haircut trail

hehe, i just realized, my hair already has a track record. i've already made quite a few rounds in the makati hair cutting/coloring circuit.

in bacolod it was just virtu salon for me...alas, there isn't any virtu salon here, so i jumped from one ship to another, starting off with:

*angelo justin, then with frank provost salon (he is now with basement) - he was recommended by cory quirino in her inquirer column, and i just had to try. went there once, and i don't know why. i spent some time with

*paolo of fix glorietta. again, got bored. transferred to

*i-forgot-his-name of first aid (fix) greenbelt. also stayed long there, until he was promoted and was transferred to their corporate office. ventured out to propaganda salon for

*alex carbonel. liked him and stayed, until i itched and tried

*teng roma of emphasis salon. blah. went back to

*alex carbonel. stayed, until i itched and tried

*manfred of basement salon. was about to schedule for 2nd haircut but he was on vacation and i just HAD to HAVE a haircut, and so i super-itched and tried

*philippe of first aid greenbelt. liked the haircut for some time, but i noticed it wasn't growing out well. went back to

*manfred, with whom i already had 2 cut and color sessions.

until when, that is the question...

posted by vina @ 7:00 PM            |


back to the future

i don't know if it has anything to do with my turning 30 this year, or my reaching 10 years in my company next year - whichever it is, i hope it is NOT that thing called midlife crisis.

it's because i have been thinking...actually, looking back - on how simple life used to be...on how big dreams have been.

what have i made of my life, so far?

i have always dreamt of becoming a doctor. in one of my elementary essays, i wrote that i wanted to be a doctor to the barrios. it was a big dream, an ambition i carried till college when i took up BS Nursing. but dreams fade and resolve falters...believe it or not, i got disillusioned during my second year when i heard these words from our teacher: that we are not to have an emotional attachment with our patients. that detachment is the key for us to effectively discharge our duties, as nurses, and of course, it would follow the same for doctors.

emotional detachment? that would break me apart. i live and breathe emotions. emotional attachment is what makes me strong and grounded.

i wonder, if i have been a doctor, or a nurse, where would i be right now? i probably would have been richer, working abroad...or maybe not. would i be with the same people i am with now?

and so, yes, we are defined by the choices we make. yes, i have taken a different, and maybe easier path. i am where and who i am now because of the choices i have made.

still, i have dreams and search for my purpose.

in due time, i will find the answers.

posted by vina @ 4:14 PM            |


long-lost friend

an old friend of mine came home from UK , where she has been based as a nurse for 5 years, just last week. she stayed overnight in manila before proceeding to bacolod.

i have known her since my elementary days, although we haven't really been the best of friends. though we did not go to the same school until college, we met through athletic meets (yeeeees, i TRIED to be athletic, to no avail) and we went to the same ballet school. in college, we were classmates during the first year, when i was still enrolled in Nursing. after i shifted in my second year, we slowly lost touch of each other. we moved in different circles, had different worlds.

after almost 10 years of not seeing nor hearing from each other, friendster brought us back together just this year. it was one of my happiest moments - seeing her profile, then corresponding, then knowing she was coming home, then finally seeing her again, meeting her husband and yes, their adorable Luis Miguel, MY GODSON, born and baptized in UK.

needless to say, nothing has changed of our friendship. i realized that we have really formed a bond, and we have wonderful memories to look back on.

i admit, i haven't been really a good friend - to her, and to the others who have come my way. i just never really treasured and seized friendships. despite everything, i have been given a second chance.

and i am making up.

posted by vina @ 7:40 PM            |


louis claparols and marni's room


in true (occasional) shoppaholic fashion, i am declaring my loyalty to louis claparols and marni's room.

in a few words, marni's room is a vintage shop named after louis' poodle, and run by both louis and his friend, freelance make-up artist bobby carlos in their malate apartment. aside from vintage items, the store also sometimes carries louis' original creations, like the one i scored last year during my initial visit - the last of his coveted Imelda blouses. as it is in their own unit they call home, the store has a by-appointment policy.

anton diaz of www.anton.blogs.com has a more detailed article on marni's room (http://anton.blogs.com/awesome/2005/12/maarnis_room_11.html), but below are the updated contact details (since louis has already changed his number):

louis claparols: (+63927) 739-5925

bobby carlos : (+63917) 388-8918

view pics : www.picturetrail.com/marnisroom

needless to say, my shopping habit has changed drastically since i started frequenting marni's room. i haven't been buying much from other shops as i did then during my peak (haha). it's not just the items at the shop i'm after. it's the whole experience: the smell, the lights, the music, the whole 80's vibe, marni and her cute outfits, and more than anything, louis and his ever-ready, genuine Ilonggo smile.




posted by vina @ 5:15 PM            |


do you want to know how evil i am?

You Are 26% Evil
A bit of evil lurks in your heart, but you hide it well.In some ways, you are the most dangerous kind of evil.
How Evil Are You?
all i can say is...hehehehe

posted by vina @ 3:33 PM            |


the five factor personality test

Your Five Factor Personality Profile
Extroversion:
You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations.A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you.You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people.
Conscientiousness:
You have high conscientiousness.Intelligent and reliable, you tend to succeed in life.Most things in your life are organized and planned well.But you borderline on being a total perfectionist.
Agreeableness:
You have medium agreeableness.You're generally a friendly and trusting person.But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism.You get along well with others, as long as they play fair.
Neuroticism:
You have medium neuroticism.You're generally cool and collected, but sometimes you do panic.Little worries or problems can consume you, draining your energy.Your life is pretty smooth, but there's a few emotional bumps you'd like to get rid of.
Openness to experience:
Your openness to new experiences is medium.You are generally broad minded when it come to new things.But if something crosses a moral line, there's no way you'll approve of it.You are suspicious of anything too wacky, though you do still consider creativity a virtue.
The Five Factor Personality Test

posted by vina @ 3:28 PM            |


bacolod food cravings

aaaargh! i miss bacolod/home-cooked food! i'm saying this because earlier during lunch, i ordered paksiw na tilapia and well, let's just say it tasted funny (read: not good). aaaaah, the price i have to pay for (a) living away from home, and (b) not being able - no, make that NOT KNOWING how to COOK.

i long for my mom's paksiw na tilapia with guava leaves (my favorite tilapia meal). ooooh, that always made my day. another comfort food of mine is my tita inday's carne prita (ala tapa). it helped that i was her favorite niece, and so everytime i craved for it, she'd prepare it for me without complaints!

i also remember that when i was still a bit new here in manila, i looked for my favorite dessert, the Black Sambo. i was shocked to hear that people here did not know what it was - which meant that it was bacolod's local dessert! back in my hometown, i only go to one pastry shop for this, and that is Calea Pastry Shop. it was only around february this year that i found out that one bacolod restaurant i frequent here in manila sells it! that restaurant is Bacolod Chicken Inasal (which has a free standing building along Jupiter Road and outlets in SM Megamall, Glorietta and Robinson's Ermita, among others).

it was in their SM Megamall outlet that i noticed it in their menu, and when i asked the waiter if it was just a february special, he informed me that they have always been serving it! now, there's an explanation for this slip-up on my part, and it's simple: i don't bother reading their menu because ricky and i order the same food over and over again: chicken inasal, pork sisig, and sizzling bangus. sigh...on that night, fate (and gluttony) was on my side.

oh (and this time, i'm not happy anymore) i also miss conee's cansi. and batchoy (even if it's from iloilo). and nene's snackhouse pancit molo. and...and... everything else that spells and smells bacolod. *sob*

posted by vina @ 6:33 PM            |


moving up


i have upgraded myself, hehe. this is my first original post for blogger since the preceding posts were just exported from my friendster blog. and right now, i feel like i have to start from scratch, as i did then when i doubted myself and thought that i had nothing to write. boy, was i wrong - i wrote about anything!

so, let me introduce myself. i'm vina. 20 something till june this year. haha. when i grow up, i want to be just like ME. A-L-M-O-S-T famous.

i'm a corporate slave, working M-F for 10, sometimes 12 hours (i'm not complaining, though), under the same company for almost 9 years. thus, and please don't tell my boss if you know him, i'm doing this on the side.

i'm not a techie, so please bear with me. it's all self-education...nay, trial and error.

i'm into the usual girl stuff, but not that deep. which means, i'm not kikay, nor THAT vain.

i think i would be a good cook SOMEDAY.

i have one sibling, Debbie, one adopted whatever, April, one boyfriend, and one future poodle i shall name gucci.

posted by vina @ 1:47 PM            |


the cleaning lady

if there is one chore i'm not too fond of, it's ironing. oh, make it two. AND washing clothes.



i mean, you wouldn't see me going gaga over these two as i would over buying different sorts of multi-purpose cleaning agents & disinfectants, or stocking up on tissue paper for my cleaning and spraying spree. wow, talking about this excites me already...



let me see...i have the basics: ajax cleaner (powder), lysol, baygon and pledge. then, i have the spray sort: a multi-purpose/all-around cleaner and a shower mist available only in clark (and which i purchased for only $1 each!) and a mold & mildew cleaner, Mr. Muscle, available in our local supermarkets. also, i used to have a tile cleaner (also bought in clark), but...sob...it bade me farewell a long time ago.



i wonder when we're going back to clark / puregold? standing lingering amidst the rows and rows of multi-purpose cleaners - in all shapes, sizes, colors, form, and strength - is pure bliss for me. my eyes light up and my body shakes in sheer jubilation.



shut up, I KNOW i'm weird.

posted by vina @ 11:01 AM            |


weekday night "life" - ricky vs vina

ricky

(1) removes shoes/socks

(2) lies down / watches tv

(3) sits up when called to eat

(4) lies down

(5) sleeps

vina

(1) removes shoes and accessories and sets aside bag / things

(2) checks the bathroom and wipes / cleans the floor ; may spray the disinfectant

(3) sweeps

(4) prepares dinner

(5) has dinner

(6) washes the dishes / glasses

(7) wipes the bathroom floor

(8) sweeps for crumbs

(9) changes clothes (may change ranking)

(10) brushes teeth/ washes face or takes a bath

(11) puts on whatever has to be put on: toner, serum, moisturizer for face and eyes, lotion for hands and feet

(12) lies down to watch tv

(13) sleeps

(14) wakes up to turn off tv

(15) sleeps

posted by vina @ 10:57 AM            |


sid is alive!

Sid_in_ice_age_1 on the "tonight show with jay leno" a few nights ago, jay's guest, an animal expert, presented a funny looking creature with long limbs, clinging on to her for dear life. it, aahhhh, looked stiff and lifeless - like it was wood, or something.

turned out to be a sloth.

and i thought sid the sloth went extinct together with diego and manfred, oSloth_4r that, at least, it evolved.

aaaah, nope...it even has the same smirk.

posted by vina @ 10:47 AM            |


james patterson-speak 2

so i browsed through the official website of james patterson...so i got excited, then depressed, then downright miserable...of the books that i have yet to read, of the books i have to await till the paperback editions arrive (sob!).

to let you in in my obsession over this great author, here's the real score:

*on the alex cross novels

what i have: jack & jill, roses are red, violets are blue, four blind mice, and big bad wolf

what i'm missing: along came a spider, kiss the girls, cat & mouse, pop goes the weasel, london bridges, and the newest, mary, mary

i'm not sure if i'm still going to buy the first two since i've seen the movies, while i haven't seen a paperback edition of london bridges in powerbooks. as for mary, mary...asa pa ako.

*on the women's murder club

what i have: ist to die, 2nd chance and 3rd degree

what i'm missing: 4th of july, and the newest, the 5th horseman

4th of july is not in a paperback edition yet. as for the 5th horseman...again, with feelings, asa pa ako.Lghoneymoon_2

*other novels

what i have: the jester, the beach house, see how they run and honeymoon

what i'm missing: too many to be fretting about!

by the way, honeymoon (the book, people!) was great. totally deserved the 2005 international thriller award. then again, aren't all his books are?

posted by vina @ 8:25 PM            |


mark's the word

Mark_ruffalo i'm currently obsessing over actor mark ruffalo. he's just soooooo sexy. i took note of his name when i watched "in the cut" where he starred with meg ryan. that was a rather boring movie, but they had, well, "R" scenes...and he, well, he was just oozing with that thing called sex appeal. he also starred in collateral with tom cruise, 13 going on 30 with jennifer garner, and recently, with reese witherspoon in just like heaven. i also learned that he was also in windtalkers and in last castle, which i have also seen already, and which i have just ticked in my mental list under "movies to watch again".

did i already say he is so sexy? but more than anything, he's a damn good actor. yes, he is. really.

i could go on and on and on but i don't want to bore you.

maybe ricky wouldn't mind.

posted by vina @ 8:24 PM            |


hair-speak (part 1 of many)

i'm sorry alex...i have been unfaithful to you. i'm seeing someone else, and his name is manfred. i still love you, though. i just want to explore...

haha...as if!

i'm just talking about who's cutting my hair now!

posted by vina @ 8:22 PM            |


james patterson-speak (part 1 of many)

i finished James Patterson's 3rd Degree over the weekend. the novel is the latest in the Lindsay Boxer series. Patterson is really fantastic. he has never disappointed me yet. his stories are fast-paced and heart-pounding that you really CANNOT put the book down. for me, it's always "okay, one more chapter" until i realize i've reached the last few pages.

in this installment, one of Lt. Boxer's best friends dies. it's sad, but crucial to the plot. on the other hand, she finds love again and i'm glad she did because hers has been a lonely character since 1st to Die. but more importantly, this novel tackles terrorism, and i can't help but be terrified as well.

for those who haven't tried reading any of james patterson's novels, or if you want to venture out into the thriller/suspense genre, i highly recommend this author. there's nothing much of the mumbo-jumbo jargon that may alienate readers, like what clancy or grisham novels sometimes do. there's a lot to choose from...all of them definitely worth the late nights and the eye strain.

posted by vina @ 8:20 PM            |


the cost of vanity

if i weren't tooooo vain, i would have had lots of money by now. i'm a very discriminating and semi-loyal customer, and although it breaks my wallet (and heart), i cannot turn myself away. why, oh why do i have to buy la mer, shu uemura, awake, mac cosmetics and beauty products? why does it have to be tyler, topshop, mango, rustans for my clothes? why does firma have such beautiful and unique accessories? why have i discovered marni's room (thanks louis!)? why do you exist nine west? why propaganda and basement salons (thanks alex! thanks manfred!)? why??????

yes, if only i weren't too vain, i would have had enough savings by now. laser hair removal, mesotherapy or the latest in fat-reduction technology, diamond peel, travel to Europe, gucci items, bulgari jewelry and watch....

haha....i'm in one of my wicked moods. turning off in 1, 2, 3.

posted by vina @ 8:17 PM            |


passion for fashion and something else

I admit, I rarely get impassioned, but if there is one thing that I am serious, adamant and excited about (aside from shopping, of course), it's TRYING to make a difference - in other people's lives and in the environment, in any way I can. Funny, because it can really be quite an effort, making other more fortunate people jump right in and join. Because they are either my friends or relatives, they don't reject me outright...which makes me wonder. Maybe I'm really just not a good sales person, hehe.



Nevertheless, I want to share the following worthwhile causes with you:



World Vision offers child sponsorship. With just P450 contribution per month, you will be able to help a poor child go to school, get proper healthcare, and enjoy his/her basic rights. There have already been a number of success stories with this program, with former WV scholars rising above their poverty and difficulties. To know more about World Vision, you may inquire through (02) 372-7777 or wv_phil@wvi.org. They also have booths in various malls. I decided to join as a sponsor when I spared some of my "shopping time" to a WV booth at Glorietta last year.



Kamay Krafts is an award-winning cooperative responsible for making those "trash" bags and wallets. If you've seen someone carrying a bag made of recycled/used tetra or juice packs (think Sunglo or Zesto), then you know what I'm talking about. These items are being exported and are, in fact, such a hit abroad, particularly in Switzerland. They are being made by women from various depressed areas in Metro Manila. With this, you not only get to be fashionable, but you are helping these women and their families, and the environment as well! Please check out their website at www.kamay-krafts.com to understand and see what I'm talking about.



Together, we really CAN make this country a better place to live in...if not for everybody, than even just for a few. This is enough to make a difference.



posted by vina @ 7:52 PM            |


thank you manila

i welcomed manila with open arms. maybe it helped that i was already mature enough to be independent, and for my parents to allow me to be one. before manila, i was based in mactan. thankfully, i did not stay long there. otherwise, i would have been bored to death and maybe ballooned to 3x my original size. not that i did not like the place, (nor the food!) but it was not my home. it was not bacolod, unforgiving it may be sometimes.

but manila....manila, of course is different.

i came to manila, bruised and scarred, wiser and stronger. but manila did not cast her judging eyes on me. instead, she allowed me to pick up the pieces of my life, and start with a clean slate. everyone is entitled to start with one, no matter how checkered his/her past may have been.

posted by vina @ 7:42 PM            |