Friday, April 29, 2011

Royal Wedding Fashion

Mabuhay!

The Royal Wedding was a display of pomp and pagentry at its finest! The British do it so well! I love it!

Here's what we all saw and what I think are hits and misses (photo source):

Hits:

The Beckhams: David in Ralph Lauren and Victoria wore her own design Phillip Treacy hat and sky-high Louboutin heels. Can you spell movie stars?
Like what I always say, musicians are some of the best-dressed people I know. Sir Elton John in a yellow vest and violet tie.
The young and the restless: (from left) Princess Eugenie of York wore an electric blue outfit by Vivienne Westwood while Beatrice of York was in a Valentino number. Both had Phillip Treacy hats.
Camilla Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall always wears a great hat! She wore Anna Valentine.
Kate's mom, Carole Middleton, in a pale blue Catherine Walker ensemble. So fresh and chic!
Gray matters: Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock
Here comes the sun! Queen Elizabeth in a cheery, yellow ensemble designed by Angella Kelly

Misses:

Cerulean overload! Tara Palmer-Tomkinson
Not hat: Samantha Cameron should've worn a fascinator instead of her bejeweled clips

Band of brothers:

The coolest brothers in the world at this moment: Prince William and Prince Harry wearing their designated uniforms
His mother's son.

I love Kate! She's elegant, modern, and proper. I'm so looking forward to her "Royal" fashion!

Kate, The Great!

Kate Middleton arrived at Westminster Abbey on Friday wearing a long-sleeved wedding dress with lace bodice and full silk skirt by Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen. Her bridal look included a full veil, a Cartier tiara borrowed from the Queen and a small bouquet of white blooms. Her hair was styled half-up, half-down.

Kate's wedding gown is similar to Grace Kelly's (1956).
The anointed one: Designer Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen designed the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding gown
Burton became creative director of the British fashion label in 2010, following the suicide of founder Alexander McQueen. She presented her first womenswear collection without him at Paris Fashion Week. It received rave reviews for combining femininity with McQueen's unique style.
Sisters in style: Kate and Pippa in Sarah Burton creations. Kate's dress and shoes were handmade by McQueen's team. She wore drop earrings by Robinson Pelham and “borrowed”, the Queen's 'Halo' tiara made by Cartier in 1936, purchased by The Duke of York (later King George VI) for his Duchess.
William to Kate: "You look beautiful!"
Aaaaaaaaa! *melts*
Photo source

Just married!
Congratulations to the The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge!


Shoppingero/shoppingera, do you believe in "happily ever after"?

Meatless Fridays: Century Tuna Royal Tea Sandwiches

Mabuhay!

In honor of the Royal Wedding of Prince William & Catherine Middleton, Aryanna and I thought that we would make a meatless dish inspired by the British accompanied by something we both enjoy: tea time.

William & Kate Royal Wedding
Photo source

Tea sandwiches are bite-sized snacks. Despite their name, tea sandwiches fit the menu whenever you're looking for something light to eat and they are perfect for entertaining — they look fancy but are super easy to make.

Traditionally, tea sandwiches are served during afternoon tea time to ward off hunger before dinner.

I usually make tea sandwiches with caviar or egg salad or tuna salad fillings for tea time with Aryanna. Since today is all about the union of two lovers, I thought I'd "combine" eggs and tuna as filling to create a "Royal Tea" sandwich. Haha!

Century Tuna Royal Tea Sandwiches



Ingredients:

Light mayonnaise 
Himalayan Pink salt
White pepper

2 cans of Century Tuna in brine, drained
From left: lemon juice, fresh dill, celery, baby arugula or your favorite greens
Hard boiled eggs
Sliced wheat bread, trim the crust with a serrated knife for clean edges

Ratings:
Level of easiness: 5
Taste: 5
Impress the guest factor: 5

 Easy peasy:

Step 1: Finely chop the tuna, celery, and fresh dill. Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
Step 2: Add a dollop of mayo
Step 3: Spread a thin layer of tuna filling onto the slice bread. Top it with slice boiled eggs. Cut your sandwiches in triangles, squares or rectangles.
Tip: A thin coating of butter will keep the bread from getting soggy.
Aryanna doesn't like arugula so I only put it on mine.

Since Aryanna and I are more "rock" than "royalty",  here's our set-up for the "Royal Tea" time:

Tea time with Aryanna!
Skip the clotted cream and sugar for a healthier meal.
Aryanna made mini coconut scones for our sweet tea time treats! So yummy and kyoot!
Thanks Aryanna for helping mom! I couldn't have done the mini coconut scones without your help!
Enjoy watching the Royal Wedding! :D

Having tea with your family is a fab way to spend quality time with them. Aryanna and I usually have tea at home, in a hotel or sometimes, at a coffee/tea joint. It's a great way to bond with each other. Here's one of my favorite "Tea Time" with my daughter.

From "Royalty" to "Royal Tea" sandwiches, I've got it covered! Follow me on twitter.com/jenniepperson for a virtual Tea Time chickahan during the Royal Wedding! Fun!


Shoppingero/shoppingera, how often do you spend quality time with your loved ones?

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Organize! Organize! Organize!

Mabuhay!

Listen up family! Here are clever gifts for mom this coming Mother's Day!

For the multitasking mom, the on the go office woman, or busy student, the key to a less stressful life is to organize your space.

The time you save can be used for spending more time with your family and friends. Just by organizing a space, you can buy yourself hours of time every week that would have otherwise been wasted on searching for things that were lost. Instead of scouring the house every morning for misplaced items or wasting hours each night looking for keys, computer chargers, and other things that have a tendency to get lost, this gives you more family time, more personal time, and more time for doing the things you love.

A few things worth buying to create a peaceful and organized space at home or at work are bag organizers, gadget organizers, and cosmetic cases.

Here are some of my favorite organizers:

Clear bags are essential so you can easily see your things. You can also sort your things into like categories and put them in each bag: Cosmetics, kids stuff, paper, etc...
I found these clear zip bags at Make Room. I like that each bags comes with a hook that I can attach to some of my totes.
Mesh zipper bags are great for traveling. They are compact and practical.
I use this as my cosmetics bag. I like that the mesh bags and clear zipper pouch are all detachable. There are also tons of pockets and several makeup brush holders. It's all in cased in a sturdy nylon zip bag. Available at Make Room.
These nylon zippered pouches were gifts from Tumi. I gave them to Tom because as you may have noticed, I already own enough organizers. Haha!
This gadget organizer was a gift from my friend Tess. This is what I bring with me to my shoots.
My family are all gadget heads so we each have this giant gadget organizer! Great for the home too!
The giant gadget bag is also available at Make Room.
My bag organizer is from Muji. I like that it's white and has a top handle so I can easily transfer it from one bag to another. Cit-Cit Sioson featured this in Inquirer a few weeks ago. You can read it here.
The Muji bag organizer also has several dividers and a zipper pouch.
Organizers keep my bags neat.
Every mom should own a receipt wrangler. I have two: one for work and for household receipts.
Tip: For household receipts, I divide the accordion pockets by the day. It's an easy way to keep track of how much I spend everyday.

I just recently worked with makeup artist Juan Sarte. He is probably the neatest person I know. He owns the coolest organizers, gadgets, and containers. 

His newest cool find is a gadget organizer he bought in the States. I want one, Juan!

On the outside: a simple, functional, and compact nylon bag...
The inside reveals many pockets perfect for your tech toys. The best part is the extension cord holder in the middle!

I lost my styling kit during one of my shoots. Don't ask. I'm furious. Anyway, I am excited to complete a new styling kit. There are so many cool, affordable containers being sold now too! I can't wait to build my styling kit again! Will update you!


Shoppingero/shoppingera, when was the last you organized your space?

Spring Scents

Mabuhay!

I am grateful to be working in an environment that is cold (read: airconditioned studio).
In fact, I have to bring a jacket or wear boots to keep me warm — very Fall/Winter lang ang peg.
So far, all my shoots have been indoors, but I am dreading the next campaign I'm working on as it will be on location. In a farm. No trees. Just a field. I'm melting. @.@

I wish summer in Manila is just like the way perfume companies describe it in their press kits: "Refreshing sunny summer days!" or "Lose yourself in a field of flowers?" and my favorite, "Evoke the freshness and spontaneity of a springtime fancy!" OK, wherever those places are, please feel free to take me there. Now na.

Anyway, I have to admit that with a few spritz of my fave scent, it helped me feel refreshed. Just a bit. Teeny tiny.

In the end, looking at my perfume bottles make me happy! Spring joy!

Summer in bottles:

Burberry Summer
A fruity fragrance with citrus top notes of orange, mandarin and delicate green leaf. Lily of the valley, freesia and rose add a soft floral tone.
Warm base notes of cedar wood, sandal wood and white musk give depth to this fresh and energetic scent
Chloe Rosebud Collection
Chloé celebrates spring. For a limited edition, the brand’s signature fragrance dresses up with a bright pink ribbon. at the heart of the Chloé Eau De Parfum, the rose always: dazzling and delicate. a bouquet of roses with a velvety heart interlacing floral notes of magnolia and lily of the valley, enhanced with honeyed accents of amber and cedar wood.

Jeanne Lanvin La Plume
Composed by Anne Flipo, with base notes of musk and berries, borrowed from the original score of Jeanne Lanvin. Sweet tones of Apricot and Pear Nectar, appears in the top notes; and the middle notes freesia with a burst of crystallised rose petals, and the juicy sparkling notes of orange.

Marc Jacobs Splash
Cocktail Collection

Inspired by the first sip of a refreshing cocktail on a sunny summer day, Marc Jacobs introduces three new limited edition Splash scents:
Marc Jacobs Cranberry is a crisp, refreshing citrusy blend that is rich with flavor. This intensely sweet-tart scent captures the vibrant fruity fizz sensation.
Notes of honeysuckle, cranberry, and icy musk.
From left: Marc Jacobs Curacao captures the sweet sensation of a summer in the tropics. This fragrance tempts the senses with a view from the sapphire waters and a cocktail at the beach.
Marc Jacobs Ginger creates a spicy, saucy delicious scent, inspired by a sophisticated Asian flare.

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh
Top: Rubt red grapefruit, raspberry, green leaves, pear
Mid: Violet, wild rose, apple blossom lychee,jasmine petals
Base: Musk, plum, cedarwood


Shoppingera, in what ways do you keep yourself refreshed this summer?

Monday, April 25, 2011

My Top 5 Picks

Mabuhay!

Welcome to a new category on my blog: "My Top 5 Picks"

I will update you with cool finds, yummy treats, and anything that's worth checking out!

1. Holly's Farm Fresh Milk
Nothing beats fresh milk! Have fresh milk delivered at your doorsteps weekly. Visit www.hollysmilk.com to find the nearest distributor.
I say, once you go fresh...
2. Skin Food Lime Secret Shine
Get J.Lo's glow with this makeup base. Use it to highlight your cheekbones and add a touch of shimmer on your chin. You'll love the lime scent too!

3. Tom Binns is love.
Irish designer Tom Binns' signature tough-luxe aesthetic blends contemporary elegance with directional detailing. His designs are infused with playful, punk spirit. I hope Adora or Firma can bring in Tom Binns!
4. Pocket-size Vaseline Total Moisture Nourishing
24 hour moisturisation with vitamine E, soya, and oat extracts
Hydrate your skin this summer!
5. Spend time with your loved ones outdoors. Visit your local park.
If it gets too hot, you can always take refuge at the nearest frozen yogurt joint!


Shoppingero/shoppingera, share with all of us your top five picks!

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