Summer Highlights

One of the challenges I find with blogging these days is the "real-time-ness" of posts—chronicling notable and bloggable events on the same day. I'm constantly playing catch-up...or going completely M.I.A., as you can tell with my complete lack of posts for the month of July. Sigh.

But, moving along. I have been meaning to write about season's highlights. I'm a summer girl at heart. Summer is my favorite season, summer is when I feel the most nourished, summer is when I get an ample dose of Vitamin D, and summer is also when I can get dressed in five minutes flat (I'm a matchy-matchy kind of person so you can just imagine the agony of putting together layers in the winter time).

Without further ado, highlights from the last couple of weeks (which, in the blogging world, is eons!):

1) Summer Beauty
Well, it was still technically spring when I purchased these two lip treats from Sephora: Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencil in Pomegranate and YSL Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color in Succulent Pomegranate. The former does say 'matte' but it goes on soft and creamy, leaving a rich hue on lips, while the latter is indeed a colored gel-balm that leaves a nice hint of sheer cherry. YSL's packaging is absolutely adorable and I certainly got it for prettiness.

A couple of weeks back, before it got really hot, I got a tube of Brazilian True Tan to kickstart my summer sun-kissed skin. I'd originally planned on purchasing something from St. Tropez, but, after reading the ingredients and giving it a whiff, I went for the former. Brazilian True Tan's formula is supposedly infused with AHA, so you don't have to exfoliate before applying. The color you get is very subtle, hence the claim "non-streak" on the packaging, because you can build on color, instead of slathering it on in one dark dollop. As with any self-tanner, you still have to watch it when it comes to elbows, ankles, and knees—wipe off any excess on these areas.

Okay, it's the weekend—I'm a beauty copywriter by day so writing about beauty on my day off feels like a bus driver's holiday—so I'm moving on to the next summer highlight...

2) Summer Solstice!

Next to Christmas, this is my favorite time of the year. It is the longest day where we get the most sunlight. Fortunately, my husband spotted the invite in the mail to sign up for the yearly Solstice In Times Square event. It was so surreal doing yoga right there, that I kept on peeking during Savasana to look at the buildings towering above me.

Bright and early!

I believe Vasisthasana (Side Plank) was the peak pose for that morning's session. That's me on the left, in the rainbow pink top. I'm quite proud of my Vasisthasana, simply because I could barely do one only a few years ago. Next stop: the full expression of the pose (yogi toe lock, leg extended at a 45-degree angle).

Fun and surreal doing yoga in Times Square!

3) Hova brought sexy back.

We got to see Jay Z and Justin Timberlake in concert at Yankee Stadium! :) The Legends of Summer tour paired the two music heavyweights, resulting in a concert experience to remember! Happy Summer days indeed.

Beyoncé @ Superbowl 2013

I don't think you're ready for this jelly… ;)

(What a surprise—Destiny's Child!)

Mariel Jimenez | 30-day Blog Challenge 2013 | Day 24

Something About Aerin

I saw this last night…

…and immediately thought of my D.I.Y. Design post from August of last year!

What a lovely coincidence, right? Beauty mogul Aerin Lauder and I have something in common, hahaha! At least when it comes to that nice azure hue on one's walls. (These were from my old apartment, by the way.)

Oh, and Aerin's new beauty line is quite adorbs too. I read about it in Glamour mag's October issue and I'm quite curious about her Lipstick in Pout, which, by the way, is sold out on Esteelauder.com.

Love Emma and Andrew!

Amazing Couple. (Arf!)

If there's a Hollywood pairing that I absolutely adore, it's Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield. In a world of "arranged" celebrity couplings, it's refreshing to see two people who look truly in-love and have extraordinary on-screen chemistry. Saw The Amazing Spider-Man last night and the kilig was palpable.

Oh, and yes—the movie was quite awesome too.

Here are lovely pics of Emma and Andrew courtesy of Teen Vogue:

She's a trooper…and the real deal!

Absolutely adorbs ♥ (Love the embellished orange-red coat too.)

He's American-English, with a stellar theater/acting background. Legit!

Victoria's Secret Diet?

With tonight's telecast of the Victoria's Secret show (that I have yet to see online as we don't own a TV), today's free paper, Metro, had a write-up on model Miranda Kerr. The svelte stunner reportedly lost all her pregnancy weight in a matter of a few months leading up to the show (she just had Orlando Bloom's child). When asked about her diet and fitness regimen, here was what she told the publication:

"I like to start the day with a fresh green juice with kale, spinach, cucumber, beets and lemon. Then half an hour later, I have a power smoothie which has Sunwarrior protein powder, chia seeds, maca powder, raw cacao, bee pollen, goji berries, noni juice, Vitamineral Green and coconut water. Then an hour after that I’ll have oatmeal or eggs. That’s my three-course power breakfast. For lunch I might have some grilled fish with goat cheese or baby spinach salad and olives. Sometimes I’ll have a sweet potato. At dinner, I’ll have a lentil soup and maybe some chicken. And I love to have my salads with avocado, feta and spinach."

The above, plus a 12-year yoga practice, and Pilates, etc. after having the baby.

I figured, so, I have the juicing down pat. While not as intense as the sexy strutter, I do start my morning with a freshly pressed concoction of carrot, apple, ginger, lemon, kale/spinach/parsley juice as often as I can; and when I am not too lazy to walk a few blocks to the fruit stand/juice cart near my office. I've also been having steel-cut oatmeal for breakfast since discovering it in January, and before that, had also eaten rolled oats regularly. As for the eggs? Check. Yoga? Check. And, thanks to having long been a fan of David Zincenko's Abs Diet—more of an eating lifestyle, than a "diet"—which I credit for the 15 lbs I lost back in 2004 and have kept off since (give or take five pounds), I practically eat the same things as Kerr does…at least the ones she had mentioned in her interview.

So the big question is, why the heck don't I look like a Victoria's Secret model?!

Dessert audit, anybody?:)

Sounds Klipsch

DAY 21

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

Image courtesy of www.klipsch.com.

In my "Street Shopping" post, I'd mentioned spotting purple Justbeats Solo headphones—the Justin Bieber version of the ultra-popular Beats by Dr. Dre—in one of the stalls. I am not kidding when I say that no train ride is complete without seeing the ubiquitous "b" on someone's ear. (For the record, I have yet to find someone wearing the ube Biebers.)

Ube, Baby, Baby, Baby, Oh...

A while back, an uncle of mine said that to get good headphones, one must be prepared to spend. And, I somewhat agree with him. That said, I've had the same Sennheiser earpieces for quite some time now, two of them actually: one, in-ear buds purchased on a press trip in Amsterdam back 2006; and two, larger, DJ-type on-ear ones from 2009 that I left with Mom. Both are priced mid-range and offer great sound quality. The smaller ones, however, seem to be no longer in optimal condition, given that they're five years old. Again, you know how I feel about gadgets.

But ever since I tried on a demo unit of the super cute red Solo Beats a couple of weeks ago, I've been extra fascinated by the prospect of getting new headphones. Hence, I wouldn't say that coming out of Best Buy yesterday with new Klipsch Image ONE Stereo Headphones was exactly an impulse purchase. Up until the last minute at the registers, I turned around and returned them on the rack, only to head back to the store after a quick trip to Starbucks and finally getting them.

So, what made me decide to make the splurge and take the "audiophile" plunge? Apart from an imminent need (thanks, Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry), I did spend almost an hour at the store comparing sound quality of several sample units, including one of the newer Bose on-ear models. The Klipsch ones didn't actually call out to me at first glance, but imagine my surprise when, upon testing them, they turned out to produce better-quality sound than the more popular Beats. (The Bose pair, by the way, was quite excellent—expectedly—but didn't look good on me. Yes, I'm part of the female shopping demographic.) Aesthetically though, Dr. Dre wins in that department. Bottomline is, before buying anything that clocks in at over a certain price range, make sure to be extra scrutinizing so you lessen your chances of buyer's remorse. Speaking of which, I need to finish an article on fashion finds that do exactly that—let you shop without feeling guilty. Signing off for now. Cue: Super Bass.

A song that makes a great headphone tester.

Ready for Friday

DAY 10

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

Felt a little bit tired today, so ended up napping when I got home and just woke up. So, in lieu of a wordier post, here's something on my playlist this week, Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)." Love her sense of humor and of course, the 80s icons in the video: Corey Feldman, Debbie Gibson, Kenny G. Even the the 90s' Hanson brothers are in it!

Have a great Friday, everyone! Until the next post (later today)!

TV Talk

Lights, camera, action!

DAY 9
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

For someone who doesn't own a television set, I happen to love watching TV. Not owning a cable box and the whole flat-screen-DVR package isn't an effort to seem "cool" or "detached" but rather, a function of limited space. Plus, I'm afraid that if I had a TV in my room, I'd enjoy it too much and that's all I'd do. Come to think of it, I already shy away from big shenanigans of the mingling and drinking kind, and if I start getting glued to the tube, there goes my (modest) social life.

Anyhow, I do get around watching my favorite shows, thanks to online streaming. ABC has an app on the iPad that lets you see their shows, including sitcoms like Happy Endings (super funny!) and Modern Family (I have yet to get on board).

My three faves at the moment happen to be on USA Network and are as follows (I read somewhere recently that they're still in the middle of having their app approved by Apple):

1) White Collar
2) Burn Notice
3) SUITS(!)

If you haven't seen #3, you have to ASAP! It's about two lawyers: one legit graduate from Harvard, and one who passed the bar without having gone to any law school. It's hilarious and entertaining. Hotshot closer Harvey Specter hires Mike Ross, who wows him at an accidental and well-timed job interview. The former covers up for the latter's lack of a law degree and the rest is bromance history. It's TV candy, alright. Both men are handsome—Specter in a dashing-debonair kind of way, and Ross, in a cute-hipster-who-wears-skinny-ties kind of way (the latter's character lives in Williamsburg and rides a bike to work). I love the New York street and office scenes in the show and get a kick out of recognizing areas where they shot.

Here's the trailer of the show. It's on every Thursday night. Happy viewing!

Oscar Moment

A lovely and inspiring afternoon,
in more ways than one.

When my friend Kat invited me to tag along at the photoshoot with Stefanie Walmsley, in the most ho-hum way I said, "Sure." I had no idea who the Oscar-winning producer of the short film, God of Love, was, but then I had no better way to spend my Saturday. Besides, I could help with the hair and makeup if needed. So, off I went along, ready to ask questions about what was inside the famous (ultra-mega-pricey) Oscar swag bag.

Little did I know how inspiring and wonderful my afternoon would turn out to be. While I'd love to share specific bits and pieces from the interview and shoot, I'd like to respect the editorial schedules of the magazines running her feature. But let me just say that Walmsley proved to be vastly entertaining, down-to-earth, and inspiring to talk to. I particularly enjoyed how she simply showed her bubbly personality, honesty, and I think that's all I can say for now. Catch a glimpse of the Pinay producer as she talks about the crew's journey to Academy Award territory in this video interview on YouTube. And, below is the trailer to the movie directed by Luke Matheny.

New York

Seventh and last post of the Travel Series.

View of the Williamsburg Bridge from Kent St. in Brooklyn.

And then there's New York. Here is where I'll probably always feel at home other than Manila. New York is where I could pop by Grand Central if I have a craving for chicken barbecue with mashed potatoes and milk gravy (Brother Jimmy's BBQ) or a mushroom and blue cheese crepe with a side of greens (Ciao Bella); where, to my left is a bum taking a nap and to my right are struggling model lookalikes dishing on rent and potential part-time jobs at Hérmés and internships at Diane Von Furstenberg.

A colorful store display from last summer.

New York City is where I could go to a deli during lunch hour and get a chopped salad with unlimited toppings, or, maybe get a $5 half-chicken-half-falafel with rice meal from the Halal food truck, and then sit by a bench across the street. NYC is where shops like Michael Kors,  Cole Haan, and Stuart Weitzman are abound, and, ironically, could be steps away from street vendors selling designer-inspired bags, scarves, and hats.

Meals on wheels.

True, every now and then I think that New York is overrated. I get tired of pompous artsy fartsy types who make simple things complicated, or executives who don't read or respond to their own emails. Yet, this city is so diverse and encouraging that maybe one minute I'm in Brooklyn watching a comedy set at The Knitting Factory, and the next minute, I'm going up to a comedian and writer for 30 Rock named Hannibal Burress, asking him advice on where to go for improv classes. Maybe the next week I think about volunteering at the writers room and/or applying in the page program, so I ask a yoga classmate who works at NBC to help forward an application packet to Hannibal…and Tina Fey(!).

Perhaps my packet goes from the mailroom straight to the garbage bin, unnoticed. Or, maybe, whoever ends up reading it wonders, "Is she for real?" (In any case, if you're a 30 Rock or NBC staffer reading this, my answer is yes, I am willing to restart my career from the ground up. Again, just please give me a meal allowance so I don't go seriously broke.)

Maybe on another day, while on a cupcake run in Chelsea, I bump into Food Network exec Bob Tuschman, whom I promptly beg for any job at the station.

Just maybe.

It's the endless promise of something new, bigger, and more exciting that keeps me coming back for more.

Gorgeous apartments (nope, not mine).

One-of-a-kind weddings.

Tiny living spaces (yup, mine).

The New York City Marathon (to watch).

Eggs Norwegian like no other.

Quaint coffeeshops (that sell bite-size cream puffs).

Really, what's not to love? And, if I do get tired of this busy, bustling city, I can go back to any of the places featured in the Travel Series. For now—cue: Jay-Z's Empire State of Mind—"let's hear it
for New York, New York, New York…"

READ the Travel Series starting with...

1. DENVER

2. SILVERTHORNE & BRECKENRIDGE

3. SAN FRANCISCO

4. SONOMA COUNTY

5. NAPA VALLEY

6. CHICAGO

7. NEW YORK

Congrats, Natalie!

I was just about blog about Napa Valley—the fifth post in my Travel Series—and couldn't help but do a quick congratulatory post on Natalie Portman, who bagged the Best Actress Oscar trophy for her performance as ballerina Nina Sayers in the movie, Black Swan. You see, back in 2008, after having seen The Other Boleyn Girl, I pointed out how Portman's acting was so Oscar-worthy. This was back at my old blog, Chocolate Soundboard. In light of last night's Academy Awards show, I'd like to repost the entry, "Regal Film."

(March 01, 2008)

After a week of logging after-office hours in Starbucks on my precious five-year-old laptop, working on an equally precious project I will not talk about for now, I decided to go for a Friday night movie and catch The Other Boleyn Girl, which I'd been dying to see since viewing the trailer, and having read a cover story early last year on Scarlett Johansson that briefly mentioned the film she was shooting based on Philippa Gregory's best-selling novel.

Before I go into further detail, let me tell you that when it comes to the rich and dramatic history of the British Royalty, I am absolutely, desolately, *horribly* clueless. [insert audible gasp] And, thanks to this blithe ignorance I'd emerged from the theater stunned, and baffled beyond belief. Not having done any research, I was purely lured by the opulence, decadence, and sheer brilliance of a period film (the costumes, the production, the cinematography) and the Hollywood-ness of the movie starring no less than:

1) Natalie Portman, who I think should win an Oscar for her performance as the beyond-bitchy Anne Boleyn; I am now officially a fan (and she just moved to the top of my Make-BFF list, next to Hilary Duff).

2) Scarlett Johansson, whose mere presence in a film draws in crowds of both male and female. And that cleavage is purr-fect for that particular era. (I am a fan as well but I don’t want to be friends with her: Yes, I am threatened.)

3) Eric Bana, (hello, how can one forget?) who looked absolutely delicious in the trailer. With royal servants yelling, "The king! The king!!!" who wouldn't be enthralled?

So, here goes my little review. (Spoiler alert—for people like me who have never read up on England’s history. Because if you have, you would watch the film and already know beforehand what happens in the end.)

Nino

On the subway ride home from the Inglot event I'd attended, what usually is an easy, sleepy ride, became an anxious, existential inner debate—which is saying a lot since I don't even use those words (they sound pretentious, don't they?). Instead of dozing off by the nth stop, I was wraught with anxiety and questions about where I'm headed in my career, such as: When will I email so and so? When do I start pitching [these magazines]? Plus, random thoughts, like, New York beauty events are depressing; beauty bloggers are narcissistic. [Touché.]

I felt a sense of limbo. Estée Lauder (beauty person) or Food Network (assistant of an assistant of a sous chef of one of the TV chefs)? Be a senior copywriter at an "esteemed" advertising agency or apply in the page program at NBC (and get a chance to order Tina Fey's lunch)?

Walking home, I cut through the park where the snow has finally melted. There, I met Nino, a fat English bulldog being walked by a kind lady who stopped to let the adorable rotund heavyweight of a furball sniff my coat. I bent over to ruffle his ear and for a good minute let him sniff away. Within moments, Nino dragged his feet as we parted ways, and in that instant, I forgot all about everything else and felt a little smile sweep across my face.

Oui, Wee!

In America, the articles I've read so far have all referenced 2009 as the year Phoenix became 'famous' in this part of the world. Yet, the French band from Marseilles has been churning out tunes waay before that, as early as 2000. I picked up my first Phoenix album It's Never Been Like That in 2006, when the single, "Long Distance Call," started playing in a radio station I'd listened to in Manila. Prior to that, their song "Too Young" was part of the Lost In Translation movie soundtrack in 2004, although I wasn't familiar with the band at the time. I eventually did find out that vocalist Thomas Mars was the boyfriend of director Sofia Coppola, whose movie mentioned above I particularly enjoyed (enough to have purchased the OST).

2009 was when the band's latest cd, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, came out, which contained the now popular "1901" (featured in a Cadillac commercial), along with plenty of upbeat, happy songs that have been featured in a slew of movies and TV shows. That's when the bigger part of the U.S. started seriously noticing the French foursome. The Saturday Night Live and late-night talk show circuit guestings may have also helped.

What a great show!

The setlist, minus the awesome encore.

So, on October 20, my husband and I finally got to see them live at the Madison Square Garden! It was awesome! Plus, a SURPRISE performance by the electronic duo, DAFT PUNK! You can read about it here and here.

I want to be them next Halloween.

Images courtesy of http://pitchfork.com (album cover and Daft Punk) and http://www.brooklynvegan.com (concert and setlist).

Parental Guidance

Don't we all love success stories? Steve Jobs, Oprah, Reginald F. Lewis...who else can you think of who had gone past early adversities and turned their lives around to yield magnanimous and amazing results?

I only have to look into the stories of my own parents to be inspired: My mother moved to the U.S. when she was 33 with NOTHING. Sure, she had a bit of money left earned from back home, but that was it. I am guessing it was probably only enough to last her a couple of weeks. No trust fund, no credit card, no working papers. Yet, she made it work. She's written her success story on her own terms, and she simply had an attitude and work ethic that wouldn't quit—seven-day workweeks, multiple jobs, even odd jobs. Fast-forward 17 years, she's fit, fabulous, and doing well, in career and in life. True, she's not the mega-millionaire I'm sure she'd be happy to be, but she's in a good place. (Plus, she's running her first 5k race this weekend!)

My father, on the other hand, lost everything he had—the bookstores he'd worked hard to put up in our hometown—to the calamity that was the Mt. Pinatubo eruption of '91. He and my mother had to start out from scratch by adding to my grandparents' mini-grocery business at the market. They would wake up at 3am to open shop, barely having gotten enough sleep from their bedtime of 12 midnight or so. Eventually, when Mama moved to the U.S. to seek greener pastures (and I guess to escape the grueling market schedule and stress surrounding the events succeeding Pinatubo), my dad moved to Manila to, again, restart a new career as a newspaper reporter. He practically worked as a volunteer, until management took note of his talent and dedication (he literally LIVED in the office in a small room with a bunk bed he shared with other reporters) and he zoomed past the tiers of the masthead and reached a high position that paid him well and gave him quarterly bonuses. Now, Papa is retired and has a thriving eBay business selling rare stamps to an international clientele. Again, he's not the mega-millionaire I'm sure he'd be happy to be, but he's in a good place.

The two experiences above perhaps explain and provide a better understanding on why I literally get stressed out and bothered when faced with a situation wherein a person who has the brains, background, talent, and skills to move forward and succeed gives up prematurely and concedes defeat so early on—without putting up a fight, logging in the hours, exhausting one's all. It's a challenge for me to bear witness to these moments knowing that life is full of stories of individuals who simply made it work amidst hurdles and challenges that, at first glance, were seemingly impossible to conquer.

About the 30-Day Blog Challenge

I have to admit, I thought I'd breeze through this year's 30-Day Blog Challenge (Big Apple Edition). True, the days whizzed by, however, I found it a bit more challenging this time around writing a blog post everyday on top of having a new full-time job (no more working in pajamas) while doing other writing and editing occupations (that still let me work in my pajamas). I know I've unwittingly managed to keep my work plate full because 1) It quells the paranoia of being—gasp!—jobless, and 2) It helps me deal with the long distance away from my husband. Having a lot of work to do makes me not fixate too much on missing him. And, I do miss him a lot nevertheless, especially whenever my back and feet hurt and when I just can't seem to sleep right. Put him next to me and off I go sleeping like a baby.

So, what now?

While I really, really find the daily blogging schedule ideal, I do want to live a more enriched life offline. I've recently just started doing yoga again, so I would very much like to have some time to let my body recuperate from all the twisting and turning. In Mireille Guiliano’s book, Women, Work & The Art of Savoir Faire, she ponders the “inevitable shift in social grace to the acceptance of present-tense community sharing.” She talks about a young American couple she and her husband sat next to in a small Parisian bistro: "They were whispering to one another and clearly delighted with the food and experience. Just after they finished their meals, on some silent command they both whipped out their smartphones and for a good five minutes sat in the middle of the restaurant with screens twelve inches from their eyes, reading, texting, and emailing away with intense concentration and frozen faces from faraway places." She further writes, "It points to an inability to live in and savor the moment unless it is externally recorded… abstracting and distancing it.”

That said, I still do want to keep blogging on a regular basis somehow, some way. It's true that writing is a muscle—and it's the same thing with chefs, athletes, pole dancers… To paraphrase Chelsea Handler from an episode of her show I'd seen a while back, "If you pole-dance often enough, you get better and better at it.” Same goes with writing.

Archi-type

DAY 29

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

So relaxing. Addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas City, Missouri. Architect: Steven Holl.
Photo by Roland Halbe/courtesy the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

I've been going to the Vanity Fair website a lot lately—from leisurely browsing to finding inspiration for a work-related task. I also recently bought the September (printed!) issue featuring Lady Gaga on the cover. Before I get into some super-cool photos, I'd like to share this snippet from the celebrity profile written by contributing editor Lisa Robinson. I'm not exactly a huge fan of Ga-ga-ooh-la-la, but I particularly liked what was written here:

It was a low point . . . when disaster struck, Gaga “went home.” She tells Robinson, “All I will say is I hit rock bottom, and it was enough to send a person over the edge. My mother knew the truth about that day, and she screamed so loud on the other end of the phone, I’ll never forget it. And she said, ‘I’m coming to get you.’” Gaga says they went to her 82-year-old grandmother’s house in West Virginia. “I cried. I told her I thought my life was over and I have no hope and I’ve worked so hard, and I knew I was good. What would I do now? And she said, ‘I’m gonna let you cry for a few more hours. And then after those few hours are up, you’re gonna stop crying, you’re gonna pick yourself up, you’re gonna go back to New York, and you’re gonna kick some ass.’”

(Source: http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2010/08/lady-gaga-september-issue.html)

That's definitely good to keep in mind whenever sadness strikes.

Now, onto those photos: VF had asked 52 experts to weigh in on the five most important works of architecture created since 1980. The magazine received a total of 132 names of buildings and uploaded photos of the top 21 on the website. And, here are my own faves.

Whereas the above photo evolkes calm, this one reminds me of a tornado!
BWM Welt, Munich. Architect: COOP Himmelblau. Courtesy of BMW.

This looks like a scene out of the movie, "The Island" (starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson). HSBC Building, Hong Kong. Architect: Sir Norman Foster. Photo by Heather Coulson.

Cute use of a primary color! Parc de la Villette, ParisArchitect: Bernard Tschumi. Photo by Simeone Huber.

Images sourced from VanityFair.com, published by Condé Nast Digital. Photographers are credited within captions. For copyright concerns and clarifications, please email me at mariel.chua@gmail.com.

Proust Post

DAY 24
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

I was just reading actress Helen Mirren's Proust questionnaire over at VanityFair.com and thought I'd add a little bit more fun here and answer one myself. I have a feeling I've already done this in some form sometime ago. And, now that I'm writing this last sentence as I've typed up and edited my answers, I noticed that many of them resemble Helen's! (You can even answer the interactive questionnaire on the VF website and your answers are then compared to famous people. I haven't tried it, feel free to leave a comment about it.)

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A weekend nap with my husband on high-thread-count sheets and a fluffy comforter on a heavenly mattress that can support both our aching backs; our 90-pound dog also snoozing on the floor at the edge of the bed where the comforter dangles.

Which living person do you most admire?
My grandmother who's 86. She raised eight children (and lost a ninth); baked native bread to sell during the war in a makeshift oven that she made; took care of many of her children's children as the young parents were setting up shop; sang at the church choir. My Lola is the original SUPERWOMAN.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Procrastination.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Deceit in any form no matter how "small."

What is your greatest extravagance?
Food.

What is your favorite journey?
Any "journey" involving hopping on a car (or plane) and then being on a boat headed somewhere sunny and sandy.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Punctuality in the morning. Although I agree that many successful people are early risers (e.g. Martha Stewart). Hence, I've hopped on the early morning bandwagon.

On what occasion do you lie?
On forms that require you to list some form of numerical (or informational) valuation of the financial (or career) kind.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
Once a month, I feel ridiculously bloated all over. That's when I seem to 'dislike' everything. All other times, I'm fine and happy with how I look.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Oh my gosh.

What is your greatest regret?
Every time something happens wherein I feel a deep sense of regret and convince myself that I would remember that day or moment forever, I seem to forget what it was weeks or months after! So, right now, no regrets.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
My husband. He's one of a kind. I'm absolutely happy that he never listened to me all those times I wanted to give up because of the whole long distance "challenge."

When and where were you happiest?
You know what, I never thought I would ever say this in my life, but it is what it is: I was happiest at my wedding! There was so much love (and fashion and beach and family…) all around!

What is your current state of mind
Calm after that dreadful (PMS) storm.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd like to be less paranoid and less influenced and affected by the varying temperaments around me.

What is your favorite occupation?
The sum of all that follows: writing, reading, being in the kitchen, sleeping.

What is the quality you most like in a person?
Honesty.

What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty.

Who are your favorite writers?
I don't have a single favorite. There are so many brilliant writers out there!

If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
British aristocracy—still married to the British aristocratic version of my husband who has the Royal Ascot version of our fat and lovable dog as a pet :)


Illustrations by Risko. Photo courtesy of http://coolstuffaround.net.

Carrie, Can You?

DAY 14
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

In the TV series and now, movies, Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw makes freelance (and novel) writing look so easy. In her fashionable frocks and Manolo Blahniks, she seems to breeze through her assignments with minimal stress.

Now, I'm no Carrie. While I read, write, and edit for a living, I don't exactly hop, skip about town meeting girlfriends for brunch or go shoe-shopping on a whim. I am more inclined to purchase a $400 camera than a $400 pair of stilettos. And, speaking of sky-high footwear, I can't imagine going up and down the subway stairs and maneuvering Manhattan's city blocks in them. In fact, I've just recently considered buying a pair of FitFlops—those cushioned sandals that are supposedly good for one's feet. My friend says she walked in them for days on a recent trip to DC.

Anyway, my biggest, biggest, most ardous challenge has got to be time management and deadlines. And, I realized [when I’d written this] that I'm too old to be stressing about something that should be easily manageable. Also, stressing about deadlines goes against my new mantra of being in the moment. When I postpone things on my to-do list, that's not being in the moment.

And going back to Carrie, if I'm on top of deadlines and all that, I can actually have more time to hop, skip, and brunch my New York days away. And, who knows, I might even consider stilettos once again.

[Update: I never got to purchase those FitFlops and I’d recently taken to wearing heels again.]

Image courtesy of Thesun.co.uk.

Something from Kate

"I'm not entirely fearless. I have my own fears, too, I have insecurities. But I go out there anyway and do what I want to do and make the most of my life."

That's designer and musician, Kate Torralba, on being fun and fearless. Kate as you may already know is a friend of mine who also designed my lovely wedding dress (photo in this post). She's one of Cosmo's Fun Fearless Female awardees this year and she gave an insightful interview online about how she started her fashion career as a hobby and a "happy accident." Read the Cosmo.ph article here.

Image courtesy of Cosmo.ph

Fitness, First

I've resigned myself to the fact that dieting isn't for me, and in order to sustain my love for delightful desserts, savory cuisine, and all other delicious concoctions, I have to maintain an active lifestyle that also includes regular trips to the health club.

Before the wedding, my husband and I signed up for a gym membership, after all, it's cheaper than actually buying a our own equipment. We are not ready to invest in our own Tunturi treadmills, bikes, or elliptical trainers (check out Efitology.com if you're looking to shop online for these) so regular sessions at Fitness First are our best bet at staying fit and healthy.

I must admit, Alvs is more conscientious when it comes to regular workouts. I get lazy sometimes. All the more I admire people like Women's Health editor Lara Parpan, who writes the blog post, "Belly Be Gone!" in the newly revamped FemaleNetwork.com. (They featured NyMinuteNow.com in their favorite blogs! Thanks!) In the post, Lara also mentions model and entrepreneur Tweetie de Leon Gonzalez, who has remained slender, fit, and fab—with four kids!

Anyway, I'm off to the airports for now. Hopefully I could get right back on the fitness track at the soonest possible time after deplaning! Until my next post!