I've only seen a little bit of the Oscars or the 81st Academy Awards on television last Monday, but what I had seen has given me much to think about for the rest of the week -- Tilda Swinton's dress (or drapery, whichever you think is appropriate).
I admire her. I absolutely think she's this very talented actress, but what the bloomin' hell was that blanket doing just draped around her body??? Her androgynous looks is being played up, apparently, and Isaac Mizrahi says it's great, but it's definitely NOT flattering her in any way.
I mean, just look at it! If being a designer meant just draping swaths of cloth around someone and tying them up in knots, then a child can do it. Seriously!
Tilda's stylist should take a cue from Ricky Martin --
Nothing spells femininity more than a silk periwinkle scarf.
Filipinos have always had a fascination with divination or "panghuhula." I'm not a believer, but fascinated nonetheless.
Sometimes, I am tempted to go to Quiapo (or Robinson's Galleria if I prefer an airconditioned place)to have my fortune told, but the fear of finding out a not-so-good fortune gets in the way. So I leave to job to friends who claim they can do it.
Jaja is one of them. She had done a Tarot reading for me only recently and this is what came out.
The cards on the left side signify my past (The High Priestess, The Knight of Cups -- both inverted), the middle refers to me (The Chariot, 7 of Wands) and the ones on the right signify my future (The Empress, 10 of Wands). The top show the main cards, reinforced by the cards at the bottom.
Some of the cards are upside down and its meaning changes if they are. If you're more interested in what they all mean, go to this site.
So now that I've gotten the basics out of the way, it's time to tell you guys what they mean.
The Chariot tells me that I am desperately longing for a change in situation and that I'm doing whatever needs to be done to achieve that. The 7 of Wands stresses that I will succeed with sustained effort.
The High Priestess means that I've had to be man in the past to get what I want (yeah, I'm mannish) but the Knight of Cups also means that I've drowned in the process of having done that -- having been tricked by false promises (ulk).
The future is looking bright, however. The Empress means I am seeking to gain a more nurturing kind of environment - one with lots of creativity (like blogging or my own business, perhaps). The 10 of Wands means that I will become very busy (surprise, surprise).
Now what do I do with all this knowledge now? Absolutely NOTHING.
I will not let some fortune direct my life. Because as long as I know where I want to be, then all I need to do is work towards that goal. I've been doing that anyway, so I'm just going to push on.
When one of my cousins was pregnant, she was very careful with what she eats and with personal hygiene. She also had mood swings and got tired easily. It seemed to me then that getting ready for a baby is quite a big task. Pregnancy is a very delicate stage in women's lives and making sure that anything that goes into her body will not risk the baby's development is the top priority, which is why pregnant women should go to their obstetricians regularly for check-ups.
Products that are safe and natural for pregnant women are very difficult to find, so when an obstetrician developed the Beaute de Maman product line, it was like a gift from heaven. The products are especially formulated to help women go through physiological and hormonal changes that can make pregnancy difficult for them.
It does not hurt to be environmentally conscious at the same time too, so when I found out that the Beaute de Maman products are only made of natural and herbal ingredients, that is a real bonus.
If Beaute de Maman is good enough for Hollywood celebity moms-to-be like Penelope Ann Miller, Chyler Leigh, Brooke Mueller Sheen (wife of actor Charlie Sheen) and Jane Hajduk (Tim Allen's wife), then it is surely good enough for any pregnant woman.
You can order now or check their website out for more information.
There’s a new way of marketing that’s catching on at the moment and it’s called Voice Broadcasting. This is when messages are delivered to hundreds, even thousands of people simultaneously – provided they’ve got a telephone line set up, set up. Businesses that are into Internet Leads, Debt Leads, Loan Modification Leads and Direct Advertising are already using this type of service and it could be the next big thing.
In the process of digging for laser discs in our storage rooms, my mother had unearthed a diamond --
... well, make that TWO diamonds.
These days, everyone's got a flashy DSLR or a lomo. Because of that, I'm not too excited to get either of them. But even if I'm still sort of hung up on owning a DSLR, I would gladly forego any other analogue camera for a Polaroid 600 series model. These babies I have here have NEVER been used since we got them because the family thought films were expensive (they were gifts).
Nothing says "vintage" more than a Polaroid and I absolutely long to shake-shake a Polaroid picture.
Does anybody out there know how I could get a hold of films for these locally? I've heard that production had ceased, but I know there are still dregs out there.
If you're a Polaroid fan like me, help save the films by going to SavePolaroid.com
I don’t really need it as one man in my life is a handful already, but someone out there may still be looking for The One (or The Ones, if they don’t believe in monogamy). Sadly, I didn’t make it in time for Valentine’s Day, but like the old folks say “love isn’t bound by time” and all that jazz.
Some girls that are NBSB (No Boyfriend Since Birth) are usually extremely picky. Guys may be fawning all over them and they still won’t take notice. They’ve got an idea how they want their ‘ideal guy’ and want to stick to it at all costs.
I’ve also found that guys who are extremely shy and avoid engaging in conversations with hot ladies have a whole different persona online. Maybe they are at their element in the internetz, but where do they go from there?
Life isn’t always that simple and getting what you want is never easy. It may seem like the ordinary personals adverts won’t cut it for them, so they should try out Passion Search. It’s different from most dating sites because apart from having normal instant messaging, they offer live video chats and it can’t hurt that the members seem gorgeous! Oh, and whaddya know, registration is free.
The bf and I currently have a new Saturday lunch haunt --
Curry Curry House at The Atrium, SM Megamall's new wing.
It's not just any kind of curry house as it's a Japanese curry house (yes, they eat curry).
It's very bright inside and the decor is interesting. You order by going to the counter like most fast food places (they've got this cute menu on a monitor). After paying, just wait for your food to be served to you.
Tonkatsu Curry. Everything here is doused with curry, so don't expect to have a wide variety of foods. You can opt for mild or spicy curry on your dish. However, I recommend spicy curry because the mild one I ordered before tasted bland. Don't worry though, it's not too hot (or maybe my tolerance had gone up, I don't know).
Chicken Curry. I ordered mild curry for this and wasn't too pleased. So order spicy next time!
Sausage Curry. It's very delish! Unfortunately, the sausage is tasty enough on its own. So when it was topped with curry sauce, the different tastes were trying to overwhelm each other (ehem... that was how the bf described this dish).
Tofu Curry. The tofu was lovely and crisp on the outside and yummy and soft on the inside. It's so nice and it's something I would definitely order again.
You can also order Fried Tofu as a side dish here.
AND did I mention Curry Curry House serves UNLIMITED RICE? That's no good to dieters (oh dear, oh dear).
Wallet damage Expect to shell out at least Php 200 on a meal and drinks.
Curry Curry House is located on the 2nd Level of The Atrium or 3rd floor of SM Megamall.
Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week. If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so tough. =P
Yeah yeah. I know I'm a little late with the updates today (I'm talking here hoping that people are actually waiting for these things), but I've got a full-time job which is killing me at the moment so this had to wait.
So have any of you seen the Academy Awards today? I've only seen the Penelope Cruz getting the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. I will elaborate tomorrow. I've got things lined up this week like:
~oOo~ FILMS ~oOo~
The Reader
Starring David Kross Kate Winslet Ralph Fiennes
Plot Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Berg re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial.
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
Starring Chris Klein Josie Ho Kristin Kreuk Michael Clarke Duncan Moon Bloodgood Neal McDonough Robin Shou Taboo
Plot Based on the popular video game franchise, female fighter Chun Li embarks on a quest for justice. (Wow. So profound. -- FS)
The International
Starring Clive Owen Naomi Watts
Plot They control your money. They control your government. They control your life. And everybody pays. (WTF??? -FS)
I was queuing for a taxi when 2 arrived with passengers but I had to walk for a bit and then some other people beat me to it. When I went back to the queue to wait for another one, the guy that was behind me quickly got into the new ride. Grrr! How frustrating!
At lunch I went to the bank and when it was my turn, the teller was still busy with something else. Before I realised it, the guy behind me just left because his teller was faster. Grrrrrrrrrrr!
And I actually thought it was weird how I've seen people in red shirts around yesterday -- including me (yes, yesterday's photo is real-time). Darnit, it's like Valentine's Day & Chinese New Year combined. Jeez.
The whole country is in a buzz the last few days and I blame it on the fact that NOBODY had won the Php 288 million from the 6/49 lotto results in the Philippines last night. The queues for ticket sales are getting longer and longer because a lot of people are hoping to get a percentage of that huge prize.
Farkin hey, wonder what I'd do with Php 288 million? Just take a look at this list:
1. I'd pay off all my existing debts (4 million) 2. I'd buy a house & 2 cars for myself (12 million) 3. I'd buy more condo units all over the city (80 million) 4. I'd go on trips abroad (10 million) 5. I'd go shopping (10 million) 6. I'd go into some business (because it will keep me from getting bored -- another 10 million)
Well whaddya know, I don't need Php 288 million, after all. The whole list up there just total Php 126 million!
I don't really want to be as wealthy as Donald Trump. Mo' money, mo' problems like the song said. I don't want a simple life, either -- just one that's very, very comfortable. Hehe.
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The old folks used to tell us kids not to fall asleep hungry, or else your soul will find its way into a cooking pot and will be trapped there forever. I never believed it for a minute -- it was an excuse for us to eat leftover dinners.
All this trying to lose weight business is taking its toll on my cravings. It takes a lot of will power and discipline and to be honest, I don't have enough of either. I think it's because I've been using the same types of food since January, that maybe it's time to change some of them. Depriving myself of yummy, greasy and sugary foods is a lot more difficult than I initially thought it would be.
Last night before going to bed, was the culmination of my suffering. I couldn't sleep without thinking about these:
Some dreamy Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce. I swear I could've dreamed this out of desire.
The glorious Full English Fry-up. The baked beans on toast... the sausages... the bacon... fried tomatoes... oh how I miss them! *sniff*
Bicol Express. Pork and chilis cooked in yummy coconut milk & shrimp paste sauce. Heaven! I've already got a plan to cook this baby up this weekend. I can nearly taste the chilis in my mouth!
Anime has always been popular here but its popularity has skyrocketed over the last few years when cable channels were created especially for this genre. Everyone now has access to them, whereas before, fans resorted to pirated copies from secretly-placed video shops in quiet neighbourhoods (in my case it was called Animeko).
Many Filipinos have taken a liking to anime probably because they share a similar type of humour with the Japanese and growing up watching giant robots attacking cities might have also helped. Disney, Warner Bros and the like have taken a back seat when anime had taken over the syndicated morning shows of late.
I have to admit that watching Naruto before going to work is part of my daily routine (don’t you dare sneer at me for being dorky because it is so funny and you better try watching it).
However, there are adults who keep their fascination for anime a secret (like me, but I’ve come out using this post, ok?). And sometimes, finding people who share the same view are difficult, so Anime Chat is a welcome relief for us closet otakus. I’ve had a look and was instantly able to join conversations after registering. It took me less than a minute, I’m telling you.
Sorry, I gotta get chattin’. I want to know which series to watch next after I finish Naruto.
Frustrated Sosyalera wants to buy new threads but can't because she's still in debt after purchasing her new netbook which, by the way, she hasn't used for 2 days in a row now.
Ladies & gentlement, this is what you call Buyer's Remorse.
I had weeks to deliberate whether to continue buying it or to just forget about it, but you know which argument won. I couldn't pay for it in cash, because I didn't have enough, so I had the whole damn cost swiped into my abused Master Card.
Regret it, I did. I could've just waited until I had enough cash, but looks like I couldn't wait any longer.
The result is a much lighter wallet, eventhough it's a big one.
But rather than sell it on, I've decided to earn back the money I will be spending on huge credit card bills by way of paid posts.
Yes, Frustrated Sosyalera is now a sell-out. But I guess I've always been anyway because I've nearly sold my soul to the devil to get that darn Gucci bag and look where it got me.
Oh well, I better get crackin'. Leave me a note here, will yah? It'll alleviate my depression if only for a little bit.
I have grown to like wearing eyeglasses over the last few years because technology has advanced so much that I didn’t have to be burdened by very thick lenses while wearing them. Yes, my eyesight is so poor that a mole can see better than I do.
My super thin lenses cost serious cash, so when the New York Times mentioned that Zenni frames are a bargain, I had to see it for myself. Because my prescription lenses are heavy, I need a very light frame for them so it won’t dig into the sides of my nose.
I have found this light-weight Titanium full-rim frame and it is just the style I prefer. When I saw that it only cost $12.95, I nearly fell off my seat. I wouldn’t find a proper frame at that price in the Philippines. Even in the UK, the last pair of eyeglasses I bought set me back £400 which was around $800 at the time – so expensive, right?
Although times are hard at the moment, it’s not reason enough for us to neglect our eyes’ health. I should know, as I’m nearly blind. But if there’s a much cheaper way to get prescription eyeglasses, then we should go for it and get your windows to the soul checked regularly.
A few years ago, trick or treating was virtually non-existent here in the Philippines. Halloween was observed (kind of) but wasn’t celebrated. Last year, just a couple of days before we attend a Halloween party, the boyfriend wanted us to go as Peado Bear and Loli. But as we had no time to arrange them, we went without costumes, which was a huge disappointment.
So when I stumbled upon a Halloween costume store, even though it’s still only February, I’ll be prepared for this year’s party and no need to settle for a boring clown mask as a costume. No more embarrassing moments for me, thank goodness.
Oh, if only I had the legs for this Cleopatra costume!
Wonder if anybody would want their fortunes told by me when I wear this?
Although, this sexy pirate set really got me thinking. Arrr!
Something else I found out while exploring the site is that there’s apparently a haunted house backdoor where people can get great discounts. It’s sort of hush-hush, but I suspect that it’s that little comma in the “10,000” inside the box on the homepage (towards the middle of the right side) that reads “Our store has over 10,000 masquerade items for you to choose from!” (you didn’t get that from me, ok?)
The boyfriend used to be in a punk rock band so I’ve been force-fed a lot of punk since I’ve met him. Blink 182, Bowling for Soup, Eve 6, Green Day and Goldfinger became a regular part of my playlists. Hey, I’m not complaining – I’ve actually grown to like their songs.
I’ve only recently found out about Punk Chat City, and I thought it was great that people who like the same kind of music have a site to socialise in. It’s certainly interesting to see other people’s view on a certain punk song or band. Registration is free and you can start chit-chatting instantly. The whole site is neatly designed and it makes it easy for anybody to just jump into the conversations.
It would’ve been awesome if there had been a site like this back when I was a groupie (oh, how humiliating) because then we could’ve asked people what they thought about a song one of the guys wrote and probably get a good opinion on how to improve on them, if necessary.
And why stop at just punk? Punk Chat City has also got chatrooms for Goth and Emo, so there’s a little bit of variety there, but I'm sticking to Punk Pop because that's where my heart is. Hehe!
Every Monday, Frustrated Sosyalera will try to bring you the best of the week to come -- called FS Picks of the Week. If I get the movie schedules wrong, I'm sorry. Sometimes the showing times aren't final 'til Wednesday, so tough. =P
Looks like it's book week at the cinemas where Confessions of a Shopaholic (yeah, yeah I didn't get the Gucci bag nor the free movie tickets so shut up already) and He's Just Not That Into You opens and Gran Torino finally makes it to Manila. Read on for details.
~oOo~ FILMS ~oOo~
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Starring Isla Fisher Hugh Dancy
Plot A college grad lands a job as a financial journalist in New York City to support where she nurtures her shopping addiction and falls for a wealthy entrepreneur. Based on the novel "Confessions of a Shopaholic" by Sophie Kinsella.(imdb)
RottenTomatoes Rating: 21% rotten (gulp)
He's Just Not That Into You
Starring Ben Affleck Jennifer Aniston Drew Barrymore Jennifer Connelly
Plot Based on the wildly popular bestseller from Sex and the City scribes Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo, He's Just Not That Into You tells the stories of a group of interconnected, Baltimore-based twenty- and thirtysomethings as they navigate their various relationships from the shallow end of the dating pool through the deep, murky waters of married life, trying to read the signs of the opposite sex... and hoping to be the exceptions to the "no-exceptions" rule. (rottentomatoes.com)
RottenTomatoes Rating: 42% rotten (passable?)
Gran Torino
Starring Clint Eastwood Christopher Carley Bee Vang Ahney Her
Plot For his fourth directorial feature in the span of two years, Clint Eastwood tells the story of a grizzled Korean War vet's reluctant friendship with a Hmong teenage boy and his immigrant family.
RottenTomatoes Rating: 77% fresh (not bad!)
~oOo~ CONCERTS ~oOo~
Gary V Live at 25 (The Repeat)
20 February, Friday 8pm Araneta Coliseum Quezon City
Ticket prices are between Php 158 to Php 3,150 (via TicketNet)
There are two kinds of shopaholics. There's one who shops too frequently and one who shops compulsively. I belong to the latter.
I wasn't always this foolhardy with my money. It all started when I moved to the UK for a time. I was single, earning a reasonable amount, had virtually no friends and homesick (a very, very DANGEROUS combination of elements).
I had only ONE friend at the time and she taught me the ways of the obssessive shopper. I had a mentor, wouldjabelieveit???
Our motto is this:
If you find something you like, go home and sleep on it. If you can't sleep thinking about it, buy it the next day, or someone else could beat you to it and then you'll be bawling your eyes out.
I've never ever forgotten those words. It's rubbish advice,but somehow it has made its way to my subconscious and never left.
So now, when I know I want something and I know where to find it, I think about it all the time (To buy or not to buy?). I spy on it in the shops every chance I get. I daydream about it day AND night. I inject it into conversations even if they don't fit.
For things like clothes or shoes, this will only take a couple of days before I reach a decision. For more expensive stuff, the whole process will take weeks, even MONTHS before I take action. That may seem wise, but only on the outside. Because more often than not, I'm building a list of excuses to buy the darned thing. So by the time I've built up my list of excuses, I finally convince myself that I need the thing to function properly as a member of society.
So even if I save my money, I will find a way to get rid of all my savings in one go. There was a point when my uncle had cut up my Next store card because I had bought too much stuff with it. A store card is a kind of credit card that you can only use in a specific store. Stay away from them, they are eeeeevil!
And the fruits of this addiction-slash-obsession? Behold:
A £70 cardigan that I can only imagine wearing here in the tropics.
Shoes that have never left the bedroom since they arrived from the shops.
A netbook that I thought I needed. But now that I've got it, I don't get a chance to use it. Pfttt.
Clothes that don't really fit (because they were bought online).
A Php 39,600 bill on my credit card...
And a yet-to-be-built condo unit. (This purchase is the best example of my shopping instincts gone haywire, because I've decided on a whim. Whoop-diddle-dee-doo.)
I've been seeing the book "Confessions of a Shopaholic" scattered all over the bookstores long before this contest and was on the verge of buying it (if not for my towering credit card bill), because I'm curious if Rebecca Bloomwood fares better than I do. But as the film is being shown soon I might as well just skip the book and see the film first (my wallet will thank me for it).
Catch "Confessions of a Shopaholic" in cinemas on February 18, 2009!
I've been subjecting myself to a (strict) diet for the last several weeks, and I'm pleased to say that it's the first time something has worked for me.
I've been living on wheat bread (1 slice at a time ONLY), hardly any rice, crackers, a little meat, salads, fruits & unsweetened pineapple juice for 6 weeks now. It's a killer, I'm tellin' you. Of course, I take a break on weekends or when going out with friends during the week. I've lost more than 8lbs so far. I'll keep going until I lose 20lbs, maybe.
I don't exercise yet. I can't be bothered to get up early to go to the gym because I love what little sleep I get (my friends know I have problems falling asleep).
However, I find that I struggle more during my PMS days. I feel hormonal -- down, moody and just plain bitchy (the urge to bite someone's head off is rather strong this week).
So I cheat on my diet with this:
It's funny how just one Hershey's Hug a day lifts my spirits up. Chocolate is a God-send.
The bf and I had spied on this brightly-lit restaurant at Bonifacio High Street called The Stock Market one night and decided to have a go at it.
I quickly realised it was like going inside a mind obssessed with pineapples -- they were everwhere!
Tons of photos ahead, so don't say I didn't warn you!
Pineapples on the centrepiece.
Pineapples on the wall.
Pineapples on the shelves.
Heck, there were pineapples in picture frames on the shelves!
Then I found out why...
This restaurant is owned by Del Monte. Hehe!
Well, I didn't mind that there were so many pineapples. I was actually amused and thought that the restaurant ambience is so homey and felt like a luxurious version of my auntie's kitchen.
I NEVER skip trying a Ceasar's Salad at every new restaurant I go to. For some reason, I believe that if a restaurant can make a proper CS, then I would know that my food will be good. It's silly, I know! And just to confirm that with you, this one is excellent!
The Peach fizzy drink is refreshing -- highly recommended!
The Ravioli of Cream Cheese, Parmesan & Pine Nuts is so creamy and feels like it's melting inside your mouth. It could do with a bit more kick, though, I think.
However, I think the Pulled Pork Barbecue is the star of the night. The meat was very tender and I nearly exchanged my Ravioli for it (but the bf wouldn't budge).
Wallet damage
Overall, the service and food were good but I'm a little disappointed to say that I feel eating here is overpriced. It will cost you at least Php 400 to eat at the Stock Market and I can think of many other places to spend that amount of money on a little plate of food.
Still curious? The Stock Market can be found along Bonifacio High Street at The Fort, right next to TGI Friday's.
