And the Winners Are...

Happy anniversary, Here, Tishie Tishie! Happy birthday, BFF! And happy announcement day to all those who joined my blog anniversary giveaway, sponsored by Cocomo!

Let's get right down to it!

Winner #1 gets the Love Story reversible bikini.

The winner, according to my online random number generator is...

Number 94 said that she wants to win a Cocomo swimsuit because, "I haven't been to the beach in 7 years! I will now have a good excuse to hit the beach because of course I have to show off the swimsuit. ;)" SEVEN YEARS! Sweetie, it's time for you to hit the gorgeous beaches of our tropical country, and now you have the perfect excuse!:)

On to the next one! Winner #2 gets the Vienna tankini.

Who could it be? This winner said, "I want to win a Cocomo swimsuit because these are really gorgeous, perfect for my graduation celebration! :))" Winner #2, consider this a graduation gift!:)

(Che, sorry, you just missed it!!! At least you know this isn't rigged. Haha.)

And finally, Winner #3 gets the Black Savannah.

Number 35 said, "I want to win a Cocomo swimsuit because I can definitely rock these swimsuits! LOL! Kidding aside, I think the swimsuits above look great and will be definitely great for summer! :D" Well, this winner can now rock the oh-so-sexy one-piece pictured above...

Congratualtions to Nina, Snow0016, and Sugar Sugar! Please get in touch with me through heretishietishie@gmail.com. You have until 12:00 noon of Thursday, the 31st of March 2011. If I don't hear from you by then, I shall be holding another draw! (I sense a collective crossing of fingers among the others who joined.)

Thank you to Cocomo and to all those who joined! Again, I was so overwhelmed by the response. I was up til two in the morning just collating everything and cross-checking with the Followers list and the blog posts for additional entries. Haha. (Well, not so haha considering my zombie-esque state.) A special thanks to those who've been following this blog since the beginning, even before I started giving stuff away. Sniff.

Have a great week, everyone!:)

Giveaway Now Closed

My blog anniversary giveaway is officially closed! Thanks to all those who joined! So overwhelmed by the response. Check back tomorrow (28th of March) at noon to find out if you won a Cocomo swimsuit!

Last Call for Giveaway Entries!

Hi, everyone! You have until 11:59 p.m. to join my blog anniversary giveaway. You have a chance to win one of three Cocomo swimsuits! Good luck!:)

I'm on StyleBible!

It was Fire Drill Day, and while most people from our floor snuck out for coffee to avoid having to go down seven flights of stairs, I stayed behind. We were ferried to a vacant lot by what was supposedly the burning building. While waiting, the Real Living girls and I were making jokes about how StyleBible was going around snapping pics of Fire Drill Chic. The next thing I knew, they were asking me to pose!

Fire Drill Fashion: Sheer top by Essenxa, shorts from Jellybean, belt from Bangkok, sandals from Celine, hobo bag from Landmark

So it's just a regular getup, but I guess the Preview girls didn't participate in the drill, so there wasn't anything more thrilling to shoot. Har.

Thank goodness I wore flats that day. The stairs would've been killer in heels!

Buy or Rent?

Do you want to own a house one day? At what cost?

My husband and I always thought that "investing" in a house was the smart thing to do. Until a few months ago when I talked to M, who had been thinking about the merits of renting vs. buying. M's a smart guy. He's done the math. Paying for rent doesn't quite add up to the hefty amount it takes to pay for a mortgage. "Unless I could pay off, like, 50 percent up front, I don't think it makes sense for me to buy," he said. And apparently, this guy agrees with him.

It seems to make sense. I know homeowners (or, more accurately, would-be owners) who pay about six times what we're paying on rent every month, and just the thought of all that money makes me dizzy. (And I've also seen the amount of stress it puts on them, on top of earning money to send kids to school, put food on the table, etc. etc.) I know a couple who pays about four hundred grand a month for their brand-spankin' new home. I can't even imagine all the hustlin' I would have to do to come up with that much moolah month after month.

What I can imagine is what I could do with the money that goes into hypothetical amortization payments: I could invest. I could travel with my husband (at P400,000 a month, we could go to Europe all the frickin' time!). I could buy stuff I would normally have second thoughts about buying because I've got over a hundred Gs to pay each month. I could be liquid. And then I won't have to worry about fire or earthquakes or whataver 2012-esque disasters damaging my house because, well, it's not really my house.

Some will argue that having a home gives you very important stuff like peace of mind and a sense of ownership. I get it, I totally get it. I do want to buy a house,* but only when I'm good and ready, financially. For now, I'd rather have the peace of mind that comes with being liquid. I'd rather have the freedom to travel because my money's not tied down to a house. I won't get land with the relatively small amount I'm funneling towards rent each month, but I still get a very decent roof over my head. So, until the day when we can comfortably afford to buy a house--meaning we can pay off a significant amount upfront and not have to stress over the monthly payments and still have a good life all around--we'll willingly, happily rent.

I may be totally misguided, of course. Do you think buying is so much better than renting? Share your thoughts!:)


*As opposed to a condo.

Have You Joined My Giveaway Yet?

In case you haven't heard, I'm giving away three swimsuits courtesy of Cocomo! You have until 11:59 p.m. of March 27 to join! To borrow lyrics from my song-of-the-moment, hurry, hurry, hurry now quick, quick, quick!

My, See How We've Grown

Pretty amazing that, at the recently concluded New Year League, there were over 30 teams!

Video posted by Ian

I've been playing competitive disc for over three years now, and it amazes me how things have changed since I began. Our team itself has had its share of changes...

Warriors then... (I think this was our first league)


...and now

It's weird that only six people (including myself) remain from that first photo. People have moved away, gotten married, had kids, moved onto other things. We've experienced everything from being in Pool C and being happy just scoring a single point, to becoming Pool B champions. I've said goodbye to people, welcomed new--not necessarily young (hullo to those above 30!:D)--teammates, tasted the sweetest of victories and the most bitter of defeats. I have played and partied with the Warriors, both in and out of Manila. And while during the odd league or provincial tourney, I may play for the Roaches or the Lolas, I keep going back to the Warriors, again and again. It's my family; it's home. It's where I was born as a disc player, and it's where I'll retire.

But not just yet. As long as my knees, my clumsy ankle, and freckled skin allow, I'll be out on that field. If my body permits, I'll be playing until I'm a true Lola!

Anniversary Giveaway: Cocomo Swimsuits!

Yup, you read right--swimsuits, plural! Cocomo is sponsoring Here, Tishie Tishie's anniversary giveaway and you have the chance to win one of three swimsuits!!! I so want to join my own giveaway! If all the exclamation points haven't made it obvious, I am a fan of Cocomo (I have two suits which you can see here and here), and am thrilled that a brand I love wants to share some goodies with my readers!

Swimsuit 1: Love Story (available in small, medium, and large. Check Cocomo's site for size chart). It's a fun and flirty bikini with a reversible top and bottom! It's padded, and the top ties at the neck and back.

Swimsuit 2: Vienna (available in small, medium, and large. Check Cocomo's site for size chart). This fully lined tankini has removable pads. The vertical stripes aren't only cute and playful--they're also slimming!

Swimsuit 3: Black Savannah (available in small, medium, and large. Check Cocomo's site for size chart). This ultra-chic one-piece has adjustable gold loops and removable pads, and is fully lined.

Now for the mechanics.

Rules

*Open to Philippine residents who are public followers of heretishietishie.blogspot.com. (And yes, it's open to men!) By public follower, I mean you have to be visible in that little box on the side labeled "Followers."

*Open until 11:59 PM (Manila time) of March 27, 2011.

*Each entry will be assigned a number, and I will be drawing a number at random using an online generator. First number to be drawn will win swimsuit 1, second number will win swimsuit 2, third number will win swimsuit 3.

*Winner will be announced at 12:00 PM on March 28, 2011 (Happy birthday, Here, Tishie Tishie! And to my BFF, Mads!).
*Winner will have 72 hours to claim the prize after announcement.

How to enter

1. Again, you MUST be a public follower of Here, Tishie Tishie. If you aren't, then step one is to start following!

2. Leave one comment (let me reiterate: just one comment) filling in the blank: "I want to win a Cocomo swimsuit because _______________." This counts as one entry. (E.g., "I want to win a Cocomo swimsuit because it would be perfect for my Boracay trip in April." Now, if only I were really going to Boracay in April! Sigh.)

3. Bonus! For one additional entry, post a link to this entry on your blog, then include a link to that blog post in your comment.

Please please follow the rules, otherwise your entry won't be counted. Good luck, everyone!:)

Giveaway Alert!

Here, Tishie Tishie is celebrating its first anniversary on the 28th of March (which also happens to be my BFF's birthday!)! To mark this little milestone, I'll be hosting another giveaway. I'm still working on the prize but it's 1) perfect for summer, 2) something I want for myself!

Who wants to win?:)

30s Rock!

Crickette, who is turning 30 this month (happy birthday!), asked, "What do people do in their 30s, anyway?"

I was 30 when this photo was taken by Fel. That's kind of what your 30s feel like!

I can't speak for all humankind, but from my experience and from what I've seen and heard, women generally shed the insecurity that plagues them in their teens and 20s. (That's one of the best things I'm getting out of this decade.) You realize that yesterday's problems are something you can kind of laugh about. You have a better sense of who you are. You don't change--you just become more of the person you're supposed to be.

I often bitch about being slower than I used to be, being less toned than I used to be, feeling the after-effects of eating anything deep-fried, getting freckles more quickly when I'm exposed to the sun. But I'm secretly happy that I can do things I couldn't do when I was young and lazy and utterly dependent on others. I could run a half-marathon, and I'd like to think it's because my mind is strong enough to handle it now. I can run a household. I can run a magazine. I can take care of my husband. I can take care of myself. But whether that comes from being in my 30s or being married, we'll never know!

When I turned 30, it was such a huge relief. But I guess it's not the same for everyone. You can choose to stress over the state of your skin, and how it's so much harder to keep the pounds off, and your ever-growing list of responsibilities. Or you can choose to make it your best decade yet!

There Goes My Shoe Diet

I had been searching and searching for hot pink or purple sky-high suede platforms with no success. So when I saw these little darlings at Forever 21, I figured they were enough to scratch an itch...

Alas, they were a half size too big. Our fashion and beauty editor Pia gave me Avon Smart Foam Insoles--sorta like memory foam for your feet. They can be cut to fit shoes in any size, ranging from 3 for Girls to 11 for Men.

The benefits of these insoles, as the box says, are that they mold to your feet; give custom comfort from heel to toe as they follow the contour of your feet and support the arch; provide relief for aged persons and people with foot conditions; relieve pressue on the ball of your foot, bunions, swollen feet, and joints; and prevent heel shock by cushioning your every step. They are pretty comfy, but what they failed to include was that the insoles make my pink shoesies fit me perfectly!

Deli-cious!

Heard good things about Chuck's Deli and their slab-wiches--their signature half-kilo super sandwiches served with chips. What I had with my Indian family:

Roast beef (angus roast beef with Chuck's sauce, P240 for half). Mildly spicy, very filling.

The Buffy (buffalo chicken and garlic sauce, P240 for half). My favorite! You could get your name on the wall plus a shirt, I think, if you finish a whole Buffy within a specified amount of time. My Indian family's real cousin did it in about four minutes.

Chicken katsu. Sorry no notes, but it's what you'd expect--crispy and very Japanese-y.

Bro-in-law had a Philly cheesesteak sub. Purty good.

And Prits and I shared a vanilla milkshake (three scoops of Arce Dairy ice cream blended with carabao milk, P165). Wonder what the queso version tastes like? Mmmmm.

Great place for sandwich lovers!


Chuck's Deli is located at Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Recipe: Beef Bulgogi

It's been a week since my last post. Been busy, mostly with work and disc (I've got freckles on my nose and a sprained ankle--again!--to show for it) and being a wife--been cooking a lot lately. Tonight it was garlicky tanigue with two side dishes: ensaladang talong (eggplant with tomatoes, onions, and salted egg) and adobong kangkong (I looove kangkong). The other day, I cooked a Korean dish to go with my husband's store-bought kimchi:

OK, it was a hastily taken photo.

So, anyway:

Beef Bulgogi

Ingredients (and again, no measurements! Sorry, that's not how I roll!)

Beef tenderloin, sliced thinly (I used 1/4 kilo for the two of us)
Soy sauce
Garlic, minced
Ginger, minced
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds

1. Mix all ingredients except beef.
2. Marinate beef for about an hour (or overnight, if you really want it to soak up the stuff).
3. You're supposed to grill this thang but I opted to pan-fry. So heat a bit of oil in a pan, then fry until done.
4. If your range runs out of gas towards the end like ours did, nuke the beef! (Still turned out yummy!)
5. Serve with steamed rice and kimchi.
   

Will post again soon, I swear.

Trip Tips and Food, Food, Food!

Can you believe it's March already? With a new month comes a new issue of my baby...

Our Bakasyon Special can help you plan your next family trip. We've got travel tips and detailed itineraries (including cost!) for trips to Tagaytay, Boracay, Cebu-Bohol, and Hong Kong! We've also got pages and pages of food, with recipes from three food-lovin' celebs, as well as meat-free meals that you can prepare for the coming Fridays of Lent. (Because we can't just have a Fillet-o-Fish every Friday, can we?) The de Belen sisters also share their own cooking styles (one has a gourmet palate; the other, a more laidback approach to food), and Janice shares her recipe for her yummy yummy garlicky prawns, which we got to try out at the shoot! Mmmmmm.

I'll let you in on a little secret: Because of the sisters' busy schedules, we had to shoot them on separate days. (Sssshhh...) So that final image right there (plus the photo in the cover story which shows the sisters sitting together) was a result of the combined efforts of our photographer Ocs Alvarez, creative director Carlo Vergara, and our production team! Pretty amazing, isn't it? I work with such talented people who have all these magic tricks up their sleeves!

Oh, and do you see that bit about a skincare guide? Did you know that the skincare products you use should change with the seasons? It's getting hot and sticky, and the weather is bound to affect your skin. So find out what products you should (and should not) be using during these sweltering months.

And! And! And! We've got a kitchen makeover contest--you could be our first winner of a P150,000 kitchen re-do! To find out how to join (and to get loads more uber useful info), do get a copy of Good Housekeeping's packed March issue. Only P100.:)