So yesterday one of the maintenance personnel in our condo knocked on the door and said that the power will be out from 11pm to 6am. As we had things to finish, Marco and I thought to stay in a hotel overnight. After calling up at least four hotels, we decided to settle on Marriott Manila since it's the nearest one (albeit not as affordable as I might like).

from the Marriott Manila website

I guess we just wanted to relax and break the routine for even just one day. Anyway, for those who are looking for a place to stay (especially Balikbayans, it's just right in front of NAIA 3) Mariott is a good choice. I wouldn't say the best since I expected a bigger room and at least a free breakfast because the rate is not cheap, but I am very happy with the service. I also loved the gorgeous pool area, which I sadly forgot to take a picture of before my 7am swim.

Food from the restaurant is just so-so for the price. We ordered spaghetti bolognese and kare-kare, which tasted rather bland. I think it cost P1,700 for the dinner, including drinks.

Last week, I received a beauty loot from Anne, a friend who lives in Canada! You remember that I swapped with her last September. This is our picture with Noemz, another friend I met online, who kindly shipped the package to me even amidst her busy schedule!

me, Anne, Noemz

These two girls are the sweetest. We only met online, eventually met in person, and, thanks to the Internet, we manage to keep in touch! I can't wait for Anne to visit the Philippines again so we can have a proper dinner or something. 

Anyhoo, this is what Anne sent me:

I'm not a foodie, but I love good food (who doesn't?). We eat out a lot but the bulk of our meals are cooked by me! Therefore, it's important that I always find new flavors and new sources of ingredients. The healthier and more natural, the better. Location is also important!

So when I heard that a new weekend market is opening behind Bonifacio High Street, I immediately rushed to the opening this morning. Take note, I wasn't invited as part of the media. I was there to see what the place, called Mercato Centrale, had to offer. I admit though that the biggest draw for me was the location; it was near our condo, plus I love the atmosphere and crowd at High Street.

There are quite a lot of suppliers (three huge tents) so I wasn't able to take a picture of everything, but I did take photos of the few I bought from.

This is the first tent you'll see upon entrance. Opening day was packed with people! The first tent had a lot of pastries, cookies, and other sweet desserts. There were also vegetables, herbs, free-range organic chicken, and cooked meals. Leyende was there as well as this line of baby products.

Organic produce straight from the ground

Granola bars. I bought a sugar-free Chips Ahoy-flavored pack.

I was just settling down to write about some cheap lipstick I found at the drugstore. But then I thought what the hell, I don't want to talk about lipstick. When you do what you love and you get either pressured or paid to do it, well, it stops being something you love, but just something you do.

Let's take a break from makeup and clothes today, shall we? I'd just like to share my newest toy!

It's true what they say: once you go Mac, you can't go back. Okay that doesn't really apply to everyone but it does to me and Marco. We love Apple computers because of the functionality and design. We love that Apple thinks of computers differently and encourages other people to do the same.

Tools of the trade: 16-gig iPad, Macbook, 32-gig iPod Touch, 4-gig iPod Shuffle

When I first got my Macbook I had no idea how to use it.

I love dainty containers, boxes, and paper bags. I used to collect paper bags from the stores I shopped in, then eventually from the brands who sent me their wares, but I had to throw them out since space is precious. I would keep special boxes though (like from Pond's - they pack stuff in the best, beribboned boxes!) and some paper bags that I know I won't easily come across. I also keep some pretty boxes that come with makeup.

Small pouches and containers are also a secret addiction. I have quite a lot lying around in the condo because I just can't bear to throw them away! What if I need them someday? I do use them someday, eventually. Other people would call it recycling but I'd call it hoarding.

Anyway, I'd like to show you one of my favorite containers. This one is pretty special to me because I bought it in Boracay. I haven't seen it around in Manila so maybe it's not one of those mass-produced things. In any case the shell is real and not plastic, making me feel like it would bear pearls whenever I hold it. Oh day dreams.

I thought it would be a nice accessory keeper so I stuffed all my Avon accessories from their summer collection (launched last March).

Pink, black, and ribbons all together make me happy!

Ooohh what's inside

If you're going to a party, especially to formal ones, it's not quite chic to sling a tote, shoulder, or hand bag with your cocktail dress. It destroys the mood of your outfit as well as the occasion. It's recommended to bring a clutch bag instead since it's compact, streamlined, and formal.

But of course, clutch bags don't necessarily have to be used only during evening events! You can wear them with casual clothes too, if they're big and roomy enough to function. You may as well have the clutch in black to max out the versatility.

I picked up this gift from Dorothy Perkins yesterday (thanks Michelle!). It's exactly what I need!

The clutch is plain, sleek, and most importantly, roomy! It can easily fit my phone, foundation, and lipstick with lots of room to spare for a wallet and camera. I promptly wore it last night to a dinner date with Marco at 101 in Enderun.

Good morning from Baguio! I'm here with Marco to chill - quite literally. It's very cold here. Unfortunately I was naive enough to think otherwise, so I brought only one jacket and mostly flimsy clothes. Horror, I tell you, especially for someone who has low tolerance for cold. How I wish I sneaked off some of the new Ukay Manila blazers from my store! (Yes I just have to say that lol. New arrivals today ladies!)

Anyway, I'd just like to share with you the kikay stuff I brought. You can easily guess from my what's in my bag post that I prefer to travel extra light. I don't mind sacrificing a few comforts, routines, and favorites if that means that I don't have to worry about the weight of my bag, breaking anything, or god forbid, losing anything important. 

Only three small pouches and the rest are clothes. Yes I brought my POSH Pocket Shoes! Soo travel-friendly.

This VNC bag is perhaps the most useful thing I ever got from an event. It has divisions, garter holders for brushes, and has this hook so I can hang it. It's also a shoe bag. It's thin and small but very roomy so I prefer to use it for stocking makeup when I'm out of town. Everything is protected and nothing jiggles around while my luggage is in transit. I'm not sure if this is for sale, but if you ever see it, get it asap!

I haven't stepped out of the condo since I got home on Thursday. Yes, you heard that right. I can live on what's in the pantry and what's on the Internet. At this point I don't know how to describe my life - some parts boring, amazing, sad, exciting, empty, happy - the list goes on. I evaluate my life by every week I spend it. Was this week great? Or sucky? Or just meh. It's dynamic, and I guess that's a good thing.

My doodle

So how was this week? Let's see. 

• Monday: New arrivals day at Ukay Manila. Always a busy day. Went out in the afternoon to shop for two week's worth of stocks for the store. Then, I attended the Pond's private launch at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati.
• Tuesday: Went to the Vibal office in QC for a meeting. My gosh, QC is sooo far. The meeting was less than 30 minutes while the travel time was 2.5 hours.
• Wednesday: Office day. Or marketing consultancy day. I'm always in Ortigas every Wednesday.

A couple of readers have asked me about the stuff I keep in my bag and makeup kit. I was at first hesitant to answer because - and this may come as a surprise - I don't bring a makeup kit! The things I bring outside are usually just the basics. I don't like being bothered to re-apply makeup (unless it's lipstick) so I make sure that I only wear reliable and long-lasting ones before I leave.

On a normal day, this is what I have in my bag!

A light, compact umbrella. I don't leave home without this! I don't like getting caught in a sudden downpour and then scurrying like an insect for cover. Everyone should bring an umbrella all the time.

Keys. Very mundane. The key chain is from Havaianas, I got a lot of this stuff a few months back. I just gave them away.

Faux ostrich wallet from Bijoux. This wallet is huuuge! I think it qualifies as a clutch already. Aside from money, it carries receipts, IDs, ATM cards, gift certificates plus other random junk I feel I shouldn't lose. In other words, it's full of junk lol.

32 gig iPod Touch. A good chunk of my life is spent on the Internet, which is why this gadget is indispensable to me. I use this for surfing the net, checking my five mail inboxes, Twittering, media stuff, games, chatting, setting up schedules and notes etc. WiFi isn't usually a problem because there's a lot of places to get it free from!