Regatta Bay Print Pocket Shirt, Charcoal Wool Pinstripe Classic Fit Pant, Black Monogram Striped Skinny Tie, Black Leather Stitch Belt, Charcoal Marled Green Trim Socks, Grey Leather Denver Boots


Black Monogram Herringbone Pea Coat, Red Sable Silk Merino Wool V-Neck, Grey Twill Slim Utility Front Pocket Shirt, Grey Tweed Tailored Stretch Wool Slim Fit Pant, Grey Wool Wide Stripe Skinny Tie, Black Merino Wool Fingerless Gloves, Navy and Green Heather Cashmere Sock, Brown


Black Corduroy Tailored Fit Blazer, Grey Extra Fine Merino Wool Sweater Vest, Black Short Sleeve Striped Pocket V-Neck Fitted Tee, Thyme Taupe Straight Fit Vintage Chino, Charcoal Pima Cotton Striped Scarf, Black Leather Belt, Grey Leather Denver Boots


Banana Republic is exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Casual Clothing Specialists, Inc. (CCSI), a subsidiary of Stores Specialists, Inc., and is available at Greenbelt 5 and Rustan’s Department Store Makati.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

The Cambridge Satchel Co.

The batchel from Cambridge Satchel Co. can be worn as a backpack

School season is just around the corner for the kiddies here! And the best way to join in on the back-to-school wagon (ok fine, that was just an excuse to shop, heehee) is to get yourself an old-school satchel from Cambridge, UK's The Cambridge Satchel Company!

My friend Naomi, who is based in London, says this is the hottest thing to hit their streets these days. All the European editors there are crazy over these satchels, they've been featured in Italian Vogue, The Sunday Telegraph, The Daily Mail, The Independent on Sunday, Daily Express, Grazia, etc. Come to think of it, this has been featured in  one of my favorite blogs, Refinery29, as well!

And just like in the good old days, for just a couple of quid, you can put your personal stamp on your Cambridge Satchel, just to make it a little bit more special:


Blind embossing

Gold embossing

Silver embossing

Cambridge satchels are hand made in the UK from real leather and take 2 to 4 weeks to make. There are actually a couple of styles and sizes to choose from so deciding on one will set you back a couple of days more before you can get your grubby hands on one!

The satchels come in 4 sizes:

11" - basically the size of a handbag. The long, fully adjustable strap makes the satchel equally suited to both adults and children. 11" (27.8cm) along top, 8" (20.3cm) height, 2.25" (5.2cm) depth

13" - Perfect for children under 8 years old who don't need to carry a school bookbag within their satchel. Also for a slightly bigger adult bag. 13" (32.9cm) along top, 9" (22.8cm) height, 3" (7.5cm) depth.

14" - This will hold A4 sheets. The perfect choice for children aged 7 and up that need to accommodate a school bookbag within their school bag. This is a very versatile satchel and will suit most purposes. 14" (35.5cm) along top, 10" (25.3cm) height, 3" (7.6cm) depth.

15" - A true messenger bag - great for teens, students and professionals alike. Many laptop computers fit in this satchel. 15" (38cm)  along top, 10" (25.3cm)  height, 4" (10.1cm)  depth.

Apart from satchels, they also make batchels. A batchel is basically just a satchel with a handle, that can also be used as a backpack. This only comes in the 15" size though.
The batchel from Cambridge Satchel Co. can be worn as a backpack

If you're not into bags, then maybe you'd care for a good old traditional trunk? They make trunks too! Look!
Everything is so delightfully retro right? What's more delightful is that prices are old-school too! For something hand made and fashioned out of real leather, prices start at $104 to $119 for satchels, $133 for batchels, and  $118 to $212 for trunks. Hmmm, that's just like Php5,000 to a little over Php10,000 max. That's an A+ in my book!

(Photos from The Cambridge Satchel Co.)

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Sanrio Fun at Rustan's

August is just a few days away, so mark your calendars and visit the following Rustan's branches on these dates:

August 6-8 Rustan's Alabang
August 13-15 Rustan's Shangri-la
August 20-22 Rustan's Makati

You'll get free Sanrio items like coloring sheets, finger puppets and balloons, no purchase required!

If you present a single receipt amounting to Php1,500 of Sanrio items, you get to take home one of the following as seen on the flyer: Sand Art, Jewelry Box, Pen Making Stand and Drum! And hey, if your total adds up to Php3,000 then of course you get two pick any two!

Just make sure you buy between August 1 to August 22, 2010 to claim your free stuff from Sanrio! ;)

Skin is In with St. Ives

St. Ives Moisturizing Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Wash & Moisturizer

There's nothing more attractive than smooth, supple skin. If you are one of the lucky ones blessed with great skin genes, then great! If not, fret not! There are plenty of personal care products to fall back on, none would be the wiser! Who needs to know you take the extra effort to make your skin look good?

Actually, scrap that. According to St. Ives (uh, the patron saint of great skin?!), "Taking care of your complexion is not as tedious or as time consuming as it seems. As long as you prioritize your health and well-being, the quality of your skin will also improve."

Easy for them to say, because St. Ives products are formulated to boost the youthfulness, smoothness, and elasticity of your complexion. The skincare brand of choice by women worldwide, St. Ives cleansers, scrubs, and moisturizers are made from the finest natural ingredients that work on a wide range of skin types and needs.
Gentle Exfoliating Apricot Body Wash & Aloe & Chamomile Moisturizer


Hydrating Vitamin E Body Wash & Moisturizer


Moisturizing Mineral Therapy Body Wash & Moisturizer

If your busy work or school schedule is causing your skin to breakout, St. Ives Naturally Clear Skin Blemish & Blackhead Control Apricot Scrub or Naturally Clear Blemish Fighting Apricot Cleanser can do the trick. With their pimple and blackhead fighting ingredients, these beauty products are sure to zap away unsightly zits.

For ladies who want to achieve a luxurious glow before a night on-the-town, St. Ives Moisturizing Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Wash, Gentle Exfoliating Apricot Body Wash, Moisturizing Mineral Therapy Body Wash and Hydrating Vitamin E Body Wash will not only exfoliate and remove dirt and grime, it will also leave you feeling pampered all over.

To help soothe tired and dull-looking skin, slather on St. Ives Soothing Oatmeal & Shea Butter Advanced Body Moisturizer, Soothing Aloe & Chamomile Advanced Body Moisturizer or Hydrating Vitamin E Advanced Body Moisturizer. These moisturizers give an extra dose of moisture and bring back the radiance to lackluster skin.

St. Ives beauty products are available at all leading personal care stores, supermarkets, and department stores nationwide

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Sharing My Outfit Day: Wore My Londons + The Gorilla Bag


Dear Hubby came back from a super short trip to Manila bearing gifts. Lots of pretty clothes for Berry from Auntie Lorr, the Angs, Cuas and Yaos, and a very educational Leapfrog toy from the Cos. Plus, when Auntie Ing came over to visit us, she also brought a super cute outfit for Berry!  Super thanks Aunties and Uncles! Berry, you so lucky! 

Well, I was lucky too because Dear Hubby brought along gifts for me as well! Like my London brogues from Anthology! Which is all I've been wearing these days! Lately, I've been pairing it with high-waisted, pleated and cuffed trousers from H&M and my Alexander Wang Rocco duffel, which Dear Hubby says, looks like a gorilla.

And not because of the heavy and scary black studs:


But because the leather looks so rough and tough.

Although actually, looks can be deceiving. This is quite delicate! It has little nicks and scuffs already :( Then again, I use this as a diaper bag,  which I normally stuff under Berry's stroller, so this been used and abused heehee.

Speaking of bags, I can't wait to use another gift! My JFK tote from Rootote! Will be taking that out for a spin very soon! ;)

Monday, July 26, 2010

Repetto After Me

Comme and buy me!


Comme and buy me!


These color blocked beauties are the fruits of the most recent collaboration between Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons and Repetto. As you can see, these updated versions of the BB and Zizi are true classics, and with Lola Rei's touch, just a little bit more eeeeenteresting.

Read more about Repetto at NOWNESS.com

The Great Rootote Blog Giveaway! Final Week

The Great Rootote Blog Giveway is on it's last week this week! But don't fret, this could be your chance! Little Miss Dress Up is giving away this Roo-shopper tote:


Contest ends July 29, crossing fingers for you! And! Congratulations again to the last 3 winners of the Great Rootote Blog Giveaway!


July 5 - Manila Fashion Observer at www.manilafashionobserver.com (Congratulations Karen!)
July 12 - Thirsty Thought at www.thirstythought.wordpress.com (Congratulations Princess!)
July 19 - Kikay Exchange at www.kikay.exchange.ph
(Congratulations Lani!)
July 26 - Little Miss Dress Up  at www.littlemissdressup.com

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Rafe Bartholomew, Author of Pacific Rims, On the Radar

Rafe Bartholomew has been getting a lot of press for his newly launched book, Pacific Rims. For my column On The Radar, we took it a step further and went beyond the book. I spoke to Rafe about living in Manila, what he's been doing in NYC, plus more, chismosa style!

(I thought the glass was broken by a wayward basketball, so  we had to ask for the inside story on this photo. Here's what Rafe said: This was taken on the corner outside the building I live in here in NYC. It's across the street from my place. Nothing particularly significant about it. My publishers were yelling at me to get some headshots, so I went out to the corner and that was that. I'm actually wearing basketball shorts with this outfit since I knew we weren't going to be taking any long shots. I've always thought it was funny that sometimes groups of guys shoot grassroots hip-hop videos on my corner because of the abandoned garage with the broken glass. I guess they think it looks tough...)

NEW YORK — Rafe Bartholomew, New Yorker and author of widely acclaimed book Pacific Rims: Beermen Ballin’ in Flip-Flops and the Philippines’ Unlikely Love Affair with Basketball, is Pinoy as Pinoy can be. In fact, he may even be more Pinoy than you or me. Here, in On the Radar, he dishes out on sisig and tokwa’t baboy, being back and working in NYC, and (brace yourselves for this one, girls) his love life.

First, we’re curious. How do you pronounce “Rafe”?

My parents named me Raphael with the intention of calling me Rafe, pronounced like “safe” but with an “R.”

I’m named after my great grandfather Raphael Egan, and he pronounced his name the same way. Of course, when I moved to Manila 2005, I found that people didn’t always like the way my name sounded, so I got used to being called Raf or Rafi, or Paeng, or, when I spent time with Alaska in 2007, Tiyo Paeng (although the players meant it the other way). At this point, I’m comfortable being called about a dozen different names. Even “Joe” doesn’t bother me that much.

So you’ve been back in NYC since 2008. Have you gone back to Manila since and any plans to return?

I left Manila in October 2008 and actually returned in June 2009. My plan was to write the rest of Pacific Rims there, but I had to leave early to begin my job at Harper’s magazine and only ended up staying for one month. So the last time I was in Manila was June 30, 2009.

My last meal was ginataang alimango and inihaw na lapu-lapu at Dampa Cubao, then I drank too much Red Horse at a Parokya ni Edgar concert and almost missed my flight the next morning.

That might have been a subconscious attempt not to leave, but I made it back to New York and I’ve been missing the Philippines ever since.

The good news is that I’ve already bought a ticket, and I’ll be back for a visit during the last two weeks of August. I’m also hopeful that I’ll be able to find another project or work to do that would allow me to return to the Philippines for a much longer period of time.

What do you miss about Manila?

Can I answer everything? If you force me to think about it, I’m sure I can come up with some things I don’t miss about Manila: MRT crowds, I guess, but I kind of enjoyed the giant horde of humanity in the Ayala station at rush hour. Every day was like a test of my commuting skills. For a guy with a basketball mindset, I could always get the competitive juices flowing there.

Of course, I miss my friends more than anything else, but the aspects of life in Manila that I miss are the ability to see, feel, experience and play basketball at almost any time and any place (which I could do in places all over the Philippines, as well). And, without a doubt, I miss the food.

It’s pretty easy to get the staples of Philippine cuisine here in New York — adobo, dinuguan, pinakbet, liempo. But the guiltiest pleasures — isaw, tenga, kwek-kwek, dirty ice cream, banana cue and maruya — are very hard to find here. I have my itinerary for August planned already, and nothing will stop me from getting all the food I’ve been craving.

Have you had cravings for Pinoy food? Where do you eat Pinoy food here in Manhattan? And what do you eat?

Whoops! Guess I got carried away on that last one! Well, you know what I crave, but as far as Pinoy food in Manhattan, there aren’t many options. Since I’ve been back, two well-known places — Bayan Cafe and Elvie’s Turo-Turo — both closed down. It hurt to see Elvie’s go. The food was cheap and delicious and their servings were the right size, plus I had been going there for my ginisang monggo fix for years.

Thankfully, a new restaurant and bar opened about five months ago. It’s called Krystal’s Cafe 81, and it’s in the East Village. The food is good, but the place is probably more of a lounge, so when I’m there I usually eat pulutan like sisig and tokwa’t baboy. Thankfully, they actually use maskara in their sisig; a lot of Philippine restaurants in New York don’t, but it’s just not the same without the crackle.

For a meal, I usually go to Queens, where I’m proud to say we now have Jollibee and Red Ribbon, although when I go, I stick to the old-fashioned places like Fiesta Grill, which is as close to perfect as a NYC turo-turo is going to get, and Engeline’s, a true sit-down restaurant with nilagang baka so rich you’ll think it’s bulalo.

You speak Tagalog so well, like a local! How long did it take you to learn it? And have you always been good with languages?

Thank you! It really means a lot to me, since I have tried hard to improve my Tagalog over the years. At the same time, I’m wary about bragging that I speak so well or that I really speak like a local. I know that I have a lot more room for improvement and I have a long way to go before I speak like a native speaker, and I’m going to continue studying the language and trying to get better.

I think I started to really be able to speak and understand in real-life situations after about two years, and I still call my wonderful tutor Rebecca Dizon on Skype to practice speaking with her. I never studied a language as hard as I did Tagalog, so I’m not sure if I’d be able to learn another language easily. I’m actually hoping to start studying another Philippine language — Bisaya, Ilonggo or Ilocano — depending probably on who’s willing to teach me for the cheapest! So we’ll see if I can learn faster this time.

About your book — you came to the Philippines to try and understand the country’s unlikely passion for basketball. You wrote it as “a sort of love letter to the country.” While Filipinos love it, how’s the feedback from American or international readers?



The fact that Filipino readers have enjoyed my book is the ultimate compliment. They are the people who know the country and the Philippine style of basketball better than I do, and the ones who taught me most of what I learned. So if they read the book and think I did a good job, then I must have done something right.

That said, the response from Americans and Canadians and other foreigners who’ve read the book has been really positive, too. Their experience is different from most Filipinos, because foreign readers tend to be really surprised at the simple fact that Pinoys love hoops, while Filipino readers certainly aren’t going to be surprised by the notion.

There have been really positive reviews on American sports websites like AOL Fanhouse, Sporting News’s blog “The Baseline,” and SLAM Online. Many foreigners — even those that don’t care about hoops — have the response I hoped they would, which is they find Philippine culture and basketball fun and fascinating and worth reading about, even though it’s not their own.

Would you consider moving back to the Philippines? Maybe for a second book? If so, what would it be about?

I would consider moving back to the Philippines for a lot less than a second book! How about any gainful employment? I joked with a friend a couple weeks ago about becoming his driver. Imagine what kind of big shot he’d be with an American driver. But seriously, I feel extremely happy and at home in the Philippines, and it would be a dream to move back for a long while.

If I had an opportunity to write another book, that would be perfect.

There are some more things I’d like to explore in the basketball world, but also other aspects of Philippine life that intrigued me. I’d like to spend a more extended period of time in the provinces.

I visited a lot of places, but never for more than a few days, and never enough to really get a feel for the pace of life. Seriously, every day I lived in the country I felt like I noticed something that could be a story.

You’re now with Harper’s magazine. What do you write about these days?

This is going to sound sad, but I don’t write about much at all. I’m an assistant editor at the magazine, and my job is more to work with the stories that freelance writers produce for us than to write my own articles. My main job is to fact-check them — to go through the stories word-by-word and make sure that everything the writer says is not false. I also am one of two editors who work on “Harper’s Index,” a page in the front of the magazine that tells a story about the world with 40 strange, funny and revealing statistics.

Once in a while, I get to write a regular online feature on Harper’s website called “The Weekly Review.” It’s a three-paragraph look at the previous week, from the most important stories to the most bizarre ones, always presented in a deadpan, ironic voice. It’s a great job at one of the best magazines in the United States, but I do miss writing my own stories.

By now, you probably know how intrusive Pinoys can be. You say your heart remains in the Philippines. For the sake of our female readers, do you have a girlfriend?

Tsismosa ka pala! For my own sake, so my girlfriend doesn’t beat me up, I do have a girlfriend. She’s a Pinay from Los Angeles and was a Fulbright scholar in the batch that came after mine, and we got together in Manila in 2007. She lives in New York now, and we see each other regularly.

* * *

Watch out for Rafe Bartholemew’s book signing events this August at National Bookstore and Powerbooks. Follow @rafeboogs on Twitter for updates.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Style Star: Janelle Monáe


Since I mentioned Janelle Monáe in my last post, I thought I'd share with you why I'm lovin' her! She's just so sprightly and stylish, and so adorable! Plus, I always find myself bopping to her music. I first discovered her via Vogue, and since then I've kept my eye out on what she's been wearing.


More than her dainty dapper style, I admire her commitment to looking like this, even when she performs! What discipline and dedication! I have style ADHD, I can never commit to a look you know? I'd get sick and tired of just wearing blazers, pants and brogues all the time.  Even if they were Boy. by Band of Outsiders! Anyhoo, here, let these photos do the talking!




Friday, July 23, 2010

Snapshots: A Week in the Life of Tin & Berry

Here's what we've been doing these days:

Loaded up on ice cream...


Wore my Fallon cuff with my J.Crew crystal bracelet for days now, no rest for the wear-y


Tried the top bun trick using a pair of socks! Lame attempt! Hair still too short for it!


Chillin' with Jamba Juice at Whole Foods


This is too cute! I saw Berry pushing around her walker, and she hung a Bergdorf Goodman bag on the handle! Back story: Was at Bergdorfs with Berry and my friend Ing aka The Baghag the other day (so nice to see friends from Manila here! I love it when dear friends come over to visit! It just cheers me up! Thanks Ing! It was fun meeting Salome and Claudette too!), and the Bergdorfs SA saw Berry trying to carry Ingrid's humongous Barneys shopping bag. She approached us and gave Berry this mini Bergdorfs shopping bag! So sweet! Now I have to tell Dear Hubby I must buy something from her next time we come around! Heehee!


This is what Berry stuffed inside! Her favorite teether, Sophie the Giraffe!


Got my London brogues from Anthology Shoes! Thanks Karrots! This is crazy comfortable! I was expecting it would need breaking in, but nooooo! I can live in these. So soft and pliable. I can dance in these ala Janelle Monáe in Tightrope (which incidentally, is such a stylish music video!)


When Berry saw me trying on these shoes, she came up to me brandishing this pink pair! She wanted to try on shoes too! Told her to stand still so we can take this photo! Et voila!

I got my JFK tote from Rootote too! Sooo nice! Can't wait to use it! Thanks Joni! =)

What a fun week filled with cuteness and amusement huh?!
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