The Bag Hag Diaries

Fashion Week Simpsons?

2012-01-28T18:59:00.000+08:00

So Couture Week just ended, and in a few weeks it's womenswear Fashion Week once again. This has to be the best homage/ tribute to our favorite people in fashion. In the style of Matt Groening's Simpson family, illustrator Alexsander Palombo created these little 'uns! :) Can you guess who is who? :)

Love them! My friend Peter says they'd be cool on t-shirts... or on underwear for that matter LOL *where do you think will these images be placed if they were to appear on underwear? :D* .

Have a happy Saturday! I feel rather ill this weekend because of my asthma attacks over the last few days, so I should just take it easy for a bit!

Credit: The Daily Mail

TheBagHag

The Karl Kollection

2012-01-27T10:27:00.003+08:00

Karl Lagerfeld's Collection is out on Net-a-Porter!

Here are some of the goodies still available for purchase-- and hurry because the first batch has already sold out!

I like: Sequined Poplin Collar

To give that extra oomph to a plain tee!

And then of course, the Karl Large Printed Canvas Tote. This is the more expensive version as the £21 one was sold out as soon as the site went live.

I think this is a nice schlepping bag! I don't appreciate white as much since I can get the bag dirty in less than 5 seconds, but since this is made of canvas, I'm pretty certain it is washable, so no worries on getting the bag dirty :)

Shop the Karl Collection on Net-a-Porter now!

TheBagHag

Bag Steal Alert: Mulberry Tillie Satchel

2012-01-26T13:09:00.000+08:00

OMG, if you've been waiting to own a Mulberry bag and are waiting for some special deal on one, this is your chance!!

The Outnet has the Mulberry Tillie Satchel on sale now at 45% off its original price!

This is actually a fantastic color to own too as it is neutral and can work with almost anything in your wardrobe! The bag is currently just under £500 from its original price of £905! This is a very good bag. The brief- satchel is still so on- trend so you're really getting yourself a sweet deal! There is only one bag there, so if I were you, take it now!

Purchase the Mulberry Tillie Satchel HERE now!

x
TheBagHag

SO Kelly SO Pretty!

2012-01-26T12:23:00.001+08:00

Let me be honest. The Hermes SO Kelly never really appealed to me when it first came out back in 2008. But seeing a bi- colored one just made me change my mind. I am particularly loving this bag in the white- blue combination. It is really SO pretty!

I can imagine carrying this bag for when I take a nice cruise along the Italian coast or hey, the French Riviera on someone's nice, big yacht *LOL ok it's free to dream*

Some people argued that the bag is a tad heavy, but then it's also because the bag packs plenty and well, if your bag's big, the tendency there is to fit your whole house inside it *fess up-- because this happens to me too*.

If you happen to chance upon a bi- colored SO kelly, I think you should seriously consider the bag. As of late, popular Hermes bags like the birkin, kelly, lindy, victoria, and yes, the SO kelly are difficult to get. So, go for it!

TheBagHag

It's Electric!

2012-01-25T14:22:00.003+08:00

Oh yes, it's another Kardashian post. Can't help it as this family is ALWAYS in the news! People may hate their overexposure, but this only gives me a chance to check out their bags. And today, they did not disappoint ;)

I love the bleu electrique color of Hermes as it pops in photos, and apparently they do too :)

Mama Jenner's birkin in electric blue

Now if you can't get yourself on the list for that Hermes bag, try this other equally gorgeous blue colored bag:

Jason Wu Chain Strap Leather Bag

Really nice color, no? :) Loooove it!!! Available at Net-A-Porter.

x
TheBagHag

Chinese New Year's Eve at the Mandarin Oriental Manila

2012-01-24T00:48:00.000+08:00

Before anything else, I apologize for my blogging delinquency. I had a very late night over the Chinese New Year's Eve and a rather early morning the day after. It was an extremely satisfying day but I can't really talk much about that until perhaps a month later :) *Yes, something exciting is happening!*

Now I meant to mention the fantastic Chinese New Year celebrations over at the Mandarin Oriental Manila the other night...

While Katy Perry had her Firework concert, Mandarin Oriental had fireworks by Enchanted Kingdom :)

Dotting of the eyes of the lions and dragons were done by Philippine Vice President Jojo Binay with Mandarin Oriental Manila GM Mark Bradford, and Master Joseph Chau

Earlier that evening, I had the chance to meet the VP of the Philippines, with his wife. It was my first time to meet him :D

Seated, VP Jojo Binay and Dr. Binay. Standing: Charisse Chuidian of Mandarin Oriental Manila & myself

LOL I made sure I wore golden yellow and hah, not forget to add that element of red- orange. I even wore golden glitter Miu Mius just to make sure I get to bring home some luck ;)"Fat, fat, fat!!" or "Luck Luck Luck" please :)

Anyway, back to the outdoors, Master Chau conducted a blessing ceremony for the crowd.

The event was hosted by Tim Yap and Tessa Valdez (love the outfit + headpiece!!)

It was a spectacular show which was followed by arguably one of the best Chinese meals I've ever had in a hotel. Kudos to F&B Director Chico Angeles! The meal was really something to write home about!

Lucky Dragon Centerpiece!

The 8- course Lucky Lauriat Meal began with servings of the Five Happiness Combination Platter, a symbol of bountiful harvest and family togetherness!

And ended on a very sweet note: The tikoy or nian gao and the sticky mango with coconut "crepe".

Entertainment this year was by Black Theatre which also had a personalized show which showcased the different Mandarin Oriental hotels in the world. I had great fun at this event, and the show mounted was really very entertaining, and the food, undeniably top notch!

Entertainment by Black Theater

Congratulations to the Mandarin Oriental Manila team for this extremely successful event! You guys really outdid yourselves this year! Everything was perfect!!

x
TheBagHag

Lucky Colors/ Stones for Chinese New Year, 2012!

2012-01-22T16:27:00.001+08:00

Thought it would be appropriate to post this "chart"/ guideline for peeps who are interested in their animal signs, zodiac signs, and the forecast colors/ stones for the 2012 Year of the Water Dragon. All these crystals are supposedly meant to help enhance luck, prosperity, wealth, safety. Of course at the end of the day, we all create our own "luck" and destiny, but it doesn't hurt to have a few charms here and there. Oh and one more very important thing: the main key is always HARD WORK! :)

Enjoy looking through this, and special thanks to Accessory Lab for allowing me to share this with you all :)

For your ZODIAC sign

For your ANIMAL sign

Accessory Lab has these crystals and stones available, so don't hesitate to call them at (+632) 890-9011. Or visit them at 2/F Rockwell Powerplant Mall, Makati City Philippines

I'm off to celebrate Chinese New Year tonight at the Mandarin Oriental Manila Hotel! Who else will be there? I hope I bump into you peeps! Give me a shoutout on Twitter !! :)

KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!!!

TheBagHag

Their Royal Blingnesses!

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000+08:00

Whoa sparkling sparklers overload!!! The Queen of Denmark celebrated her 40th year on the throne by throwing this lavish gala which was very well- attended by them Royal neighbors. And ahh to pay homage to the queen, one must come in her best!

And so they all have!

American heiress and wife of Prince Pavlos of Greece, Marie Chantal Miller it seems, is wearing JAR earrings-- and I hope I'm right when I assumed that. The design is very JAR. And it's beautiful!! I love her tiara too, although the pipe cleaner color might have been a shade too light which made the tiara look like it was floating over her head (like there's too much space between the tiara and the hair).

Princess Mary of Denmark who outshone the younger set of royals with that ruby parure which once belonged to Prince Frederick's grandmum

I love the sapphire necklace on Queen Silvia (I love blue...)

Whoooaaaw, emerald cabochons! Anne- Marie of Greece brought out those green rocks!

Norwegian Queen Sonja wore emeralds as well. Wouldn't mind wearing the necklace (not the tiara though haha).

Crown Princess Mette Marit of Norway has the smallest tiara. I think she deserves something bigger already :D But it's a very pretty tiara anyway.

And there you have it, a lot of bling for Saturday. Makes me get all excited about the Queen of England's Jubilee celebration which will also see her jewels on display. That's this year, ladies (and gents)! And hah, I'm definitely setting a date with fellow bling lovers (shout out to @FashionOffice) to see the exhibit in London!

Photo credits: Getty Images and The Daily Mail

x
TheBagHag

Bag Style: Pippa Middleton and Loewe

2012-01-20T11:13:00.000+08:00

Ok I'll be honest. I've never really been a great fan of Pippa Middleton when it comes to the looks and style department. I think her sister is far more gorgeous than she. But I have to say, I love this lady's choice of a bag!

Pippa and her Loewe Amazona bag.

Photo credit: Google images

Color blocking on bags gets pretty tricky, but I think Loewe nailed it pretty well with this particular color combination. I love it! The style itself has won points ever since I first laid eyes on it-- over 15 years ago with my mom's own suede Loewe bag. The Amazona is a classic. And definitely worth the purchase.

Find them on the Loewe website and on DFS.

x
TheBagHag

Bag Review: Diane Von Furstenberg Sporty Drew Tote

2012-01-19T03:41:00.000+08:00

Yay! A bag review once again! It's long overdue, actually. So what better bag to debut than this Diane Von Furstenberg Sporty Drew Python- Effect Leather Tote!

I approve, I approve, I apppprove!! If you find carrying a bag made with natural python skin quite offensive, then I suggest getting this faux python bag instead. Neutral colors of gray and white with black with a fluo pink detachable strap? Very on- trend! Perfect for a sporty weekend or even for a business lunch (Take off the fluo strap if it's a formal business lunch... or if you want to make that statement? Keep it there! :D)

I love that this bag does not in any way "overpower" like other fluo- trimmed bags. A little dose of *detachable* fluo can go a long way, so color- wise, this bag wins major points for versatility. I am personally loving it!

This Diane Von Furstenberg Sporty Drew Python- Effect Leather Tote is now available for purchase at Net-A-Porter.

Have a nice day, everyone :)

x
TheBagHag

Hair- Raising Walk of Shame!

2012-01-18T04:48:00.000+08:00

Every so often, I go through my photo album and stare at some photos of myself and laugh out loud (while I'm alone. Yes, I know I am very silly LOL). I have a lot of photos of other people (mostly of friends, family, and models haha), and little photos of myself. You see, I'm not exactly what you call a photographer's dream subject. Nor do I deem myself worthy enough to star in my very own style blog (I think it would be tough to convince someone to take my photos daily without that person cringing each time I ask to have photos taken LOL... oh and I don't have a budget to pay for a photographer either haha ~~I know, loser~~).

The job of those girls who appear daily on their style blog? Not easy at all! Some of you may laugh at what they do. I admit on rare occasions I do too but only because I cannot see myself doing what they do-- and not for lack of trying either! I keeled over with laughter when I saw the photos my friend took of me once as I did those style blogger "poses"-- and obviously those photos never made it to this blog LOL (really, I was too ashamed to publish them-- in fact, I deleted them. ASAP. I get a stomach ache everytime I remember them-- because I laugh too hard and too much! Yes, it was THAT bad haha).

You see, to have a successful style blog, you not only have to look fantastic, you also have to know how to "act" and well, "emote" for those money shots! But on today's post, the "style" photos that you see below are really waiting to be published. They can't be put to waste by not being published! LOL. I'm only too glad that there are photography enthusiasts (and a pro) who helped capture the moment. To Geolette, Gabby, Cindy, Mycke, and Ria, thank you for allowing these photos to "happen" LOL.

Before the photos, the story: I had a super fun magazine shoot yesterday and we decided to have hair and makeup done at Shu Uemura in Rockwell Power Plant instead of having it done at my friend Claudette's place (who so kindly lent me her flat) at Rockwell. So after hair and makeup was complete, Ria (from the magazine), Mycke (hair stylist), Cindy (makeup artist), and I walked across the street to go to the other building. You might think it's just another "walk", but I tell you this was not an ordinary walk. I got stared at, and short of me asking those people who stared "whatcha looking at?", I'm sure chuckles would've been heard had they not tried to pacify their laughter. :D

After all, it's not often you'd see me this way (or any other woman for that matter). THIS was what passer-by, security guys, mall goers, and motorists saw: My hair- ~~raising~~ curling walk of shame :D

Like the hair? Oh yes, I walked with a straight face while these curlers or rollers or whatever they're called these days were velcro'd to the hair on my head. LOL

Ahhh my crowning gloooorrryyy :) And I werq'd it!!! LOL

And since this is to be my official "style" post, might as well include a close- up of my accessories :D

Tod's animal print booties, Fendi chameleon

I had a hoot with this! But that doesn't mean I'm ready to take photos of what I wear everyday. I really can't "emote" (and then there's the issue of what I wear daily... hmmm... ok, I digress LOL)

The team who put up with my hair- curling street style photo session LOL-- for a souvenir shot :)

Photographer Gabby Cantero, Metro Magazine's Geolette Esguerra, The Bag Hag, Metro Magazine's Ria Gamboa, Makeup Artist Cindy Pineda, Hair Stylist Mycke Arcano

I shall never forget my walk of shame yesterday :) It was hilarious, but it was sooo much fun :) And how was your day?

Photo credits: Ria Gamboa

TheBagHag

At the Golden Globes

2012-01-17T00:29:00.007+08:00

Don't worry, this post is not going to be a lengthy discussion about who wore what and who didn't wear what well. I'll let the other style/ celebrity blogs do that because they are just much better at it than I :)

But here are some of my memorables:

I mean, it's Angie! How can it not be good? ( And oh yeah: she also has Brad Pitt. ~~Smacks self in the forehead~~)

P.S. Did you guys see the SIZE of Angie's diamond earrings? *Jaw drops*

Here comes the bride... A sign of things to come for Jessica Biel? :) I loved her in it though!

Another lovely goddess, Charlize Theron.

Umm... Yes, I know it's Erin Wasson. But still, No. NO!

Hey Madge, channeling the Kaiser now? I want to know what's with the one-hand-only fingerless glove.

What a beautiful couple! That color and the silhouette looks fantastic on Natalie Portman. I love her :)

There are more images I'd love to upload, so perhaps if I've the time later, I shall! :)

Photo Credits: Getty Images, AFP

x
TheBagHag

Random Shots on a Monday

2012-01-16T12:58:00.000+08:00

I was in Greenbelt, Makati the other day and thought of popping by one of my favorite shops, AC+632, run by Chito Vijandre and Ricky Toledo. Their main vitrine says it all-- it leaves little else to be desired, non? :)

The main vitrine

Loving everything featured! Here are the details:

Chito and Ricky are so creative (And haha, I am still hoping I can convince Chito to make a ~~not-so-~~ little outfit for me to wear some day). I just have to say that I love this store. And I wanted to share these beautiful images of their window with you all.

Have a great Monday, everyone :) It's going to be another crazy busy week-- hope it's a productive one for you all!

x
TheBagHag

Food Blog: Cafe Publico, Greenhills

2012-01-15T11:37:00.001+08:00

I don't have a sweet tooth. Not really. Unless the sweets I have tasted are really, really good. And then I binge LOL. I know it's not exactly healthy, which is also why I make sure to get some kind of exercise done now *hola, I am no spring chicken anymore LOL*.

Last December 2011, our friend Peter's own gelato place finally opened. I have always liked Peter not only because he is really a fun person to hang out with, but also because he is so creative and really brilliant. I take so much inspiration from this guy. So when he invited us over to his place called Cafe Publico, I expected excellence. Because ever since I have known Peter, I have never been disappointed.

True enough, Peter proves his brilliance and creativity in Cafe Publico.

Located at the 2nd floor of The Promenade in the Greenhills Shopping Center in Manila (wedged between Gerry's Grill and Little Asia), this not-so-little "cafe" transported me back to Italia! And Peter singlehandedly designed the interiors of the cafe as well. (Note to self: Ask Peter to work on the interiors of my ~~phantom~~ house one day LOL)

I loved the details of this place!

From the outdoor "welcome" mosaic

The counter top

Little touches like these

The faux windows with storm shutters

How clever to have that chess table and that "cathedral" door :)

An ice cream cart for a counter! *Peter, I want one of these!!!* :D

Ok enough about the ambiance, let's talk about my favorite gelato flavors :) One thing I know about Peter when it comes to food, he never scrimps on ingredients so the flavors are sure to be excellent-- we're talking superior quality here!

Mmmmm.... !!!!

I loooved how this peppermint candycane flavored gelato was renamed Toothpaste. Apparently a little boy named Paolo loved the flavor so much because it reminded him of his favorite toothpaste LOL! And though I raised my eyebrow at the thought of having toothpaste- flavored gelato, this flavor is actually a bestseller!!! :) And yes, it was very refreshing, and very good!! :D

Hilarious name! But it's no laughing matter-- because it's a bestseller!! :)

One of the newest flavors, this Cream for the Gods gelato tastes like cookie dough with cookie crumbs and chocolate :) Very creamy!!

This is really sooo sinful and soooo good! It's one of those flavors that you should get if you want to reward yourself. I love it-- it's so rich! Undeniably Ferrero!

Always my favorite, Thai Milk Tea! *Also the favorite of many!*

Another crowd favorite, the Chocolate Fudge. I was surprised that this flavor was quite light and not as sweet! It's chocolate fudge without the guilty feeling of having chocolate fudge! VERY good!

My other favorites include the Swiss Alps (milk and mint flavor) which feels very light and refreshing, and Peanut Butter & Jelly. You HAVE to try Peanut Butter & Jelly. I was honestly not a big fan of Peanut Butter but wow, this flavor made me crave for seconds!! There I was thinking I should hold back on having seconds (haha I felt guilty) when I saw this young man happily digging into his large cup full of gelato!

I asked him "Can you finish THAT?!" He said without hesitation "Of course!!!"

And his beautiful sister named Emmanuelle (I love that name! *Nice to meet you!*) also took to a large cupful of gelato!

Ahhh to be young and have a large cup of gelato! Heaven :)

It was a sign to have my 2nd cup. So yes, I did end up with 2 cups of gelato. And who served it for me? Peter, of course! Haha, that's Service with a capital S :)

Now, if you don't have a sweet tooth (or you haven't discovered that you do), you can also try the new pastas (I have yet to try them) or the savoury crisps and dips that they offer. May I recommend the Chicken Liver Paté with breadsticks *I had 2 orders of those on my last visit LOL*.

Cafe Publico is located on the 2nd floor of the Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center-- in between Little Asia and Gerry's Grill. For more information, call (+632) 919- 0519, follow Cafe Publico on Twitter, and like them on Facebook!

TheBagHag

A Beautiful Baby Shower

2012-01-14T21:57:00.011+08:00

Yay! I managed to write another post before the night is over :) This afternoon, I was grateful to have been invited to the baby shower for beautiful couple Grace and Felix.

Grace looked fantastic! And Felix as always, looked very cool!

It was held at one of the large function rooms at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel.

My old friend Barbie Tiangco worked her wonders on the venue, making it ultra girly and French chic!

Eiffel Tower centerpiece made entirely out of rolled newspapers, and decorated with fresh flowers

Oh the sweets on this table!! <3

It was an all- girls- only affair *except for Felix haha* :)

The sexy mama- to- be, flanked by her good friends Joan and Small

The afternoon also gave me the opportunity to catch up with an old childhood friend, as well as my DK's godmum who is also responsible for the beautiful décor for today's event, Barbie!

With Sam and Barbie

Oh and did I mention it also gave me the opportunity to stare at the bags of the lovely guests? :) *MAJOR ogling happened!*

Here are some of the bags I managed to take photos of. I was overwhelmed LOL!

Hermes birkin in tosca

Not one, but TWO Hermes Himalayan Crocodile Birkins-- one in 30cm, the other 35cm

A 25cm Hermes shiny crocodile birkin in violet

Major colorblocking love on this Loewe Amazona

Congratulations, Grace and Felix! I can't wait to meet your baby girl-- soon! :)

P.S. Thanks to Small and Grace for today. I am still on a "bag- high" from your event! Oh, and am still full from the meal! LOL

x
TheBagHag

On Baby Feet...

2012-01-14T12:20:00.000+08:00

I had a great time with my brother's wife last night as we ended up together with our children for dinner, and it was another wonderful opportunity for me to see my super cute 5- month old goddaughter/ niece again. When I saw my sister- in- law bring out a pair of tiny little shoes for my niece to wear (to show me), I shrieked with delight. I can't not share what I saw on her feet :)

Here they are:

My sis- in- law urged me to inspect the cute shoes *very soft "heels" which are not meant for standing up at all*, and haha, this allowed me to appreciate the teeny tiny folds in my little niece's feet and ankles *apart from the shoes!!* :)

Style shot!

I looove that our little girl has already started her leopard print collection this early in life! :) Two thumbs up for these super cute shoes!! They could very well give the Mulberry Leopard Print Pumps some serious competition LOL

Available now at Net-A-Porter

Have a great Saturday, everyone! And I hope you get a good giggle out of my niece's super cute little feet ;)

x
TheBagHag

How to Color- Coordinate Your Wardrobe with Your Bag...

2012-01-13T23:56:00.002+08:00

Hi folks! I'm so sorry I wasn't able to write a proper post today as I was nowhere near my laptop the whole day to have written something. What made it worse is that my Blackberry phone (which I have been so close to hurling across the room) hasn't been cooperative and has been releasing a series of error messages-- that, coupled with the questionable 3G service of my telecom provider made for a nearly internet-less day. And yes, I was almost going into withdrawal LOL.

Anyway, let me just make this quick and repost my story for my Philippine Daily Inquirer column today as I think that this topic is a valid one. Believe me, I too, have difficulty with color- coordinating!

Read the full story HERE on the Philippine Daily Inquirer's online edition. Hope you enjoyed it. Will do a good post for you all tomorrow. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy your Friday and get to do some "unwinding!" It was a long week for me and I look forward to the weekend for some much- needed R & R :)

TheBagHag

Your Chinese Animal Sign Fortune for 2012!

2012-01-12T15:03:00.001+08:00

As I have mentioned in my previous blog entry, the best place to be during the Chinese New Year's Eve on January 22 is at the Mandarin Oriental Manila, where you will not only be treated to the auspicious festivities to ring in the new year as well as a fantastic midnight lauriat dinner worth writing home about, you will also be given the year's forecast by renowned Hong Kong- based geomancer, Master Joseph Chau Kam Shing. You might want to already make a reservation at the Mandarin Oriental Manila for this event because it gets booked up pretty fast. For reservations, call (+632) 750-8888.

And now as promised, I am sharing the highlights from Master Chau's Year of the Water Dragon forecast for all the animal signs :) Enjoy this one (because I really did-- and though I was not into these horoscopes and predictions in the past, for some reason I've really taken to them in more recent years-- I use these as guidelines on to how to plan my year. And it has helped in a tremendous way-- it doesn't hurt to have these "guidelines", right? :D)

P.S. Apart from the years indicated in each animal sign, the numbers you see represent the LUNAR months (not Western months). Be guided accordingly :)

And the Feng Shui Chart (with directions). There are "measures" and charms to prevent or avert disasters. If you want to know more about them, do join the Mandarin Oriental Manila Chinese New Year's Eve celebrations. Master Joseph Chau will tell us more about it then :)

x
TheBagHag

Chinese New Year Celebration at The Mandarin Oriental, Manila!

2012-01-11T15:59:00.001+08:00

I can't believe Chinese New Year comes early this year-- the eve of the new Year of the Water Dragon is on the 22nd of January, which means it's time to book your celebratory dinner banquet spots at the Mandarin Oriental Manila. If the past years were any indication of how much fun the celebration is going to be, it'll be even better this year because the hotel welcomes the year of the Dragon (Like most of my married girl friends, I keep getting told that I should have another baby this year-- so I'll have a "lucky" Dragon baby LOL... ohhhkaaaay!). And during Chinese New Year's eve, the only place to be is really at The Mandarin Oriental, Manila.

I attended the lunch press conference today, and we were treated to yet another delicious meal *though this should no longer come as a surprise to me because all the meals I've had at the Mandarin are nothing short of excellent*!

Some food photos I need to share with you all (in case you have decided to go on a diet, here's a little temptation for you-- you can't not go to Tin Hau at The Mandarin Oriental after this!) :D

Stewed Lapu- Lapu with bean curd and eggplant

Stir- fried Soft Shell Crab with Crisp Oatmeal

Mmmmm... Braised Home- made Spinach Tofu with Shimeiji Mushrooms and Golden Dried Scallops

Forget the diet, everything served was really healthy (and very, very good!!)

Should you choose to spend your Chinese New Year's Eve with The Mandarin Oriental Manila, you will be treated to nice cocktails pre- celebration, with

Deep Fried Crab Meat and Vegetable Spring Rolls
Golden Fried Scallop with Wasabi flavoured Mayonnaise
Steamed Vegetables and Seafood Buns

Followed by the very colorful and festive outdoor ceremony (dotting the eyes of lions and a dragon) and a Paai- Shan ceremony (energizing ritual that completes the hotel's lunar extravaganza) performed by the famed geomancer, Master Joseph Chau Kam Shing (who has been practicing Feng Shui for well over 30 years and is based in Hong Kong although his expertise in geomancy has taken him to different countries including the Philippines, of course) and fireworks display (by Enchanted Kingdom) to ring in the new Year of the Water Dragon, the hotel's very famous "midnight" lauriat dinner is served! And your first lucky meal of the year will include:

New Year's 5 Happiness Combination platter
Braised Eight Treasure Soup (I can guarantee you this is soooo good!)
Braised Abalone, Sea Cucumber, and Bailing Mushrooms with Vegetables in Oyster Sauce
Wok- fried Shrimps with X.O. Sauce
Steamed Live Garoupa with Superior Homemade Soy Sauce
Poached Hong Kong Chicken with Spring Onion and Ginger Sauce
Fresh Egg Noodles with Seafood Dumplings and Bean Sprouts in X.O. Sauce
Special Chinese New Year's Sweetened Desserts!

Tickets are priced at PhP 2,988 net for adults and PhP 1,588 net for children. Guests can also avail of the hotel's "Feast and Fortune" offer and have that special one- on- one consultation with Master Chau to enhance your luck for 2012, for an additional cost of only PhP 1,088 when purchasing a table for ten!

I'm definitely not going to miss this event, because it is really the place to be when it comes to ringing in the Chinese New Year! For more inquiries and to book seats for this upcoming event, do call Mandarin Oriental Manila right away at (+632) 750-8888. Last year's event was full to the brim, so better make your reservations early this year! And a highlight of this event is also knowing more about your fortune for this coming year, compliments of Master Chau (and THAT Chinese horoscope book for 2012-- which was a must- have for me last year :D).

Tomorrow (or later, if I have the time), I will post some of the animal sign luck and fortune prediction highlights from Master Chau himself. We had the exclusive opportunity to hear him talk about this earlier and I will be sharing the information with you-- you know, to help you know more about this year's outlook for your animal sign :) Again, you should not miss the full reports, which will be available at the New Year's Eve dinner party at The Mandarin Oriental Manila. I can't wait to see you all there :)

TheBagHag

A Walk on My Wild Side...

2012-01-10T11:42:00.000+08:00

I never thought in my wildest *no pun intended* dreams that I'd like animal prints. I used to think these were for the *ahem* more mature set, having seen them on the more financially established "ladies who lunch" LOL. I never, never, never thought one day I'd be crazy about them. Sorry if I offend, but I really used to think animal prints= cougars. Oh crap, does that mean I'm becoming one of them thundercats too? (~~Thundercats= cougars= old farts~~) *Shudders LOL*

This is a manageable size. And I don't think I should accumulate any more. This is really enough.

Bags: Celine, Versace x H&M, Dolce & Gabbana; Shoes: Walter Steiger, Tod's, Charles & David

I had the canvas version of the Celine luggage tote leopard prints but I sold it as soon as I got the leopard pony hair version. I don't want to be swimming in animal prints :D *Hmmm... that said, I don't have any zebra stripes! Hah!! Collection incomplete? LOL*

I am wondering how far this trend will go, actually. It's been around for a few seasons now. And it seems people still take to it. Not that it should matter, really. Because at the end of the day if you want to wear or carry animal prints even if it's no longer "in season", who's to tell you that you're actually "out of fashion"? *Rooooaaaaar!!!* :)

TheBagHag

Shop Animal Prints Here!

Back to Gucci!

2012-01-09T16:03:00.001+08:00

I honestly can't remember when was the last time I featured a Gucci bag. It has been years I think! So let's talk Gucci. When Tom Ford went on board this brand, I do recall that Gucci shopping frenzy-- suddenly everyone wanted a Gucci bag. Mostly in black, and also a lot in the monogrammed Gs. Popular styles included the Jackie O bag and the Monroe. And then a decade later, many of them wanted to sell those very bags they once "fought" other people to buy. Oh yes, I remember those days all too clearly :) There was somewhat of a lull in the brand post- Ford, but now that Giannini's at the helm, it's doing rather well!

Frida at the Gucci, Via Montenapoleone store party

An artisan working on a crocodile Stirrup bag

Gucci's a brand that will always have a special place in my heart *and wallet, literally*. Because the very first designer wallet that I found extremely functional, was by Gucci!

And now the 1973 collection from the brand is really very appealing to me. I'm liking the top handle flap bags a lot (oooh especially this one in python!)

From Gucci.com

especially since this style has made a comeback and is so on- trend and of-the-moment.

This is another bag that I find interesting-- it's also from the 1973 collection and is actually featured on the front page of Gucci's website.

From Gucci.Com

Remember the Be & D Satchel I featured not too long ago which had the elements of the Bag Snob x DKNY Treasure + Celine Trapeze? This bag seems quite similar to that as well. This bag however, does not have that problem of the flap enclosure, as this seems more decorative than functional. It must be said though that this flap does have use-- it's made to enclose the front pocket! The bag is zippered so you dont need to worry about your ~~soul~~ things spilling out should you drop the bag. ;)

How about you? Have you bought yourself a Gucci bag lately?

TheBagHag

Start the Year with New Shoes!

2012-01-08T04:32:00.005+08:00

I had ceased editing my shoe closet. I think this is the hardest to edit-- the shoes. I was first a shoe lover before I became a bag hag. That's a fact. And unlike bags which I find so much easier to edit, I have big problems letting my shoes "go."

Sigh. I hope there are a few of you out here who feel exactly the same way... So every time a new shoe comes into the "family", there is only an "addition" to the collection. Nothing gets subtracted. Whatever happened to letting one go to make room for the newest member? Non- existent rule :( *Sob... and this needs to change!* Shoes are just sooo personal!

Anyway, I mentioned on twitter that I wanted a new pair of shoes to start the year-- and voila, a lot of you wanted a new pair too :) *Thanks for not making me feel alone. I was in good company LOL*.

My top pick for 2012 is this pair of electric blue snakeskin Sergio Rossis

The shoe looks so comfy, and yes, because it's also my favorite shade of blue :) I have to wait until this comes in this Spring :( *hello, very low to almost non- existent EQ here!*

The next shoe on my lust- for list? These Valentino Studded Leather Flat Sandals!

These Valentino Studded Leather Flat Sandals were seen on Jennifer Lopez very recently while on holiday with her new boyfriend.

I forgot which other celebrity wore these very sandals very recently as well but bottom line is, I would love to have them too. They look so comfortable, and I am still loving the studded little pyramids on the straps! The Valentino shoe love continues! And they are almost sold out on Net-a-Porter. Oh my. Would you or wouldn't you? :D

TheBagHag loves Shoes!

Beauty Blog: My Beauty Products "Treasure Hunt"

2012-01-07T15:21:00.006+08:00

Today I decided to go through my ~~beauty counter~~ bathroom shelves for beauty products lol. I'm not editing actually. Because I already have edited a load of products and these are some of what remain. If you have been reading this blog for some time, you'd know that my skin has been fairly low maintenance-- meaning I hardly ever go to the dermatologist or a skin care specialist for that matter. And no, I was never blessed with a flawless, blemish- free face. Rather, I was either too much of a cheapskate to have professional skin care maintenance, or I just don't have the patience to wait inside a clinic to get my face "done." ~~Confession: Truth is, I can't stand the pain of the "pricks" and what- nots that they do to my face.~~ For the longest time, apart from the facial cleanser and either Clearasil or Oxy (hello 90s), skin care products remained an entirely foreign concept to me.

And then I was introduced to sunblock creams. A little late already too, because I already had a few unsightly dark sun spots on the sides of my eyes. I honestly cannot fathom how those came about because I hardly stayed out in the sun-- I only got to know "the beach" in 2010 and even before that, I had already been applying sunblock to my face quite liberally and those spots were already there! Ugh. *I heard IPL would remove/ lighten those spots, but I was also told they would come back, so forget IPL. I ain't doing it lol. It's so expensive to do it too lol*

After sunblock creams, came Olay Total Effects. All because of my friend Daphne who was the brand ambassador. I loved using Olay Total Effects. It was then that I recognized the need to "moisturize." I would later switch my facial cleanser from Dr. Murad to Olay as well because it worked on my skin-- and it's more economical :)

See, the thing about my lifestyle is, it is rather unhealthy in the sense that I don't sleep normal hours like most people do-- and should. I figured before that if one sleeps between 7 to 8 hours daily regardless of what time they go to sleep, they won't have dark circles under their eyes. Perhaps I was wrong. Because even if I did get enough sleep, I still had them. And my friends tell me it's because I don't sleep by 12 am at the very latest. Someone out there please tell me that there is really bearing to sleeping by at least 12 am to get better skin. Please.

Anyway so today, I decided to whip out some of my beauty products. Some new which I have yet to try (because I only took them out in the box now, despite them being in my bathroom shelves for over a year. You see, the treasure hunting always starts in the bathroom, girls! lol).

Let's begin with these facial masks.

Dermal, Face Shop, and Olay

A few days ago, I read an article about a Korean face mask product on the Daily Mail-- "Could an $8 face mask replace $100 facials?" Made me wonder about these masks I had. I've used these in the past, but I do wonder exactly what they do. It did make my face feel really cool and relaxed, so perhaps it did its job. Your thoughts?

Next up, my current obsession: Eye creams!

Hylexin, Olay, Aveeno, Nivea, Dr. Wu, Avene, Laneige

I am actually obsessed about erasing the dark circles around my eyes. I feel like a complete raccoon with them and like I mentioned earlier, if I don't sleep before 12am and get at least 7 hours of sleep, I wake up with them. Darker than ever. Eeps! So I am hoping one of these products will at least lighten them. Confession: with eye creams, I usually have my nightly "cocktail" of them-- they get mixed together (ok if there's a skincare specialist out there who just read that I do my own eye cream cocktail, please tell me that it's ok to do it LOL). I've used that yellow Aveeno "roll on" but I don't see any change yet. Hylexin has definitely helped, without a doubt. I haven't used that in a bit because I want to try the newer products. I have alternated with the Nivea which was sent to me over the holidays (thank you, Raisa), and also the Laneige one (thank you, Winnie) which has this wonderful cooling effect. Dr. Wu is a product I bought on a whim while at Watson's Singapore and I have yet to try if it does anything. Olay Total Effects is something I continue to use on my face and I use the Olay eye cream every so often-- it's more to moisturize than to lighten I think. I was actually asked to try Pond's but I haven't yet-- can someone tell me how that compares to Olay.

And now, let's talk about BB creams.

Avene, Rojukiss, Laneige

BB stands for Blemish Balm/ Blemish Base, and is said to be used earlier by dermatologists on laser surgery patients to protect, soothe, and refine their sensitive skin while providing coverage. The Avene cream which is photographed on the left is actually a tinted sunblock cream which I find exceptional (and I loaded up on it)-- it not only acts as a sunblock, it also provides good coverage. So I ended up putting that tube together with the 2 actual BB creams. I first learned about BB creams just last December 2011. Unknowingly though, I was sent a tube of Laneige BB Cream last year (and it was just sitting on one of my shelves in the bathroom)! I bought the Rojukiss BB cream and tried it out and really liked it-- it did cover up the blemishes and I actually went out of my hotel with just that on my face, as opposed to the usual foundation coverage and powder. It did brighten up my face for sure, but I was hoping it would also allow my skin to "breathe". Somehow it felt suffocated, just like it would when I put on foundation. And then I discovered the Laneige tube just this January. (I told you, it can be quite a treasure hunt for gifted and unopened beauty products from inside my bathroom-- and probably inside yours too lol). I loooved the Laneige BB Cream! I was given the #2 tint, and it was far more impressive than the Rojukiss brand. It did give ample coverage, and it also felt like my skin was able to breathe! I think I have found a winner in Laneige. And it's supposed to be a top Korean brand. Since I am Asian, I think it is actually best to work with beauty products that are made for Asian skin.

There's the compact powder for extra coverage and well, to prevent that *cough* frying pan (aka oily) face-- because I always, always end up with one!

Majolica, Shu Uemura, Avene

I was a Chanel compact powder user before, until I actually lost it (haha I have a knack for losing these compact powders, actually). I had no patience to sit through another session at the makeup counter to determine what shade it was I had hahaha. But I liked using Chanel. And then I had Guerlain. Bought in Paris because I realized I had a frying pan face when I was about to go into a meeting. And I didn't bring my Chanel compact with me. I saw Guerlain along Rue de Castiglione (my meeting was very close to Place Vendome), so I went in and just bought one. I remember walking out of that corner boutique with a cakeful of freshly applied powder on my face LOL. And oye I was darned confident too LOL! Another brand I use currently is Shu Uemura. Cindy Pineda, whom I trust to do my makeup at Shu Uemura Rockwell Power Plant Mall was the one responsible for introducing me to the wonders of the Shu Uemura compact powder. Of late however, I am enjoying the compact powder from Avene. I like that this has different shades of coverage. I think it makes a world of a difference in terms of how light or how dark/ thick coverage you want for certain parts of your face. The last one which I have just begun using today, is from Majolica (thank you, Cathy).

Majolica is a fairly new brand that I got to know about just last December 2011-- again as a result of my "treasure hunt" lol. I know that this is without a doubt a good brand because it's from the same makers of Shiseido! And Shiseido is very well known to manufacture excellent products meant for Asian skin.

Loot from Majolica

I am already loving the Majolica compact powder *that gold case is sooo cute too*-- I tried it on about an hour ago on one side of my face *without putting on BB Cream yet* and wow, the coverage is really great! I should actually start minimizing the use of a skin foundation (replacing it with Laneige BB cream) and just bring this compact powder for touch ups!

I have yet to experiment with my eye shadow/ eye make up collection (one of them you see above, from Majolica). Hopefully I find the time to do it again soon. Imagine me writing about beauty products now lol-- from someone who knows nothing about skin care and beauty, to someone who is getting a little interested (but hopefully not too obsessed) with or in it :) One thing I do know though: it always makes skin care and beauty maintenance soooo much easier if you were born with good skin *big sigh*. Ah well, since I wasn't born with this, I guess the best way to do it is to try to live a healthier lifestyle... and have better skincare coverage/ make up lol. *No, I can't entertain cosmetic surgery-- I have a terribly low threshold for pain!* So I guess this beauty products treasure hunt will continue :)

Have a great Saturday, everyone!!

TheBagHag (please don't let me be a Makeup hag lol)

Summer Bag!

2012-01-07T09:56:00.008+08:00

Yes! I have picked out my beach bag for summer! Let it be this, please!

What made me decide on this Anya Hindmarch Beach Print Canvas Tote? LOL that trompe l'oeil print of "Bags and Bitches" got me. I love bags, and I'm a bitch *muwahaha* :D

Kidding aside, it's quite funny because I almost picked up a book called

just because the title seemed really interesting. LOL. Confession: I had wanted to buy the e-book on Barnes & Noble and give the book to my husband on Valentine's Day but then I realized this was actually a woman's guide, not a married man's LOL *smacks- self- in- the- forehead moment*.

Anyway going back to the Anya tote, just looking at it already makes me switch off my "work" mode and turn on that vacay mode. The bag has a way of making me anticipate my next trip to the beach ;) And don't we all really like that?

The Anya Hindmarch Beach Print Canvas Tote is currently available at Net-A-Porter. Buy, buy, buy!! Happy Weekend everyone!! :)

x

TheBagHag

The Feature on My Newspaper Column Today...

2012-01-06T05:43:00.001+08:00

I'd be lying if I told you seeing my Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper column take the front page of the Lifestyle Section does not make me happy-- because it makes me very, very, very happy :) *beams*

Click HERE to read the digital edition of my column

Anyway, just a quick note to mention that the gorgeous aqua bag featured third from the bottom of the page is a Tod's D bag in snakeskin. It was not correctly labeled on the paper and I felt the need to mention it here :)

A closer look at the said bag:

I got to touch and feel this bag up close. It was really a "WOW" bag. And oh Lawrd, I want it! BAD! *Lol there goes my love affair with blue bags... although this is technically not really blue- blue :D*

In 2012, if there was one bag you should save up for, it's really the Tod's D Bag. And *dreamy look*, if you have a good budget for an exotic skin one, make this lagoon/ turquoise/ aqua Tod's D bag in snakeskin THE bag!

TheBagHag

A Krash Kourse on the Kardashians' Bags

2012-01-05T23:55:00.000+08:00

Just a thought. So the Kardashians have a bag line, right? Then can someone tell me why they never seem to be photographed with the bags from their own label? I have never seen them carrying their Kardashian Kollection Bags! Have you? :)

All I see them carry are:

Balenciaga Giant Velo (or Town?) , Hermes blue birkin (could be Bleu Electrique)

Hermes Kiwi Birkin

Chanel Classic Flap and Louis Vuitton trolley

Hermes birkin, Louis Vuitton miroir bag and Louis Vuitton trolleys

How do you sell bags from your own label if you can't even be seen carrying them? Are they really that hideous, Kim and Khloe? Or would you girls rather carry the actual bags that "inspired" the designs in your Kollection? :) Come on, ladies. Carry them Kardashian Kollection Bags! :) We wanna see them "in action" lol.

P.S. Ok, so I may not be a fan of the Kardashian Kollection Bags line (I really wonder who is though lol), but I still am very entertained by the Kardashian and Jenner girls :)

TheBagHag

Same Color, but Different Shades!

2012-01-04T14:57:00.013+08:00

Do you ever find yourself buying a new bag in a similar shade of a favorite color *unknowingly*? It seems I have. All these years, the one self- imposed "edict" I had was to have ONE bag per color, and not more than one bag per color. And no, no need to make sure to have a bag in all colors of the color wheel (unless you have the bank account of the Ecclestone girls *that I certainly do not have lol*).

After a survey of my bags *trust me when I say I don't have that many because I constantly edit-- I need them trimmed down or I'd be dead broke if I don't*, I realized one thing: I have NOT been adhering to my own one bag- per- color policy!

I love the color blue. I think more than the color purple. I realized that blue is my black. I have ONE black bag. But I have more than 1 blue bag-- in different shades. I know, this can't be right. Even my husband would be quick to quip that "it's all the SAME color!" (He did say that at one point in time, by the way). And me arguing "yes yes but the other one is cerulean, this is cobalt, and that is electric!" LOL. Anyway, thought I'd share a few photos of "the blues" since I was tweeting about them a few days or so ago.

Let me start off with these 2 bags (there would've been 3 but one bag is at the bag "spa" to be treated because it somehow got discolored)-- one of my favorite bags, Mark Cross, with a personalized Goyard Saint Jeanne GM. Very similar shades of blue there, though one is solid and the other is patterned. I have not used my Goyard Saint Jeanne for quite some time... :( I should. It's a good bag.

Mark Cross and Goyard

Next up, the Tod's D Bag, personalized with my initials thanks to Tod's, and the Hermes Lindy in Bleu Brighton 34cm Taurillon Clemence with Palladium Hardware. Now the Tod's D Bag has been traveling a lot with me of late because it's just soooo easy to carry. The Hermes Lindy I also haven't used in a bit, but it has had its share of travels with me as well :)

Tod's and Hermes

And then the Hermes ladies :) Bleu Sapphire Kelly 35cm in Fjord Leather with Palladium Hardware, Bleu Electrique Evelyne 3GM, and a Bleu Sapphire Birkin 35cm in Fjord Leather with Gold Hardware. I kept staring at the birkin and the kelly and I noticed that while they were both supposed to be the same shade, there was a slight difference-- the kelly was a tad lighter. Strange, but I guess it's the way the leather was colored. If not scrutinized though, they look to be the exact same shade. I love all these 3 bags. I don't think I can ever part with them :) Yes, even if the birkin and kelly are of the same shade.

Hermes Girls

And now, a family photo of the blues, with the addition of that Chanel in cobalt blue. I didn't include the Goyard and the Mark Cross because I decided to just group together the shades that were most similar.

Blue and Happy!

I have a total of 9 blue bags *!!!!* and if Celine had offered me a Cobalt Blue Nano Luggage, I'd have probably bought it as well! *Gulp, adding to more of that credit card bill pileup on my desk lol*.

Anyway this 2012, one of my resolutions is to use my older bags more often and stop myself from buying any more. At least stop buying any more blue bags. *Oh and tweaking my policy: One bag per color. Not One bag per shade per color* LOL

P.S. Uh oh, make that 10 blue bags. I also have the Navy Louis Vuitton Personalized Sac Louis. I hardly use this bag. I don't know why-- it was as if I was saving this bag for something. *Thwacks self in the head*. Time to use this more too!

Louis Vuitton

Oh dear! I really have to stop with the "blues" ! :D

TheBagHag

Bag Mutant Alert!

2012-01-03T11:36:00.001+08:00

I can't help it. When I see a bag that reminds me of two other bags combined, I normally balk. There are the odd times though that a combination would work out. But if you ask me now which mutant bag it was in the past that looked quite good , I can't off the top of my head, remember :D. *Fine fine, I have a poor memory*

So anyway, I saw this BE & D Bela Satchel.

And thought to myself that the bag was not bad looking at all. A little pricey but quite nice. And then I realized, wait a minute! This bag above has a design equation.

I figured it out and it's this below!

If you ask me, I would rather get the Bag Snob x DKNY Treasure because of the color combination and the price (the price is a clear winner). And well, if I had spare cash lying around *~~which I don't~~*, I wouldn't mind owning a Celine Trapeze either. :) (LOL two bags are better than one)

How about you? Would you rather get the BE & D Bela Satchel instead of 2 bags? The thing about the BE & D Satchel is, it has zippers on both of the "expandable" sides as compared to the Celine Trapeze. Not a bad modification. What say you, two for the price of one? :)

TheBagHag

A Look Back: 2011 was All About...

2012-01-02T15:35:00.009+08:00

1. The Celine Luggage Tote. In Mini, Micro, Nano... Not much else needs to be said. They were seen everywhere, on many a woman and a man's arms. And the bag is so very sold out in boutiques!

2. The Cambridge Satchel. Very affordable, sturdy and structured, this became an instant hit.

3. Fluo- colored bags. If not fluo, very bright colors in general because we color- blocked in 2011. Like this Emilio Pucci Hot Pink Python Shoulder Bag

Available at Net-a-Porter

4. Mulberry anything. The demand for the brand was propelled by Alexa Chung and of course by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. Imagine profits of £15.6M ?! Thanks to the ever- popular Mulberry Alexa, Oversized (seen here in Natural Nappa Leather).

5. Animal Prints. I used to think animal prints were for the more "mature" set, but not anymore! The young ones have taken to this print like mad! Something like this J.Crew Edie Calfhair Leopard Print Bag is perfect for those not too willing to indulge in all- over animalier just yet :)

Available at Net-A-Porter

6. Exotics. Like this gorgeous Lanvin Happy Elaphe Snakeskin Shoulder Bag. Oh I should say that the Lanvin Happy bag is also the perfect alternative to the Chanel Classic Flap. Be a little different from the others :)

Available at Net-a-Porter

7. Baby Boomer Flap Shoulder Bags. Bring out those vintage bags because oh yes, they made a comeback! Like this fantastic new season Salvatore Ferragamo Houndstooth Print Python Shoulder Bag *Did you notice, Ferragamo is stepping up too!*

8. Bling Bling Bags. Nobody does bling better than Dolce & Gabbana. Here's the Dolce & Gabbana Sequined Chain- Strap Bag to give you the sparkles!

Available at Net-a-Porter

9. Kelly-esque Top Handle Bags. Like the Bagsnob x DKNY Treasure. It's very classy, feminine, and so on- trend! Channel royalty in this style!

10. Longchamp totes. Yes, we've seen it all over the place, really. But it was no longer about the regular le pliage line. It was all about the special edition ones. Something to look forward to in 2012-- that whole Mary Katrantzou x Longchamp line!

2011 has been an incredible bag year. Some of these trends be carried over to this year without a doubt, but ultimately if you really love the bag you own-- whether or not it's part of last year's must- have or not, carry it again this year! There are really no real rules when it comes to carrying a bag. And don't let someone tell you that your bag is "so last season" or "so last year". Own it, carry it! :)

TheBagHag

New Year, New Bag! :)

2012-01-01T13:53:00.005+08:00

Looking back at 2011, I realized one thing-- I seriously overdosed on Celine bags (and I think so did so many people). Admit it, bag hag. It's hard to resist it, especially with the full knowledge that these bags are just incredibly difficult to find-- practically just as evasive as Hermes birkins and kellys. I thought I was going to add yet another Celine luggage tote (either in mini or nano size) to my collection but thank goodness the bag cupids had something else in mind for me. So yes, the first blog confession of 2012: I managed to sneak in a bag purchase before the year ended. I thought it would've made a sweet end to my 2011 *~~a.k.a. another excuse to get new arm candy lol... oye I ran out of valid excuses a long time ago~~*.

No, it's not a Celine bag, and is not a Hermes bag either *~~boo no budget for one even though there are so many new bag colors I am lusting for~~*.

I chose a FENDI :)

Here's a little 4-1-1 on the FENDI CHAMELEON which I've been liking for a few months now.

The color combinations produced for this style have been sooooo nice. I first saw the bag in different shades of yellow and was already planning on the purchase at LuisaViaRoma. When I managed to go online (because my internet connection that night was really bad), it was already sold out! Boohoo :( . I thought the bag was really not meant to be mine. After a month, I realized I really, really loved the style of the Fendi Chameleon-- it was very easy to carry, had 2 zippers that meet in the middle, and the interior compartments of the bag would fit my lifestyle perfectly.

A look at the inside of the bag-- it has 3 compartments, 2 "open" ones and one zipped one in the middle for that added security. It also has 2 open pocket compartments for your keys and mobile phone/s.

Very large interior with signature striped lining

So I decided that this bag was to be the last purchase for 2011-- and hopefully the next bag purchase won't happen until mid this year haha. Someone *points to self* needs to edit, consolidate, and have a manageable, low maintenance closet *yes, it IS doable!*. And that includes bags. 2012 should be all about saving money for the future :)

Anyway, don't spoil 2012 for me with talks on making personal sacrifices for the greater good and how to save money for the future (let me live with my sins, please LOL). Allow me to just do this reveal without guilt. *Believe me, the guilt will sink in once my credit card bill arrives lol, hello staggard payments lol*

Here she is!! :) *beams like a proud mama*

I love the style and the color combination

The leather is so supple and so soft!!!

This is such a good everyday bag. It's not too big, nor is it too small. And there's that de rigueur adjustable and detachable shoulder strap for hands- free carry. After becoming the owner of a Fendi chameleon, I don't regret the purchase one bit and in fact am highly recommending it as it is one of the styles good for longtime use.

The Fendi Chameleon is available for purchase at all Fendi boutiques and online at LuisaViaRoma.

x
TheBagHag

HAPPY 2012!!!

2012-01-01T00:32:00.001+08:00

From Makati, Philippines to the rest of the world, HAPPY 2012!!! Here are some shots of our city's fireworks display!

From the facade of an unfinished building

And now that we've tucked the kids in bed after they watched the fireworks display with us, it's time we have some 20 year old bubbly. Thank you DH for this! What a remarkable 2011 it has been and I can't wait for even more fantastic things to come this 2012!!!

HAPPY 2012 everyone! Start your year right! Do a good deed :) Now, if I can go back to cleaning my room after finishing the bottle of bubbly with the hubby, then I know I'll get 2012 going off in the right direction :)

Wish me luck! LOL :)

TheBagHag

And the Best New Year's Eve Outfit Goes to...

2011-12-31T14:04:00.002+08:00

Hands Down, Dolce & Gabbana. You have to agree with me that this sparkler is the only dress made for ringing in the new year! :)

And if you can't wear something this sparkly *I would! haha*, at least carry a sparkly or metallic bag :)

Try the more muted Alexander McQueen Squeeze It Metal-Effect Leather Clutch

Currently marked down at 50% its original price! Not a bad deal at all to own something from McQueen at this price! :) Available for purchase only at The Outnet.

I will do a brief bag trend report tomorrow. But today, I just want to say:

HAPPY 2012, everyone!!!! :)

TheBagHag

Marc Jacobs in... Hermes?

2011-12-31T02:34:00.004+08:00

Yep, you read that right! Marc Jacobs, creative director of Louis Vuitton (last I checked :D) was seen carrying a black Hermes birkin at the beach over the holidays :)

Photo Credit: Splash News

And how, the birkin looks like a pretty darn good beach bag in Marc's hands :) P.S. In the bag is his Louis Vuitton x Stephen Sprouse neon graffiti beach towel :) The man IS loyal to Vuitton, see :D

x
TheBagHag

Food Blog: Tonkatsu Ma Maison, Singapore

2011-12-30T14:35:00.008+08:00

In the last four days of being in Singapore, I had gained 4 lbs. It should come as no surprise anymore, really. Because I have chosen eating over shopping while in the Lion City. Funny thing is, I haven't been eating Chinese food. I've been eating a lot of Japanese food!

One of those Japanese restaurants is Tonkatsu Ma Maison. Now, I've tried a few tonkatsu *breaded and deep friend pork cutlets* places, even ones that have been recommended by friends who lived in Tokyo. Japan is an entirely different place altogether for tonkatsu and ramen, but for Singapore, I have to say Ma Maison was topnotch. We had to wait nearly an hour for a table-- well, there were also 15 of us in the group haha. Yes, we're one biiiig happy family! There is really nothing like spending the holidays with my children, my husband, my siblings and the kids, and my lovely mom. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy :)

Ok back to Ma Maison (funny too, since those 2 words are actually in French :D Ma Maison stands for "My House")

Not a very big place-- the restaurant was separated into 2 sections

This was the main section


Long lines every night!!

Special Rice that I didn't try because I was trying to taper my carbs intake. Tsk.

We ordered both the pork fillet and the pork loin. The fillet is supposed to be leaner than the loin, but had to try anyway :) Sometimes the fattier ones taste better haha. Sad but true :D

Sat beside the sake shelf

And then the orders came just as our stomachs growled loudly while watching the chefs deep frying tonkatsu

Pork fillet:

Breaded and deep fried oysters-- yes, they don't just serve pork here :)

The cross section of the pork loin. Mmm it was fatty!!!!

A cross section of my pork fillet, which I couldn't resist instagr.amming :)

Look at the meat! It was melt-in-your-mouth good! Try the spicy sauce... Mmmmm....!!!

Verdict? Tonkatsu Ma Maison is definitely worth a second and third visit! Hopefully the next time I can have a bowl of that special multi-grain rice to go along with the meal haha ;) But I was very satisfied this time around because I had the shredded cabbage salad and radish with the house soy dressing (haha lesser evil compared to the other dressing). I also highly recommend the sesame dressing-- it was sinfully goooood!!!

Tonkatsu Ma Maison is located at the 2nd level #35/36 Mandarin Gallery, along Orchard Road. Call +65 6733 4541 for more information. It's really worth the wait!!

TheBagHag

A Bally Comeback!

2011-12-29T15:19:00.000+08:00

Was at Takashimaya again yesterday (I seem to love Takashimaya the most because of the food at the basement lol). Passed by Bally and realized that this brand has really been hitting the right notes of late.

Loving these ballet flats! And Bally is known to make very comfortable shoes, so these not only look great on the feet, but am sure they'd be excellent shoes for walking too!

Cute bags

I attended the SS2012 Collection presentation in Milan a few months ago and these were the standouts:

I am loving these heels!!

Love the crocodile leather trim!

This bag was beautiful in person! It was really so luxurious! And not that heavy at all!

Would love to have this leather dress. I love the cut!

The mosaic miroir minaudiere is truly eye- catching!


Very red carpet worthy!

Bally is really making a comeback! I had already previously featured two of their bags and I was really astonished with the designs. I had honestly hardly looked at this brand and only do so to remember my father. But the bags that they've been designing of late have been making me notice the label even more. And oh, the shoes for SS 2012 and that miroir box clutch! I am liking them! Greater things to come for this brand. I can't wait!

x
TheBagHag

Travelog: Hermes in Singapore

2011-12-29T00:07:00.004+08:00

Photos taken from the vitrines of 2 different Hermes boutiques here in Singapore. And like most other Hermes shops of late, they don't carry a lot of leather bags. But I think it's safe to say that as a result of the leather bag shortage, the brand has been seeing a generous climb in sales for their watches (as compared to last year). According to my source at Hermes Singapore, even the H hour watch is sold out and is currently on a waitlist basis! That's incredible :)

Scarves

My favorite window

Wallets

Who owns a printed toile canvas wallet?

Watches

Hermes watches are so in demand in Singapore right now :)

x
TheBagHag

Travelog: What I See in Singapore...

2011-12-28T00:06:00.000+08:00

Photo diary time! Here are more photos of what I have seen so far in Singapore...

Chinese New Year is in less than a month, and people have taken to buying "lucky charms" for the coming year. One of them apparently is a turtle shell. I find this really sad. It's not like these guys have CITES papers or anything. I hope the turtles died of old age before their shells were taken from them :( Anyway, turtle shells are said to bring longevitiy. I'd rather get a carved jade turtleshell to be honest. It seems so morbid to hang one of these real ones anywhere in the house.

Oooh give me some fried stuff on a stick anytime. Squidballs, dumplings, and the like please!

Street acrobats. Are these girls part of the travelling acrobats from China? Whatever, they're really good and they seem to really enjoy performing in front of the crowds. Very pleasant little girls. But wow, such physically grueling training to be that good!

x
TheBagHag

To Sue the Mocking Brand?

2011-12-27T14:07:00.004+08:00

I passed by Charles and Keith inside Ion Mall and saw these bags.

Hello, Celine much?

I've never heard any statements from these big brand names when their merchandise gets copied. I really want to know what they feel about it. Officially. Are these bags enough to merit a lawsuit or two from Celine because there is intent to mislead? They do look very Celine luggage tote, with some very minor tweaks on the lines here and there.

Oh, Charles and Keith also has the mock Celine Trapeze. How do those bags make you feel? I personally do think these brands need to deviate from copying too much from the real deal. I know it's all business and bottom lines for them (especially since the Celine luggage tote sent women into a buying frenzy) and that companies like Charles and Keith (and they are certainly not the only ones) decided to jump on the bandwagon to produce similar looking bags under their label and call it as their own just to benefit from the "craze", but I do wish that they have a little more originality too. Sure, it's all about meeting the customers' demands too but it is probably wise not to tread into lawsuit boundaries :D

Now, take for instance this bag from La Palette, also from Ion Orchard Mall.

Ok honestly, I don't think I'll want to buy this bag to carry for myself, but I'd probably buy it for my tweenage niece if the price were right. :) My friend said this bag was probably a design taken from some other famous label LOL. I wouldn't know as this is the first time I've seen such a design :D I don't know if kitschy is the right word here... :D What do you think?

Anyway, which would you have preferred though ? Celine luggage tote or trapeze wannabe from Charles and Keith or horsey "baby boomer" bag from La Palette ? Come on, tell me the truth :)

TheBagHag

Ab Fab!

2011-12-27T02:37:00.003+08:00

Who loves the Brit show Ab Fab of a few eons ago? :D I'm a huuuuge fan of this show. Loving Patsy and Edina, Bubbles and Saffy! And yeah, Edina's mum!

Today, I was on twitter when @Focusonstyle mentioned that there's a leaked full length video of the new Ab Fab Special via Fierth.

I've decided to embed it here to show you peeps. It's really the funniest! I still love the characters-- it was as if nothing has changed :)

Enjoy watching this *via Fierth*, darling! *while it's still available!*

Shopbop Sale - Save 30-70%! SHOP NOW!!

x

TheBagHag

Travelog: Singapore, Japanese Confections, and a Style Shot

2011-12-26T11:45:00.000+08:00

I purchased some sinfully good mochi from the basement of Takashimaya that also made these:

This is the BEST though. Green tea powdered mochi with white chocolate filling. Sinful, I know!

I will try to get this for my mom as well-- but I'm personally not a fan of bean paste. But if it's really finely ground, I might like it. So maybe I will give this a try too.

After I decided on the purchase, I handed over my payment and was told to wait by the chair. I was with my little budding photographer. So guess who took this snap? :)

Hmm... I should enroll this little one in photography classes during summer. Seriously :) LOL *Paging photographer Patrick Uy! Please accommodate my 8 year old into your class this coming year :D*

P.S. I really love the basement of Takashimaya. They have the best Japanese confections!! And oh, they also have these Japanese sticky rice "okowa" which is soooo good-- if I may, can I recommend the scallop one for you? It's the best!!

x
TheBagHag

My Christmas Gift :)

2011-12-25T22:58:00.003+08:00

I've gotten presents from my loved ones, and then I've gotten presents from my husband. LOL. Ok so I admit I can be a total ingrate when it comes to him. I mean, come on, your husband is supposed to know you best and get you something that you realllllly like, right? Not something that he likes that he hopes you'd like (or hopes that you'd dislike enough to say back to him "you can have it" LOL). I've gotten the strangest Christmas gifts from my husband, one of them I remember all too clearly. Brace yourself because you will probably laugh out loud like I did when I first received it. And no, to him this was NOT a joke LOL!!

I received a 3- piece VHS boxed set for the movie, ALIEN *and the sequels*. LOL!!!

Photo credit: Google Images

I know, you're thinking that it was just a prank that my husband played on me. That there must've been a more meaningful, romantic gift aprés the joke gift. I can tell you it was not. I laughed out loud when I first received it. Then I got peeved and angry (LOL yes I am bratty) after I found out he was dead serious that this was his gift to me.

I don't know which was worse-- receiving a blender for a gift *even if it wasn't a Christmas gift* (from the movie, Father of the Bride), or receiving a boxed set for the Alien series. Man, what did he think I was, a friggin' alien?! LOL!!!

How did this gift come about? Well over a discussion, I mentioned casually that I had never seen any of the Alien movies. At all. To which he answered (and he was bewildered by my not having seen it), "I can't believe you've never seen Alien! It's a cult classic." I just nodded and said "yeah yeah yeah that and a million other mind- blowingly fantastic movies that I missed."

I didn't think he'd take it serious enough to make me watch it. And duuuuude, in VHS format? I mean, seriously? LOL come on!!! LOL

I suppose he has been traumatized since then and has allowed himself to tell me (rather unromantically and rather practically) that this is his budget for me, and he hopes that X amount would be enough to buy myself a gift. Because, he says, if it were up to him to buy me another gift, he'd probably end up getting me some electronic gadget which he knows better to operate than I do. That or he'd get me a bag which I'd rather not he do, because he might end up getting me a bag that I'd never carry (simply because the man is really clueless about the things I like LOL!)

And so this Christmas 2011, I dropped hints about what I liked-- thinking perhaps this 10th year of being married to me, he'd finally get it...

LOL. We walked by Cartier and I remarked, "I really, really want that watch *points to rose gold ballon bleu*. I don't need a diamond- studded version but I'd love it in a larger size. I normally don't care for watches. But that watch, I really, really want to have." *Complete with longing voice*

I quickly looked over his way, hoping to elicit some kind of a positive response. After all, we didn't get to spend our 10th year wedding anniversary anywhere-- he did plan something initially but after finding out about the insanely high plane fare which would take us to his planned destination, the trip was scrapped altogether. No follow- up trip after. Boohoo. So I figured, maybe he'd say yes to buying me this nice watch, right? LOL

Guess what, silence greeted my remarks about the watch! :D

Drat, I guess I can't throw in that I wouldn't have minded this Cartier necklace over the watch too eh? Tsk this woman has some material needs that need to be met! LOL!

Gorgeous gorgeous emeralds and sapphires! Not as magnificent as Liz Taylor's rocks, but this'll do too :D LOL

Anyyyyyway, I am going to stop harping like a sick little brat now because DH did end up paying for something I really, really liked :) And no, it's NOT the DVD boxed set of Alien :D (I did end up watching those 3 movies with him by the way hahaha- darnit, his gift turned out to be something I did "use" after all lol)

Here is my Christmas gift from Dear Hubby :)

An Elsa Peretti gold "Diamonds by the Yard" bracelet from Tiffany :)

DH has since redeemed himself, but hahaha, I shall never forget that Christmas he gave me that VHS boxed set :D In fact, it's still sitting pretty on our video shelf-- and that VHS machine has since died. His friggin' gift outlived the machine that was meant to play it LOL! So I guess the VHS boxed set gift is going to work quite nicely as a DVD/ book shelf end :)

How about you? How did your Christmas celebration go, and what did you receive? :) *I'd actually want to know what was the worst gift you have received hahaha*

And lastly, woohoo don't forget tomorrow is Boxing Day :) SALE everywhere!!!

TheBagHag

Food Blog: Ippudo Ramen, Singapore

2011-12-25T12:10:00.007+08:00

At the 4th floor of the Mandarin Gallery by the Meritus Mandarin Hotel, you will find Ippudo Ramen. It's always full and there's always a long line. Crazy long. We went there just as the place was about to close LOL. Perfect timing.

I let my husband do the ordering for me. All I wanted was spicy ramen :) In fact, all I wanted was a good bowl of ramen. I've been holding off on carbs to keep from feeling sluggish, but I'll make an exception for a good bowl of ramen.

And I found it here :)

It was miso based. My husband ordered something not spicy. Blah :D I tried his soup base and it didn't have that good "kick" like mine

The egg was a winner though. It was GOOD!

I think though, the ramen lacks these "condiments" like black mushrooms, Chinese black fungus, bamboo shoots... but they're available to be ordered separately. So I did :)

So spicccyyyyyy!!!

It was a great meal-- very satisfying! I can't say that this ramen place is better than the one I had in Tokyo (remember Kyushujangara?), but it was satisfying enough for that craving :)

Ippudo does not take reservations, nor do they allow food takeout. Try to come in a little later in the evening to get seats. 4/F Mandarin Gallery, Orchard Road.

P.S. I found it strange though that the restaurant played Elvis music LOL :D But nice ambience overall :)

Merry Christmas, everyone :)

TheBagHag

A Time to Reflect... Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-25T00:00:00.002+08:00

It's 12 midnight, December 25, 2011! Merry Christmas!!! Tonight I take the time to be grateful... for my kids and my husband (who've been so patient, tireless, and understanding), my family (who've always been so supportive of me in everything I do), for my friends and loved ones (whose relationships I treasure so much), for my work (and all the opportunities I've been given), for this blog (especially for the readers who've never gotten tired of this writer's shallowness :D), and most of all, for my life.

It's a nice time to be quiet for a few moments to reflect on this year's events and happenings, and to be grateful for everything. Everything-- the good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly. For it is in those experiences that our lives have become more enriched, have evolved, developed, and improved :)

My 8 year old shot this photo :) Love it & thought I should post it. It'll make my little budding photographer proud & happy :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS from Singapore, everyone!!!! :)

TheBagHag

Travelog: Bags, Singapore!

2011-12-24T14:50:00.001+08:00

At Takashimaya- Ngee Ann City, I saw a large Celine luggage tote in fluo orange python. It was a beauty. And then there were the fluo colored Box bags.

Orange and pink (somehow it looks more red in this photo)

Something I am really loving:

Celine box bag in blue

And then over at Fendi,

Gorgeous python peekaboo bag! The color is beautiful in person!

An exotic Silvana. Wow.

And something I've been quietly eyeing in the last 2 months... The Chameleon bag. Seeing it in the flesh pretty much confirmed how much I like this bag. Oh dear.

It's time you treat yourself to something special today :) Hope you all have a great Christmas eve tonight!!!

x
TheBagHag

LUISAVIAROMA'S WINTER 2011 COLLECTIONS NOW ON SALE! SHOP NOW!!

Travelog: Singapore Lights

2011-12-24T14:30:00.000+08:00

Festive lights on Orchard Road for Christmas 2011 :)

I like how every night in Singapore, it gets this packed on the streets! :) More in a bit!

x
TheBagHag

Food Blog: Singapore Din Tai Fung

2011-12-24T01:53:00.001+08:00

I finally got some good rest last night, at least 7 hours of sleep compared to 6 hours of sleep over a 2 day period!

This morning the family and I managed to have brunch at Din Tai Fung in Paragon Plaza. Watched these guys work their skills on making those perfect dumplings!

The dough: perfect sized little 'uns.

Rolling the little 'uns flat and getting them ready to be stuffed up with filling

Filling time!

And then these little ones get pinched and voila,

They're so perfect :)

Then they get steamed, then served hot to your table! And they should be eaten while hot too :)

While you wait for the dumplings though, you can order one of these pickled vegetables.

And aprés feasting on those xiao long bao dumplings, order some taro buns. They're sooooo goood!!

There is a reason Din Tai Fung has gotten so much press. Everything is excellent!!

Have a good one, everyone! One more day til Christmas! What are your plans tonight? Are you excited? :)

More Singapore posts soon :)

x
TheBagHag

Travelog: Wood Would, Singapore

2011-12-23T18:20:00.000+08:00

One of my favorite "knick knacks" shops in Singapore is Wood Would..

There are just so many things to get in there. I spent a fortune in this shop buying things I know I don't really need. Tsk.

I love this floor- to- ceiling glass cupboards/ cabinets! And they stored the cutest things!!

Can't have enough notebooks, paper pads, stickers, magnets, tapes... oh gosh... someone please hold me back!

I ended buying those metal wind- up toys. Very vintage!

Wooden boxed stamp sets!

Looove this shop. If you send me back in there tomorrow, I can almost guarantee that I will be buying more things :) I only wish I had enough space in my house to "house" everything I like in this shop :)

Wood Would is located inside the Mandarin Gallery along Orchard Road, Singapore.

x
TheBagHag

Travelog: Scenes from a Mall... Singapore

2011-12-23T15:24:00.001+08:00

At Paragon Plaza before the rain poured in Singapore ...

Miu Miu Sparkles!

Merry Go Round!

x
TheBagHag

Valextra: Old World Luxury

2011-12-23T00:12:00.001+08:00

Valextra is a brand that is known to the most discerning bag and small leather accessories lovers. And with good reason. In this age of mass- produced "luxury", Valextra remains a brand synonymous with old world luxury. Simple, clean, and never over the top are characteristics of this brand-- and these are the very qualities that a growing number of luxury lovers are looking for. I for one, am so impressed after I had closely inspected the Spring/ Summer 2011 collection.

A lot has been written about Valextra bags, but not a lot has been written about their small leather goods. I am loving the colors for Spring!

Card cases, coin purses, eyeglass cases

This has to be my favorite bag, hands down!

More pouches, and in different colors!

I like the blue and the orange one! I think these small leather accessories are worth the purchase. Now to find a Valextra nearest me would be the more challenging part than deciding which piece/s I like :)

I'm off to sleep now, peeps. In the last two days I've had something like a total of 6 hours of sleep. I am hoping to recuperate tonight. So please do allow me to rest up and tomorrow, I shall be posting photos from Singapore :)

TheBagHag

Leaving for Singapore

2011-12-22T11:09:00.001+08:00

Good morning everyone! Oh my goodness, I still haven't completed my packing and I am flying out with family in 2 hours! Unfortunately I was unable to pack because I was out last night for 2 things-- one was for the birthday of Lifestyle Asia Magazine's editor- in- chief, Anna Sobrepeña.

With Dr. Aivee and Zee Teo, and the lovely birthday celebrant

I wanted to greet Anna personally so I had to pop over the Peninsula to see her. I was glad I did :). Happy Birthday, Anna!!! :)

I rushed home quickly after in the hopes I can pack for the trip, but I ended up working on a set of interview questions for a magazine before I got a call that my friends from out of town are keen on meeting up before I head out today. They are in Manila for the holidays and I really wanted to see them. So it was a little past midnight when I went out to meet them. It was a little crazy to be out so late but I was just really glad to have caught up with them.

Ludo, Pauline whom I ran into (her brother owns the place we went to), Sher Ren, and Borgy

It has been a crazy December, and I wished that the mood was a lot more festive. While I was away on that HK trip, I was unaware of the havoc that typhoon Sendong wreaked. It was devastating to find out that the number of casualties from that typhoon have been steadily climbing day by day. It was really all so unexpected. And as a result, people have taken to trimming their celebrations out of respect for the recent tragedy. It is however, good to see that everyone's been doing their part to help the victims' families. The relief efforts from private individuals have been overwhelming. It's really so good to see that everyone's still willing to chip in and help out. The Christmas spirit is not dead after all.

Anyway peeps, I think we all deserve to have a little break this Christmas too, so I hope you can take this opportunity to spend good quality time with your respective families and take a step back to reflect on the things happening in your lives :) This is exactly what I will be doing with my family-- to re- group, re-prioritize, and to just really enjoy their company. Let's all not forget to celebrate life too.

Bah, I'm rambling on and on right now when I should be off this chair and on to work on my packing! I will be blogging from Singapore after this. Let the Christmas Travelog begin tomorrow :) Hope you are all well! Where are you peeps off to for the holidays? Do tell! :)

TheBagHag

SALE ALERT: Net-a-Porter International Sale!

2011-12-21T17:29:00.003+08:00

Craaaazy Sale Alert! The Net-a-Porter International Site is now on SALE!!!

I have to get right to this without much introduction. This much I can tell you-- you get to save BIG!

Quick pick today:

Reed Krakoff Boxer 1 Leather and Shearling Tote

Initially, I had reservations about the Boxer bag but the more I look at it, the more I love it. That said, it is still a pretty heavy bag but you are assured of excellent quality. I am loving this shearling tote-- and I did mention some time ago that I woudn't ever carry a shearling tote, but this made me change my mind. I am also loving the color combination. Such a perfect bag for winter!

There are So Many more bags available on sale beginning today at the Net-A-Porter site, so GO SHOP NOW

!!!

x
TheBagHag

Merry Christmas from The Bag Hag :)

2011-12-21T06:45:00.000+08:00

I know, I know, this is rather pathetic to produce a Christmas photo for you all, taken from a tree that doesn't come from my own home. I mean come on, I can't possibly fit a tree this big inside my house, so let's just make do with the beautiful and majestic tree from my 2nd home (and favorite mall)-- Rockwell Power Plant Mall :)

One day to go before I head off to Singapore with my mom, siblings, and my family for our annual Christmas vacation, so I am taking this opportunity now to greet you all a Merry Christmas, and also to thank you all for reading and supporting my blog all these years. Because of this blog, I have met so many of you, and you have allowed me to learn from you as well. For that, I am eternally grateful. Thank you!

Hope you all have a fantastic and a blessed Christmas with your loved ones and family!!

x
TheBagHag

Mulberry Don't Tempt Me!

2011-12-20T03:29:00.001+08:00

I don't have to wonder why Mulberry posted over a 200% increase in profits. I mean, how can I question that when most of the brand's bags are desirable and to lust- for?

Darn. Just when I thought I was actually over Mulberry *yes, I was actually thinking the other day that I'm moving on without another Mulberry bag in my closet* ! These two bags below come out. I know they're still the same style, but oh the colors! Come on, Mulberry, quit teasing this bag hag already! :)

This is the Classic Mulberry Small Magenta Bayswater in Textured Leather. It joins other designer brand minis and I am over the moon about this bag! It's sooo cute, and the color is so spot- on!

Click HERE for more details

When carried using the shoulder strap:

Click HERE for more information about the bag

Over time with smaller bags, you end up becoming trained to be an excellent bag content editor. I wish I had gotten this size instead of the one I currently have. I love this because the bag will take you from day to night in an instant! Available at Net-A-Porter.

If the smaller sized Bayswater is not something you think you can carry, then this mid- sized Grass Green Bayswater is your answer. I've always loved the green color-- it is just so soothing on the eyes :)

Click HERE for more details about this bag

Color blocked success:

Oh boy. The colors of the Mulberry Bayswater are making me want to get the bag again! The design of the Bayswater is already a staple in the brand's lineup, so this is a safe bag to own as it will not be out of style or outdated. The Green Bayswater is also available for purchase now at Net-A-Porter.

Don't mind my open mouth. I'm just drooling at these 2 bags as I stare at them. Something in me is screaming "buy, buy, buy!!!". Oh dear. I need to get a hold of myself or none of my god children will have any Christmas presents this year. But peeps, if you can afford either and have no Bayswater in your collection yet, I highly recommend getting either of these 2 bags... or both even! :)

Mulberry Bags are available at Net-a-Porter. And yes, they ship worldwide :)

x
TheBagHag

On Leather Jackets

2011-12-19T00:04:00.001+08:00

I was able to debut my Versace x H & M leather jacket in Hong Kong last week, thanks to the chilly weather.

This is my first black leather jacket, and I'm really loving it! I had been hankering to own a really good leather jacket but just could not yet justify spending that amount for it, so this Versace x H&M is a very good substitute to satisfy that leather jacket "lusting". Besides, living in the tropics does not call for owning more than 1 leather jacket-- not because people won't really get to wear it often (unless you actually like wearing a leather jacket inside the malls *and there are peeps who do*-- and hopefully you aren't sweating up a storm underneath it LOL), but because the leather itself can be easily ruined with our humid climate.

Earlier this year, I had bought myself a very thin pleather jacket in camel from another high street fashion brand. It had the thickness or rather thinness of regular fabric jacket so I am able to get more "wear" out of it.

This jacket I've actually been able to wear a bit more often in Manila and people have wondered about it-- but when I let them touch the pleather, they were surprised to find that it's so thin. And oh yeah I didn't pay so much for it too-- it is pleather after all!

I don't know about you, but I really have taken a liking to leather jackets. My free time has been spent looking at leather jackets in LuisaViaRoma. How about you? What's your take on leather jackets?

x
TheBagHag

Food Blog: Bo Innovation in Hong Kong

2011-12-18T15:15:00.003+08:00

I always have fantastic meals when I'm in Hong Kong. It's not just the food that's excellent, it's the company as well. A day ago, I was brought to Bo Innovation for lunch. Back in Manila, there was a furniture shop which had the same first name so initially I thought this was a furniture shop/ cafe *obviously not doing research, hello*. When we got to the restaurant and I saw that mosaic portrait of the chef *Alvin Leung* on the side of the wall, I then remembered seeing him featured in Tony Bourdain's show.

Turns out too that this restaurant has received 2 Michelin stars in the Michelin guide for 2012. I was really in for a treat! My gracious host from Tod's knew where to take this food lover :)

This also happens to be the first time I try this "experimental cuisine" (others call this molecular gastronomy)-- where food and science marry, creating extraordinary dishes that give diners a unique experience. And when I say unique, I mean unique. The word unique by the way, is something I should not use so loosely when it comes to food. And this experience is undeniably unique. Chinese food was never the same :)

We decided on the set lunch menu

You pick the dimsum/ classic "Bo" dishes from this list

We decided to share our dimsum, so we can try everything on that list:

1. Har Gow Black Truffle XO

I love Har Gow or crystal shrimp dumplings to begin with, so this was an instant winner. Those black truffles added richness to the flavor.

2. Cod Ball, Morel, Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The olive oil on this plate was poured in front of us. I suppose it's for that "effect," or perhaps to prevent the balls from soaking in too much oil. Whatever the reason or purpose for that, I do know that the pairing of the olive oil worked. Texture was on the coarse side, but the taste was exquisite.

3. Deep Fried Cuttlefish, Kafir Lime Sauce

This is a little tricky. The cuttlefish balls were nothing extraordinary, but pairing them with the kafir lime sauce perked the taste up by twenty notches! I wouldn't have minded a second order of this. It was very enjoyable!

4. Xiao Long Bao, "Bo" style. The burst of flavor on this gelatinous ball which contained not the "meat" of the Xiao Long Bao but the soup extract of it was very unexpected and very entertaining. It felt strange to have Xiao Long Bao without the meat, but this was well worth the experience :) It was like being treated to the "ghost" of Xiao Long Bao :) It aimed to please the palate. And it succeeded.

And now for the main course, my host chose the Pan- Roasted Scallops *very healthy choice, I might add*

And I chose the sinful Langoustine, Preserved Duck Egg *cholesterol, here we come!*, English Mustard, and Cauliflower

The preserved duck egg was made into a paste to coat the langoustine as it sat on a bed of what seemed like lightly mashed cauliflowers. And then of course you've got that mystery foam (I had to call it mystery foam because I honestly don't remember what it was. Gosh I can't be a food writer, can I? LOL). Was it good? It was excellent, excellent, excellent. The flavors that came together were beautiful.

This was the dessert du jour. Forgive me for not being able to tell you exactly what it is because my host and I were too busy chatting to allow the server to explain this! LOL. But from my taste, it's very creamy green tea ice cream. If you don't know this yet of me, here it is-- that's my all- time favorite ice cream flavor. So the dessert sealed the deal for me.

I found myself looking forward to another meal at this restaurant the next time I come back to Hong Kong. I never thought molecular gastronomy could be this fascinating on the palate! But then again this was not some ordinary restaurant! Thank you F and K of Tod's for arranging this wonderful lunch during my short trip to Hong Kong! It was really unforgettable!!

For more information on Bo Innovation, visit their website.

x
TheBagHag

Food Blog: Sevva in Hong Kong

2011-12-17T00:10:00.001+08:00

One of the best places for a good meal + good view is at Sevva in Prince Building at Central. I've had two great meals and drinks there these past 2 days and I can't seem to tear myself away from the place!

Would you just look at the view from the deck of this place? :)

The Hong Kong skyline and the skyscrapers that surround the building!

Had drinks here!

I obviously was so absorbed over dinner that I forgot to take photos of my main course-- roasted monkfish with carrots velouté. Very, very good. Oh and I have to mention that the dessert was incredibly sinful! Oh don't order the Le Louis. That' not one I enjoy *and unless you like extremely sweet and over- the- top cotton candy topped kiddie cakes, you won't like this either*. But I ordered this below-- the berries cake. It was sooo good!

What a night at Sevva! If you are in Hong Kong, it's really worth a try! I love Hong Kong and I totally miss all this!! I'm glad I'm back here right now :)

x
TheBagHag

Travelog: Bag Detour!

2011-12-16T18:19:00.001+08:00

I am back in the hotel room for a few minutes before I leave again, but first, I just have to share this photo. As you know I love the Tod's D bag. So here's another gift suggestion for you--

Woohoo lots of Tod's D bags!!

I love candy colors and I just saw that the D bag comes in that gorgeous shade of pink! I need to make a detour to check her out before I head to my meeting! So many stylish women in Hong Kong are carrying the Tod's D bag, so this is validation that the bag is truly a classic piece!

That's all for now :) Will post more photos later :)

x
TheBagHag

Travelog: Hong Kong Jewels and Bags...

2011-12-15T16:12:00.001+08:00

Finally in Hong Kong again after over 8 months of not being in the city that I once called home :) It's really good to be back!

Wonderful lunch meeting at Lily and Bloom in LKF Tower by Wyndham Street! I picked the mushrooms and vegetable plate and it was really, really good!

~~I'd have had another plate easily~~. LOL ok, I have to keep healthy. This is the season to get fat and unhealthy easily, so as much as possible I'm trying *operative word: trying* to remain attentive with what I eat. It's so hard to shed off holiday weight (yeah, you try losing all that rhum cake you ate haha-- Hard!!).

Post- lunch, I had to walk back to the hotel to get my iPhone which I left in the room (I swear, I'm getting so forgetful these days), and I managed to pass by a few shops :)

What do you think about getting bling for Christmas? *Want Want Want Want!!!* Ok I'm not selfish and demanding. I am not asking for the Liz Taylor- Burton diamond ring or the Taj Mahal necklace (which by the way sold for a cool US $8.8M EACH! Can you count the zeros? :D) All I want is that emerald sugarloaf ring right smack in the middle of the photo. It won't cost a million dollars, I'm sure. LOL *Ok quick someone buy me a lottery ticket-- one that's guaranteed to win, Puh-lease!!*

And then of course I passed by Milan Station (I heard the stock of this company is doing quite well, and there are even more branches that opened in China!). And this as you see, is the reason why you can't find any more Hermes birkins in actual Hermes boutiques *grumbles* :D.

Tri- colored birkin reminds me of a cup of coffee :) And a vert anis one on the right

Special order colors. Quite nice!

Oh yes, there is MORE!

And the latest season brights:

I want that constance!!!!

Now I have heard so many stories about the authenticity of these birkins. I'm pretty sure they are authentic because the store has a seal of "guarantee" from a HK Government Agency and they can be reported if they sold counterfeit items. I asked about one of the Hermes Kellys in 40cm (I've been wanting to upgrade my blue 35cm) and it costs approximately US$20,000 for the one I wanted! *Jaw drops*. Honestly if it were up to me *and if I had the spare cash for a new Kelly*, I'd rather wait it out at Hermes. It'll definitely be a lot cheaper, plus you get to be the first to "unbox" the bag :)

Anyway, the happiness had to end because I had to rush back to grab the phone, then post these photos for you all, then head on out. Here's my parting shot.

Taken at The Landmark

Hope you are all well :) And I hope the photos above gave you more ideas for Christmas presents... that you'd like to RECEIVE :)

TheBagHag

Some Christmas Gift Ideas 2011

2011-12-15T07:44:00.002+08:00

With so many products out there, how can you find that one befitting gift to give to your friends/ family/ loved ones? There are way too many shops selling way too many things and even I can no longer be bothered to go through every single booth in every single bazaar just to score a perfect find, a good bargain, and a seriously good gift.

Here are some of the more "fail- safe" things I'd like to recommend as Christmas gifts. I say fail- safe because these are the very things I'd love to receive myself. I came up with 5 for now, but in the next day or so, I'll add more to the list :) It takes time to "shop" :)

1. If you can't figure out what to give your friend who has a big family, why not gift them with a Chef Stevie's Hainanese Chicken Gift Certificate? Last year, I recommended Chef Stevie's chicken and had likewise given them away as gifts to my godparents and some friends, but this year, I didn't want the hassle of having to send over the chicken to their respective homes especially since most of them are already about to leave town for the holidays. The Gift Certificate is a splendid idea! In this way, the recipients can order the chicken on their own, and in their own time :)

Great idea, Stevie! Call Chef Stevie Villacin for his Hainanese Chicken Gift Certificates at (+63906) 508-4155.

2. I know this is a shameless plug, but seriously this is a gift I've always loved receiving from my good friend Rodina. Crystals! They come in every form, size, shape, and price imaginable. They can be "raw", polished, or even in jewellery form. Bracelets are the most popular form as people can wear them or keep them in a pouch inside their bags. I was very cynical about the "healing" properties of crystals at first, but it has proven effective for me.

10k gold filled wired peridot necklace

Accessory Lab ships nationwide and worldwide as well. Call (+632) 890-9011 or visit the shop at 2/F Rockwell Power Plant Mall Makati City :)

3. I love books and would love nothing more than to physically turn a page and smell the paper, however when it comes to traveling, I can't be bothered to carry more than one book. So I think the Apple iPad2 is really the best solution.

If you get tired of reading an e- book, you can go online and surf- shop for the latest bags *haha hello self- serving* or play Angry Birds *haha, yes I am an Angry Birds addict*. If you're feeling generous for your loved one this Christmas, you can purchase the Apple iPad2 3G 64GB on Barnes and Noble. If not, there's always the Barnes and Noble Gift Card which is well, just as good :) At least you get to let the receiver pick his/ her gift to his/ her own liking :) *I call gift cards the lazy gift, but honestly, I'd like receiving gift cards as well :D*

4. People have said they can't have enough watches. I on the other hand, am content with just one good watch. Until I saw this rose- gold toned over- sized watch from Michael Kors!

Rose- gold watches are looove for me, but hah, I'm ~~too stingy~~ can't afford to pay for a Cartier rose gold ballon bleu version, so this Michael Kors Oversized Rose Gold Watch is perfection! Available for purchase at ShopBop.

5. A holiday bag would be quite nice as a present too! How about a Cath Kidston Day Bag in a festive print like this one?

This day bag has 2 side pockets and a zippered main compartment, plus it's made from waterproof oil cloth so it's a great bag to use for those rainy days :) Available at Cath Kidston.

Happy Shopping! And hopefully you are in a better spot than I am-- because I am not even halfway done with my Christmas shopping :(. I'm flying out today so hopefully I get to find interesting things on this trip-- and when I do, you'll be seeing them here :)

x
TheBagHag

Bright Love!

2011-12-13T11:16:00.003+08:00

Good morning everyone! Let me attempt to work on my Christmas "list" in a bit as I am rushing to finish a story for the paper right now. In the meantime, enjoy this post because this is actually related to what I am writing about for my column :)

I've been blinded by neon colored bags-- and I love it! Here's another bag to add to that already growing "bright" list :)

Marc by Marc Jacobs Neon Python- Effect Satchel

Click HERE to purchase

Funny, the site mentions this as a "croc- effect" bag, but it's actually python- effect :) Anyway, it is such a pretty bag! I am really liking it a lot. The thing about neon colored bags is, I honestly don't know for how long I will want to carry it. So I think it's so much wiser to spend less on a neon bag, and the price of this Marc by Marc satchel is way more reasonable than say, a Celine nano bag in neon. After all, you still want to make sure you are spending money on a bag that will work for you in terms of function. Aesthetics a big plus too *and it's usually the deciding factor*, but for a steep price on a bag, you will need to think about how much use you can get out of it as well. After all, money doesn't grow on trees :) *well ok, maybe except for the Ecclestone sisters ;D*

This blinding Marc by Marc Jacobs Neon Python- Effect Satchel is available at Net-a-Porter.

x
TheBagHag

Relaxed... Azure...

2011-12-12T14:50:00.001+08:00

I woke up to this view yesterday at one of our friends' villa by Tagaytay.

I really had a most relaxing weekend, thanks to our gracious hosts.

RELAXED! I just stared at the view...

As a result, I didn't blog yesterday hahaha. Actually I had meant to blog but I was rushing back to Manila to attend a friend's wedding *which was sooo beautiful* and had only 8 minutes to get ready (which included figuring out what to wear because I'm such a procrastinator and had only decided on the dress when I got home from the road trip!).

Anyway, I will come up with a Christmas list for you tomorrow. Because Christmas is less than 2 weeks away and I don't think everyone's done with their shopping-- I can say that about myself. It's not just the Christmas shopping that gets a little too overwhelming to do, it's also the gifts "dispatching"! So hopefully I can help recommend some gifts for you to give to your friends before the "1 week left before Christmas" mark!

Before I go, a bag recommendation! The Alexander Wang Emile Large Satchel

In calming Azure

I have written about this bag in the past. But I never featured this color. Blue is always a color that makes me feel very serene and calm. The funny thing about bags is, everytime I see a bag in a color I like, I am already very partial about liking it. But this Emile Satchel is something I've already tried, and I do find it very nice. I think another "come- on" about this bag is that it falls below the US $1,000 price mark. Alexander Wang has always been on the more "reasonable" side when it comes to prices of bags, so I think this is a good "get." Available at SHOPBOP.

Have a great Monday, everyone! It's back to reality for me :)

x
TheBagHag

Sale Alert! The Outnet!

2011-12-10T23:41:00.002+08:00

Hi peeps! I have to make this post a quick one because I'm currently in Tagaytay at a friend's villa for a pre- Christmas party and the internet's pretty choppy. Plus I just sneaked out to work on this post lol. Promise I'll make it up during the week :)

Anyway, did you know about The Outnet's Clearance Sale happening right now? It's the perfect time to go online shopping with this sale-- and there are actually less than 4 days left, so do go check it out now!

CLICK HERE TO START SHOPPING!

Tell me what you end up getting!! Meanwhile, I need to head back to the party. As for you, go ahead and treat yourself to something at The Outnet tonight :)

TheBagHag

Daphne on Vogue Italia!

2011-12-09T17:45:00.003+08:00

I am SOOO proud of my good friend Daphne Paez! Today, she got featured in the Vogue Italia website!!

I am so incredibly proud of this woman who has achieved so much in the not- too- long period of time that she is here in Manila! This is soooooo major and I just have to give her feature a shoutout here, because now, Vogue Italia has also recognized her work as well as her blog!! This is really just so amazing and I am practically jumping for joy on her behalf !! :)

Daphne, CONGRATULATIONS!!! You deserve all this and I can't wait to see more of you and your work in 2012- in MILAN perhaps ? Hahaha :)

TheBagHag

At The Ferragamo Party

2011-12-09T13:11:00.001+08:00

It was raining cats and dogs last night but that did nothing to dampen the Ferragamo re-opening and launch of their custom order red carpet shoe collection.

I like these pumps the best. You get to choose the style and the colors.

Here are the other styles

I came to the event rather late but was still thankfully able to catch up and meet Ferragamo's Paul Cadman with SSI's Anton Huang

And here are some of the guests who braved the rain...

Actress Anne

Super stylist Sidney

Alex

Stylist Liz and Actress Solenn

Bulgari's Mario with Ruby

Yay, I'm with my fave Philippine model Girlie, and Mega Magazine's Jody <3

SSI's Malu

Linda

Frannie

I'm having a wee bit of trouble uploading all the photos of guests for some reason (some photos keep getting an error message right now), but anyway, it was all great fun!

TheBagHag