Hello, Ber!

It's September already! Yay! Its the month I have been waiting for. As of now, at least. ;P

I've been relatively quiet with my shop because we've been busy with something big that required all my attention and energy. Finally it's September and we're almost done with the hustle phase. September 8, you are just a week to go. <3

I'm brewing something in my shop, haven't been posting new stuff so much because of what occupied me the last weeks plus being sick all the time. I wasn't able to post the latest special orders album.
I'm getting my hands on new materials and designs for the younger set and really excited with my new pieces, a line specially for collectors or those who just love them.

Long weekend: Day 1

I finally succumbed to the banana craze and got myself a quirky Banane Taipei bag. I know I'm a bit late but getting one is more of a necessity than an urge since most of my bags are heavy and I needed a canvass bag for the meantime (excuses, excuses).


If you are going to get one, its best to get it from Bagahollic Bags because they are the official distributor in the Philippines so you can rest assured that you are getting a genuine Banane. They also offer the lowest price at PhP 4,000 plus shipping. Others sell them at PhP 6,500 which is so OA and overpriced for a canvass bag.
Heidi, the owner is very accommodating and nice which is something I appreciate since I'm an online seller myself and I know how busy it can get trying to reply and accommodate everyone.

I received mine today just after paying yesterday. She made sure I got my bag before the long break.
I got one in Lavender Grey. I wanted something neutral yet girly. I also love pastels and non-colors and Lavender Grey is just so perfect for me. The color is actually more Grey than purple. What I love about a Banane bag is its silliness. Its just plain fun. You can't help but smile when you see one. Love it!

I was so excited with my new canvass bag, here I was trying it out for the afternoon. =)
(Note to self: Must change our area rug.)


Pao and I were craving for some italian pizza so we braved the rain and went to Gino's in Katipunan for some brick-oven pizza. Yum!



All their pizzas are regular sized for about 400 pesos give or take. We ordered Prosciutto which is made of Tomato, Kesong Puti, Parmesan, Prosciutto and fresh Arugula. I just love their flavors, the combination of the cheese and fresh Arugula plus the tasty dough. Unlike other pizzas, Gino's doesn't feel too heavy at all.



Today was a great start of our long weekend. I'm up and about again. I'm starting to feel like my old self. Now we're off to some Spartacus Gods of the Arena marathon. What a nice day, I just hope that the next three days won't go by too fast!

Excited for SEPTEMBER!

Oh, can't you come any sooner? =D

After telling her I was bored the past few weeks recuperating, my sweet mother-in-law was kind enough to lend me her DVDs of Korean telenovelas. I did love the stories but as much as I try to understand Pinoy craze over K-pop male stars... I just can't.

I'm sorry. I guess it's all a matter of taste.

It's just that guys who look more feminine, more fashyon and prettier than me don't appeal to me at all. Mag e-exchange lang kami ng skin-care tips. Hehe.

I guess cutesy guys never appealed to me. I want my men to look like men. I want to know more about fashion than my man can ever know. I want my man to wear leather belts and not those thin colorful pleather ones with tight shorts (Que horror). I want my man a bit scruffy.

Well, whatever floats your boat. I guess this is what I get from alternately watching a Koreanovela and Spartacus these past days. Try doing that and tell me what would you prefer. ;)


Now, you can't help but feel like a woman next to this.

I'm so proud of you, Pooh.

I still remember when you were born. I was the first one to hold you.

I'm so proud to have spent your first two months on your side as your "other mommy." Waking up at wee hours, feeding and changing you, because of you, I discovered my "maternal instincts." My future baby is lucky because I was trained with you, hehe.

You are a sweet girl, I'm so proud of how you are becoming. Not all three year-olds let others blow their cake candles or open their gifts but you always share, even if its your day. It's just but natural to you.

You are a spunky little fireball and we all love your funny antics and most of all your free spirit.

I always love asking you, "Are you a Princess?" and you would always answer me "NO, I'm Cheska!" and for you, that explains everything, being Cheska is super enough. =)

I love you baby girl, my Cheskapooh, Happy third birthday!

*Random

I have this nagging feeling for the past weeks that I am not doing a good job being a wife right now.
I must admit Paolo makes it so easy for me to be a domesticated diva. He provides well, we are comfortable and at the same time I contribute and do my fair share.
And yet with all these being handed to me so easily, I feel like I haven’t been making the most out of everything.
There are so many projects waiting that I could have done since I hold my time and yet there I was thinking there will be more time in the future: a mistake we often make so easily.

I want to fix and redecorate both houses right now, I want to cook more for both of us, I want to de-clutter all our old stuff and remodel the master’s bedroom, I want fresh flowers in the house, I want the house to smell like Black Cherry and Snicker doodle just like in Downers’. I want to do something about the daily kitchen we have in my parents’ place. I just want to be more of a wife, maybe in its old-fashion sense.

It’s a wonder how we come up with the longest lists of things to do when we can’t do much at all. Lately, I feel like a candle being burnt from both ends.

Things will get better soon. =)

I just finished reading Samantha Sotto's book "Before Ever After." A lot of people say, it's too lyrical and there are too many metaphors but I guess "flowery" is my literary aesthetics, because it worked for me. I love googling the places she had written about and after putting the book down, I had this longing ache to go to Europe and an urge to embrace my husband for the longest time.

The book combines everything I like reading about: History, Travel, Magic and Romance. The story is magical. I am besotted.

"...Shelley pulled off her wedding ring, revealing the pale band of skin where the ring had embraced her every second of the last five years. She handed it to Paolo. "Look at the inscription."
"Now," Paolo read out aloud. Most People promise each other forever when they get married. Max and I promised each other Now.
"Why?"
"Because its breakable," "and the only thing you can really hold in your hands. It's where the gnomon's shadow falls on the sundial. Back then, I thought that it was romantic."
"And Now?"

"Now I realize that it was the only promise Max could make..."

What I've been up to.

Hello, world. I'm back from cocooning away. I bought a really cushy, nice mattress topper about two weeks ago that made my bed feel like a quilted marshmallow and truth be told, computing the number of hours I spent the past week on that bed was record-breaking. That includes sleeping, working on my laptop and making a few orders, yes working on my bed: just one of the perks of being my own boss.

But the thing is I was feeling sick and weak the past few days. Coupled that with homesickness and missing my family so much and top it off with rainy afternoons, I had no chance fighting the forces.

When I finally decided to emerge from a hole that I made in my bed, the hubby decided to make me a big, juicy steak. Paolo is a master-griller, in my opinion anyway. He makes the best steak rub that really makes the meat tender, a basic combination of pepper, salt, paprika, secret spices and his own magic. What a way to welcome me back to the flow. This more than made up for the weight I lost while I was sick. *Sigh. =/





I made my loaded mashed potatoes with beef gravy.



We don't go to SM North Edsa as much as I used to when i was younger but decided last Sunday on a whim to drop by again. After getting some sushi and gelato (Cafe Ti Amo's dark chocolate is to die for) I decided to drop by the bookstore in the former SM Annex.

I got three books: Parisian Chic by Ines de La Fressange, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto. I'm quite excited with Samantha Sotto's book because I've been reading good reviews about it and the fact that she's an ordinary Pinay housewife whisked to being Internationally published, well I just had to show my support and buy a copy. And of course, since I love notebooks, I had to buy a new Jordi Labanda. I miss writing on my journal and I'm determined to go back to my habit of writing everything on a whim. =)


Inspirations, inspirations. I need a big dose again.