UNO: PRE-NUP TEASERS

This is what happens when frustrated models do their photoshoots!

For photo services get in touch with my bro...

ULTRAGIRL FELT GOES BRIT

Can you spot the difference?

I was surfing the Topshop site and I saw this...

a.k.a. Velvet Look Peep Toe Pump

Looks alot like the Melissa shoes right? The one on top is £35.00. The one below is $79.00. I guess whatever rocks your boat right?

The original Ultragirl Felt

Defining "Tongue-in-Cheek"

Last Saturday at a friend's baby shower, my very pregnant friend mentioned this article to us. Actually, she was very passionate about it and we were scared it would cause her to go on labor! I remembered thinking I should look for the article so I could talk about it on my blog but somehow being sick and bedridden made me forget about it. Today I received an email from another friend with a link of a blog featuring the article.

The article was featured in People Asia Magazine entitled "From Boracay to Greece" written by Malu Fernandez. I'm copying from the blog my friend linked to, so to the owner of My Cebu Photoblog, thank you.

According to Ms. Fernandez, the article was ‘quite tongue-in-cheek’ and humorous. Pinoys and OFWs, however, think otherwise.

You decide.

The highlights of her article include:

“The duty-free shop was overrun with Filipino workers selling cell phones and perfume. Meanwhile, I wanted to slash my wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them.”

“While I was on the plane (where the seats were so small I had bruises on my legs), my only consolation was the entertainment on the small flat screen in front of me. But it was busted, so I heaved a sigh, popped my sleeping pills and dozed off to the sounds of gum chewing and endless yelling of “HOY! Kumusta ka na? At taga san ka? Domestic helper ka rin ba?” Translation: “Hey there? Where are you from? Are you a domestic helper as well?” I though I had died and God had sent me to my very own private hell.”

“On my way back, I had to bravely take the economy flight once more. This time I had already resigned myself to being trapped like a sardine in a sardine can with all these OFWs smelling of AXE and Charlie cologne while Jo Malone evaporated into thin air.”

A few days after the article was published, the magazine received emails from Pinoys and OFWs.

To defend herself, she wrote an equally (if not a more bigoted) article. She said:

“As I type this, I’d like you to know that it’s not about whining, complaining and bitching but just stating the facts. Just recently, I wrote a funny article in my magazine column and my friends thought it was hilarious. It was humorous and quite tongue-in-cheek, or at least I thought so, until the magazine got a few e-mails from people who didn’t get the meaning of my acerbic wit. The bottom line was just that I had offended the reader’s socioeconomic background. If any of these people actually read anything thicker then a magazine they would find it very funny. Most people don’t get the fact that they need bitches like me to shake up their world, otherwise their lives would be boring and mediocre. I obviously write for the a certain target audience and if what I write offends you, just stop reading.

Although it may sound elitist to you the fact is this country is built on the foundation of haves, have-nots and wannabes. One group will never get the culture of the other. Although I could mention that it is easier to understand someone who has a lower socioeconomic background that would entail a whole other page and frankly I don’t want to be someone to bridge the gap between socioeconomic classes. I leave that to the politicians in my family who believe they can actually help. Now I seriously ask you, am I being a diva or are people around me just lacking in common sense? Perhaps it’s a little of both!”

I can understand the anger my friend felt after reading this article. She's barely a year married with a child on the way and her husband is not here and won't even be here when she gives birth (which is actually any day now!) Why? Because her husband has chosen a difficult career path... that of working outside the country. For one, to help his parents and siblings. And now, to make sure his own little family will have a better future. To read something like this about OFWs is disappointing. For someone so educated this is damn stupid!

Did she ever try to understand the meaning of those three words?! Overseas Filipino Worker.

Oh, and while I was reading the blog I saw an update on this issue. Apparently Malu Fernandez says sorry and resigns from both People Asia Magazine and Manila Standard. Although the blog writer is uncertain of the authenticity of this report. For the whole details read more here. By the way, Ms. Malu, if ever you have another chance of writing something this outrageous, you might want to leave out a photo of yourself in your article.

MY GUILTY PLEASURE!

While some people sneak off to watch telenovelas on channel 2 and 7, my guilty pleasure is watching shows on the Disney channel. And my favorite Disney movie is High School Musical. I love Troy (Zac Efron) and Gabriella's (Vanessa Hudges) love team! So cute! But most of all, I love the bitchiness of Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale). Hahaha! Of course I love being contra bida.

A woman in her late 20's watching Disney movies... sigh!

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2 showing this September 9 on the Disney Channel.

Style Sister

Your Celebrity Style Twin is Gwen Stefani

Trendsetting, unique, and stylish.

Who's Your Celebrity Style Sister?

Gwen Stefani?! Why am I not surprised! Teehee!

ZARA @ MOA and other rainy day blahs...

Despite the heavy rains today I went to MOA or Mall of Asia for lunch. I saw Zara finally opened. I've been waiting for them since the mall opened last year! Although Zara Kids is not available there yet. The new season looks promising. I tried on some items, mostly from TRF. This is good news coz my office is just five minutes away but it definitely doesn't bode well for my wallet!

Oh, Manila Fashion Observer featured denim updates in her blog. Hot new jeans styles that you might also want to consider. About a week ago I did get one of the pairs she mentioned, the K Jeans from Topshop. I was actually choosing between that and the skinnies but I had enough skinnies already I decided to get K Jeans instead. I did ask some advice from MFO on what to match it with and I think I have one or two tops she suggested in my closet. I have yet to pick up my pants from the atelier coz it was a bit long. Maybe next weekend I can finally wear it!

It's pouring outside as I write this blog. Some offices sent home their employees already but we're such martyrs we're still here... grrr! My office has a nice view of the bay. I can't see it anymore, almost zero visibility. Grrr!

News Buzz... or something like it...

Sigh! Awful, awful past two months. Really swamped with work but at least my boss thought I did a good job on my project. Getting a "good" rating from him is difficult enough so it made me happy already. Flipside to all the stress is I lost weight! Hah! Combo of sleepless nights and emotional stress does that to me. Hopefully as my wedding draws near I won't regain all the weight I lost.

Anyhoo, I finally had time to read some fashion blogs. I'm happy Manila Fashion Observer has settled down somehow in her new home and started blogging again. Incidentally, she's also nominated for Best Shopping Blog in this year's Blogger's Choice Awards. Congrats! For those avid MFO readers, let's help her win! You can vote here.

So, I visited some of my fave sites... Shoewawa and Purseblog... and saw the new Louis Vuiton campaign with Scarlett Johansson as the new image model. The '07 Fall-Winter collection is quite awesome and now I'm wishing I had enough extra cash to get one or two of those yummy bags. But I have to say I'm not liking SarJo. Not really a big fan of her. I think her face lacks emotion and when I watch her on the big screen I don't feel anything. That's why I saw another LV ad I like better... check out picture below of Mikhail Gorbachev looking all pensive in his limo with a classic LV beside him. Read more of Gobachev's LV ad here.

From high fashion we go to street chic. Went to the ADMU-DLSU game a few weeks ago and a couple of rows below us were Doug Kramer and Cheska Garcia. Her outfit caught my eye... she was wearing a black tank top and a white high-waist shorts (which I know was from Topshop) and ballet flats. Really simple but chic. A few days later I did try similar pair of shorts from Topshop (it was a gray one) and surprisingly it looks nice on me! I'm kinda wary with the high-waist style coz I thought it made me look pudgy. But apparently high-waist shorts cut high enough even elongates my legs. Hmmm... Now I sent pics of shorts I saw at Wetseal to my Dad who is in the US right now for a wedding just in case he finds one.




Oh well, enough blogging for today. Back to regular programming.

Nokia warns of faulty phone batteries

HELSINKI, Finland - Nokia Corp. warned Tuesday that up to 46 million batteries used in some of its cell phones could be faulty and pose a risk of overheating.

The advisory applies to batteries manufactured by Matsushita from December 2005 to November 2006, the world's largest mobile phone maker said. Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. Ltd. of Japan is one of several suppliers that have together made some 300 million BL-5C batteries.

The lithium-ion battery is one of 14 different types of battery used in Nokia phones.

Nokia said 100 incidents of overheating of the Matsushita-made BL-5C batteries have been reported worldwide, but added that "no serious injuries or property damage have been reported."

"Consumers with a BL-5C battery subject to this advisory should note that all of the approximately 100 incidents have occurred while charging the battery," the Finnish company said. "According to Nokia's knowledge this issue does not affect any other use of the mobile device."

Nokia did not recall the batteries, but said concerned customers could request a replacement for any BL-5C battery affected by the advisory.

Last year, Sony Corp. recalled more than 10 million laptops after it discovered that lithium-ion batteries used in them could overheat and catch fire. The recalls included notebooks made by other major computer makers, including Dell Inc., Lenovo Inc., Apple Inc. and Acer Inc.

Nokia sells products in 130 countries and employs 110,000 people worldwide. In the second quarter, it sold 100 million mobile devices, claiming a 38 percent share of the global market.

(post taken from Yahoo more details can be found here)

p.s. I converted back to Sony Ericsson

Sigh!

For the past four days I've been bonding with my mom's laptop. My laptop finally died on me and I needed something to work on for the business plan I had to submit today. For the past two days I've been hiding away in one of the conference rooms in the office just so I could finish what I was doing without any interruptions. Stayed at the office til 9pm to finish the printing at and I just emailed the soft copy to my colleague a few minutes ago. I really feel sorry for myself already... I got home at 10 pm and had Lucky Me Pancit Canton for dinner.

Finally I'm done! I'm so happy! I plan to treat myself to a decent lunch tomorrow at MOA. Something cheap and cheerful coz sweldo is still a few days away...