Friday Favorite Five: Kate Spade Love

Matagal na pala akong walang Friday Favorite Five post. Coincidentally, a week ago, Derdo sent me a link to Kate Spade's new collection. Lahat maganda! I want them all, pero I'll limit this post to five. And believe me, nahirapan talaga akong i-trim down to five.


1. Spring forward flowerpot crossbody, $328.00: "For our spring forward line, our designers embraced their inner eccentrics, creating a collection of whimsical handbags that celebrate the season; this witty flowerpot-shaped cross-body, for example, brings the delights of the garden to any ensemble."

I love this the most in the entire spring collection. Imagine, a flower pot bag? Quirky and functional. I can imagine Zooey Deschanel carrying this.

2. Blooms fit and flare dress, $398.00: "Spring is (finally) in the air, and there’s no better way to celebrate the season than by donning a pretty dress. our flower-covered fit-and-flare certainly fits the bill—in fine cotton, with just the right amount of stretch, it’s perfect for garden parties, brunches and picnics in the park."

Nothing like flowers to perk up your day, right? Well, except for coffee, that is. Marian Rivera ang peg ng dress na ito.

Friday Favorite Five: Pretty Porcelain

1. PiP Set Two Cup and Saucers Cappuccino Blue: Such a pretty and charming painting of birds. I think no other words are necessary. *Sigh* 

2. Royal Albert Cheeky Pink Vintage 5-Piece Place Setting: "Express your personality with this fun and light hearted pattern. Cheeky Pink will add charm and elegance to a fun afternoon tea with girlfriends. Romantic and playful, this 5-Piece Place Setting includes modern twists, such as polka dots and beautiful roses, charmingly fashioned in fine bone china. 22 carat gold lining completes the pretty vintage look for that perfect gift or indulgent treat."

3. Cath Kidston's Bird Tea for One Set: "A mini teapot with a matching cup. Make teatime special, even when it's just you."

Totally pretty, but reviews are mostly bad on account of the height of the spout -- tilting it spills the content. 

4. The Macmillan Alice: With all the Alice in Wonderland characters beautifully drawn at the border of the plates encircling Alice, how can you resist?

5. Wedgwood Peter Rabbit: "Our childhood favourite hops into life in this Beatrix Potter pattern. This beloved collection is perfect for children and the young at heart alike."

Totally cute Beatrix Potter drawing, at the same time totally horrifying story: "'Now my dears,' said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, 'you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden: your Father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.'"

"Accident"? That's what Mrs. Rabbit calls it? Denial! :)

Note: In my bid to post regularly, I'm going, or at least try, to post every Friday five of my favorite things. They might be current or past possessions, though others might not be necessarily mine -- could be a wish for my fairy godmother (where are you, by the way?), could be something I saw and found interesting, but it will always be driven by beauty and functionality, hopefully both, but that's a tall order.

Friday Favorite Five: Luxe Girly Girl Edition

Yay! Finally, another Friday Favorite Five! I was supposed to publish this weeks back, but we were on our way to Cebu and I didn't have time to finish the post. For three obvious reasons (mahalia, mahalia, mahalia), these stuff are just dreams. But a girl can dream, right?!

1. Mansur Gavriel Rosa bucket bag. With their perennial unavailability, these totes and bucket  bags from designers Rachel Mansur and Floriana Gavriel just seem more desirable. Remember when we all fell in line to buy Krispy Kremes? Ganun. Or perhaps more aptly, THE Hermès Birkin list. From what I gathered, you have to preorder and reserve the bag to get one. With the bag's simplicity and craftsmanship, any flaws can immediately seen, and that is where the bag wins -- its perfection in its simplicity. Another bonus point for not having any logos, just a simple inscription in gold, "Mansur Gavriel." [Tumatanda na yata talaga ako. I used to be so crazy sa logos.] Other designs have contrast lining, and the one in black with red shiny lining looks positively sexy and dangerous. The reservation list is the least of my worries though, as I would have to ask TheHusband to sell his right kidney in order to get this. Babe, pwede namang mabuhay kahit isang kidney lang...

2. Lenox dining set. I saw this in Rustan's Facebook page and swooned. The colors and design are sedate yet so visually catchy at the same time. And oh-so-feminine. I was supposed to check out the price, but as TheHusband remarked, "if you have to ask, you can't afford it." How true.

3. Reese Witherspoon's vintage Christian Dior gown. This was once worn by a princess, and the shop owner was at first hesitant to sell the dress to Kumareng Reese. He/she shouldn't have hesitated, for Reese did the gown justice and indeed looked princess-y. The gown appears to be made of tulle with strips of silk embroidered with golden thread and then beaded. I'm dreaming of making a similar one for Sharkteeth. For her 18th birthday perhaps? Or Sweet Sixteen? 

 

4. Guerlain's Météorites Voyage Exceptional Pressed Powder. With my [hopeless] obsession with clear and luminous skin, I'm almost always willing to try anything, and I do mean anything (will blog about this this soon, sa Istoryang Sinauna series) just to have that perfect complexion. Kasi naman, nung magsabog ang Diyos ng kinis ng skin, nagtatago ako sa kweba. According to Guerlain's website, "A blend of matte and pearly shades, an ingenious mixture of six correcting or light-enhancing colours to deliver the purest radiance to all complexions: pink to refresh the complexion, green to diminish redness, white for a brighter complexion, mauve to catch the light, gold and pearl to add a perfect touch of radiance to the face…The complexion appears even, radiant and luminous with a soft, light and matte finish." While their blurb might sound like a load of BS, I couldn't help but agree. I have the Météorite balls type, and it did make my skin look better. Not flawless, mind, but so many times better. And that's good enough for me.

5. Louis Vuitton Gloria loafers. These loafers are made from monogram-embossed leather with leather trim, knotted leather lace, bow with golden aglet, and rubber nub soles. I would have preferred pink patent Lomboks, but I don't think they still produce Lomboks. Mangangarap na rin lang, yung may shade of possibility na, right?!

Note: In my bid to post regularly, I'm going, or at least try, to post every Friday five of my favorite things. They might be current or past possessions, though others might not be necessarily mine -- could be a wish for my fairy godmother (where are you, by the way?), could be something I saw and found interesting, but it will always be driven by beauty and functionality, hopefully both, but that's a tall order.

Friday Favorite Five: Anik-Anik Edition

Matagal na pala akong hindi nakapag-post ng Friday Favorite Five. Sobrang busy kasi lately. I have new client, and I'm still not used to their editing requirement. Light editing kasi. As in feather light. I still haven't found the right mix of sweetness, tartness, and saltiness, in a manner of speaking. Plus nagkasakit pa ako ng sunod-sunod. So here I am, and here are my current favorites.

1. Palmolive Olive and Milk Body wash, ~80 PHP. "Infused with 100% natural milk proteins and olive extracts. Olive is known for conditioning your skin for that Ultra Moisture. Its rich formula will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth while its delicious scent lingers."

I wasn't really on the hunt for a new body wash, but I like smelling bath products whenever I'm grocery shopping, and I found this. It smells so good -- not quite Amazing Grace-good, but very good nonetheless. Ewan ko kung psychological yung effect, pero feeling ko my skin was so soft and smooth after, which lasted till the morning. Very reasonable yung price, ~80 PHP, and a little goes a long way. I hope they'd make a bar counterpart with matching lotion and/or body butter.

I just had to add Angel's picture as well. Isn't she gorgeous?
I don't think it is something a body wash, no matter how moisturizing, can give you.
Lest I get into some serious jologs fan war, I must say that I like Marian's beauty too, especially with her sunshiny, happy smile. *Defensive*

2. Giggles Baby Wipes, ~90 PHP. "Giggles Baby Wipes are silky soft and extra thick like a soft wash cloth. With moisturized aloe lotion contents. Alcohol-free. Gently formulated to clean and moisturize baby's delicate skin. Gentle enough to clean baby's face and hands."

I don't know how parents in the olden days survived without this. Seriously. We started regularly purchasing wet wipes when Sharkteeth was born -- she's almost a tweener now, and yet it's already part of our regular grocery purchases. One for each of us. We don't go on any long trip without it. Aside from its use on the body, I also use it to clean my leather bags because it's gentle and mild. Further, it's unscented and hindi sya malagkit unlike other wet wipes. Compared with other reputable wet wipes like Johnson's, Wet Ones, or Nivea, Giggles is the cheapest (per sheet).

 
3. Fossil Tree Jewelry Stand, ~2000 PHP. "Branch out with our vintage-inspired Tree Jewelry Stand. Use this multi-branched, antiqued brass-tone tree to organize all of your accessories--it's as functional as it is whimsical. Multi-branched brass ox-tone jewelry holder tree with chocolate brown wooden jewelry tray base."

I've been hankering for this for a couple of years na. Yes, ganun na katagal. Nag-sale sa Fossil USA kaso naubusan ako. Still haven't found one, even something similar. Malamang ay idi-DIY ko na lang. I like that it has a number of branches where I can hang rings and other accessories and that it is accented by a charming solitary bird. Update ko kayo pag nai-DIY ko.

4. Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves, ~250 PHP. "Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves glow with the orange-yellow luster of fresh, ripe apricots. Each jar of these 100% natural preserves is filled with pieces of apricot, which add sparks of acidic brightness and refreshing flavor. Deeply succulent, Bonne Maman Apricot Preserves is stimulating on toast and pastries and ideal for enhancing entrees."

I love this most with honey yogurt. Not too tart, not too sweet. Just perfect. I will try their grilled apricot chicken skewers, parang madaling lutuin and easy to pack for Sharkteeth's baon.

5. Tory Burch Jelly Reva. "The classic Reva, now as an adorable jelly. Rubber ballet flat with cutout logo disc at vamp. Vents at side. Logo-textured rubber sole."


I almost forgot about my pair na, pero naalala ko because of the recent storm and rain. These won't protect you from the cooties like a pair of rainboots would, but if you're not wading into a flood, they're okay. They have the right amount of pliability, but I had blisters when I first wore them. They dry easily, and if not already obvious, stylish enough to wear even during sunshiny days.

Picture credit to Bonanza.com. I don't wanna take a picture of mine kasi madumi pa.

Note: In my bid to post regularly, I'm going, or at least try, to post every Friday five of my favorite things. They might be current or past possessions, though others might not be necessarily mine -- could be a wish for my fairy godmother (where are you, by the way?), could be something I saw and found interesting, but it will always be driven by beauty and functionality, hopefully both, but that's a tall order.

Another important note: None of these items are ads or sponsored.  Pero if Palmolive will give me a lifetime supply, o sige, kahit a month's supply, okay fine, kahit isang bote lang, hahahaha, ng Palmolive Olive and Milk Body wash, I'd be most grateful. *Hint-hint*

Friday Favorite Five

It has been so long na pala since I've posted a Friday Favorite Five. To think the past two months has been a treat to my shopaholic alter-ego. *There, there, dear wallet, you will recover. You have to. Enrollment na ni Sharkteeth...*

1. Samsung NX Mini camera, ~20K PHP!!! "With a solid premium metal body bound by natural leather-like material, the NX mini is exquisitely modern with just the perfect touch of analogue. It’s simply elegant. With just a quick flip of the 3.0” touch display, your NX mini is on and ready to take the perfect selfie. The touch UI makes it so easy. You can take great selfies while taking in more of the scene around you. Now you have the freedom to capture the perfect you, and remember where you were. From wide-angle to telephoto shots, this lens has got you covered. The 24-73 mm (35 mm format equivalent) has 1 ASP (Aspheric) and 1 ED (Extra Low Dispersion) lens to capture your everyday or travel shots with clarity."

Too long. Didn't read. Hehehe. Aaminin ko, mahilig akong mag-selfie dati, even before the word selfie was included in Merriam-Webster, pero medyo reformed na ako, and it's not the reason why I like this camera. For me, that it takes great photos and looks nice while doing it are enough. I think it's available in mint, pink, white, and brown, but the mint one is PERFECT. It looks vintage-y yet sleek. It's so expensive pa. Sana when my birthday comes, the price is significantly lower na. *ehem, TheHusband, ehem*

  2. Pearl and flower charm necklace. Remember the Jewelmer Recordi Preciozi necklace I posted sometime back? Well, Leah of The Bright Spot, clearly a fan of pearls and jewellery, is constantly posting helpful information about pearls, and when she was slated to go to Palawan, I begged her the favor of buying one for me. Leah [happily, I think] obliged (thank you, Leah!!!) and bought me this ~13x15 mm white pearl with slightly pinkish hue. It goes perfectly with the pink charm, on the center of which I studded a flower diamond earring that lost its twin. Nice, right?! Now all I need is a chain.

PS Leah is selling a string of golden saltwater pearls over Ebay. It's gorgeous. Too bad, it's enrollment season, i.e., wala akong pera. I'm sure the winner of that auction will be so happy. #InggitAko :)

3. Marc Jacobs pear watches. I love Marc Jacobs. He has the most adorable clothes, bags, shoes (hello, mouse shoes!), and accessories. I heard his makeup line is great as well, but I haven't tried it yet. His clothes have the right amount of cute and quirkiness. I know, I know, if I want quirky clothes, Tsumori Chisato is the queen of quirk, but this ghel is a thandercat na -- baka di na bagay sa akin ang ganun ka-quirky. Marc Jacobs, meanwhile, has just the perfect level of quirkiness to make it interesting. Anyhoo, years back, possibly a decade ago, I was hankering for a Marc Jacobs charm watch, and then in 2011, I chanced upon an auction in Ebay for a brand-new golden pear watch. Fortunately, I won the auction. Happy! :) Then last week, the same seller is selling one again, but this time, it's the crystal-studded pear. Bid-won-paid-delivered. Bling, hello! I love them both, truly.

Slightly off-topic: I used the ever-trusty sniper tool, Gixen. I usually use Gixen when an auction has a number of bidders and if the auction is ending at a god-forsaken hour. Honestly, I have been promoting Gixen less than I should because I'm an Ebay seller myself, but it has been a free ride all these years and it's time to give something back to the developer. Thank you, Mario!

4. Hello Kitty watch and calculator set. I so wanted this when I was in grade school. Soooo wanted it. But it was so expensive, and no amount of tantrum (bratty, I know) made my parents buy it for me. So you can just imagine my happiness when I saw it on sale in a tiny store selling animé and manga toys and other Japanese miscellanea in Festival Mall in Alabang. Another (shallow) dream come true! It was supposed to be for Sharkteeth, but she doesn't like wearing watches, or accessories for that matter. Anak ko kaya eto? Hmmmm...

5. Philosophy's Amazing Grace shampoo, bath gel, and shower gel. "Amazing Grace fragrance for women is a uniquely feminine blend of soft, floral blossoms accented by a hint of light musk."

I have already professed my love affair with Philosophy's Amazing Grace scent a while back. But it bears repetition. Again. And again. :) I got this from their relatively newly opened store in Megamall. When I got this back in April, I think I was the first customer of the day, and pretty much the only one at that moment. They have a very nice store, which even has a clawfoot tub on one side where there are tons of Philosophy products. The salesperson was very knowledgeable of the products and was plying me all sorts of, uhm, potions. Hehehe. Not that I needed to be plied -- I would have bought everything in that store, tub included, if I had the money. I got this combination shampoo and bath/shower gel, which is sooooo mabango!!! I only use it at night, para mabango ang gising ko. :) The lady also included a number of samples, which I really appreciate because I was able to sample their BB cream (I like it. Next project na lang.)

Note: In my bid to post regularly, I'm going, or at least try, to post every Friday five of my favorite things. They might be current or past possessions, though others might not be necessarily mine -- could be a wish for my fairy godmother (where are you, by the way?), could be something I saw and found interesting, but it will always be driven by beauty and functionality, hopefully both, but that's a tall order.

Another note: None of these items are ads or sponsored. 

Friday Favorite Five: Makeup Edition

I rarely wear makeup, and when I do, I always favor light, barely there, no-makeup look. With my acidic, oily skin, I really don't have much choice but to wear light makeup; otherwise, I'd look like a muddy oil slick in a couple of hours.
Honestly, I can even trim this list to three, but in the interest of keeping up with the title, I'll list all five, the two of which I only do when going somewhere fancy.

1. YSL Teint de Perle Fine, by YSL. "Formulated with the purest and brightest pearl in the world, the Japanese Akoya Pearl. With ultra-fine and lightweight texture. Creates a perfect, pearlescent complexion with a naturally unified finish."

True to its description, it indeed leaves my skin with a slightly pearlescent complexion. Like I said, my skin is oily, and while I can keep it in check using Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder (a T. LeClerc dupe), just using Banana Powder leaves my face looking matte and "flat" -- parang nadapa ako sa factory ng espasol. I top it off with Teint de Perle to give it a very slight sheen and dimension. Goodbye, espasol face!!! However, on most days, I just use Teint de Perle without Banana Powder for a more sheer and lightweight coverage.

YSL Teint de Perle

Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder

2. Benetint Lip and Cheek Tint, by Benefit: "Our original rose-tinted stain is kiss-proof, see-through color for lips & cheeks that lasts for hours. Naturally sheer and sexy on all complexions...it’s innocent yet provocative. Originally created for an exotic dancer in the 1970s, benetint has soared to cult fave status. It's loved by celebs, makeup artists and gals around the world. It's the sexiest flush you can get from a bottle!"
 
With my perpetual eyebags, I constantly look tired, even with 10 hours of sleep, so I usually use blush, instantly perking up my face. However, let me mention again that my skin is oily, and cream and powder blushes only last for a couple of hours before they turn to oily mud. So when someone introduced me to Body Shop's lip and cheek tint, I was sold, sold, sold! The first Body Shop lip and cheek tint was not the gel type that we have today -- it was reddish purple liquid in a little roller ball bottle. I loved it very much because it was so easy to use; however, they relaunched it in the gel form, which I've never quite liked. Anyway, kuripot that I am, I tried other dupes but was never satisfied, well, until I tried Benefit's Benetint. The color is buildable and you can go from the sheerest, faintest blush to I-just-jogged-a-mile-under-the-sun flush. I also like the light rose scent, though I keep my mouth shut tight when I use it on my lips. It isn't exactly cheap at >1.7K, but goodness, I have this bottle for a couple of years already and I have yet to finish it. Though, yeah, I have to concede that I only use it once a day and only the sheerest of flush.

Benetint

3. Rouge in Love 163B (Rose St Honore), by Lancome: "Love your lips! Finally, the long wear lipcolor you'll love to wear. This collection of radiant, high potency colors, with up to 6 hours of wear, is surprisingly featherlight, offering delightful comfort."

My first Rouge in Love was a present from Derdo (thanks!!!), and while I was initially apprehensive about the color (red!), I gathered enough courage to try it. Seriously. Well, I'm into peach and nude colors, and it's quite a leap of faith for me to use red. Well, I'm so glad I did because the color is perfect! It has very, very tiny (almost microscopic really) glitters that lends a slight sheen and dimension to the lips. Plus, the color is sheer and buildable, and faithful to the description, it is indeed featherlight. I think this is the perfect "gateway" red lipstick, in case you want to use more bold colors but are afraid to.

Rouge in Love

4. Color My  Brows, by Etude House: "Shades and moistens brows for a refined natural look."

Nobela yung product description, right? :) Well, that just about describes this product. I have long neglected my brows, and it always amazes me how different I look (in a better way) when I groom them. Sabi nga ni Tsokoholik, "gandang di inakala." This is quite easy to use and has a perfect consistency -- not too runny or too creamy. There are a number of colors to choose from, and I am using Rich Brown (left). It is perfect for my skin and hair color, as it is not too dark as to wash out my face, just making it a little more alive, alert, enthusiastic. :)

Color My Brows

5. MAC Extended Play Mascara, by MAC: "A lightweight curling, lifting mascara in a glossy shade of Endless Black. Applies with a slim-line brush designed to give each lash effortless, upward bending definition and extreme volume. Easy wash-off formula. Lasts 16 smudge-free hours."

I have very short and sparse lashes, and my bottom lashes are almost nonexistent, so using mascara is a tad difficult for me. This was a gift from my cousin (happy birthday tomorrow, H!), and I was so delighted when I saw that the brush is very thin and can catch all of my short lashes. I first curl them a bit, then apply this, and the result is simply amazing! It instantly widens my eyes, again making me look awake. On fancy occasions, I curl the lashes first, then sweep some Estee Lauder primer, then two coats of the mascara for a more dramatic look.

Extended Play Mascara

Note: In my bid to post regularly, I'm going, or at least try, to post every Friday five of my favorite things. They might be current or past possessions, though others might not be necessarily mine -- could be a wish for my fairy godmother (where are you, by the way?), could be something I saw and found interesting, but it will always be driven by beauty and functionality, hopefully both, but that's a tall order.

Friday Favorite Five: Books Edition

I've been remiss in posting my Friday Favorite Fives, sorry! But I'm here again. A number of these books are geared toward the juvenile set, but then, that is just a label. These books are equal levels of awesome (to me) and are randomly arranged.

1. The Godfather, by Mario Puzo. "Bonasera, Bonasera. What have I ever done to make you treat me so disrespectfully? If you'd come to me in friendship, then this scum that wounded your daughter would be suffering this very day. And if by chance an honest man like yourself should make enemies, then they would become my enemies. And then they would fear you."

Although I was hooked from the start ("Amerigo Bonasera sat in New York Criminal Court Number 3 and waited for justice; vengeance on the men who had so cruelly hurt his daughter, who had tried to dishonor her."), it's the former line, gravely [hahahaha! pun intended] and darkly said by Don Corleone, that did me in [seriously, the puns are just begging to be said]. I was just browsing in National Bookstore and chanced upon this book, and I remember not having money to buy it, and for a few days, after work, I'd read a few pages, alright, I admit, a few chapters, till I couldn't take it anymore and bought the book (saka malamang eh a-kinse or a-treinta na nun kaya may pangbili na ako). The film is equally gripping. More than the morbidly fascinating details about the mob, it's the frank moral duality of the main characters, Don Vito, and eventually, his son Michael, that held my attention -- the family man, a loving father and husband; a Catholic who frowns upon bawdiness and believes in eternal damnation, who, at the same time, is a mob boss in control of a syndicate responsible for murder, manipulation, bribery, and well, all manners of sins (okay, except drugs); an astute businessman who knows the greatest strength of his allies and foes and uses it to his, and his "company's," advantage -- I'd even dare and say that the Don is a just man.  

2. The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford. "That night they became immortal, had they known or cared, for the ancient woman had recognized the old dog at once by his color and companion: he was the White Dog of the Ojibways, the virtuous White Dog of Omen, whose appearance heralds either disaster or good fortune. The Spirits had sent him, hungry and wounded, to test tribal hospitality; and for benevolent proof to the skeptical they had chosen a cat as his companion--for what mortal dog would suffer a cat to rob him of his meat? He had been made welcome, fed and succored: the omen would prove fortunate." 

I got my tattered copy from Book Sale for 20 pesos, I think, yet it went on to be one of my most favorite books -- "Scotch-taped" all over and with frayed edges and spine. It is sweet, happy, poignant, and melancholic, sometimes all at the same time. It is full of wit. Unlike its film adaptation, the book didn't anthropomorphize the three animals by giving them lines,  but the author has deftly "humanized" them with their emotions and distinctive characteristics. 

3. Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling. “Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.”
I held off reading Harry Potter for as long as I could. It was creating quite a buzz then, and my mind associated it with the R.L. Stein scary series, so I was not inclined to read it. Onyxx lent me her copy, and initially, to humor her, I read the first book -- boy, was I hooked from the first line!!! (Thanks, Onyxx!) While I'd like to say that it's seamless, it isn't, yet, Dumbledore's death and Snape's  backstory more than made up for the oddities. Each installment was eagerly awaited, and I'd spend hours on stretch, sometimes days, reading till I finished.

4. Jitterbug Perfume, by Tom Robbins. “If you lack the iron and the fuzz to take control of your own life, if you insist on leaving your fate to the gods, then the gods will repay your weakness by having a grin or two at your expense. Should you fail to pilot your own ship, don't be surprised at what inappropriate port you find yourself docked. The dull and prosaic will be granted adventures that will dice their central nervous systems like an onion, romantic dreamers will end up in the rope yard. You may protest that it is too much to ask of an uneducated fifteen-year-old girl that she defy her family, her society, her weighty cultural and religious heritage in order to pursue a dream that she doesn't really understand. Of course it is asking too much. The price of self-destiny is never cheap, and in certain situations it is unthinkable. But to achieve the marvelous, it is precisely the unthinkable that must be thought.”

This book explored themes of immortality, deities, love and sex, religion, the sense of smell and its connection to our memories and experiences. It has four storylines that ultimately and wittily meshed together in the end. I find it hard to find words to describe this book, yet I will throw all caution in the wind and say that it is an epic, in the truest sense of the word, and it is, indeed, epic! And to me, all the things in the book, never mind that it's fiction, oddly made sense.

 5. Cannery Row and Sweet Thursdays, by John Steinbeck. “Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a tone, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream. Cannery Row is the gathered and scattered, tin and iron and rust and splintered wood, chipped pavement and weedy lots and junk heaps, sardine canneries of corrugated iron, honky tonks, restaurants and whore houses, and little crowded groceries, and laboratories and flophouses. Its inhabitant are, as the man once said, 'whores, pimps, gambler and sons of bitches,' by which he meant Everybody. Had the man looked through another peephole he might have said, 'Saints and angels and martyrs and holymen' and he would have meant the same thing.”


The charm of these two books lies on the characters --Doc, Mack and the boys, Lee, Suzy, Flora and Fauna, etc. -- all ordinary, unremarkable people going about their daily lives. Not everybody can win the Nobel or be famous or be filthy rich. Most of us will have a family, endure boring jobs, have some sort of fun at one time or another, get sick, experience fundamental joys and happiness and sorrow, and that's it. And it's okay. There's nothing wrong about it, and for me, that's the gist of Cannery Row and Sweet Thursdays. The ordinary lives of ordinary people such as myself. 

                    
NOTE: In my bid to post regularly, I'm going, or at least try, to post every Friday five of my favorite things. They might be current or past possessions, though others might not be necessarily mine -- could be a wish for my fairy godmother (where are you, by the way?), could be something I saw and found interesting, but it will always be driven by beauty and functionality, hopefully both, but that's a tall order.

Friday Favorite Five: Scents Edition

Because of Sharkteeth's hospitalization, bout of UTI, and recurring sinusitis, I missed posting Friday Favorite Five three weeks in a row. There goes my bid to post regularly. Everything goes in a standstill when someone in the family gets sick. Be that as it may, here's the list of my five favorite scents.

 1. Philosophy's Amazing Grace.  From the website: "Embrace your beauty, and express your femininity with Amazing Grace spray fragrance. Our best-selling, amazingly clean, beautifully feminine scent of welcoming bergamot to greet the senses, irresistibly soft, clean muguet blossoms and lasting musk with its classic beauty."

What I love most about Amazing Grace is its fresh, clean scent. Parang bagong paligo lang. TheHusband gave me a coffret, which includes a bottle of lotion with the same scent, for layering. Truth be told, I prefer the lotion more because it lasts longer. And the scent gets transferred to the sheets, and when you wake up in the morning, you can still smell it. Ganda ng gising.

Amazing Grace

2. YSL Baby Doll.  From the website: "Flirty, fun, forever young…a happy-go-lucky fragrance that lives in the moment. Like a top spinning, the opening accord amuses with newly ripened grapefruit, then teases with witty turns of wild rose and spicy red currant. The base notes that follow -- cedar, grenadine and new peach -- linger momentarily, only to whirl anew. In a faceted crystal flacon reminiscent of a spinning top."

For me, this, along with Clinique Happy Heart, is the perfect summer scent. It starts out sweet, and a tad cloying, but the scent lightens to a hint of fresh grapefruit. I got this limited edition bottle, which is encased in a pretty musical box, and the perfume has very fine metallic glitter powder that leaves a slight sheen on the skin.  

Baby Doll

 3. Marc Jacobs' Daisy Eau So Fresh. From the website: "Daisy Eau So Fresh is a charming twist on our classic Daisy fragrance. Eau So Fresh is more fruity, bubbly, and more fun than the original."

Marc Jacobs can do no wrong in my book. His work always manages to be youthful, quirky (without being weird), and fun, and this is no exception -- from the flacon, with its all too cute flower cap, to the light, long-lasting scent. Even if I sweat, the scent stays clean and fresh -- hindi "umaasim" (sorry, TMI, hehehe).

Daisy Eau So Fresh

4. Clinique Happy Heart. From the website: "Clinique Happy Heart. A wealth of flowers.  A hint of warmth. A deepening of emotions. With a heart of water hyacinth, brightened with Mandarin and blond woods. Wear it and have a happy heart." 

Of all the scents here, this one is the closest to my heart. To be clear, I'm not too choosy with perfume/scents, as long as it blends well with my skin chemistry, it's a go for me. So why do I love this so? The Christmas before S's birth, my generous cousin working in Estee Lauder in Canada gave me a bottle, and during my pregnancy, or at least when I was able to tolerate scents again, till I gave birth, this was the scent I was using; thus, all the happy memories of pregnancy and birth are tied to Happy Heart. Smelling it brings me back to the moment when I first saw S, with her full mop of jet-black hair and huge, beautiful eyes. (It broke my heart a little when somebody in the office stole my bottle. May you suffer from incurable BO, you perfume thief! Hehehehe...)

Happy Heart

 5. Nina Ricci's L'Air du Temps. From the website: " The legendary fragrance L'Air du Temps was born in a creative and joyful spirit in 1948. The perfect harmony of an enchanting elixir, the symbol of femininity and eternal youth. The emblematic values of L'Air du Temps remain universal: peace, freedom and love."

The most beautiful and classic scent among my favorites, I came across this when my friend gave me one for my 18th birthday. Although I run the risk of smelling like an old lady, I don't mind -- I'd rather smell like a classy and classic old lady than smell like a cheap, uhm, "pavement princess."

L'Air du Temps

NOTE: In my bid to post regularly, I'm going, or at least try, to post every Friday five of my favorite things. They might be current or past possessions, though others might not be necessarily mine -- could be a wish for my fairy godmother (where are you, by the way?), could be something I saw and found interesting, but it will always be driven by beauty and functionality, hopefully both, but that's a tall order.