About heavenliner

a twisted little soul... people see me to be so delicious they sometimes want to eat me...

Got Hooked By Kiehl’s

Posted on January 6, 2013 by heavenliner

My first purchase of Kiehl’s products was actually not for me. It was a bunch of Kiehl’s that I gave as Christmas presents to three ladies whom I consider to be the hardest to buy for in my list last Christmas.

the facial fuel sampler, it’s so effective i want to spread it on my bread and eat it

Good thing about these purchases is that Kiehl’s store gives out generous samplers. These are the testers packed in small vials and sachets I personally tried for myself. And guess what? I was hooked.

It’s not too long ago that I have realized that nobody’s going to take care of my skin but me. Thus, any skin product that will come my way and given to me for free for sure will be applied and tested on my supple young looking skin.

As for Kiehl’s samples, I got a miniscule jar of Facial Fuel Anti Wrinkle Cream; a vial of Orange Flower & Lychee Aromatic Mist; a tiny bar of Ultimate Man Body Scrub Soap; sachets of Ultra Light Daily UV Defense; and, Rare Earth Pore Moisturizing Lotion.

The facial fuel which has a light minty feel was perfect. It felt like nourishment is being fed directly on my skin for it is absorbed easily. I know this because finding a good moisturizer for an oily skin like mine and at the same time living in a hot, humid tropical country would be like finding the holy grail. It’s so effective “gusto ko ipalaman sa tinapay”.

I love the super texture of the bar soap, it cleans well and doesn’t dry out my skin. The “perfumista” in me was hooked by the scent of the aromatic mist particularly the Orange Flower & Lychee. It is an awesome concoction that I can truly rave about. I have tried numerous scents available in the market but the smell only last for a couple of hours. the aromatic mist can amazingly last the whole day and it sits well with my skin chemistry.

However, I have yet to try the moisturizing lotion and the UV defense formula samplers. Pwede bang ihalo na lang sa kape ang mga yan?

my bunch of kiehl’s

And since these amazing samplers have run out, I can no longer pretend not to hear my skin screaming to me saying it misses Kiehl’s. Thus, I purchased Kiehl’s products today which I will be using for myself in the next couple of months. Though Kiehl’s here in the Philippines is quite pricey I am nevertheless convinced that they got some awesome merchandise.

Walang ibang mag-aalaga ng balat mo kundi ang sarili mo. Tapos!

My Wish for the Year 2013? Spell It!

Posted on January 3, 2013 by heavenliner

People need money. But for me, I don’t just need money because what I want is MORE MONEY! People need money to survive and live a normal life. Money allows us to buy what we want and what we need. It is indeed not the guarantee to make people happy but let us face the fact that it is one potent medium that gives us vicarious pleasure.

Some even say that it is the root of all evil. But let us also confront the truth that it bridges the gap for us to have roof over our head, food on the table, clean water, electricity, gas, transportation and even medicine when we are under the weather. And if used properly it could enhance other’s lives through donations, charities and poverty alleviation. Therefore having loads of money can be a powerful catalyst to spread the… spell it! L. O. V. E.

I know a lot of happy people who gets along fine without money. But I don’t want to be like them. I want to be happy and at the same time own truckloads of money. I guess there’s nothing wrong with wanting the good things in your life. Don’t get me wrong because I intend to earn, have and own money in a virtuous manner. No way will I be a crook. And I know I’m smarter than the devil so I won’t sell my soul just to have it.

I don’t know how much money I need. But one thing is for sure I want mountains and mountains of it. I want money running out of my butt. I want money wafting out of my ears. I want money growing out from my pimples. Call me greedy, call me insane but I want to be a money magnet.

I guess now you know what my absurd yet practical wish for this New Year… spell it! M. O. N. E. Y. and more of it.

Oo na. Mababaw na kung mababaw. Pero aym shur… gusto mo rin nyan!

Toot toot! Happy New Year!!!

Posted on January 1, 2013 by heavenliner

Happy New Year!!!

Cheers to another year of awesomeness!

me blowing a 5-year old trumpet

One interesting anecdote that can be derived from the photo above is the torotot (party horn). It’s a five-year-old bugle which Nengkoy brings out annually from her precious storage chest. It’s the same bunch of paper trumpets that me and my relatives would use to welcome the New Year. These hooters are only replaced when it is deemed damaged, pauperized or no longer toots and tootles when blown.

As I’ve observed from the malls recently, today’s party horns are modernized. It’s made of hard colorful plastic and need not be blown using the strength of your breath. It is simply pumped by both hands to produce a honking sound. Also, modern horns seem to have a different sound. It sounds more like the vuvuzela of South Africa used during the 2010 World Cup.

But Nengkoy’s horns still sounds the classic New Year paper-made trumpets. Because the mouthpiece that produce the tooting sound (attached inside the nozzle) when I checked is still made of a piece of small hallow bamboo. Last night, when I sampled the horns, the first thing I uttered was, “Tunog sinauna” (It sounds old and ancient).

Me and my family do not light up fire crackers (like what others would habitually do) to drive away the bad chi of the coming year. Maybe my family is too clever to play with the dangers of lighting fire crackers and rather smartly chose to be in the safe zone. Instead, we would usher the welcoming of the New Year by blasting confetti cannons and of course by blowing Nengkoy’s carton-made party horns.

After the New Year revelry, Nengkoy would simply collect all these trumpets, test each if it is still working and store it again in her storage box for next year’s celebration. Next year for sure I will be blowing the same old yet reliable party horns.

Tut tut! Hapi Nyu Yir!!!

Rizal’s Mona Lisa Smile

Posted on December 30, 2012 by heavenliner

Today is Rizal Day. Let me then post my personal favorite among the numerous photos of the ultimate Pinoy henyo and hero, Jose Rizal.

This is one unusual photo of Rizal which bears his Mona Lisa smile. It is unlike the usual photo of Rizal which is mostly serious, tensed, unsmiling and oftentimes nondescript. In this photo he looks happy and seems to have done something naughty. I specially adore the hoity-toity vibe on his pretty face in this photo. He looks cool and definitely hip!

what’s on his mind…?

Another remarkable about this photo is that you can actually generate and formulate various thoughts and ideas (similar to the Mona Lisa) on what is on his mind while the shot is being carried out. It’s a simple yet mysterious smile that can conceive millions of interpretations.

Ampogi ng lolo mo!

Fa lala lala lalalala!

Posted on December 23, 2012 by heavenliner

me seated on santa’s chair

Fa lala lala lalala!

or is it

Fail lala lala lalalala!

You need not worry that on the night before Christmas there will be no big bearded fat man who will jump in at your window, grab you and puts you in a red sack. Though I told Santa I wanted you for Christmas… He refused! He told me I have been so naughty this year. Nevertheless…

Joyful holiday wishes and warm greetings to all of you!

Here’s a Christmas song/video of my favorite band this year… I hope you rock the Christmas night away…

Maligayang Pasko…

Best YouTube Video Reaction On This Year’s Ms. Universe Pageant

Posted on December 22, 2012 by heavenliner

photo of the now “classic” 2010 ms. universe pageant reaction on youtube

YouTube again is now flooded with clips that demonstrates Filipinos euphoric reaction while watching the Ms. Universe pageant. Common in all these jubilant and ecstatic emotional bursts is especially evident when Ms. Philippines is announced as part of the cut of top 16, top 10 or top 5.

This serves to confirm that beauty pageants no matter what it brings to the country’s economic or cultural growth is a big deal in this part of the globe. In the Philippines, Ms. Universe pageant can be equated as the Superbowl of America, the Mardi Gras of Brazil, the crowning of a monarch in Great Britain or the TV appearance of Kim Jong-un in North Korea.

People around the world would again wonder how come it takes some time before it is uploaded on YouTube. The answer is simple, the Philippines has to slowest internet web loading in the planet.

These usually funny video clips loaded on YouTube is now a staple in the Philippines since the country’s representatives for the past 3 years has landed on the top 5 of the pageant.

janine tugonon & olivia culpo

But for this year’s version of video clips some were not the usual rapturous reaction but nevertheless remains hilarious. This is especially true when on the final spot of the competition, the Filipina beauty whom everybody expected to win because of a grand performance during the night and supposedly sealing the crown on her head with a very intelligent answer was not announced the winner.

For me this year’s epic funny video comes from these two hopeful yet surprised earthlings (uploaded by Alma Gloriana) who evidently are not living in the Philippines (the Philippines have yet to have a winter season). Look at how this two drop their jaws on a very simultaneous manner. It’s an epic of a clip!

“Uhhhg!” Hahaha! Napa-NGA-NGA si Ate’t Kuya!

Thank You Lou & Greg

Posted on December 20, 2012 by heavenliner

the oreo-cookie-look-alike mayan calendar

I would like to personally thank two people who were responsible for the calendar that the world is now using. Aloysius Lilius, the Italian astronomer and physicist who invented the solar-cycle-based Gregorian calendar and Pope Gregory XIII who approved on this calendar that bears his name.

It’s been all around the news for the past months that according to the Mayan calendar, tomorrow will be the end of the world. Can you just imagine what we are now doing in case the Mayan calendar is the one that proliferated around this planet and the one we earthlings are using? Today must probably be nothing but chaos.

Thanks Lou and Greg. Because of you two, I’m not packing my bags and ready to go to either Venus or Mars since the world will not end tomorrow. Nevertheless, December 21, 2012 will be dubbed as the most widely-disseminated doomsday tale of human history.

Tuloy ang buhay. May pasok bukas!

Janine Tugonon: She Grows In You

Posted on December 14, 2012 by heavenliner

janine tugonon

Odd as it may seem, but I could equate Janine Tugonon, this year’s Philippine representative to the Ms. Universe pageant, to a Hot & Sour Soup.

At first sip of this Asian soup, you wouldn’t like it. The hot and sour taste would swiftly burst into your mouth which could result to some contortions on your face. But when you would have your second and succeeding sips you will start to realize that this soup is actually very tasty and delicious. Your taste buds would simply crave for more.

Just like Janine Tugonon. She would simply grow in you.

Here in the Philippines, at the early stages when Tugonon won the right to represent the Philippines in this year’s most coveted beauty pageant, a lot speculated that it is not going to be a 3-consecutive-year feat for the country (in 2010 Venus Raj placed 4^th runner up while last year Shamcey Supsup placed 3^rd runner up).

But after watching the preliminaries of Ms. Universe 2012, you would start to realize that the Tugonon-bashers in the past could actually be very wrong. One YouTube commenter even wrote that there’s a bit of Raj, Supsup and Quiambao (1999 1^st runner up) in her.

If you want to see what I mean, watch this goosebumping video and let Ms. Philippines grow in you…

Wow! The crowd’s gone crazy when it’s her turn! I hope she won’t bring home the bacon for I wish that she bring home the crown. Hahaha! Good luck Ms. Philippines!

May laban ang bruha!

Handwritten Notes In My Treasure Box

Posted on December 14, 2012 by heavenliner

I don’t know but there must be something in my hypothalamus that bursts with uplifting joy every time I would receive a handwritten heartwarming note or letter from a friend or a relative. The value of handwritten poignant thoughts directly conveyed to my inner being cheers me up in high spirits.

Maybe this is the reason why I have the compulsion to keep, store and squirrel away these letters and notes no matter how short the messages are and regardless of what sort of paper these are written on.

To hint on some examples, herewith are a few of the letters/notes that I have been keeping in my treasure box in which some heedless souls may already consider as trash…

few of the notes from my treasure box

this kid will be turning 12 early next year

this kid is turning 12 early next year

Of course two of my personal favorites…

thatcher, my niece's christmas letter last year. i can hardly remember what she gave me but this letter will forever be remembered

my niece thatcher’s christmas letter last year. i can hardly recall what she gave me but this letter will forever be kept and remembered

luis' note when he was just starting to learn how to write (left was the front page, to the right is the meat of his "very precise" message)

my nephew luis’ letter written on a tiny sheet of paper when he was just starting to learn how to write. (left was the front page, to the right is the content of his “very precise” message). luis is entering college next year…

Or maybe I got this penchant attribute from my mother. I can clearly recall when I was still a skinny kid when Nengkoy would make a décor-less scrapbook of all the Christmas Holiday and Birthday greeting cards she would receive through the years. These colorful greetings card she received were usually from my father who was then working in the Middle East, from my dear relatives based in USA and Canada (the Romasanta-s and the Pineda-s) as well as from her close friends working in various parts of the world.

Kapag ako sumikat, pwedeng ipang-myusiyum ang mga ‘yan.

A Grand Gourmet Experience

Posted on December 9, 2012 by heavenliner

spirals, sofitel manila

It was one unforgettable pre-Christmas dinner as well as post-birthday celebration of my nephew Denden. I and my family were in Spirals, Sofitel Manila last night. Spirals is the country’s biggest and widest array of culinary delights with 21 interactive Ateliers.

For me the best features in the buffet were the mouthwatering Chinese Dimsum; a raw bar of sushi and sashimi; the wide array of artisanal cheeses (inside the much raved about cheese room); the juicy steaks at Churrasco; the paneers and tandoori; and, of course the unlimited Foie Gras.

Though this was not my first time to dine at Spirals I still get so overwhelmed, I failed to take photos of the buffet.

the staff probably knew that i have a crazy noisy family we were billeted inside a vip room

sofitel staff probably knew that i have a crazy noisy family, we were billeted inside a vip room

me and nengkoy loved this bread…

a view from the hotel lobby

No wonder Spirals at Sofitel this year was chosen as the Best International Buffet by the prestigious Manila’s Best Kept Restaurant Secrets (MBKRS Awards).

Burp…

Nengkoy

ruminations & travesties of the favorite yet naughty son of Nengkoy

Author Archives: heavenliner