It's a Date!

This has got to be the best and cutest datebook I've seen in a long time. And I'm not just saying that because I'm currently doing an advertising project with Cosmo, or because I'm apparently a "brand ambassador" for Pond's (quite fun, let me tell you!). I say this as a general and avid fan of paper, good stationery, and well thought-out pieces of merchandise. I absolutely love how the people behind this planner seemed to have poured their hearts into it: from the witty, well-written copy peppered throughout the meticulously art-directed calendar pages, to the eye-popping illustrations and useful coupons and stickers at the end of the book. I could go on and on gushing, but it's best to see for yourself; this planner retails for Php 250 at newstands, bookstores, and supermarkets nationwide. But don't take my word for it because it's already April and they're probably sold out.

On the bright side, I'm giving away not one, not two, but FIVE of these lovely works of magazine editorial art. All you have to do is of course, mention and link NyMinuteNow.com in a blog post, and while you're at it, plug the upcoming makeover promo posted at Cosmo.ph. Go to http://www.cosmo.ph/cosmo-community/promos/be-part-of-cosmo-makeovers-2010/ to find out how you can be one of SEVEN lucky readers who'll win a free fashion and beauty makeover.

Leave a comment with your blog link and I shall draw lots from the first 10 blog posts. Thanks in advance for your entries and enjoy the week ahead!

UPDATE 05/08/10 I changed my mind about the mechanics. I'll just give the five planners to the first five people who link up and leave a comment. So far, I have two entries. (Thanks, Ann and NeuroChiq!)

Sample calendar pages with useful tips on the side.

Fun and colorful illustrations worth keeping 'til after year-end.

Art direction by Red De Leon. Illustrations by Leo Alvarado.

In the Loop

My new project, a la Running in Heels!

It's nice to kind of be back at my old job where I'm currently running the internship program until classes start in this part of the world. Three lucky girls were chosen from almost a hundred,[correction, more than 100; 151 actually from when I last counted] and in terms of talent, personality, and work ethic, they are quite a cute bunch. Cute is a word I've chosen for now because we all just started and we're still in the getting-to-know-you stage.

I met the girls for the first time on Monday and while I can't really talk about specifics, one girl gets to fly out to New York City at the end of the program. As the director I am more or less responsible for choosing who that would be, but I have the help of other 'heads of state,' so to speak.

Anyway, after working freelance—as in no office building—I find it both refreshing and amusing to be in the presence of cubicles, and of course, old friends and colleagues! Earlier I realized how being at the office felt like one big living room where so many people who helped shaped my work and personal life were simply footsteps away; it's amazing!

A few cubicles down is my dear friend Frances, who, at six months pregnant has a cute bump and a waddle to her walk [Oh dear Neighbor I actually haven't noticed the waddle; I only took your word for it from your blog :)]. The heels are gone but she still looks fab, as how editors-in-chief look and carry themselves. It's so nice to easily get to catch up with her in the pantry, or pop by her desk to chat...or in the case of this afternoon, check out her beauty product stash. I'm one mascara rich today :)

Directly behind me is Preview Magazine's EIC, Pauline Juan, who always looks effortlessly fashionable. Also close by is editorial director, Myrza Sison, former Marie Claire EIC who recently relaunched the new Femalenetwork.com. And the desk next to me belongs to my good friend, former Seventeen associate editor Tata Mapa, who now helms Martha Stewart Weddings. So cool. It's exactly like how my dad described how one should work: that it shouldn't feel like it.

Out!

Today's 'closet call' brought to you by me and my big mouth!
(By the way, this probably is TV's most famous New York closet!)

I think I may have accidentally outed a person I'd just met earlier at lunch. Talk about embarrassing, and I am so sorry!

In the "fashion world" where I'd like to think I come from (but not really; I'm mostly just on the sidelines), it's quite normal to talk about who's out, who's in the closet, with someone who probably has just come out himself, something strange like that, although that has never happened to me. I did out a friend who happened to not be gay, and he anyway kind of agreed to email me in the event he did come out in the near or distant future—which really goes to show that these kinds of conversations exist in my world.

These day-to-day stories among friends are interspersed with fashion trends, beauty news, or celebrity tidbits. And anything and everything about beauty and lifestyle are shared over sumptuous lunches capped by cups of tea and slices of cake. At least that's how I remember my old life, way before I moved to New York. These days, I'm more likely to be checking what Martha Stewart or Ina Garten have to say about a kitchen project I'm trying out, which probably goes to show why my social and mingling skills are kind of rusty (or amiss) at this point.

Image courtesy of Stylecaster.com.

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!

A Pinch of Heartbreak

When Food Network Magazine launched in the fall of 2008, I felt a pinch in my heart: It had just been a few months since my work at Hearst Magazines ended and I never saw them coming—the new magazine and the loss of a job. In a short time I would start a proofreading and copy editing job at J.Crew, but I still smarted from losing access to the most beautiful cafeteria in Manhattan. I actually missed the Hearst Café more than my old job.

To share a short backstory though, in the spring of the same year, I'd applied to be an editorial assistant to the managing editor at Quick & Simple. I know by then it had been eight years since I last worked as an EA, but I was raring to move on from my marketing assistant post in the international department—I was an editorial girl at heart. (I loved working with Harper's BAZAAR, though.)

I didn't get the Quick & Simple job which turned out to be a blessing because in just a few months after I'd interviewed with my prospective boss, the magazine folded!

So back to Food Network Magazine, from what I know of, some Q&S staffers moved on to work for the new title. What pained me the most at the time was how much I loved, lived, and breathed Food Network, the TV station. For as long as I could remember, I only watched a single channel whenever I'd turned on the television. When I was still based in Manila, I would spend yearly month-long vacations in Denver and would practically just watch the shows on the network whenever I was at my mother's house. Sure, every now and then I would catch some favorite shows on USA Network and E!, but Food Network was my TV home.

When I moved to New York, I recorded shows on my roommates' DVR. So needless to say, I'm very much a Food Network fan and when the magazine opened, I felt a sense of yearning, and a little envy, for not being...there.

My editorial background is in lifestyle and beauty journalism. But food has definitely always been in the picture (my first blog was the Chocolate Soundboard, which I closed after five years when I moved to this address). My earliest assignments in Seventeen Magazine were food-related, with my first being an article on giving dorm food a makeover. Whenever we would go on location, I usually got assigned travel pieces in relation to where we were and photographs of food were almost always the centerpieces of my stories. I could go on and on about my relationship with food, and how now, as a freelancer, I've taken to writing and blogging more and more about it, and unintentionally opening AllMySugar.com as a venue for all these food-related posts. (My original plan was to move all my blogging activities there and close NyMinuteNow.com. But like life, one never really leaves New York.)

Anyhow, the point of all of this is, last weekend, I finally picked up a copy of Food Network Magazine. It's a lovely read filled with vibrant photographs of food and straightforward lifestyle features. I feel a sense of belonging which is both premature and relevant. What job would perfectly marry my love of food and love of magazines?

Once I wrap up my two-month project with Cosmopolitan Magazine Philippines and Pond's, I am commencing a full-blown job-hunt for the first time in almost two years since going freelance. So, I hope editor-in-chief Maile Carpenter and managing editor Maria Baugh have Google Alerts on their names because girls, if you're reading this, I'll be bugging you for work when I get back to NYC this summer!

Talking about suppliers

Designer Kate Torralba's trademark handbags with her custom dresses.

Now, I was no bridezilla and friends could attest to that. In fact, I was kind of spacey and floaty about the whole thing. When asked for certain preferences when it came to bridal fashion, flowers, or fabrics, I left a big part of the decision-making process to whomever was the expert. I had my basic 'requirements' ("I slouch so I would like for the straps to cross at the back so they don't fall off, and I also have a paunch.") and palette ("The colors of the Diane Von Furstenberg romper I bought with my first copy editor paycheck."), and practically gave the suppliers free reign to do whatever they did best.

And it was so worth it; I was blown away by the result. You definitely get what you pay for and if you trust people to do their thing, you could really end up with something unbelievably good, beautiful, and lovely. If you're planning your own wedding, this is a good time to pause and ponder priorities. What aspects of the big day are important to you and your partner? For Alvs and myself, we skipped the videographer altogether (I don't really like all those hot, bright lights blocking the ceremony in sight) and alloted our budget on photography, hiring the best wedding photographer we know, Pat Dy.

Good photography: can't be beat.

So again, the best way to talk about my wedding suppliers is through photos and anecdotes. Starting with...

THE DESIGNER

None other than Kate Torralba, who I met way back in Seventeen. Those early days were just fun and promising, and it was nice getting to know certain people during that time. While many people would assume that having been a beauty editor meant instant access to a busload of designers, that is actually only the case if you're a fashion editor. There is a difference. The beauty side of the magazine may be glamorous yet oftentimes, it's more nerdy and science-related than most people think. We get to know clothes by necessity, when we have to pull items from shops and use them for shoots. Occasionally, we contact designers for custom pieces, but this is rare in the world of beauty editorials which feature closeup pictures of models' faces.

Anyway, the point of all the above is, I only know and have worked with a few fashion designers. Less than five, actually. All except three of the custom pieces I own are made by Kate. So it was very easy to decide to go with her for my wedding gown.

Absolutely LOVE my dress!

FLOWERS

Our wedding coordinator, Bong Abela, also happened to be an event stylist and florist. And again, I'm not particular about flowers and I just wanted them to basically follow the color scheme and essentially not be ugly. Plus, we were on a budget. Fortunately, the fabrics from the motif were already very busy and flowery, that we got away with using plenty of foilage and greens. Honestly, I don't even remember what the flower arrangement looked like at the church. And by reception, it was already dark so I didn't even notice. Again, priorities.


HAIR & MAKEUP

The first makeup artist I ever met when I started working almost 10 years ago in Seventeen was Peddy Acebo. At the time, I knew NOTHING about makeup and he basically let me go through his makeup box, showing me a bottle of BeneTint in the process. Over the years, we would go on out-of-town shoots and the staff simply loved booking Peddy because of his great work ethic, and of course, talent for beautifying. I loved how, on the day of the wedding, he exclaimed, "You're the only bride who asked for blue [eyeshadow]!"

Peddy also brought along hairstylist Bong Vicentico, who did a fab job with my purposely-tousled updo. You won't have to worry about hair styling products if you get a supplier who is experienced in the field of magazine editorials and advertising; or even just someone who has done numerous bridal parties to know what works for each hair type, who could also recommend a good shampoo and conditioner for you.

Flawless, thanks to Peddy and Bong!

CHURCH & VENUE

As some of you may already know, we decided three months before the wedding to move it out of town, to the lovely city of Cebu, and have a beach reception. My husband is great with logistics and details, and I believe I'm good with big-picture stuff, so it worked out. Of course we had our share of fighting and arguing (mostly him complaining about how I was so up in the air about the big event), but we did good. And I also got plenty of help with the travel planning and family coordination thanks to my cousin, Jacque, who's more like a sister.

Be Resorts (formerly Microtel Inn & Suites) in Mactan Island, Cebu.

The beautiful Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral

INVITATIONS

I'm still good friends with my only ex, Ruben Flores, (his family owns The Chocolate Kiss Cafe—a good reason to never burn bridges!) whose wife, Trina Valenzuela, makes the best wedding invites, in my very biased opinion. No, seriously, her work is absolutely beautiful, thorough, and unique. From the custom artwork to the paper quality, down to the handling and delivery, everything is just so exquisitely made (she delivers the invites in this neat white box tied with a chocolate brown bow, tagged with the logo). To see is to believe. Drop by http://vprojekt.multiply.com to see more of her excellent work.

If you like good-quality paper and stationery, Trina Valenzuela of
village pro'jekt designs and concepts is your girl.

Okay, I'm sure I'm forgetting other suppliers, but this is enough wedding talk for now. If you would like contact details of all those mentioned above, just leave a comment and I'll answer your questions :)

DVF Romper photo courtesy of Thisnext.com. All other photographs except for the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral (which I took) are by Pat Dy and team.

About All My Sugar

One of the reasons I put off blogging for so long, aside from a sense of overwhelm and amazement surrounding my recent wedding, was that I also couldn't decide between moving to a new blog address, AllMySugar.com, or staying here at NyMinuteNow.com, business as usual. On one hand, I felt that I was outgrowing this space, and it didn't help that I've been barely in NYC this past year. And on the other hand, this blog has made so many ties online and offline that moving web addresses almost feels like actually moving offices, or even houses. From the customized sidebars, blogging series, to of course, the posts themselves...there is so much history here.

Read about these lovely hand-cut noodles at AllMySugar.com :)

So by the looks of it, I'll be writing my food-related entries there, in the same way I started posting my beauty articles at BeautyintheBigApple.com.

Think of it as spring-cleaning my online life, or opening up a new home for these thoughts that I like to share with the world, or for a handful of friends who check in every now and then. Also, as my Yummy.ph blog features all baking-related posts, I can use the new space to talk about the other things I make that don't require an oven. I'll also channel all my Mystic Pizza dreams and talk about places where they serve good (or bad) food, have great (or not so great) service, and so forth. We'll see how it goes!

I got married!

Something old and something new: I inherited my grandmother's ring from 1949,
and my mother-in-law's jeweler made a matching band for my husband.

I've put off blogging about the wedding (and blogging, for that matter) for over a month now. After all, how does one encapsulate the most beautiful, spectacular, amazing, and surreal day of her life in a single post? For one, I hardly ever talk about my husband, or my love life, in the present tense. It's tough enough sharing him with the rest of the online world (he's an email marketing manager) along with friends—female and otherwise—lurking in cyberspace. That and having emerged from a lengthy and tedious long-distance relationship, time with Albert Vincent ultimately is precious.

With my new husband.

Anyhow, my husband did quite a thorough job of chronicling the wedding—in three blog posts, to be exact—over at JustAnotherGame.com. I suggest clicking over there first as I don't know how I'll get to completely talk about the big event, maybe I might not even come close. I might just talk about it in increments. There's just so much to remember and write about. Perhaps this sense of overwhelm is what has kept me from blogging all these weeks in the first place. My good friend and Matron of Honor, Frances Amper Sales, by the way, also wrote a couple of entries at her blog, Topaz Horizon: Mariel becomes a wife!; More Photos of Mariel's Wedding; and Behind-the-scenes at Mariel's Wedding.

Also, as a general rule I rarely ever post pictures of family, most especially the kids—so I won't (of the latter). But do note that it was such a lovely family affair that I will forever and ever treasure in my heart. I could never thank my loved ones enough for all their contributions and most importantly, their love, support, and presence. The wedding weekend wouldn't have been as wonderful if it weren't for the people who had gone out of their way to travel out of town to join us. From Tita Joan and Tito Al who threw us a scrumptious and generous Despedida de Soltera in Shangri-la Mactan, to the hoards of friends who marked their calendars and flew out mostly at their own expense to celebrate with us. Truly it was a weekend filled with love and happiness beyond words.

Papa, meeting me halfway down the aisle.

I guess the best way for me to further tell my wedding story is through the fabulous pictures taken by our amazing photographer, Pat Dy, and his team. In later posts, I'll add photos taken by friends and family members gathered from Facebook, along with anecdotes and more details on my wonderful suppliers :)

Entourage (and NBA) moment. Alvs with two of his closest friends. Don't the boys look so good in suits? If you're a guy reading this blog, you might want to check out this Men's Suit Buying Guide and this helpful clothing buying guide. If you'd like to learn about Blazer Basics, click here.

Absolutely precious. This is Lola Feleng, my 86-year-old grandmother whom I love dearly. So close to my heart she always is and forever will be that our wedding anniversary falls on her birthday. That's Papa smiling in the background.

So surreal. Speaking of family, a wedding, I realized, is the perfect time to honor one's parents. It was a beautiful day because Mama and Papa—who are no longer together—both got to walk me down the aisle. It was the first time in almost 10 years that they had seen each other after splitting up.

Lovely ladies. Maid of Honor Rikka Marie Morales and Matron of Honor Frances
Amper Sales. Seen on lefthand side is principal sponsor, former boss,
and dear friend, Ianne Evangelista.

These photographs, again, were taken by Pat Dy (visit PatDyPhotography.com) and team, namely, Francis Perez, Jonathan Baldonado, and Warren Diotay. For more of their lovely shots, below is the slideshow they presented at the wedding reception. Talk about fast! Thanks, guys!




UPDATE 07/23/11: Liked the slideshow? You can read about my fabulous suppliers here.