Oh My Gwyneth!

Posted on May 14, 2013 by jenni

First of all, thank you Xandra Ramos-Padilla for my copy of Gwyneth Paltrow’s book ‘It’s All Good’!

This book couldn’t have come at a better time as my husband Tom and I just got the results of our Food Intolerance Test (F.I.T.) and Gene-Testing from LifeScience (I will blog about this soon). Basically, knowing what food we’re intolerant (not allergic) to took out the guesswork in eating and feeling healthy.

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In It's All Good, Paltrow and her coauthor Julia Turshen share recipes that are yummy, you'd never know they don't dairy or other ingredients that by definition make food tasty.

My whole family is on a mission to eat even healthier this year. We believe in preventive medicine and to be healthy, one must eat healthy food. We are slowly cutting out dairy and shifting to anything gluten-free. It’s not easy and we’re not sure if we want to totally eliminate gluten from our diet but we’re happy to try it.

We cook simple, healthy yet special meals everyday, three times a day so that we can enjoy pancakes and waffles on Sundays and the Lucky Me! Pancit Canton for merienda! Mmm…

I’m a Gwyneth fan because I can so relate to her cooking style and of course, her fashion sense. Browsing through her book is a joy.

Chambray, shorts and barefoot when cooking… So me! Aminin!

Tom and I grew up in a family that encouraged us kids to be in the kitchen and cook with our parents. It is one of the best things that has happened in our lives! Tom and I are doing the same with our kids. Aryanna is an ace at cooking and baking while our three-year old son Dylan helps us in washing the veggies and adding herbs when cooking. We supervise him but we also make cooking fun!

I’m being honest here, some of the ingredients in the cookbook are hard to find and some are not even available in the Philippines (like kale), but the photos of Gwyneth and her kids make up for it.

The photos of Gwyneth's kid's cooking and helping out in the kitchen is authentic. It's awesome!

I’m going to try this salmon recipe of Gwynie! Looks delish!

One of my New Year’s resolution is to eat more fish. I’m loving this book’s fish recipes!

Shoppingero/shoppingera, grab a copy of ‘It’s All Good’ by Gwyneth Paltrow at National Book Store and Powerbooks branches!

Home&Away

Posted on January 30, 2013 by jenni

LifestyleAsia magazine launched its limited edition coffee table book, Home& Away, at the Writers’ Bar of Raffles Makati last January 29.

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French interior

The Home & Away book is a collection of the private spaces that reflect the lives and interests of the residents. These selected houses in the Philippines and different parts of the world are not mere showcases but capture something of the persons who live there and intimate a hearth with distinctive nuances that make each unique and special.

Modern luxe. Spotted: Alessi by Zaha Hadid sculpture on the coffee table!

Arisrtocratic abode

Congratulations to the Mega One Group, Inc.! I’ve already flipped through the pages and so far, I’ve been inspired by the beautiful homes and hotels here and abroad featured in the coffee table book.

Special thanks to Cheryl Tiu, Associate Publisher and Deputy Editor of Lifestyle Asia for the personalized card. How chic!

There’s nothing like a handwritten thank-you note:

Shoppingero/shoppingera, run, don’t walk, grab a copy of Lifestyle Asia Home&Away book! It’s available at National Book Store and Powerbooks.

Books I Love

Posted on November 14, 2012 by jenni

One of the reasons why I haven’t been blogging is because I’ve been lost in the pages of these books:

Home by The Novogratz

I first found out about the Novogratz family through my BFF Lounell. He texted me last year to buy ‘Downtown Chic’ by Robert and Cortney Novogratz because according to him, this cool family reminded him of “The Eppersons”. Naman! So I did. Haha!

In their second book ‘Home by the Novagratz’, the design duo Robert and Cortney Novogratz give us an inside look at some of their favorite projects to show us how to achieve their signature “vintage modern” style. They effortlessly mix contemporary furniture with thrift-store finds, and learn all sorts of tricks for creating a stylish home no matter what the obstacles: seven children, small spaces, or a tiny budget. From toddler-friendly bedroom for triplets to a beach retreat for two twenty-somethings, from a New Jersey basement to a Palm Beach cabana.

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Robert and Cortney Novogratz are a husband and wife design team based in New York City. They currently have a design show on HGTV called “Home by Novogratz”. Via Wikipedia

Meet the coolest family in the interior design world, the Novogratz!

Robert and Courtney and their 7 kids, Wolfgang, 14; twins Bellamy and Tallulah, 13; Breaker, 11; twins Five and Holleder, 6; and Major, 3

Things that Matter by Nate Berkus

Finally, Nate Berkus’ book is out! Thanks to National book Store, I got a copy before it sold out.

I believe your home should tell the story of who you are. What you love most collected and assembled in one space. All your objects, finds, hand-me-downs . . . spelling out who you are to the world. Fact is, there isn’t a single item in my own home that doesn’t have a story behind it. This book celebrates the philosophy that things do matter. They have to. They’re what we live with and touch every single day. They welcome us home at night and greet us each morning on our bedside table. They represent where we’ve been, who we’ve loved, and where we hope to go. They make us happy, and I can’t think of a more beautiful way to live than that . . . —Nate

Living in a limited space such as our condo, my family and I have learned how to keep the things we love, throw unnecessary clutter and collect memories instead of things… well, except for my limited edition water collection, books, animal décor, and plato-platuhan. Hey, I’m only human! Haha!

Cupcakes and Cashmere by Emily Schuman

I’m one of Cupcakes and Cashmere’s lurkers. Author/blogger Emily Schuman inspires me to no end with her simple passion to share tips and her style to her legion of readers on the net.

Her blog documents the things that inspire her, which she’s since turned into a book of the same name.

Xandra Ramos of National Book Store gifted me this book, but I also bought two more copies to give to my sister and KC.

It’s a must-read for women.

Shoppingero/shoppingera, shop your favorite books at National Book Store now!

New Fashion Books

Posted on October 26, 2011 by jenni

Organizing our home library is one of my favorite past times.

Text heavy

Photo taken with Instagram

Color coding

(Photo taken using Instagram)

Reading is fashion

(Photo taken using Instagram)

By doing so, I am able to sort out our books and trim the fat, so to speak, to make way for new ones!

I ordered books from National Book Store and I’m excited to add them to our collection:

This ‘Rick Owens’ book is massive! The book dimension is 12 5/16″ by 18 7/16″! Can’t wait to get my hands on this one but I also don’t know where I’m going to store or display it in our home! Ang laki lang n’ya!

'Rick Owens' by Rick Owens

I love Diana Vreeland! She is an original and a character!
‘The Eye Has to Travel’ chronicles 50 years of international fashion and Vreeland’s rich life.
I am waiting with anticipation for this book! Aaaahhh!

'Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel' by Lisa Immordino Vreeland

This is how much I love D.V.:

I own not one but TWO copies of Eleanor Dwight's biography of Diana Vreeland. Don't ask me why.

(Photo taken using Instagram)

I’m jealous that photographer Mark Nicdao got a signed copy of Carine’s ‘Irreverent’ book! Dark!!! Di mo ako naalala!

Carine Roitfeld 'Irreverent'

Because I believe that a smashing dress can launch a thousand career, I ordered InStyle magazine’s Fashion Director, Hal Rubenstein’s new coffee table book! Haha!
Can’t wait to leaf through this!

'100 Unforgetable Dresses' by Hal Rubenstein

What books are you looking forward to reading this coming holiday?

Order your favorite books now at National Book Store!

Agree or Disagree?

Posted on August 16, 2011 by jenni

I’ve blogged about this book a few years ago in Mabuhaygirl and I thought I’d feature it again. Lately, I’ve been reading jaw-dropping tweets from people I follow (who I’m embarrassed to unfollow because I don’t want them to feel bad. I know. That’s just me. Pero konti na lang, i-a-unfollow ko na! Haha!) on Twitter. I’m not one to judge what people write in their FB status or what they tweet, kanya-kanyang trip yan! I too had my share of silly tweets but here’s a friendly reminder to all of us:

The Four Agreements, by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Don Miguel Ruiz’s book, The Four Agreements was published in 1997. For many, The Four Agreements is a life-changing book, whose ideas come from the ancient Toltec wisdom of the native people of Southern Mexico. The Toltec were ‘people of knowledge’ – scientists and artists who created a society to explore and conserve the traditional spiritual knowledge and practices of their ancestors. The Toltec viewed science and spirit as part of the same entity, believing that all energy – material or ethereal – is derived from and governed by the universe.

The Four Agreements:

Agreement 1: Be impeccable with your word – Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
Paaaaaak!

Agreement 2: Don’t take anything personally – Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.
Aminin!

Agreement 3: Don’t make assumptions – Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.
Hindi ito palaisipan.

Agreement 4: Always do your best – Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
Ipatupad na ito!

Available at National Book Store