TANSTAAFL

"There ain't no such thing as a free lunch." When I think about this saying, I wonder, does this apply to the love my kids have for me? I mean, if the price I pay is changing diapers, making/delivering them short order food, cleaning, bathing, worrying, among many others, in order to consistently gain their trust, respect, and affection, then I guess it holds true? I think what this means is that there is always something to sacrifice for another. However, and call me cheesy, but when it comes to my kids I feel honored that they let me do things for them. Maybe it's for the more physical and tangible things this applies to. I wonder, what are your biggest sacrifices in life in favor of your "lunch"? Just a thought.

JAMES TUPPER WITH HIS HOMIES

Two things I wanted to do today: use the word "homies." Done. And the other, show you one of my favorite families' cover photo in the new issue of BC.

James Tupper and his kids (with actress Anne Heche, who is also salt of the earth) are absolutely adorable in our coming issue. Check out bc-mag.com to view the BC blog, and to see back issues online, just click on the covers on the right of the page.

BLAST YOU, CHORES

When it's deadline season and I am faced with a mountainload of laundry, I get antsy. I just want to look away, but destiny knows those dirty clothes ain't gonna wash itself, so I better get my size 12 to 14 behind moving. I have this habit of tossing clothes and linens in the wash right away, so it piles up and impatient wait on our guest room bed for folding. And even though I load the dishwasher all the time, it feels like the used dishes never run out. I have picked up more toys than I know where to hide. And because it's cold out my allergies are acting up, but at least now Maxine is better from her fever (knock on wood). Dear God, please don't strike lightning on me. I am merely venting because today was T.I.R.I.N.G. Unfortunately in the US, round-the-clock hired help is too expensive and sometimes excessive. With the economy in a recession, you would think that live-in help will be more affordable for families though, right? Oh well...

P.S. The photos above are that of comedians Michael V. and Ogie Alcasid, who play the role of Yaya and Angelina, a nanny and spoiled child, respectively. It is a hilarious albeit exaggerated portrayal of the relationship between Filipino children and the role their caregivers play in their lives. Check them out on youtube. Yes, they are men with wigs on, but note how Angelina's cheekbones are so pronounced it'll put real women to shame.

ROBERT PATTINSON SENDS AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOS ACROSS THE OCEANS

I love it when celebrities are gracious enough to indulge their fans for a photo or an autograph. After all, where would anyone in the entertainment industry be without fans? I have always thought Robert Pattinson to be handsome, even from his Harry Potter movie. But now that he has signed and mailed two photos of himself for my friends all the way in Manila (Anabel is the mom; Chesca is her daughter), he just scored more guapo points in my book. It's all about the effort, folks. I heart you, Robert, I do...

P.S. On a future post, I will show you The Charlie Hotel (video footage below), where he stayed according to my friend (and die-hard R.P. fan, Pam, who also sent me this link) when he was here in L.A. We're doing a feature on the hotel next issue, and I adore the owner.

WHO WORE IT BEST? RIHANNA OR...

Riri...


or Ka-riri-z? Hahaha!


Note: My photos were taken in wholesome conditions last winter when we planned to go skiing with friends (but I chickened out). Although these photos don't exactly show my best angles, I might score some points in my favor at the family polls for being GP. Rihanna's photos were apparently taken during her infamous sex scandal, and I cannot match those cat eyes and sexy body, so hands down she's gonna sweep the men's polls (and most women's as well). Still, I'm quite positive that I'll get a sure 2 votes from my girls. They're still at that age where they think their mom's the bomb.

MANNY PACQUIAO 90210

After yesterday's parent-teacher conference, we passed this majestic photograph outside the Niketown on Wilshire in Beverly Hills that lit up our eyes. Bigger than Kobe's photo (which was inside the store--and this is L.A. Lakers town!) is the Philippines' pride and joy, Manny Pacquiao's image himself.

As Manny said in a recent appearance on Kimmel: "At times I'd like to break you, and drive you to your knees...at times I'd like to break through, and hold you endlessly..." Now I don't know if those are secret words of war or what, but I'm wishing him luck and guidance on this upcoming fight. I hope too that nobody bites off a piece of an ear or anything.

BLOWN AWAY BY CARLA BRUNI

Supermodel, France's first lady, and what else? Guitar-playing, angel-voiced musician. I don't know much about her personal life, because they say she was quite the wild child. All I really know about her is that her fashion is constantly compared to Michelle Obama's and she's being dubbed the next Jackie O (well, they both are), her body is to die for, and now, this enchanting song. I wish I knew what it means though.

MICHAEL CHIKLIS IS HONEY

Here's a lookback on one of my favorite interviews for BC. They are two of the nicest people I've met, Michael Chiklis and his wife, Michelle. Michael is the co-star of "Fantastic Four," and top bills "The Shield," among others. My bangs were poufy and styled when the day began, but unfortunately, the hair couldn't keep up with the day's busy activity.
(Video edited by Judy Razon)

MARK ESCUETA AND THE RIVERMAYA

High school in La Salle Zobel was fun. Of course it had some dramas and some humiliating moments, like the time I decided to do a split instead of a cartwheel because I was not confident about tumbling around in a short dress. I was scared that my legs wouldn't be straight enough and I'd look like a fool. I also remember the time when I performed Ugly Kid Joe's "Everything About You," but had to change all the lyrics to Physics terms, as a culminating activity for the class--if memory serves me right. Both instances involve my good friend, Mark Escueta. First off, he was the official drummer of our class all throughout HS, meaning I would see him in cheerleading practice all the time (that's 4 whole years). He was always excellent at what he does, and I know that music is his passion. As for the Physics performance, well, Mark played the guitar to accompany me while I embarrassed myself bravely sang in front of the class. I am very proud when I see the great successes that my friends have achieved. To date, Mark is still with his famous and talented band called Rivermaya. I have been reading about the group's struggle to retain ownership of their name, and I sincerely hope things get sorted out. I dislike conflict, it takes up a lot of energy, but unfortunately it sometimes cannot be avoided. For now, here's one of my favorite songs from their band.

Sorry it's old and it's not the official video. I also don't know what the title means, but I think it's either Valentine's Day, or "Am I Real?" as explained in one of the comments. And the singer's voice and other musicians all sound great.

MY BIRTHDAY GIRL

Here I am with my darling soon-to-be 6 year old, Sabina, back when I was still pregnant with Max. That capiz necklace was smashed into pieces. I think I may have sat on it or something, ha ha. I was hoping to keep it and leave it for my girls when they're bigger.

JACK NICHOLSON

One of the fun parts about living in LA is coming across people like Jack Nicholson. He was very friendly (I kinda expected him to be like the character in A Few Good Men, but that couldn't have been farther off), and was even goofing around, making funny faces for my daughter. This was actually the second photo we took, because when the first one was shot, the very nice lady who took the picture had long nails and was not able to press the click button on my iphone properly. Good thing I checked because you hardly meet a legend twice in a lifetime. Although as luck would have it, I think we saw him two more times after this photo was taken. Anyways, Jack is honey.

JESSICA ALBA AT THE PARK

Here's Sabina's second paparazzi photo (here's the first), playing with cutie pie Honor Warren, Jessica Alba's daughter at the park near our place. Honor is adorable, with a capital A. I saw this pic on a website a few months back. My daughters have a definite love for sand, and in fact, my 3-year old calls everything with sand, "the beach!" If I allowed them to stay in the sand for as long as they like, we could practically live there and they wouldn't miss home. I kid you not.

WHO WORE IT BEST? REESE WITHERSPOON OR...

Reese...

OR Ka-Reeze...?
Ha ha! In order to lean this poll to my favor, I would need to lose 50 lbs., have really blonde hair, a sharper nose, work out to death, lose the glasses, have blue eyes, have a more chiseled bone structure, and make $20M plus per film so I can afford all that easily.

But then again, these two won't recognize me, so what for? :)

OLIVER TOLENTINO IN LA FASHION WEEK

I recently came upon an amazing designer from Manila who set up shop on Melrose while I was doing pulls for other photo shoots (I believe it's on the same road as Maxfield and Fred Segal). His name also sounded familiar either from a friend or because I read about him online, I forget. I am happy to have worked with Oliver Tolentino for one of BC's celebrity photo shoots because I truly believe in his work. He is already renowned in Asia, so much so that his clientele include the likes of Imelda Marcos (who I can only guess has the most discerning taste), but I wish him and his team many great things on a global scale. I posted some of my favorite designs from his LA Fashion Week show last Thursday.




I'm sorry for the poor quality of the images, I was not aware that my trusty purse camera would not work well in low-light conditions. On that note, my camera wasn't able to catch Oliver during the designer reveal because it was busy charging the flash. Grrr...

AUF WIEDERSEHEN, HEIDI KLUM

When we moved to our place years ago, there was a quiet little park down the road that we fell in love with. Little did we know that months after, it would become a paparazzi haven. Case in point:


They were running around trying to get a photo of Heidi Klum (who was, herself, chasing after her son, so there was a lot of movement happening). I was taking a photo of my husband (the one in black on the right, but I got sidetracked after seeing a blonde lady with paps trying to catch her every move). Very adorable kids, and she looked like a hands-on mom to me.

MANUEL V. PANGILINAN ON PARENTING

I recently came across the blog of one of my husband's friends, Karrots Nazareno. Coincidentally, my mom was supposed to nickname me Carrots, but ended up calling me Candy. Going back to Karrots, she has interesting accounts on Philippine pop culture and her funny everyday experiences (plus, I love her expressions!). One of my favorite posts is a speech delivered by one of the country's billionaires, Manuel V. Pangilinan (who kicked my husband's arse in badminton years back, ha ha) for his alma mater. I feel it's relevant and intriguing because it's about "Parenting for the Future," but as expressed by a man who is not a parent. As expected, it is brilliant and moving. Takes me back to the time I interviewed him.

KEELY SHAYE BROSNAN IS MY ICON

In my book, Keely Shaye Smith-Brosnan should get multiple endorsements. She is the epitome of someone comfortable in her own skin, with a trophy husband to boast of. I have never worn a bikini in my life, not even when I was slimmer. Goes to show how much self-esteem I had back then, which I am now trying to make-up for (not through bikinis still, but rather through loving my body shape), because I want my daughters to grow up confident with themselves. Although if I remember right, in the '80s and '90s one-piece swimsuits were chic and the norm. I guess it just wasn't a craze yet, otherwise I probably would've donned a two-piece faster than you can say 'carbonara.' Even Baywatch starlets sported red high-cut suits while they played water heroes. Anyway, just wanted to put it out there that Keely, you are a goddess.

PANIC

On a recent school field trip to the Long Beach Aquarium (our second time as a family), we were able to scour the area with more precision. We skipped the spots we knew, visited our favorites (like the adorable baby stingrays--I don't know if that's what you call them--whose faces look like puppies and feel so gooey to touch) and the scariest sea creature there--the shark. With 3 layers of teeth, I had a thought that what if the aquarium suddenly, I don't know, cracked because of an earthquake (and we know those are quite common in L.A.) then the animals escaped. I imagined myself frantic on how to save my kids. And what would I do if I am not able to save both my girls? The thought sends chills down my spine. I remember when I was in a hotel room in Vegas about 2 years ago, and my husband left for a bit to go to a client's party. It was around 1 AM, and the girls were asleep when I heard the hotel fire alarm. I literally grabbed my kids, looked for the nearest exit, stuffed whatever I could find in my purse (passports, water bottles, boots!, jackets) and I had Sabina and Maxine on each arm. Sabina was asleep so she was extra heavy, and she is the older one, too. I was looking at the halls and no one except for us and another guy half-awake was out there. It was a false alarm and we got a free night stay because of it (who cares), and I almost fainted when my husband got back to the hotel. Talk about adrenaline rush. Shiver...

GERARD BUTLER AND JAMIE FOXX ARE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS

Breaking the law scares the bejesus out of me, which is why I'm very intrigued about this Gerard "Hot Stuff" Butler produced and starred film opposite Jamie Foxx-y. This was the preparation for the red carpet premiere which we passed the same day we dropped by Ellen DeGeneres' office. Let me just say one thing, and I think many of you may agree with me on this: Gerard Butler is THE MAN. He reminds me of a younger Mel Gibson, with a nice six-pack to boot. If you still don't believe, go watch his recent film called "The Ugly Truth," and you will remember why you've always had a thing for that foul-mouthed, bad boy (who is actually your Prince Charming in disguise).

XOXO FOR KELLY RUTHERFORD

Here are my favorite photos that we took of Kelly Rutherford and her son, Hermes. She was still pregnant with baby Helena during this time. I remember that she was going through some painful divorce/custody hearings, and she was on hiatus on "Gossip Girl" during that time. When the magazine came out, I saw Hermes at the park near our place, and I thought he would be with Kelly, but instead he was with his dad, Daniel. It's so nice to see the father-son. I hope they were able to work out an amicable relationship because the children need all the love they can get. I know I did.

(Photos by Martin Favis and myself; Styled by me)

WHEN JODIE SWEETIN MET JODIE SWEETIN

It makes me smile when I see our cover models holding their own cover. Jodie Sweetin and her daughter Zoie's cover is still one of our biggest newsstand sellers to date. The "Full House" effect is mighty strong. Sadly, I know Jodie and her husband got divorced a bit after they did this shoot, which is a total shame because they were such a sweet and close family when we were taking their photos. Zoie is a true Elmo fan. During the shoot, she was giggling away because they brought her favorite Elmo puppet, and we have an Elmo kitchen that sings. Check out the stroller toy hanging, and you will see the adorable furry red guy again. (Cover photo by Anne Marie Fox and Martin Favis; Styled by me)

JOELY FISHER AND BC ON THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW

And here it is! Twice on TV in one week, for real! Thank you very much to Ellen Degeneres and her team for including BC in the show. And of course, to the lovely Joely Fisher and her girls for being so beautiful and easygoing during the shoot. Joely is the star of "Til Death" which airs Fridays on Fox.

TICKLED PARIS HILTON PINK

While stopped on the crazy intersection on the street of the (pink) Beverly Hills Hotel about 2 weeks ago, lo and behold, a brighter pink/almost fuchsia Bentley caught our eye. Sabina wanted a car like it, of course, since she loves anything pink. The driver/owner was none other than Paris Hilton. That didn't surprise me, since a walking Barbie doll has to have the matching car, but it still blows my mind how some people are clearly unaffected by the country's economic recession.

CONGRATULATIONS, SARAH SHAHI AND STEVE HOWEY

We featured the gorgeous Sarah Shahi from "Life" when she was still pregnant with baby Wolf. Her husband, Steve Howey, whom you might remember as the "catch" from "Bride Wars," dropped her off to the shoot. I kept telling Sarah how much I envy her fit body because she was all belly. Every other body part was still toned! Well, I'm all tummy too, although I haven't been pregnant for years. I know she gave birth a few months ago, but I still wanted to send my best. Anyway, to Steve and Sarah, whom I think the world of--all the best on your exciting journey as parents. This is gonna change your life.

WHO'S GOING TO BE ON ELLEN?

 


Not me--yet. I wish, ha ha! BC's Fall cover model, Joely Fisher, got invited to Ellen Degeneres' show, which will be taped tomorrow. They requested for some copies, and we dropped them off today. It was interesting to drive through the Warner studio lot, too. There was this attractive red double bike (is that how you call these?) in the reception area of the office. I don't know its relevance to the show, but I took a picture anyway.

We will be off to the Long Beach aquarium for Sabina's field trip at the same time it is taped (if the girls feel better), but I hope BC gets some air time when the show airs on Thursday.  What a treat to witness BC come out on national TV again. Twice in one week! Thank you very much to Ellen's team for thinking of BC.

BILL BELLAMY AND BC MAGAZINE ON THE WENDY WILLIAMS SHOW

Bill Bellamy guested on The Wendy Williams show last October 6. The photos of his family on the video are from BC's Holiday 2008 issue, done by Meeno Peluce. I'm not sure if there were any BC credits at the end, because I only caught the show online. If anyone knows of how I can get a hold of that, please let me know so I can post it here. I still wish they showed the cover, though. For those who haven't seen it, here it is.

I remember styling the happy and lovely family, and it was a blast. Everybody was in the mood for fashion. I recently bumped into the Bellamys at an event at the Pali House, and it's a warm feeling coming across people in the industry that you really like. Sabina couldn't have been more thrilled to see her friend, Bill and Kristen's daughter Bailey. And Baron grew taller again!

MANY THANKS FOR YOUR TWEETS

Here are some other actors on Twitter who also asked for donations for the victims of Typhoon Ketsana (the international name for Ondoy). I've met Nia Vardalos and adore her and her daughter, and also met Paris' mom, Kathy, twice, and she seems to be a kind lady. Denise Richards I've seen with her daughters at a party once, and they are beautiful. Thanks so much again. Your tweets may mean life for so many people.

DYRB: JUMP AROUND

I’ve always liked to rock jumpsuits, so when I saw this black Alexander McQueen for Tar-zhey number, I bought it in size 11 without trying it on. Kinda got nervous on the size for a bit because it might be too tiny. Got a few compliments from moms at the park the first time I wore it outside, and I must say, I felt good in it. I wore it with my ultra-fave wide leather, life-changing belt from Diesel (it helps me tuck in the cake-belly, or psychologically it maybe reminds me to suck it in–who cares, as long as it gets the job done, right?) to cinch my waist. And I needed to cover my arms, so I pulled out a striped Splendid cardi, which I wear all the time for its comfort. Just a reminder, mamacitas: wash those soft fabrics in delicate or handwash cycle. And I finished with my old Prada “schoolgirl” pumps, to lengthen those logs, er, legs. That’s my huge mustard D&G purse, which was a gift from my husband a few months back. I wore this when I recently had lunch with a friend at The Farm in Beverly Hills.

ENCORE FOR MICHAEL JACKSON

I came across this photo again today. I didn't know we stayed close to Michael Jackson's home where he passed away. I only found out after a photo shoot and we passed it. There was a bit of commotion on Sunset, and many people were carrying flowers, cards, etc. I don't think I need to say that I am a fan of MJ's. This posting, and the sadness I feel while writing it, should be enough.

DYRB: WHEN IT CALLS FOR THE LBD

My closet is full of black. I find myself buying practically the same dress with slight modifications. This was taken in Vegas a few weeks back. For my dress size and age, I just feel appropriate in it. I am wearing a LBD by Spense, gray flats by Jeffrey Campbell from Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton bag from my GBF, Micky.

MY MAX

Maxine: seen here when she was 1--wearing a Zutano dress that we wore until it fit like a shirt, and a D&G cashmere cardigan that we wore with almost anything. At present, 3 years old. Can sing Britney, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Miley, all HSM, all Camp Rock, I Won't Forget You by Princessa, Avril, Pink, Hakuna Matata. Dances to mostly princess-like sounds. Devours mint chocolate chip ice cream by Breyers everyday. Started to read at age 1. FUNNY. Not to be approached when you are new to the scene. Her smile melts my heart.