Carrot Cake Update

I've made carrot cake a couple of times before, but this has got to be the cutest one so far. Frances recently "hinted" over Facebook that she craved for carrot cake, and like what they say, one must never turn down a pregnant woman! (She blogged about it here and here!) Anyway, I posted the recipe in AllMySugar.com. I have to update that blog more regularly if I want to channel all my Food Network dreams, or even just keep my food-momentum.

One day at the office pantry with Coni Tejada of Real Living—with a slice of my carrot cake—and Frances of Ok! Magazine, holding up some Red Velvet cupcakes made by Nicole Delos Angeles (also a former Cosmo editor and now beauty editor-at-large for Ok! and Candy Magazine).

Past and Pasta

"Past is past and pasta makes it better."

That's what my friend, Frances, said earlier. I won't tell you why my heart is twitching again. But it has something to do with food that I miss, that can only be bought in one of the most special places in the world.


Okay, some of you know where that is. Anyway, I'm off to Cibo for honest-to-goodness, serotonin-boosting noodles, and then a Sex and the City 2 movie premiere tonight with my husband. Happier hours up ahead for sure.

Image courtesy of BusinessWeek.com.

An Early Alternative

When I got to the office today, I did something different to start the day off: Instead of the usual checking emails, bank balances, and other updates online, I went right ahead and got down to the writing tasks at hand. Just writing. As in, opening Wordpad (I like the simple interface) once the computer finished booting up. I must say it was refreshing. I write this actually without even having checked a single email.

I find that ideas are so fresh in the morning. And if you read and write for a living, it's wise to capitalize on this early burst of momentum. In my Time and Type post from last year, I mentioned that as a freelancer (who didn't have to wake up at a set time daily), I found the ideas being diffused by the 'defrost'—those couple of minutes I allow myself to enjoy lingering in bed before actually getting up.

These days, my husband and I still 'defrost,' however, our body clocks have changed; mine especially. With my latest project going full throttle and with a few weeks left before its culmination, I'm at the office the earliest I've ever been on a daily basis in almost a decade. And what better way to capture a promising day fully than going off to an early start—at least until I'm back working in my pajamas once again.

Beyond Shoes and Bags

A world beyond shoes and clothes.

At my own internship experience 10 years ago, I looked forward to coming to work everyday. Each opportunity presented a new learning experience, and I was happy to take in as much as I could. The magazine industry in Manila back then was still somewhat in its infancy, and we were all still finding our feet. I reckon it was a great time to have been able to dip my toe in, and then jump (and swim) in the growing magazine pool. Among friends, we still refer to a certain time as the Golden Age of Glossies.

Fast-forward to 2010, it's nice to know that magazines are standing the test of time (in a not-so-glossy economy) and have evolved to breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and excellently edited works compiled by the most talented and hardworking people in the business. And most importantly, they are still very much FUN. True, the demands have grown, the responsibilities are more vast, and the consequences to delinquent behavior are more magnified, but I still see it as one happy and dynamic capsule, exploding with infinite opportunities.

When I see interns Alex, Gaile, and Yen at work, I catch a glimpse of this sense of wonder and eagerness to be part of something bigger than themselves; to explore the world beyond their comfort zones. I notice Alex arrive 30 minutes before everybody else; Gaile, quietly and diligently helping our fashion editor with her pages; and Yen discovering the wonderful—and tedious—world of beauty. So much to take in, so little time.

I ended up staying on board as an intern for four months, eventually becoming an editor for many years. Magazine publishing remains my first love and forever home, wherever I am in the world, and however it is presented (online, over the iPad, in the moon...). And for Alex, Gaile, and Yen, I paraphrase the words of Stanley Tucci's character, Nigel, in The Devil Wears Prada: I only hope for the best—I have to.


Originally published at Cosmo.ph/FlawlessatWork. Image courtesy of Cinecon.com and 20th Century Fox

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