PARTY IN THE...

Here's a great article in BC about tips on planning everything from small shindigs (what a funny word) to bigger events. Hope it helps you as well. The photos are just to take me down memory lane. Merry Christmas, and more blessings to you and yours!--Kariz

Whether it’s a Christmas party, birthday celebration, or a simple family get-together, make sure you know these tips by heart, for a hassle-free, memorable gathering

Our turn for the family photo at New Year's Eve in our LA home. Guess when?

 

Our first real pine tree. Had to spray water on this baby everyday, but the scent was worth it. Disposing is another story.


Tali, Beli, my Sabina and Maxine (first cousins--all girls--'til this year!)

The party (red-nosed reindeer) SUV 

Sabina's 6th birthday party at the awesome Kids Castle

With Sabina's classmates and my friends from high school

Tara and Chris Noth ("Big" of Sex & the City) and their then-baby Orion

Soleil Moon Frye-Goldberg (AKA Punky Brewster) and her daughter, Jagger

THREE MEN AND A LADY

It's almost Christmas, and I remember stepping into one of the most beautiful homes I've been to in Manila since I came back from the US. It helps that it is the roof over the heads that binds one of our Most Beautiful Moms and Hautest Dads together. 

The Barrientos residence is nothing short of gorgeous. The welcoming sanctuary serves as home to some of my most favorite people in the world: tennis star-turned-banker, Felix, his lovely wife and PJS Law co-founder and partner, Reggie, and their charming sons, Diego and Andro. The holiday decor that sets the stage to the wonderful story they live everyday is just the piece de resistance. 

Reggie: Black beaded, long-sleeved cut-out dress by DOUBLE ZERO, doublezerousa.com Diego: Black knit sweater by JOE BLACK, joeblack.fr; Ash gray pants by RUSTAN’S JR., P895, Rustan’s Department Store; Black suede shoes by FLORSHEIM KIDS, P1,499.75, florsheimkids.multiply.com for stores Andro: Nelo jacket, P925, Jaron short-sleeved polo, P695, both by PERIWINKLE JR., Periwinkle Stores; Convertible khaki pants by KIDDOS, P895, Rustan’s Department Store; Brown leather shoes by FLORSHEIM KIDS, P1,499.75, florsheimkids.multiply.com for stores

A massive rain cloud passed on the day we visited one of the most fascinating modern homes, but the downpour didn't stop us from admiring this handsome structure from inside and out. On the contrary, the showers served as a perfect backdrop for this shoot, adding a cooler and fuzzier feeling once we stepped into the awe-inspiring house.

Welcoming us into their incredibly stylish home is one of the Philippines' most admired athletes, Felix Barrientos, who is regarded as the Philippines' best tennis player—ever. His stellar career included a record of as much as 26 wins in his 1984 to 1993 run in the Davis Cup tournament. In 1991, he defeated Japan and China for a spot in the World Group, and subsequently went on to win a number of gold medals at the Southeast Asia Games. Now a successful private banker based in Singapore, Felix admits that it was his training as an athlete that prepared him for the competitive world of banking. Despite his enviable career in sports, he knew his reign on the courts won’t be forever—which was why he entered Louisiana State University on a tennis scholarship. He went on to study at the Ateneo Graduate School to earn a master’s degree in business administration, graduating in 1999. Since then, he has worked with multinational banking corporations, and built a strong career in the banking industry.

Armed with a glass of red, the proud father of two showed us around his lavish home, which features a wide living area with a seemingly endless ceiling. It was a perfect scene straight out of the movies, as the kids bounced down the stairs to join their father in the living room. The glow on Felix's face as he saw his handsome little hijos matched the golden radiance of the house lights. The serenity in their faces, and the silent comfort that all is well, was heartwarming. The family that lives in this neat home is one that beams with genuine adoration for each other.

The spacious living area with high ceilings. Italian furniture and carpet from FURNITALIA

Diego: Harold long-sleeved polo by PERIWINKLE JR., P795, Periwinkle Stores Reggie: Pink sequined dress by H&M, hm.com

REINDEER GAMES

This is the perfect season to whip up these exciting goodies with the kiddies. It's simple, fun, easy, and quite inexpensive, too. Family boding activities will certainly make you more rein-dearing to your kids (see how I injected some Christmas humor in there?)

You can opt to bake your own cupcakes (Betty Crocker’s Super Moist Cake Mix in Devil’s Food flavor is a great choice), or if you’re in a hurry for the party, grab a dozen plain chocolate cupcakes at the nearest bakeshop. If you're in the U.S., Sprinkles (sprinkles.com) is my personal favorite and is a no-fail choice. If you're in Manila, we always go to Coco Cakes (facebook.com/cococakes) for our cupcake/cake/cake pops needs, and to Slice in High Street. 

Santa’s Reindeer

Ingredients:

1 bag of Peanut M&M’s

1 jar of peanut butter

1 bag of chocolate covered pretzels

confectioner’s sugar 

6 chocolate cupcakes

Instructions:

1. If you’re making your own cupcakes, bake a dozen as directed in the cake mix packaging. Let it cool.

2. Use a knife to evenly coat each cupcake with a tablespoon of peanut butter.

3. Take a pretzel and break one of its curves so that one end will have a pointed edge, which will be inserted into the cupcake. Attach a whole pretzel to the horn using some peanut butter. For baby horns, use half a pretzel.

4. To create tiny ears, break a pretzel curve and insert it into the cupcake at the side of the reindeer horns.

5. For the eyes, take some colored peanut M&M’s and gently place them on the peanut butter icing. The red or brown peanut M&M’s can serve as the nose.

6. Lightly sprinkle your reindeer with confectioner’s sugar for a final touch of “snow.”

You can also find this recipe and others at BC Magazine US and Philippines.

CHRIS CORNELL AS A DAD

For the rest of you who are not into the whole rock music scene, meet Chris Cornell. Chris is the lead vocalist of the bands "Soundgarden" and "Audioslave." Yes, he has 2 bands--kinda like me, I am editor for 2 magazines--which means we're absolutely NOT in the same league. Anyway...

Known as one of the best voices in music, I also want to add that he is one of the most good-looking performers of our time. When I got the call about whether we were interested in having Chris on the cover of BC, I turned to my husband to ask him and he said (wide-eyed in disbelief that I should even ask), "Of course!" Goes to show that my musical proficiency was limited to the likes of Wilson Phillips (I have met Carnie Wilson, by the way, and I'll be posting my video interview with her soon--but going back to Chris...). So when I said we'd love to have Chris on the cover to my friend, the incomparable photographer, Meeno Peluce, I began the quest for styling options.

When I met the Cornells, I thought that they were the personification of coolness. How often do you get to see a rockstar just happy and content to hang out with his kids? (Side note: I have seen Chris on several occasions at the park near our former home in LA, just by himself while the kids zigzag between the swings, sand, and slides).

And how sweet is he towards his wife, Vicky, whose body is just insane? You will see more of that in the video once my new show with NMF Netwrok is up, so please watch out for that. I would love to be able to eat anything and just be that toned and sexy. Vicky confessed that she stays slim by hopping on the elliptical. And believe me when I tell you that the woman has no body fat--and that I also bought an elliptical years after, which I have yet to hop on after baby #3. Actually, I got to change both Chris and Vicky, and between the two of them, it's hard to imagine--judging from their physique--that there is any food served at their home.

Toni: Pink and white stripe one-piece suit by Hula Star (hulastarswim.com). Chris: Zatiny jeans by Diesel (diesel.com). Vicky: Shirt by Diesel (diesel.com). Baby Chris: Minitta swim shorts by Diesel Kids (dieselkids.com).

BC PHILIPPINES PLAYDATE COVER

Well, it's kind of a late post, but regardless, my kids and I are thrilled to be on the 2nd Anniversary cover of BC Magazine Philippines with our Playdate cover contest winners, Monaliza Vallejos and her kids! What an experience and treat it is seeing our broods on the front page. It was great to have made new friends in the process, too. It's hard to imagine my son, Mathis, was barely 2-months when we shot this. Now he's almost 4-months old. I shudder at how fast time flies, and how slowly I lose the baby weight. Another of my life's ironies...

Anyway, we share a double-cover special with the stunning Lily from mega-hit TV show, Gossip Girl, Kelly Rutherford (photographed by my husband, and co-photographed and styled by myself). I'll make a separate post on Kelly's another time (because I love her), but just know that this issue is a must-read if only for Kelly's cover story and photos alone.

We thought it would be a great idea to give something to our readers that other magazines can't (apart from giving them a variety of prizes worth about P60,000), so this is what came out of it. By the way, all of you pregnant moms and those with younger kids should watch out for a cool giveaway. The prize is in one of these photos. I'll tell you more about it next week. So giddy with excitement already, I'm dying to tell you all!

Please grab a copy and I hope you enjoy the photos shot by my husband and assisted by Mark Cabalang (who incidentally celebrates his birthday today!), and the interview done by our Senior Editor, Valerie del Castillo. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart...

STYLING MY LITTLE STARS - MATHIS, DAPPER IN COLOR

Major paradigm shift after dressing 2 girls for about 10 years now...but I'm loving it. I just feel quite sorry for my little guy because he will be my new "model," (fashion is a big part of what I do for a living) and he doesn't know it yet. Outfit changes every trip, the works. Hope he cooperates because my second daughter never wanted to wear shoes as a baby, despite how many were given to them by brands and designers, so she outgrew a lot without having worn them.

Here's some unwarranted advice: don't be afraid to experiment with color. You'd want them to have cool photos they can look back on and say, "Hey, my mom didn't really embarrass me when I was a kid." Babies especially, look adorable in anything, so check gender-appropriate colors (at this age, they can mostly wear anything) and let them rock it.

3.5-month old Mathis wears a Knuckleheads knit sweater, knuckleheadsclothing.com

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada pants,  agatharuizdelaprada.com

Puj Unos (soft, symmetrical booties so baby can wear them interchangeably) shoes, pujbaby.com

Speaking of embarrassing, please don't blackmail your kids with bum-exposed photos when they're older. I am a victim and will never do this to my children. I still cringe when I remember "the photo" passed around to other people. Grrrr...

BC US INTERVIEW WITH CONSTANCE ZIMMER

Here is part 1 of my interview with talented and beautiful (might I add, sex-ay) actress, Constance Zimmer, who plays high-powered, studio exec Dana Gordon on HBO's "Entourage."

Having lived in LA, I loved watching the show because of the familiar haunts they would feature (the gang would dine at Nate 'N Als--which is literally on the same street we lived at), and because the lifestyle is quite familiar since it is more or less the same industry I work in. We also love the usually level-headed character of Adrian Grenier (Vince Chase), which is why we own all seasons of the show. I can't wait for the movie version, which Constance mentioned will be filming in January.

In the next videos with Constance, you will know more about her parenting styles, we'll talk about a particular artwork in her 4-year old daughter's room that I love (with the F* word in it), and just watch two moms hanging out virtually. But you have to see this one first (it's barely 5 minutes anyway), because it's like watching Prometheus before all the Alien movies came out--you'll be glad you did. Or not. Anyway...

THINGS THAT MAKE ME CRY

First of all, be warned that I'm a cryer. You wouldn't expect it based on my normal disposition, but I am waterworks in a human vessel. Today is no exception. It began when I got on youtube and started viewing some of Freddie Mercury's videos, thinking to myself that he was so young when he passed away, but how amazing it must be that he is forever immortalized because of his music.

Having said that, I decided to make a list of things that get me choked up. Why? Maybe I'm a masochist, or maybe because if you see me, I'd want you to come up and talk to me and we can compare sentimental notes. They say misery loves company, and boy, am I one of those people. So here goes...

• Looking at my children's faces, and I mean really staring, memorizing the shapes and colors of their eyes, the length of their hair and lashes, their smile and teeth, the moles, how tall they've become, and trying to paint a mental picture so I will forever remember the way they looked at that very moment.
• Praying. It makes me feel vulnerable, so open.
• Thinking about people with Alzheimer's, and how afraid I am to contract it and lose my memories of my loved ones. I wouldn't even want to lose track of my bad times, because it made me who I am today.
• Listening to Kenny Loggins' "Danny's Song." Add to that, John Denver's "Annie's Song," and Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water." I think I'm an old soul, because these songs speak to me. Let's not forget, Freddie Mercury's "Love of my Life." The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" somehow makes me feel all fuzzy inside.
• I guess I'm also a new soul, because Adele's "Someone Like You," and Diane Birch's "Nothing But a Miracle"--and most of Alanis Morissette's songs strike a chord. And when the first few strains of New Order's "If You leave" start, it recites a much-too recognizable beat that makes me pensive.
• Putting away my children's outgrown clothes and shoes. I always have a hard time letting go, which is why our house is packed with old stuff to the brim.
• Watching the movie, "Pretty in Pink." I guess because I grew up quite poor smack in the middle of a school and friends that are not, made me so insecure--and Molly Ringwald's character in this film always reminds me of myself. I always felt like I shouldn't be with someone who had more than my family did, and so I turned down quite a few suitors (which in a way is a good thing, otherwise I might have been with child at 16), and no adult in my life ever explained how ridiculous those thoughts were to me--which is why I'm very close to my kids, because I hope they never have unanswered questions in their minds. 
• Giving birth and seeing my kids' faces for the first time, and trying not to cry when I do. I don't know why I always do that, and it happened three times already. I guess I don't want to steal my newborn's thunder.
• Seeing orphans--in any form and age, breaks my heart. Which is why when my kids are grown, I will probably adopt a baby. Let's not tell my husband about this yet, or he might freak out of fear.
• Seeing old people who are homeless is heartbreaking. Doesn't need an explanation.
• Remembering how I've been in-love with my best friend for years, and how we fight and find a way to stay together despite everything, always makes my chest hurt. I fear that he will die and leave me alone, or I might die and not see him and my little angels anymore. Sometimes even the thought of going to heaven is scary, because it means that I will be without my family for a while.
• Pets hurting, and their short life-expectancy (to me, anything below 20 years for them is short). When you are like us and your dogs are like your children, this will undoubtedly leave you grief-stricken. Recently, we were at our balcony getting some sun with the baby, and we saw a nice-looking, older man walking his dog with a long stick. The dog would naturally veer to the sidewalk just to sniff the grass, and the man would immediately whack him with the stick so hard the dog would wince so loud in pain. We were shocked and couldn't help but berate him from our roof ("Is that your dog? Why have a pet? Just give him away!"), and he just gave us a sheepish grin, like the devil in disguise that he is. To this day, I have daydreams of marching up to him and just hitting him with his stick.
• Photos of LA or NY, and TV shows that depict it, make me homesick and nostalgic. Reminds me of old times with good friends, and how I must get back and see them soon.
• Thinking about my maternal grandmother who passed away, and how I didn't get to see her when she did.
• Writing this list.
• The thought of parents playing favorites, and how unfair it is regardless of what age the child is. 
• Seeing my children sick in bed makes my chest hurt, in a numbing pain that gets alleviated only after they get better--and when they are, that's when the tears really get going out of exasperation and relief.
• Knowing that I lucked out when I married my husband, even if our wedding day was just in front of a judge because that's all we could afford back then, but we wanted to make sure our daughter had the proper last name so we made sure to have one. That we haven't had our church wedding yet doesn't matter to us both at all.
• The expecting that someday my children will leave our nest. And that someday will always come sooner than we will ever be ready for.
• My hands hurting and my husband's asthma always make me heavyhearted, because it makes me feel old, and susceptible.
• Seeing our good househelp, and trying to imagine being in their shoes.
• Thinking of how little money we had when we were starting out while I was pregnant with our first, and I had just quit a high paying job and we were trying to make ends meet. 
• Our adventures in the US, starting BC and photographing/writing the whole issue myself while I was pregnant with my second; feeling invincible at times, and then getting humbled several times throughout. The up and down ride. I will tell you about this another time.

I decided to stop writing now, but feel free to leave me a note on what makes your list. Although I don't have a hard time finding my way to Weepyville, I am quicker to get onboard the Happy train. First stop, the one and only photo from my wedding day, 6 months pregnant with Sabina.