The Meimei Wishlist

Dear Santa Claus:

I understand that you're probably tired of me asking you for the same things year and after year, always wondering why you haven't given them to me. Well, I'm going to give you a bit of a break on that front. For one thing, I've been talking to God lately, and He already told me that He's going to take care of the whole career/lovelife stuff that I've been asking for every year, so you can breathe easy. Second of all, I'd also like to funnel my DVD and book requests through my regular wish list on Amazon:

What can I say, HTML is totally my friend.

This leaves us with a few more wishes that I'd also like to share with my readership, if you don't mind. (Note to readers: I'm sharing these because I know you could use some nice gift ideas for you and your loved ones, too! And you gotta agree, these are some of the best for the year.) So, where do we begin?

- An iPod. Specifically, the iPod Nano - okay, so I could take or leave the new video-camera function, but for once I'd like to have a player that I can sync up with my growing iTunes library on my laptop. That includes the podcasts from FitMusic and Motion Traxx, which I'd like to take with me on my walks... and those could easily turn into runs, promise! Throw in a bunch of iTunes gift cards and we're golden.

- A full size bottle of Smashbox Photo Finish Primer. I'm saying this because the sample I got from SisMei last Christmas is almost finished - yep, that's what Philippine humidity has done for my makeup routine, and for once I'd like to leave the house with a non-melted face. Come to think of it, Smashbox just came out with the appropriately-named Smashbox WISH For A Flawless Complexion set, which has the full-sized PFP and its travel-sized buddy! Excellent.

- Any brush set from Sonia Kashuk - the more brushes, the better. The Twist of Fate brush set looks pretty nice; the Brushed to Perfection one looks equally practical.

- Dress sneakers. Not stilettos (okay, not right now - see next entry), and not running shoes (because mine are still good), but some Chuck Taylor-esque sneaks that I can wear around town... and especially to the places where open toes are verboten. I'm currently checking out the Superga Torino (left) and the Cartwheel by Simple.... though, to be honest with you, I'm a tad more partial to Simples because their sizing has always been super-forgiving for my feet.

- And while we're at it, a near-bottomless supply of good insoles - especially if it means that I can continue wearing the cute shoes that I already have in my arsenal right now.

- Any of the fragrances from the D&G Anthology: Right now I'm partial towards 18 (La Lune) or 10 (La Roue de la Fortune), which sound like they'd be great for my weather.

- A little bit of everything from my favorite Fall/Holiday collections from this year, to wit:

• MAC: From the Style Black collection - Greasepaint Stick in Black, Mineralize e/s in Gilt by Association, Nail Polish in Baby Goth Girl (which I am so trying to recreate with the drugstore nailpolish here); from Magic Mirth and Mischief - Dazzleglass in Phiff!; from Baroque Boudoir (pictured above) - oh, who am I fooling here? I want EVERYTHING.
  
• Shiseido: The Alexander Wang collection, hands down! Or, to be more specific, the eyeshadow and lipstick used in the Japanese TV ad with Anna Tsuchiya.
  
• Urban Decay: The Urban Decay 24/7 Super Stash - because, well, hello eyeliner!
  
• BeneFit: The Benefit Cosmetics Celebutante kit, because the colors look like they could all work wonders on me.
  

- A much-needed shopping vacation in Hong Kong or Singapore. Yep, it's been a while since I've been to HK and SG... and as much as I want to visit Bangkok, too, it doesn't look like the political sitch over there is going to work out any time soon. Besides, I'd like to know how much they've changed since my last few visits during my teens... and if I can make it to either of their shopping holidays, I'm gonna be so pumped.

- A much-needed vacation, period. Okay, scratch that - my post-HNL down time here in the Hacienda counts as a vacation. Seriously, though, I've got a long list of places that I want to visit while I'm on this side of the planet, so I'd like to find the time - and the necessary wherewithal - to get those trips on my calendar this year.

- A better blogging strategy. In fact, I'd like to start posting on a schedule, too... but first I must find inspiration, and then I will find time.

- A car I can drive. It'll be a matter of months before that Philippine driver's license finally makes it onto my hands, thanks to all the practice I'm getting with my Dad's SUV. (Sorry about giving up on stick, Santa, but you understand.) We can talk about specifications later, but for now I'm looking at something midsize, fuel-efficient, and easy to take out on long hauls.

- And, of course, The Usual: peace on earth, good will to all, an end to all forms of poverty, and a bottomless supply of love and laughter for everyone, especially for the ones I love the most. Hugs and cookies help a lot, too. :)

Last Song Syndrome: Darling Sparro

Sorry, folks, but I gotta say it: If I wanted an eccentric, openly gay pop-music genius with an excellent voice and amazing crossover appeal, I'd take Sam Sparro over Adam Lambert every single time.

Don't believe me? I dare you all to watch (and re-watch) the video for "Black and Gold," which I've featured on this blog last year. Seriously speaking, now, how can you go wrong with a chorus of backup dancers in top hats and tuxedo tails, recreating Gene Kelly-esque jazz moves? And Sam doesn't even have to wear eyeliner or simulate man-on-man sex acts to get his very point across as an artist. That's integrity for you!

And for those of you who (like me) were thisclose to writing off "Black and Gold" as a mere fluke, here's Mr. Sparro lending his impressive voice to a collaboration with the guys from Basement Jaxx. Funny, soulful, touching, plus a danceable beat and a touch of diva posturing... it's all that anyone could ever want in a pop-music moment, and everything that Glambert could only wish he could be.



Download it now:

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Dear Rhett...

Above: Rhett Eala with fellow designer Patrice Ramos-Diaz.
(Credit: Rajo's Blog, Stylebible.ph)

Sir, after looking at this picture, I am fairly certain that it was you - as in, talagang YOU - helping out the sales staff at the Collezione C2 store at Power Plant Mall.

I did not expect to see you there, really... in fact, I wasn't even counting on seeing a Collezione C2 store at PowerPlant, either, because we were actually looking for the Team Manila store, and neither website for Collezione or Power Plant mentioned anything about this particular branch. (Can I also say that I didn't remember until that very moment that Team Manila moved to another wing? Ngeh!)

I was there with my parents because we were shopping for Christmas gifts and my Dad wanted to get the My Pilipinas polo shirts which you designed for C2. I was about to tell my Dad a story that I read somewhere that - as far as I can recall - involved you and Rajo at a fashion trade show where somebody asked you about a "stain" that turned out to be a print of the Philippine map. But then, as soon as I said your name, a husky guy with thick glasses and a Pilipinas shirt showed up right in front of me to fix a knit minidress on a mannequin.

First thought: OMG it's Rhett! STARSTRUCK! Second thought: Wait, there's a good chance it's not... OMG, he's still fixing the store! Might as well shut it before he gives me the stink-eye!

And, really, I had to think long and hard about saying another word in the store while you were fixing the displays. It was already providential enough that we found the C2 store at Power Plant at a moment when my Dad really needed to get a shirt... but to show up at C2 and see the Rhett in there? Frankly, it has been a while since my last visit to Makati, so all of this was unexpected for me. You could even call it... serendipitous.

I can't tell you which or how many shirts we bought today, because there's a high chance that somebody in my reading audience is going to get a Pilipinas shirt for Christmas. I can say, though, that my Dad bought one for himself, which he plans to wear out and about as proudly as he can... because that's how much he likes your shirts.

Long story short: Thanks, Rhett, for designing the shirts, and thanks to your staff at C2 for helping us pick our gifts! We are so glad we found your store... and so happy with our shirts!

Love,

Meimei

ps. Tiny nitpick - as much as I loved those Herve Leger-ish little minidresses at the store, I didn't buy one because neither I nor the other ladies on my gift list would be able to wear it confidently in real life. Which is a pity, because I thought that the construction was gorgeous. :(

Domesticity Retail Roundup: Shirt Tales

I can't be the only person who remembers this, right?



Well, then. Here are some of the nice cotton tops that I've accumulated from my last three trips to Manila.

From left: Red top and pink polo shirt from Canadian Club (SM department store, Megamall); purple smock top, Marks & Spencer. I like the M&S shirt because the design isn't printed, embossed, or embroidered in any way; if you look up close, it's actually little patches of sheer fabric "burned" from the jersey, like burn-out velvet. I also liked the cut and the feminine print of the polo, too.

Also, if the red top looks familiar, I'll go ahead and say that this is a dead-ringer for the one I bought last year at Dots in Cleveland:


And the shirt haul didn't stop there - especially when I found out a week later that Bench has a superstore outlet at Market! Market! in Taguig.


Behold: the navy V-neck "summer shirt" from Bench Body, and the lavender "free style" shirt from HerBench... both in my size, which I never thought I'd find in a Bench store!

Let's check out the label here:


Bench's "free style" fit for their shirts is actually quite forgiving on me, because it's longer and more relaxed than their usual fitted ones.* This doesn't mean that Bench now carries shirts that don't look like crap on me (there were a few cute ones that did, unfortunately) but between the loose fit, the roomy collar, and the cute kitty print, there's no way I could go wrong with this particular one. Now if only I could find more...

(Aside: Note that I didn't use the term "body con" here, because "body con" sounds like something a scam artist might pull at a Catholic funeral. Sorry, fashionistas!)

Domesticity Retail Roundup: ...Plus Ca Meme Chose

Meimei in Hong Kong, circa 1985:


Meimei at home, 2009:


Yes, my Mom did make a point out of reminding me that I already bought this hat more than 20 years ago. That's why I had to include a shot of my little self in the background when I took this pic. The hat also comes from Bench, too - even more proof that Bench is to Gap what Jollibee is to McDonald's.

Speaking of retro flashbacks, I never thought I'd see the day when I'd end up wearing leather hippie sandals out and about in public again. And yet:


Maphisto leather sandals, Php895 at Manels in Alabang Town Center. Got them when the leather sandals that I was wearing at the mall broke down on me (booooo), but these are surprisingly comfortable and durable. These are best for casual days when I do a lot of running around.

The Blogger's Uniform

...Oh, come on, not all of us can afford wearing head-to-toe Prada while encoding HTML. ;)


Shirt (part of a pajama set), Marks & Spencer. Pajama pants (printed with frogs), purchased at SM.

And since I just mentioned two of my favorite stores here, this means we're seeing another Retail Roundup soon!

Favorite Things of the Month

Madonna and Lil Wayne: two great tastes that taste great together. (Really!)

What's rocking my world right now:

- Johnson's Cooling Baby Powder. Our version is scented with honeysuckle - a scent that I never thought I would like, but here it's sweet and fresh, not heavy at all. I sometimes use this in place of a fragrance for hot days.

- Marks and Spencer trousers. Budget-breaking? Heck yes - but compared to the ridiculous markups that I've seen at Gap in Alabang Town Center, this is a fair compromise. I basically plucked this pair out of the rack without trying them on, and was pleasantly surprised by how they fit me when I wore them to church. Perfect length, exceptional fit - everything I could ever want in a pair of pants, and possibly more.

- Hand sanitizer. Right now I have one for each purse. Am pretty fastidious about it, actually.

- Yahoo! Free Games. To those of you who have been trying to recruit me on Facebook for Mafia Wars or Farmville, my sincerest apologies for ignoring you. It's just that I'm still tied up in playing the same demo versions for Jewel Quest 3 over and over again... which probably means I'll never be cool, but that's what floats my boat.

- Leverage. I think we only have the first season running locally, but I'm already hooked. Mostly because the plots sound like a hybrid between Ocean's Eleven and Burn Notice (which, unfortunately, is never on before my bedtime... and this, coming from the same cable system who thinks airing True Blood on a Saturday afternoon is a great idea), and also because of the great cast. Speaking of great casting...

- Chuck and Blair on Gossip Girl. People, I get the hype now... and I really, truly wish that the Powers-That-Be would keep them together. Even if it means seeing them as a bickering middle-aged couple.

What's Your Fantasy: Other People's Fantasies

You ask, I deliver: Here are the hotties on the minds of my other friends in cyberspace, with commentary from yours truly.

For Purl Girl, of Knitzengiggles:


(Need I mention that this picture was taken from Match Point, which is actually one of the few Jonathan Rhys Meyers movies that I actually like? And more so - though sadly - because of what happens to ScarJo at the end?)

For Bakeks, of When Baduy Happens:
(Take it from me, and Bakeks, and Scribey: Ed Westwick playing anyone but Chuck Bass - and himself, for that matter - is, frankly, a disappointment.)

(We're still behind on Mad Men, which means that we in the Greater Manila/ Southern Tagalog area will have to wait another three weeks until we get our fix of hot, backstabbing men in sharp suits. No joke, though: John Slattery is working it.)

For Scribey, just because:


(...Yep.)

And because The Statham has been delinquent in his blog-boyfriending duties, I've decided to take this guy out of probation:



(...I know, needs-to-make-better-movies and all. Then again, the guy can sing, and y'all know how I feel about that.)

When Every Day is Halloween

Above: Freddie "Batman" Roach and Manny Pacquiao, putting the fear of God into Miguel Cotto.

(Posted in several boxing forums and on Photobucket.)

Last week was the kind of week where every single day turned out to be Halloween: dog drama, Aunt Flo, too much sleep, not enough good TV*... and then, the typhoon that damn-near ruined everything, from hanging out with Bakeks to visiting our dearly departed at the cemetery on Halloween morning. (Thankfully, this one went by mercifully quick.)

Because the week was already packed to the gills, I missed out on dressing up for Halloween... but that didn't mean that I had no costume in mind.

Thanks to Taaz, I have decided that I am so going to dress up as Karma for next year.


*Which reminds me: whoever programmed this to be shown in chopped-up hour-long chunks should be punished. I mean, hello - Patrick Stewart and Jonathan Rhys Meyers in charisma-killing wigs? And the teenaged, acne-ridden Rafe Spall - as Tim-sized as possible, before he lost all the pudge - nearly matching them at every step? Not fair, people.