Tis' The Season For Starbucks Planner

December is finally here- and while most people are busy rushing to find the perfect gifts for their loved ones this coming holiday season, some are busy collecting sticker stamps- for a Starbucks Planner that is.

Starbucks 2011 Planner

Every year, Starbucks comes up with different designs and themes for their annual promo that has millions rushing to every Starbucks coffee shop for a copy of their planner. The planners this year carry the the theme “My Third Place,” which refers to Starbucks as the place people have a special connection with, after home and work or school. The planners contain well-composed photos of different Starbucks stores in the Philippines, which gives it a more personal feel.

I have been an avid Starbucks goer for years now and I must admit I have been one of those people who constantly go to Starbucks everyday just to buy coffee, collect stickers and avail of their annual planners. If you compute for the actual price of the planner, it’s equals to 17 Starbucks drinks costing more than 2000 pesos. That equals to 2 planners from Fully Booked and almost 10 black organizers from National Bookstore. Starbucks Planners don't come cheap- in fact it's almost a collector's item if you manage to complete all three designs every year.

Ironically, most of the people who spends a large amount of time collecting these planners are the tech savvy and yuppie business-type socialites.These are people who owns smartphones and notebooks yet they take time to collect paper-based planners all for the glory of actually having one.

I've noticed (over years of spending time with Starbucks fanatics) that most people don't even use the planner. A lot are left blank or for display purposes only. The thrill of collecting Starbucks stickers has got everyone hyped to own one. People are addicted to numbers. Another reason behind this could be the status of owning a Starbucks Planner. Filipinos are brand conscious people- and the fact that you own a Starbucks planner kinda puts you up that level high in the pedestal (an image that makes you look like you go to Starbucks regularly even if you only go every December to collect stickers and spend the rest of the year saving enough money to spend the next December)

Whatever the reason maybe, no one can deny that Starbucks Planners are a hit in this nation. Years may come and years may go but people will always go to Starbucks just to own one of these. Have you started collecting your stickers? I'm about to avail mine. See you at Starbucks!

Spotted: B, C, N & D. MIA: S

Spotted: B with Dorota at Bergdorf’s buying a bunch of winter accessories.  She also picked up a totally cute hat for baby Ana.  Reunited friends N and D grabbing burgers at the Shake Shack.  So happy these two got kissed by the same girl and made up.  C entering his office building.  Word has it he’s been really busy with tons of meetings after his epic party.  MIA: S.  But I mean wouldn’t you be after all that went down at Saints and Sinners?

Serena was a very bad girl at the Saints and Sinners party.  It was like it was 2006 all over again.  Kissing two guys in one night, outing her BFF’s sexual escapades, S was definitely out of control.  Though it seemed pretty out of character for her.  Even old Serena wouldn’t do things that nefarious.  Oh, old Serena.  Remember her?  She was much more about just having fun.  At any cost, of course.  Wonder what’s up with S…But what I’m really wondering is, WHO IS SERENA CHOOSING: DAN OR NATE?!?!?!  An answer please!!

A Socialista's Dictionary

Let's get straight to the point. A true socialista knows brands like the back of their hands. For most of us (especially the uninformed), a socialista is someone who shops at Rustans and hangs out at Starbucks.

Spotting a true socialista takes more than catching them on their weekend shopping spree or partying on a Saturday night. The clothes they wear, the way they walk and the names that roll off their mouths are an indication that they are true blooded socialistas right from the start.

I was in Greenbelt 5 the other day looking at sexy underwear at Calvin Klein when these two ladies behind me started talking about a recent perfume they just bought.

Girl 1: "Oh I just love this new perfume I saw at Rustans the other day- smells so nice!"
Girl 2: "Really? What's the name of the perfume?"
Girl 1: "Jee-voooon-che! (Givenchy)"

I had to restrain myself from laughing at her statement. The ever so proud pasosyal girl has just mispronounced the name of a well known perfume brand! Can I call her a socialista? Of course not! She may know the brand but she sure doesn't know hoe to pronounce the name. In my book, knowing is so different from pronouncing. It's like English- learning the language is different from actually speaking it!

The brand names in the fashion world is a whole new different language. Lest you know how to spell it and pronounce it correctly, you can never really call yourself a socialista.

Here are just some of the most commonly mispronounced words and how their correct pronunciation. I spelled the syllables as easy as I could for better comprehension (in case some of you may still not get it)

• Givenchy – Jee-Vahn-Shee not Gee-Ven-Chee or Jee-voooon-che 
• Hermes – Er-Mes and not Her-Mey or Her-Mes
• Christian Louboutin – that’s Christian Loo-Vhoo-Tan not Loo-Boo-Teen,
• Shu Eumura – Shoo Ooy-Moo-Ra
• Yves Saint Laurent –  Eev-Sahnt-Lo-Ran or if you still can't pronounce it correctly just say YSL! 
• Christian Lacroix – pronounced as Christian Lak-Wa.
• Margiela – Mar-Zhey-La
• Emilio Pucci – it should be Poo-Chee not Poo-ki or Poo-see. 
• Moschino - Mos-Kee-No and not Mo-Shee-No
• Herve Leger - Er-Veh Ley-Jehr with a soft “R” on Leger.
• Balmain – Bahl-Mahn with a soft “N”.
• Lanvin - Lon-Vahn with soft “N” some actually pronounce it as Lan-Veen because people might not get what they're talking about. Both are equally acceptable.
• Guerlain - Ger-Lahn

There should be more on this list but these are basically the ones that are on top of my head and the most commonly mispronounced brand names- especially those that are in french. Like I mentioned before, even though you read them right, you can still make a mistake with the accent.

All I Want For Christmas

Christmas is in the air. Only 2 days before the month of December sets in but I could already feel the yuletide season as days go by. The malls are beautifully decorated with Christmas lanterns and Christmas carols are already being played  on the radio. Christmas has always been my favorites season and this Christmas would be a blast!

With Alvin and the Chipmunks singing Deck The Halls and Mariah Carey crooning All I Want For Christmas Is You, no one can deny that Christmas is just around the corner. It has been my tradition, even as a little kid to prepare a list of the things I wanted every Christmas. I remember when I was 8 years old, I'd write a letter to Santa enlisting all the toys I want to get for Christmas. Of course, in today's generation, nobody writes to Santa anymore- they e-mail it to his yahoo account all the way to the North Pole- and I can just imagine Saint Nick going through all the e-mails kids have sent him.

Have I been naught or nice? Definitely naughty. But that won't stop me from sending Santa my own Christmas wish list this year!

Nokia N810

1. First on my list is the new Nokia N810. This is the latest in Nokia's N Series and has only been out in the market for a couple of days. I love the fact that this mobile phone has 12 mega pixels camera- great for shooting awesome pictures anywhere I'll go. It has 16GB internal memory (for storing all those videos, music and pictures) and it allows the user to stay connected on the internet with it's wide-area wireless broadband capability. More over, it has large 4.13 inch touch screen and slide-out QWERTY keyboard that just looks stylish. I could go anywhere with this baby and this Christmas, this is on top of my list!

Canon 5D DSLR Camera

2. Next on my list is a Canon 5D DSLR camera. Noted as one of the best DSLR cameras in the market today with almost 39 mega pixels! Crisp and clear sharp images that can be enlarged to bigger sizes, and more flexibility when editing or cropping the images for finishing or printing. This camera requires 2 or 4 GB memory since all the pictures it will shoot are of high quality! Being a professional photographer, this camera for me is a must-have.

Apple MAC Air

 3. This Christmas I'm also eying on the Apple MAC Air. This has got to be one of the thinnest laptops ever produced in the market today! Easy to carry without the hassle (since this doesn't carry enough weight with it.) It has 13-inch LED which is great for viewing web pages and pictures. Plus, MAC gave this gadget a glossy finish which makes it stylish to lug around. I've seen may MAC laptops in the market- but this one caught my eye just like that.

Wonder Woman Action Figure Set

4. People may find this weird, but the kid inside of me will always want to be satisfied. I've been collecting action figures for a long time now and this Christmas, I'm intent on finally completing my ccollection with this hard to find collection series. This action figures came out last year but I didn't have the time to buy them all. I want all 4 action figures on this picture (Circe, Wonder Woman, Donna Troy & Diana Prince). If I get this collection this year, I could start off with my Batman collection starting next year.

Audi A8

5. Last but definitely not the least (and perhaps the most expensive item on my wish list) is the Audi A8 sports car. This baby was released recently and is the 4th generation. Audi A8 is full sized and is an excellent luxury sedan that exudes charm and beauty from its every core. It has a 372 hp with 4.2 liter V-8 that is 8-speed with transmission right under its hood. This is good enough to compete with Mercedes Benz 8 S class, Maserati Quattroporte, Lexus LS460, Jaguar XJ/XJL and BMW 7-series. Fast, classy and very expensive- I could not ask for a better car than the Audi A8!


There you have it dear Santa- my Christmas wish list this 2010. I love the stuff you gave me last Christmas but they're so last season already. You better start looking for my stuff now, I want them fresh and early this year. Thanks Santa! I'll be waiting for you down the chimney real soon!

Feels Like Insomnia

I am what most people would probably call a nocturnal creature. Looking back, that well recommended 8 hours of sleep has eluded almost all my life. When I was a kid, I could remember my mom and my dad forcing me to sleep in the afternoons. In college, my earliest bedtime would be 12MN and on a weekend... well it would be at 6AM after partying on a Friday or Saturday.

In those days, sleeping for a couple of hours is an advantage. It was a student's badge of honor- especially when cramming for exams, thesis, projects and power point presentations. But over the years, I noticed that my sleeping habits only got worse. The busier my schedule became, the later I slept. At first, less sleep was necessary. Being a socialite means that you're always at events, parties and social gatherings. These parties takes up more of my sleeping hours than it should- beginning at 9PM and almost ending at 5AM. Even when I go home and lay down in bed, my mind would be racing and on hyperactive mode. To make things worse, sometimes I would have such vivid dreams that it wouldn't feel like I slept at all.

Feels Like Insomnia

Sleeping (and the lack of it thereof) has never really bothered me in the past, but that was when I could sleep for just three to four hours and still have boundless energy afterward. It's a good thing that my lifestyle can be pretty flexible or otherwise I wouldn't have any sleep at all! These days, the habit is almost unbearable because I couldn't even sleep if I want to. This I believe is my body's way of telling me that it's time to change my habits- and fast!

Insomnia is a disturbance in nocturnal sleep patterns that causes adverse daytime consequences. It's common symptom is due to emotional and physical disorders. Some doctors may prescribe sleeping pills to cure Insomnia, but sometimes a drug still wouldn't work. I specifically hate the drowsiness that came afterwards like I have a sieve or something. I also tried acupuncture and getting a massage but to no effect at all. Some say it might even be depression- which of course does not apply to my lifestyle. I'm much too busy partying to be depressed!

So I figured, an alternate route may be the answer. My active mental state was probably the cause of it all. So what I did, is I relaxed and unwind properly to fall asleep. I abandoned my party lifestyle for 2 days just to get some well needed rest and relaxation. I started meditating while listening to music, switched my room lighting in the evening, bathed in warm water, minimized drinking soda (which is good for my diet as well), and got hooked on aromatherapy scents in my room.

I can't say that this means goodbye insomnia but it did helped quite a bit. I sleep better these days and I still have enough energy to get things done when I wake up without the hassle of the fuss.

Bravo For Brava

Whether you're looking to satisfy a sweet tooth (which is the main reason I go here), enjoy an aperitif before chowing down a sumptuous meal, or having a nightcap with your friends, there's no other place I'd recommend than Brava. Owned and started by restaurateur Abba Napa, Brava is one of the hot spots in this side of the metro. Located in the posh strip of The Fort in Taguig, Brava was initially put up to be a dessert bar and a pre- and post dinner place.

Brava At The Fort

Chocolate Truffles

I've discovered this place with one of my friends when we were at The Fort looking for a nice and relaxing place for a nightcap after some serious partying. Brava boasts a long list of cocktails and wines that you can never find anywhere else. A decadent white chocolate martini with rich dark chocolate coating the sides immediately got my attention. Being a chocolate lover, I would never pass out on this especially partnered with Brava's homemade chocolate truffles.

My friend ordered the fruity white wine sangria with cinnamon infused with vodka which tastes equally as good as my chocolate martini (without the chocolate of course.) Having satisfied by the rich flavors and blends of their cocktails, I couldn't resist tasting another- their famous mojito with an unnatural twist, spliced with ginger.

Choco-chili Martini

Most of the liquors served at Brava have been carefully aged according to one of the baristas I talked to. No wonder their wines tastes so good- and almost perfect. The cocktails have all been infused with different ingredients that help bring out the flavor of each concoction. I actually saw jars of fruits and spices soaked in alcohol in almost every nook and cranny of the bar. There's honeycomb drenched luxuriously in vodka or kaffir lime swimming in gin. I've never seen any of these and it all just completely amazes me!  I recognized some cayenne peppers sprinkled in their own alcohol blend ready to be used for the next choco-chilli martini.

For finger foods, Brava has truffle buttered popcorn and crispy parmegiano chips. There's also spicy polpo (that I just love to try if I haven't eaten a whopping dinner before we went out), baby octopus, and gnocchi spinaci which are basically little balls of flavor drenched in truffle cream. I found out that on certain evenings of the week (thanks to Albert Opeña the bar tender), Brava offers a buffet of all you can eat and drink! Wow- that is just so good. Too bad it's the weekend or I would have tried those as well.

Brava truly has everything for a certified socialista; the big surprise here is that the food and drinks don't cost that much at all as you would expect in classy place like this. Between me and my friend, we only spent 750Php for a delectable late night evening at Brava!

I Find Therapy In Dark Mocha Frap

Okay I admit- I'm a coffee addict. I just can't resist going to Starbucks and Seattle's Best for a cup of coffee. There should be a support group for this like Alcoholics Anonymous or something. I don't know but there's just a certain appeal to me with all these coffee shops sprouting all over the metro. Recently I find myself going to different coffee shops looking for the best tasting coffee and then I found out that Starbucks finally made their season only Dark Mocha Frappuccino a regular on the menu. So now I'm like wow- happy times are back again!

Starbucks Dark Mocha Frappuccino

Starbucks Dark Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee uses the finest arabica coffee, pure dark cocoa and sweet chocolaty bits! As a chocoholic and certified chocolate lover- this cup is like heaven for me!

I find therapy by just going to Starbucks and sipping Dark Mocha Frappuccino. Whenever I'm depressed or I'm just not in the mood for people- you'll find me nowhere else but sitting at a Starbucks enjoying my frap. Even while watching Gossp Girl on T.V. you'll find me with a Venti Dark Mocha Frap on hand.While working on my blog, coordinating events or being in the event itself, I never forget to bring a Starbucks Dark Mocha Frap with me. It keeps me refreshed, focused, happy and stress free (and no- I don't sound like a bad commercial on T.V.)

The simple pleasures of life comes in small things. Sometimes, we just need to pause and look around us to see that what we need is just around the corner. That's why you can find a Starbucks just about anywhere you go.

The Power Of One

Eating alone and as often as I could is one of my guilty pleasures. Being a socialite means having to be around people all the time, so whenever I get the opportunity to be by myself I take it down by spending time with me, myself and I. Some people may found my habit pat. I would slip out of the crowd to grab a some coffee and just be on my own for a couple of hours. Being gone for a while- even for just a few hours is part of the romance. I would be right there in a restaurant all by myself by the window watching people go by. Sometimes I would laugh quietly when i see something funny- there's magic just by observing people doing their everyday routine.

Eating out alone is no big deal for me (especially with my lifestyle). Some people may find it weird and a lot of my friends would call you an outcast if you're ever found alone in public. To them, it's like picking your nose in public or barfing loudly inside a restaurant. On some occasions, I would run into an old friend and he would ask "You're all by yourself?". I would simply smile and reply "yes." Then he would look around as if looking for something and ask again "Where are your band of followers and admirers?"

To some people, eating out alone is like total social destruction. Sometimes (but not all the time- I still have friends you know) even if I can get some company, I'd still choose to hang out on my own. It's a universal thing and reality is there would always be occasions when  I would have no choice but to just hang out alone. Most people would regard this a very difficult situation to be in because society has brainwashed people into thinking that no man is an island.

I consider my alone time as my private time- away from my hectic schedule when I can just sit back, relax and think. This is when I can gather my thoughts and let the writer in me kick in. I think about different possible subjects I can write on my blog or just simply contemplate on which party I should go to next. Every human being- even celebrities can get tired of being with the crowd all the time. I am no different from any of them. I'd rather be on my own than with bad company or when I'm too distracted to even listen. These are the moments that give me clarity, focus and relaxation; just on my own and observing (or most of the time criticizing) people.

But don't get me wrong. I am so not an outcast. There are many times that I do enjoy being in the company of my friends and loved ones. There are times and places where it's okay to be alone, and there are those where it's not okay to be by yourself. A coffee house (not Starbucks) is a good place to be alone but I would NEVER show up in a party or event unescorted.

For location, I cross out crowded mall food courts, date-friendly and family-friendly restaurants. The best place to chill out on my own are coffee shops, hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and even hotel restaurants. I usually frequent a few favorite spots where writers like myself and artistic people go to think, sip my latte and read or write.

In many circumstances, being by myself can be fun. But in the end, no one is alone forever, and that is also something I find comfort in.

On FrontRow Seat

It was 4 O' Clock in the morning and I was browsing through some ad campaigns on the net for Below-The-Line Advertising Companies in attempt to change careers and create my own path in to becoming an Event Coordinator (Party Job!). For years now, I have been dreaming and wanting to find opportunities that would land me a good stable job in the advertising industry. I thought that this season would be the perfect time for me to look into that option and maybe- just maybe acquire a position in any of the top advertising companies that are hiring these days.
A few minutes later, a message on my Facebook account popped up in bold red letters:

One of my old friends sent me this invite to attend a one night only fashion and business event by FrontRow Enterprise in Tomas Morato, Quezon City. Just in time baby- I was looking into breaking through and here I am with an exclusive invite to one of the top advertising and marketing arm of ABS CBN. FrontRow has just opened up it's doors to the rest of the world!

The Models Of FrontRow

FRONTROW Enterprise Philippines, Inc. (FRONTROW) is a dynamic and rapidly expanding modeling, marketing and advertising company in the Philippines today. It is a 100 percent Filipino owned corporation spearheaded by two of the most-promising new-breeds of entrepreneurs, Raymond 'RS' Francisco and Samuel Verzosa.

RS Francisco & Samuel Verzosa

As new blood of businessmen, they introduced a new formula for success in the multi-level marketing industry in order to build a more forward-driven company that is FRONTROW. The company was hailed in the 2010 Philippines Yearbook: The All New Power 88 as the hottest multi-level marketing firm of today's generation.

Since the boom of the vanity industry earlier this decade, more and more Filipinos, both men and women are opening their options to beauty enhancements and treatments making it a very lucrative playground for radical capitalists. With these trends, FRONTROW has positioned itself in the forefront and is emerging as the new face of multi-level marketing and advertising industry. As a young company, FRONTROW has already received recognition in the business sector because of its competency and increasing membership of more than 5000 members all over the Philippines.

Cristina Garcia Is FrontRow

Cristina Garcia (42 years old if you would believe it) is the current face and image model of FRONTROW Dare To Be In Front Campaign. Just recently she was hailed as the “Hottest New York Based Filipina Super Model” (FHM USA).

The event has been like a complete success. With celebrities and invited guests coming from all directions, Tomas Morato was filled to the brim with the most beautiful people in the metro. Too bad I wasn't able to bring my trusty camera or I would have loved to have some of my own personal shots taken with these gorgeous people and celebrities. Fortunately for me, my old friend (who shall remain nameless in case these pictures were copyrighted ) I was able to grab some stolen shots to make me remember the fabulous time I had tonight.

Partying Up A Storm In Tomas Morato

So until my next party in the metro... ciao for now upper east side!

Season 4 Throws A Loop On Chair

Despite Chuck and Blair's breakup on episode 9: The Witches of Bushwick, many fans remain hopeful that the Gossip Girl couple will, as Mr. Bass predicted, find their way back to each other in the end.

I have always thought that Chuck and Blair make an awesome couple but it seems that their short but sorely missed love affair in Season 3 is a thing of the past. Chuck's womanizing days were over ever since he and Blair became a couple and Blair has somewhat tamed down a bit from her devious ways (much to my disappointment. I've always loved Blair for being a bitch). But the turn of events (recounting the final episode of Season 3: Last Tango, Then Paris) signaled the end of their much talked about love affair.

Mean Little Jenny Humphrey

From Chuck sleeping with Jenny (I've come to really hate her for this), to the arrival of the super bitch Georgina Sparks, Gossip Girl has taken it's characters to a new direction we didn't expect to see.

From Paris to New York, Gossip Girl fans have waited to see the reunion of Chuck & Blair. Even with Eva on the side, I expected Blair to run straight to the arms of Chuck when she found out he was shot from refusing to give some bloody muggers the ring he has for Blair.


The Chuck & Blair reunion in Paris took my breath away. For me, this was one of the most romantic scenes ever on television. Forget Romeo & Juliet- Chuck & Blair are the modern-day Rhett Butler and Scarlet O' Hara!

Blair and Chuck Reunited In Paris

Blair: Just because you're poorly dressed doesn't mean you're not Chuck Bass.
Chuck: Why would I want to be him? 
Blair: You should have told me you were shot.
Chuck: I'm surprised you didn't shoot me yourself.
Blair: I have. Many times, in my dreams. The good ones.

Chuck:  I thought it would be easier if I disapear. Your world would be easier without me in it
Blair: You're right. But my world wouldn't be my world without you in it

Blair: I don't love you anymore. But it takes more than even you to destroy a Blair Waldorf


As the new episode: Gaslit unfolds, we will see a new girl in the arms.

Jessica Szohr (Vanessa Abrams)

Jessica Szohr (Vanessa Abrams) recently said in her blog that a new girl will be found in Chuck Bass's arms. "We have another guest star coming on, which is amazing,.She starts to date Chuck Bass, which is exciting because everyone wants Chuck and Blair together. This someone throws a little loop in their relationship, or throws everyone, actually."




Still, don't expect his new girlfriend to be welcomed with open arms.

Any theories about who Chuck will date, and what said "loop" is?