Good news to all who are just so mad about their lashes!

Forget about having to book yourself for an eyelash re-touch every month or so. You may as well stop gluing and peeling your lashes on night outs or better yet, ditch your mascara forever.

Brace yourselves girls--the wonders of science has made it possible for you to have real long, sweeping lashes!

Ladies and gentlemen: the all-new eyelash transplant surgery.

Yes, it's the same procedure being used by hair transplant surgeons. And what's even more amazing about it is that since they are made of human hair, the lashes will grow just like any human lashes.

According to Michele Cheplic, "The procedure is fairly simple in that surgeons are only required to make a small incision at the back of the scalp to remove 30 or 40 hair follicles, which are carefully sewn one by one onto the patient's eyelids. Doctors say the procedure requires just light sedation and local anesthetics. And the cost for the eyelash makeover? About $3,000 an eye."

Phew! That's mighty expensive!

But what I have heard from the local grapevine is that, cosmetic surgeons such as Belo are already doing it for P50,000. This is not yet confirmed. But anyhoo, foreigners just might keep on coming here!

So if you have enough moolah to afford the procedure, then you won't have to worry about getting racoon eyes from running mascara or falling lashes in the middle of making googoo eyes with your date.

Six Degrees of Separation: A Group Exhibit

Start:	Jun 16, '08 5:00p
End:	Jul 5, '08 5:00p
Location:	Le Souffle G/F Amorsolo Tower, Amorsolo Drive, Rockwell Center, Makati City

A Group art exhibit by 6 artists of varied painting styles: Wilfredo Offemaria Jr, Gonzalo Uy, Jucar Raquepo, Daniel Aligaen, Anthony Fermin, and Jomike Tejido

Exhibit opens on Monday, June 16 2008 at 5pm and shall run until July 5 2008
You may call 450-2993 for details.

Independence Day Thoughts

Nobody celebrates Indepence Day anymore.

Well, at least no one within third degree of consanguinity with me.

Why would anyone do so--when majority of the Filipinos are being deprived of their own freedoms?

We can start with all the big, much hyped about proofs: police brutalities, political killings, journalists being threatened, killed and kidnapped, civilian brutalities, political seizure of properties and so on.

But you know, we can escape this for once and think of all the basic, everyday proofs that all of us can relate to. I say that we look at those which fall within the framework described by Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen.

Last year, we have faced one major economic ambiguity: the government claiming that our economy is on its boom (with enough information to back it up like GDPs, employment statistics, tax collection, etc.) while people are claiming that more and more Filipinos are getting hungrier by the day. Later on, we face worsening problems on inflation and rice shortage.

So who is saying the truth, we ask ourselves.

I say it's both.

You see, while our economy is growing and our government is earning more taxes from its people and its investors, the problem is that the wealth acquired during the process does not trickle down to the grassroots.

The gap between the rich and the poor have worsened. And are companies to be blamed? Well, not those who observe good governance and social responsibility. But probably those who are new and exploitative by nature. There may be hundreds of thousands of jobs created in the past years but what is really the quality of these jobs? Do they really free more Filipinos such that they will be able to afford good education, healthcare and other welfare services? Are not these taxes being mismanaged and somehow lost among red tape and SOPs?

You see, freedom is more than just being freed from the hands of a dictator or a conqueror. Freedom is more of people being independent; people being made to stand on their own.

You know, I reprimand myself whenever I feel pity towards a blue-collared employee. I tell myself thatI should not pity them because they have decent jobs and they live decent lives. They have decent employers who give them what is right and due. BUT. They do not have access to good education, healthcare, housing, etc. simply because the government cannot give it to them.

It's not that I am expecting first world welfare system for the Filipinos. I am realistic enough to know that even if we remove all the corruption in our government, the country will still be so far away from the G8 in terms of national wealth. But the thing is, it could be so much better if the billions that go to the pockets of officials will instead go to hospitals, schools, etc.

Ayayayay...

Anyway, there's one more thing I'd like to write about. It's about the OFWs being called as the country's new heroes (bagong bayani). I think we have to be careful about who we call our heroes.

Heroes are supposedly those who have clear intentions of wanting to help the country more than their families.

But why is that I hear so many OFWs complain about the appreciating value of Peso against the US dollar and rejoice when the peso drops?

Yes, I know why and it's clearly not because of a national cause.

So why should we call them all bagong bayanis? While some may be exceptions, still, I think that the same argument being raised by the "anti"-Lapu-Lapu group applies to this.

Anyway, let's still thank them all for keeping the economy afloat regardless of their intentions. And yes, I am still mighty proud of them for working and living decently for the sake of their own families.

Mabuhay ang mga mabubuting Pinoy!

Mabuhay ang kalayaan!

Mamatay ang mga magnanakaw ng kalayaan! (hehe)

Clothes WE love from Gossip Girl's Season Finale

Episode 1.18: Much "I Do" About Nothing

I am so kilig about the whole C and B thing. Though I am secretly hoping to still see the bad C somehow. It might be for the chase. But for certain, it ain't Chuck Bass without the arrogance, partying and womanizing. Oops, well, maybe we can delete the last one.

Anyway, I loved what S and B wore on Lily's wedding. And also, what B wore on her trip to France. So here are the stills I managed to copy from blairandchuck.com. I suggest you go visit it if you're a big B and C fan. (After hearing Chuck's lines on the reception dancefloor, I am now over that phase hoping it was NATE and not Chuck.)

Again, anyway, the stills:

Check out Blair's cocktail dress
Take note of the details, the shoes and the headband
She's so cute!







Serena as the maid of honor
I love yellow and black.



Blair's going-to France outfit
She's the Jackie O of our time :)


Can't wait to watch Season 2 on September...

XOXO

Monique Lhuillier 2008

These beautiful ML pieces are a source of inspiration for women in ways more than one.

ML Resort 2008

ML Spring 2008

Click here to visit Monique Lhuillier.

Krissy as Dora the Explorer

My little Dora and I went to the Dora Meet & Greet Activity at the SM Activity Center. She was so happy. So priceless :)

Getting CARRIEd Away

Ironically, it took one phrase that started with "sex" to break a self-inflicted abstinence. (On movies, that is. You dirty minds! :p) With two girls and bunches of tears and laughter, it was aALL worth it.

I so, so loOove SATC, the girls, the clothes, the SHOES and the purses! Sigh...

Anyway, Saturday was a date with two of my great girl friends.

Dinner and cocktails at Jack's Loft

More cocktails at Cafe Adriatico