One More Thing

One thing I forgot to include in my "10 Things I Love" list is old movies.

My absolute favorite

Recently, when I was on sick leave, I spent a good part of the day watching Turner Classic Movies. Was able to catch Julia Misbehaves (with a very young, breathtakingly beautiful Elizabeth Taylor) and Weekend at the Waldorf (starring Ginger Rogers--it reminded me of an old-school Love, Actually). And just last weekend, even though I was all dressed up and ready to go out, I decided to stay home the minute Casablanca started showing.

A friend asked me what it was about old movies that appealed to me. I think it's because they show a bygone era--they're windows to a past that I'll never experience. And in old movies, women are proper ladies, and men are proper gentlemen! Everyone is always well-dressed and polished, and there is always a hint of glamour. And even the worst cad can look absolutely dapper!

So y'all know what channel I'll be tuning in to this looong weekend!

My Sketching Skills Are a Little Rusty...

Today, Hamil's seven-year-old nephew and I both drew a dragon. My husband found it absolutely hilarious that he couldn't tell between my drawing and that of a first-grader.

Can you? Take a wild guess!

How Safe Are You?

Nearly a year ago, my bag was stolen when a thief broke into our car by smashing a window. A few years before that, my husband's laptop was stolen when a thief broke into the SUV he was driving that day. It's scary but true: Smash-and-grab incidents aren't all that uncommon.

This is one of the main reasons why my husband brought in Hanita Security Tint. Made in Israel, the tint makes glass less vulnerable to break-ins, vandalism, and shattered glass from flying objects/natural disasters (Ondoy wreaked havoc on many an establishment with glass windows, doors, or walls). A pretty cool demonstration:

The product is pretty close to our hearts since we've been victims of theft. And, truth be told, I feel somewhat naked now when I know our car doesn't have security tint! The windows are sometimes bare after my husband conducts a round of tests.

One of the things I love most about my husband is that he's incredibly driven. Once he has his mind set on something, he wastes no time in trying to make it happen. (Meanwhile, his wife is incredibly risk-averse!) He has a fiery entrepreneurial spirit, and this is his latest venture. It would be so great if you could support it!:) The shop/office is at the South Parking Area of Metrowalk. You might want to have security tint installed on your vehicle (or office or home). To learn more about the line of products, visit the Hanita Philippines website, and do Like their Facebook page while you're at it. And please spread the word, especially to your car afficionado friends! I'd greatly appreciate it if you could repost the video on your blogs.:)

Recipe: Buffalo Wings

This recipe is from the July issue of Good Housekeeping. It's a three-step process, (make bleu cheese dressing, make seasoned flour, make hot sauce glaze), and each step has its own sub-steps. I think next time, I'll just use store-bought coating instead of making my own to cut down on prep time. Enjoy!

Buffalo Wings

Ingredients

10 chicken wings
Oil for deep frying

For bleu cheese dressing:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayo
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
50g bleu cheese

For seasoned flour:
1/3 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For hot sauce glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup hot chili sauce

1. Make bleu cheese dressing: In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients except cheese together. Crumble bleu cheese and whisk into dressing. Transfer to a container and let flavors develop overnight in the refrigerator. (I just left it in the fridge for about an hour and it was fine.)
2. Make seasoned flour: Mix all ingredients together. Coat chicken wings. Set aside 10 minutes. Toss in seasoned flour to coat wings again. (Husband took over as I was a little scared of the oil!) In a deep frying pan, heat oil. Deep fry chicken wings until juices run clear when pierced. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
3. Make hot sauce glaze: In another frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add Worcestershire sauce and chili sauce, and stir to mix. Add chicken wings and toss to coat. Serve with bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side. (Note: The chili sauce I bought wasn't so spicy. Next time, I'll probably add loads of hot sauce as well as chopped siling labuyo.)
   

Today's Dose of Cuteness Is Brought to You By...

Ellen!

Did you see this video on YouTube?

Well, Ellen had the two little girls on her show. I was just laughing the entire time. And teared up towards the end. Haha. Totally made my day! Watch this and then this.

What Would You Rather Be Doing Right Now?

That's a big question posed in this month's O Magazine. The feature--about finding your true passion--is something that really resonated with me because, truth be told, I have yet to find mine. I love my job, yes. I enjoy playing disc, for sure. I'm happy puttering about the house and cooking, true. But what is that one thing (or two or three) that'll make my heart sing?

Oprah says to ask three little questions to find your true calling (and it doesn't necessarily have to be your day job):

1. How does what you're doing make you feel? "When you're honoring your calling, there's an undeniable sense of stimulation and exhilaration...It just feels so right." I don't have that feeling yet, of knowing that this is what I'm really and truly meant to do.
   
2. Does it have a positive impact on others? "Nothing that really calls you is ever for you alone." My admission in number one does not come without some guilt--after all, my magazine reaches a staggering 244,000 (!) readers a month (based on the latest Synovate survey). This is a platform that I'm incredibly privileged to have, and yet, somehow I feel this isn't my be-all and end-all. I keep thinking that there's something...more.
   
3. Does it turn up the volume and increase the vibration of your life? "When others see your light shining, they'll be inspired to shine theirs, too." Lately, I've been feeling like my light is fading--not that I was a shining beacon of inspiration to others to begin with. But I've just been feeling all sorts of restless and burned out. (That's due in part to the fact that I haven't been on a plane in three months.) I really do need a break (even my boss said so), to recharge, take stock, and really figure out what my calling is.

Tomorrow, ze huzband will help me figure it all out, with O Magazine as kodigo. Have you found your true calling? Share, share, share! I'd love to hear your story.

The Esquire Ball

In case you haven't heard, there's a new kid on the block...

Summit has released the first issue of Esquire, another title from Hearst Magazines (parent company of my own GH as well as of Cosmo and Town and Country). Heard it's selling like hotcakes so grab a copy ASAP.

The Esquire Ball was held on October 5. I normally don't like going to glitzy events, but I figured, 1) how often does Summit launch new, big-name titles? Might as well be there for it, and support a sister (brother?) mag; 2) it would be nice getting all dressed up for date night for a change; and 3) two words: free drinks!

Dress by Madhuri Hemandas. Necklace by House of Trois. Bag by Aranaz. Shoes from...I don't remember anymore. My husband looked quite dapper.<3

The invitation said "formal" but I was given the go-signal to wear something short. (The gowns I have in my closet are too...wedding-y.) I just upped the glam factor with a gorgeous Indian-inspired necklace. For hair, I didn't want to do my usual loose waves, so I opted for a messy updo inspired by Vanessa Hudgens. Mine was originally very pouffy and, er, sagala-like, so I had the curls toned down a notch. By the time this photo was taken, my hair had lost a bit of volume already. It reminded me a lot of my wedding hair.

Vanessa Hudgens photo from here

We got there at around 8:30 p.m. and already the place--from the lobby to the ballroom--was packed! All the ladies I saw sashaying in cut-out dresses demonstrated that the theme for the night was: commando. (You can imagine how happy the men were!)

It was pretty cool how videos of US cover stars (like Ryan Gosling and Robert De Niro) were shown, wherein they each said, "I'm [insert name here], and this is Esquire." Then it ended with our first cover man saying, "I'm Manny Pacquiao, and this is Esquire Philippines." Woot!

With the ladies of the Publishers Group. Readers, meet the wonderful women who handle your favorite Summit titles.

After intro messages from Lance Gokongwei and editor in chief Erwin Romulo, there were performances by Solenn, Ogie Alcasid, and Ely Buendia. DJ Mars Miranda kept the hiphop beats going til well past midnight. A few stars came out to play--Anne Curtis, D, a couple of Azkals. I'm sure PEP will have all the deets soon. We were pretty content just standing in our corner, sipping our drinks and munching on canapes!

It was nice feeling like I was in an episode of Gossip Girl, but this whole dressing-up-and-going-to-fancy-shindigs thing is only something I can do on occasion. Today, I'm happy to be back in my flats and non-hair-sprayed tresses!

P.S. See what stars wore to this formal affair. Have fun browsing here! My faves: Michelle Madrigal in Martin Bautista, and Arci Munoz. Whose outfit did you like?:)

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Years ago, Hamil gave me my first iPod. It accompanied me as I ran, danced, traveled, and dreamed. I have this man to thank for providing the video montage that is my life with some much-needed background music.

RIP, Steve Jobs. You were a true iNnovator.