Divisoria - Ylaya Street

Last weekend, I made an unplanned trip to Ylaya Street in Divisoria, Manila. 

(Yes, Karen... I got to go!!!)

I say unplanned, because my mom only asked me to go with her Friday afternoon. I didn't want to go because it had been raining lately and that place is sure to be muddy. And to make it worse, it was raining all Friday night until early Saturday morning. I was trying to get out of that trip but my mom wants to go looking for a shop that makes costumes, not because she needs it for Halloween, but because they need it for their group's presentation for Christmas at work. Yes... Christmas. Halloween isn't very big here so we start Christmas preparations as early as September.

Last August, I briefly mentioned Ylaya Street on one of my posts:

"If you want to hunt for good fabric... you have to endure traffic and brave the crowds at one of the streets in Quiapo, Manila... Ylaya Street. I haven't been there yet... I passed by it once... I didn't realize it was a street because it was so crowded and full of people. Maybe one of these days, I will try to go there. "

And last weekend, to Ylaya Street we went.

We had to park our car at Tutuban mall, because there will be no place to park a car near Ylaya Street. From Tutuban mall, we walked to Ylaya Street.

It was raining, but the streets were still full of vendors selling everything from household wares, clothes, shoes and plastic Christmas Trees and other Christmas decor.

See the mud??? It was everywhere!

Christmas decor was really, REALLY cheap though. I saw these glitter-covered plastic plants at a store beside the road. They were only P5 (approx  $0.12) each! Great deal considering these are being sold at the mall between P30 - P50 each (I know because my mom bought a bunch of those at the mall 2 years ago).

When we got to Ylaya Street, it got even more crowded.

Faces of strangers blurred because I don't have their permission to post their photos.

Bolts of fabric and women's undergarments being sold at a stall ON the road. I will not say 'beside the road' because the stalls are literally in the middle of the road. Welcome to Divisoria!

I wanted to get some of this ruffle fabric.

I wanted it in yellow. I forgot the exact price but it was only around $4 per yard which I thought was not bad. But we were in the middle of the road... it was drizzling, and it was so crowded we couldn't even open our umbrella... so my mom didn't want to stop for anything until we reached our destination.

We found the costume store my mom was looking for.

Costumes, head dresses, masks.

Maybe if I am brave enough, I will come back here next year for Andrea's Halloween costume. In spite of the fact that we have to enter dark and narrow passages (and I do mean those literally too) to get here, they have a lot of nice things. And you can have costumes custom-made.

Other faces blurred except for that lady looking at masks. I got permission from her to post this. That's my mom. What she didn't give me permission to post were photos of her trying some of the head dresses on. Darn!

The price I had to pay for this trip.

Good thing I was wearing Crocs. They can be washed with soap and water. My mom's shoes (pale pink Pab Der boat shoes that I love!!) were ruined. Good thing they were an old paid already.

But I was able to score these cute sneakers for Andrea for only P150 (around $4).

My mom wants to go back next weekend to place their orders from the costume shop :-/ I hope it won't be so muddy anymore. 

Bargain Finds

Last night, I started cutting some fabric to make a dress for my niece. So while we wait to see how that turns out, I will share some of my thrifty finds here in Manila.

My mom and I went shopping for accessories last weekend. I took her to Quiapo, where I used to buy my materials to make jewelry before and accessory pieces at really, REALLY low prices. I limited by shopping budget for this trip to P1000 (US$23). Please excuse the quality of my photos... my SLR camera went on vacation so I had to use my camera phone for these photos.

Stainless steel Dragonfly pendant, P160 (US$3.75), 18-inch stainless steel chain P120 (US$2.80)

A closer look at the pendant.

Let's start with my favorite purchase... a stainless steel Dragonfly pendant. When I saw it, I fell in love with it immediately! Stainless steel is a cheaper alternative to silver. They do not tarnish and when they do... they are easy to polish. In the past couple of years, I began seeing stainless steel jewelry being sold at malls for around P400 - P700 (US$7.00 - 16.25). Although still cheaper than the price once it hits the international market, nothing beats the price of getting it direct from the source. Sophie Fashion Jewlery, a store in Villalobos St. in Quiapo, has a wide array of stainless steel jewelry (bracelets, pendants, rings, bangles, chains) at affordable prices. The catch? They're a wholesale store, you need to buy at least 6 items (any item) from their store to be allowed to purchase. But once you're there, it's actually not hard to find 6 items you WANT to buy. I always hit this store first when I go to Villalobos and I blow half of my budget on this first stop. Luckily, since my mom was with me, 6 items was a breeze. There were other pendants there, like the puppy and the elaborate butterfly... I didn't buy them because I didn't want to spend a lot of money on accessories... I already have enough, but now, I can't get them out of my mind! I also bought gold-plated stainless steel star studs for Andrea but forgot to take a photo. I think they were around P120 (US$2.80).

Jewelled Peacock cuff in emerald green, P100 (US$2.32)

details of the Peacock

My second favorite. I forgot the name of the store I got this from... but it's about 2 or 3 stores away from Sophie's. They have several designs for chunky cuffs like this and I had a hard time choosing just one. All cuffs from that section cost P100 (US$2.32).

Pucca stud earrings for Andrea (she loves Pucca!) P20 (US$0.50)

I bought 2 pairs of these Pucca earrings: one for Andrea, and one for my niece. I got them from the same store where I bought the Peacock cuff.

Carved Coral Roses bracelet, P180 (US$4.20)

This is another favorite... ok I seem to have a lot of favorites but seriously, I just love everything I bought last weekend! I was shocked when I saw this. Because I've been looking at necklaces with one carved coral pendant at a store selling Filipiniana items at the mall and the cheapest one was P1400 (US$32.50). Maybe because those necklaces use real silver. But still, I just wanted the pendants anyway so when I found this bracelet at Pot of Gems with lots of carved coral roses, and at that price, I got really excited. I plan to pry them out of their silver-plated metal parts and use them in some accessories I plan to make. This is also available in cream... and I am now kicking myself for not buying that too.

By the way, my mom wanted me to add that she still thinks those roses are made of plastic and not coral *rolls eyes*. I asked the store owner's son who was assisting customers and he told me they were made of coral but my mom doesn't believe him. When I got home, I compared the texture of the material of the roses to the texture of some carved coral bangles I already have and they feel the same... I'm no expert though. You know, maybe I'll just sacrifice one of those roses tonight and hit it with a hammer to see how it looks like when it shatters.

Necklace made of wood beads and beads made from coconut shells, P50 (US$1.15)

Elastic cuff made of wood beads, P25 (US$0.60)

I forgot the exact store in Villalobos where I got these last 2. I just remember my mom bought several bead necklaces and I was enticed to pick up a couple.

Brass tone cage pendant ( pack of 2 pieces), P40 (US$0.90

I also wanted to buy some materials for making jewelry but my favorite store to buy those things from was closed on Sundays. I visited another store, Chains, Beads and Components (store name is so specific don't you think?), and was able to buy these the bird cage pendant. The bird I just included in the photo... I already have it :)

Total cost: P815 (US$18.95). I did not exceed budget!!! :D

By the way, Villalobos Street in Quiapo is a great place to buy accessories and beading components when you want to buy in bulk.  I don't think it's worth the effort to go if you only plan to buy one or 2. You have to be ready to brave this:

Villalobos Street in Quiapo. Photo from Metro Manila Revisited . To see more photos of Villalobos, click here. Go on, check it out before you go if you are planning to go.

The stores I'm talking about are on both sides of this street which also doubles as a street market where vendors sell fruits, vegetables, shoes, dried fish... and a whole lot of other things. The crowd is worse on Fridays (because of the Black Nazarene mass at the Quiapo Church? I'm not sure... I'm not Catholic... but believe me there was a time I didn't know and went there on a Friday. Never again) and Sundays (because of Sunday Mass).

I found a map of stores in Villalobos Street from Bead Snob:

To get there, if you have a car, we usually park at Isetann Recto. And then we walk to Quiapo church. Behind Quiapo Church is Plaza Miranda and Villalobos Street is the street directly in front of Plaza Miranda. If you have to commute... I usually take the LRT, purple line and exit at Recto Station. Recto Station is directly in front of Isetann Recto.

All Things Pink: Shoes, Clip, and Bird's Nest Necklace

I had a post for today drafted last Monday and ready for posting but I decided to scrap it and write another one to add a few things. From my blog title, you would guess that I love pink. I do! But for some reason, I don't wear a lot of pink. Yesterday... I decided to pass by the mall before going home. And guess what I found??? The perfect pair of pale pink peep-toes!

I haven't worn high heels since I got pregnant in 2009. And after that... high heels are just crazy high! What's with the 4? 5? 6? inch heels anyway? Do shoe designers have a thing against walking? Anyway, I love peep-toes and the heels on this baby are only are only about 3-inches high. They're quite comfortable too.

And when you find a good thing, you know what you should do? Buy it in every color available!

Nope, I didn't wear it like this :) Just showing you the other color.

The lady at the store said this also came in black... only when they checked, they don't have it my size anymore :( If I have these shoes in black, silver, gold and red... I can live in them forever! And I would probably buy 2 pairs of every color so I'd have a spare. These are totally my style!

I wanted to wear the pink one today. I decided to whip up a hair clip real quick before I left for work to match my pink shoes.

I saw something like this at Papemelroti and have been considering just buying one from them since they weren't expensive... but I think about all those ribbons, glue stick and clips I have at home and what the heck. Let's make life a little harder and just make one, right? I still just might buy other colors from them later. I really like this clip. It goes so well with my wavy hair.

And the last thing on my plate today... I'm also wearing it in the photo above... the bird's nest necklace. I've been seeing a lot of these on other blogs but wasn't really thinking I was going to make one. But... I've been following Amy at One Artsy Mama for a couple of months now and she recently discovered the joys of jewelry making. I remember, when I first started, it was addicting. But through time, and since I am concentrating more on learning how to sew, my interest waned. But reading Amy's posts... her enthusiasm is viral! You can't help but catch it. She made this pretty bird's nest on her first attempt at making jewelry:

Pretty isn't it?

And since then, I've been thinking of giving it a try. So I looked for tutorials online and found one I liked at Can't Stop Making Things. Last Monday, before I left for work, I decided to try it and here's what I have:

You know how some people say "This looks better in person" about some thing in photos? Well, this is just the opposite. I can honestly say that my bird's nest looks much better in the photo! ;) You can't see it from the photo but the nest is just a little lopsided. I only put one 'egg' in the nest for the one pretty little egg in my nest: Andrea. the nest looks a tad empty after I was done but since I wired the egg in there, it was a little difficult to add more. So one egg it is.

I want to make one for my sister too so we'll see if I get any better at it. If you're not into DIY or do not have the patience for it (because trust me, this requires patience with a capital 'P'), Amy set up an Etsy shop where she sells these pretty nests. I think she also customizes the color and number of eggs you want. She even made these into earrings and rings.

I am linking up to the following link parties:

Link Party at Tea Rose Home | Sugar & Spice at Seven Thirty Three | Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts | Hoo's got Talent at Night Owl Crafting | Strut Your Stuff at Somewhat Simple | Creative Juice Thursday at Momnivore's Dilemma | Get Your Brag On at Gluesticks | Thrilling Thursday at Paisley Passions | A Glimpse Inside at Catch a Glimpse | A Crafty Soiree at Katie's Nesting Spot | Commercial Break Thursday at Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom | Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge | Friday Favorites at Inspiring Creations | Saturday is Crafty Day at I Am Along For The Ride | Free for All at Young and Crafty | Think Pink Sundays at Flamingo Toes | K.I.S.S at The Tattered Tag | Sundae Scoop at I Heart Naptime | Sunday Showcase Party at Under The Table and Dreaming | Not Baaad Sundays at Lamb Around | CraftOManiac Monday at CraftOManiac | Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative | Making Mondays Marvelous at C.R.A.F.T. | Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple | A Round Tuit at Creating My Way to Success | Inspire Me Monday at Singing Three Little Birds | Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff | Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do | Take-a-Look Tuesday at Sugar Bee Crafts | Handmade Tuesdays at Lady Bug Blessings | Tuesday To Do Party at Blackberry Vine | Show Me What Ya Got at Not JUST a Housewife | Tuesday Party at Running with Glitter | Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog |

Great Weekend Finds: Doll Accessories

I just want to share some cute stuff I found at the grocery store last weekend.

Yep, you read that right... grocery store. See, the grocery store near our house has something like a general merchandise store on the 2nd floor. They carry stuff like clothes, shoes, bags, toys, scrap booking supplies, make-up, accessories, hardware items, school supplies, knick-knacks, kitchen items... you name it... they probably have it ;) So, when I do my grocery shopping on Saturday mornings, I usually browse around 2nd floor first. And last weekend... look what I found...

A pair of pink rubber shoes for Barbie for P25 (approx $0.50)

A small denim bag for P38 (approx $0.80)

A small body bag for P38 (approx $0.80)

I saw doll accessories being sold separately and they were cheap! The denim bag came in other colors: beige and olive green... but I only bought these 3. And there were other shoes that look like bulky rubber shoes which I don't really find pretty. I've been wanting to go back for the other bags though... maybe I will later. I've been collecting clothes for Andrea's dolls for a while now... waiting for the time that she will start appreciating them.

Inspired by my finds... I made a little something for Andrea that I know she will appreciate now...

 

 

Hmmm... does that backpack look familiar???

It's Dora's friend, "Backpack"!!!

More about "Backpack" on another post... this is just a preview :) Hope you all had a great weekend!

Denim-Dress Bag - A Cute Find

I found this cute little bag at the grocery store (yes, grocery store!) near my house last month:

It's a small bag in the shape of a denim dress. It's so cute! The storage space inside is only about 7x5 inches (in other words, practically useless). The stage-mother in me screamed that Andrea will look so adorable carrying this... only, you know... Andrea was only 9 months old at the time and the bag was a bit expensive for a non-essential bauble.

Stage mother won the argument though :)

I meant to post a picture after I bought it but things got a little busy and I only remembered I had it yesterday morning while I was digging through my bags before I left home for work. I took a quick photo using my phone (hence the quality! aarggh!).

Si Andrea... si Andrea... palagi na lang si Andrea

Wala pang 3 months, madami ng kalat:

(Yeah, we finally got a bouncer for her).

Next week, magsh-shopping naman ako for ME!! ;)

Motherhood 101: Going BPA-Free

I love my husband... I do! But sometimes it takes all of my willpower not to dance around singing out "I told you so!!!"

Latest issue: BPA-free anything.

BPA, or Bisphenol-A first entered my vocabulary a few months ago during a conversation with one of my officemates who asked me if I was getting BPA-free bottles for my baby. She told me she had to order online to get these bottles abroad because at the time, they were hard to find in our part of the world. I did a little research on BPA and found out the harmful effects that some experts are attributing to BPA exposure on babies.

So what is BPA?

"Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical used to make a hard, clear plastic known as polycarbonate, which is used in many consumer products, including reusable water bottles and baby bottles. "
(source: http://www.chemicalsubstanceschimiques.gc.ca/challenge-defi/bisphenol-a_fs-fr_e.html)

Though some studies have shown that BPA has little effect on adults and children, exposure of babies up to 18 months shows increase risk of cancer and diabetes later in life, early onset of puberty, negative effects on the reproductive system, etc. Canada is working on banning baby bottles that contain BPA while several big establishments in the US (like Walmart and Toys 'R Us) will be removing them from their shelves by the end of the year, I think.

Given this information, I was still not totally convinced due to the price tag of BPA-free bottles. Until I saw these:

Playtex Ventaire Crystal Clear

Sometimes, you just have to see something you really, really like to convince you! They looked so pretty and classy! Trust me, the picture does not do these bottles justice. These really are pretty but they were a bit pricey (mall price for these here are almost double the price listed online) so my husband was dead set against it. He told me that the BPA issue is just a marketing campaign being used by manufacturers to charge high prices for their products. He told me that we were raised using the same bottles they are now banning and we turned out fine (I didn't want to raise the point that most of the people I know have complications during pregnancy). I decided to settle for these instead:

Playtex VentAire

These come at a lower price tag but with the same great user ratings, and still he said no. The "are-you-telling-me-she's-not-worth-it?" card doesn't seem to sway him this time. I planned to buy these anyway when he's not with me and let him deal with it when he sees it at home. Good thing my friend, El, said she's going to give me a set as a gift (thanks El!). I plan to buy a few other BPA-free bottles (from another brand maybe) to supplement this starter set.

Since then, I made an effort to buy baby items that are BPA-free, with my husband rolling his eyes, pouting and giving me dirty looks everytime he sees me at the check-out counter. I have learned to ignore him when I go shopping.

Last Friday was different. Friday night saw me at the babies section of the department store yet again, looking for a few items we still needed (and a few others we don't but I still wanted anyway). My husband wandered off for a while looking at other stuff and when we met up at the check-out counter, I saw that he was reading a brochure. When we got home, I saw that the brochure was from Babisil, discussing the effects of BPA. He showed it to me and asked "Hey, what if we buy this?"

Babisil Silbottle

So that was the shelf he was looking at. I just stared at him for a while, resisting my "I-told-you-so" urges.

"Did you check how much those are?", I asked because I know they cost around the same, or more, than Playtex VentAire Crystal Clear.

"Yup."

"And?"

"I like them, the look nice... and they're anti-colic, see?" (oh, so now he knows what anti-colic means... another concept I've been trying to explain to him for months!)

Sometimes, you really do just have to see something you like.

Motherhood 101: Laying my Crib Issue to Rest

NOTE: If you're getting tired of reading baby-related shopping blogs, please avoid my blog for a while (until around mid-October). I'm really not buying anything for me or for any other part of the house except the nursery these days.

It's been weeks of stressing since my husband and I both decided on a playpen we both liked. It was a bit beyond our budget if we are to buy it here (as opposed to buying overseas) so we spent a lot of time exploring other buying options. I finally got tired after weeks of chasing leads so I told my husband that either we're buying it here, or we'll just get a different one. Then holding up baby girl's ultrasound photo, "...if you don't think she's worth it."

There are ways of getting what you want ;)

We made plans to go the main office of Chicco's local dealer this weekend to place our order because that's the only place where we can get the model and the color we wanted. But last night, we went to the mall to get a gift for a friend's baby. While I was shopping, my husband wandered off. When I finally caught up with him, I saw him playing with one of the Graco playpens displayed. I already had a nagging feeling we'd be going home with that playpen so I tried to get him to snap out of it. I told him we will compare so we left the playpen and went to the Chicco store where they have a display of the model we initially agreed on. He fidgeted with the playpen for a while then told me that he liked the Graco one better.

Bye-bye Chicco :(

Wow, he can be more fickle-minded than I am! Last shot... I tried to convince him subtly over dinner that the Chicco one is better but for some reason, he was fixated with the Graco one.

So my intuition proved right, we did go home with a playpen last night.

Baby girl's new playpen.

By the way, if you're wondering if cost had anything to do with my husband's decision, the answer is no. Both the Chicco and Graco playpens we were choosing from cost exactly the same. I'm slowly realizing that budget is as elastic a concept as Lastikman so why bother?

Motherhood 101: The 3D/4D Experience

I was in pain but it was the last day of the mall sale and I really wanted to get the more expensive stuff we need while they are discounted so I decided to suck it and asked my husband to go to the mall with me last Sunday. I was barely over 27 weeks and I know recommended period to get the 3D/4D ultrasound is between 28-32 weeks but I needed to know if baby is a girl or a boy so I can get to the shopping part armed with the knowledge (plus the fact that I really have been looking forward to this and with my EQ being unusually low when it comes to these things, I decided I didn't want to wait).

When we got to the mall, we went straight to the ultrasound clinic. I have to admit, I was a bit disappointed at the experience. I mean I was excited at first when the image first came into view and I immediately thought "That looks like Helaena!" (my niece). But then, we started to realize that the images were not as clear as those displayed at the lobby, on the brochures and on the website. The session was supposed to last anywhere between 20-30 minutes but I got tired of it after only a few minutes... maybe becausee of the image quality. I really wasn't seeing anything new. Good thing we opted to get the cheaper package with photos only, no video. Though we can see the baby moving, I don't think we'd be able to appreciate it much given the quality of the images.

Anyway, we're having a baby girl and here she is:

We did make it to the shopping part (yey for me!!). She already has a bottle sterilizer, 2 sets of beddings and a bath tub. That was all we could carry since the comforters were bulky.

Dealing with Disappointment

I am about to self-combust with disappointment.

I don't deal well with disappointment. I usually simmer, simmer, and simmer some more and when I can't simmer anymore, I... well, it's not pretty.

I WANT THIS PLAYPEN!

I saw it online last week as I was browsing online and it matches the stroller and carrier we bought. I initially asked my cousin to ask my dad if he could bring it back here for me when he comes back (it's the size of a medium travel bag and about 15kg when packed), but since I still haven't heard from them, I'm taking the answer to be negative for the meantime and decided to considered other options (to be sure!). Unfortunately, those other options aren't working out very well.

I tried ordering it online and have it shipped here. Unfortunately, the first store I ordered from only ships within the US. I found a store that ships internationally but as I was checking out, the shipping cost amounted to almost $350! More than 2x the price of the item. I contacted the seller clarifying the shipping cost and still haven't received a response from them.

My husband and I tried looking for the item here. We found a local brand store and they have the model but not in the color I want. This playpen is about to be the centerpiece of my living room for about a year and no way am I getting something that won't match my current color scheme since I've been working so hard to get it to look the way I want. I asked the sales person if any of their other branches carries the model in the color I want but he told me no. They only carry the ones selected and imported by the merchandiser and for the model I want, they only carry 2 color options. (Well, tell your merchandiser he/she has bad taste! Hmph!) I looked at the sales person and decided I don't believe him so my husband and I are checking out another branch this weekend. I hope we find one (though local price for this item is double the price online) but until I'm sure I can get it, the disappointment lingers.

I feel the world conspiring against me and my playpen. I've been looking at it online all day and the more I see it, the more I want it and the more I feel disappointed when I think that I might not be able to get it (aaarrrrrgggghhh!!!).

There is also a sub-plot to all this. I stupidly told my mom and my sister about asking my dad to bring this here. I know! I know! I should have kept my mouth shut. But at the time, I was on a shopping high, I was happy, I was chatty. Not being very big fans of my dad (understatement!), they both told me to forget about it. I stand alone in keeping the peace between 2 clashing sides and if my mom asks about it again and that playpen does not materialize in my house within the next few months (whichever way, she won't have to know how, I can just tell her what I think is the best answer), it's like giving her live ammo.

None of my options are a sure negative yet. It's just that at this point, I don't have an alternative that I'm sure about. And that bugs me. For all I know, on the extreme positive end, all my options might actually work out. In which case, I'll be all giddy and happy. But if none does...

...I'm flying out there to get it myself!!! X(

Motherhood 101: Our first baby-related purchase!

Finally! Something about this whole thing I can absolutely relate to... shopping! :)

So far, I haven't really been feeling anything about this whole baby thing. Everything about this pregnancy has been about discomfort, pain and hospitals. I guess that's why I never talk about it much. Until now, the baby is still like an abstract entity... I know it's coming, I feel it moving... but you don't really feel it.

The past few months, I've been prey to sales people in the baby section of almost every mall I've visited. I must've seen every product catalogue and demo there is for all major baby products. The fact that I tell them am not planning on buying anything yet doesn't seem to deter them. Last night was no different. They seem to know the moment my eyes wandered towards the cribs and strollers area because suddenly, there they were. But last night, I actually saw something I really, really liked. I never really thought we'd get it because it was not within the price range I set for myself for this particular equipment but I asked to see the demo anyway.

• Stroller comes with carrier/car seat, check
• Neutral color, check
• Classy, check (of course this is important to me! I'd be the one pushing it)
• Reputable brand, check (shallow I know, but first baby so let me be)
  
• Lightweight, check (again, I get the feeling I'd be the one pushing and carrying it)
• Removable front tray, check
• Within my price range... not really... but...
• Carrier also functions as a rocker (like Helaena's), a plus!
• Wheels has suspension for bumpy surfaces, another plus!

Pretty huh? :)

So in spite of people telling us it's still too early to buy baby stuff, we went home with a stroller and a carrier anyway... and with a more concrete sense of reality of our baby that is about to arrive in a few months (since there is now something in the house that actually belongs to him/her). And with me on a shopping high! I guess my husband was feeling more excited too since he was sending me links on playards all morning. We both agreed (I think... I told him I like this one and I don't really remember what he said afterward...) to get this one:
We haven't seen it in any mall around here yet but I hope my dad agrees to lug it back here when he gets back from his trip (I really, really hope he says yes!).

Bicycles: The New Fashion Accessory?

According to this article at least: Obsession du Jour: Bicycles.

Mg bought one last month, not as a fashion accessory though, for exercise. Just another toy on his long list of toys past and present. And like the camera and the RC's and all his other toys... it's an expense that breeds more expense: accessories, upgrades. Every single week, it seems

Anyway... he's been harping on me to get one as well. Last time I was on a bike was when I was in 5th grade (I think). I wonder if it's true what they say that once you learn, you never forget? I will probably get one soon. I want a pink one.

Bag Organizers

I've been hearing and seeing these things online for quite some time now and I don't understand why I never got one earlier. It's so... convenient! Just put all the stuff you put in your purse there and when you have to change purses... just move the entire thing. I won't ever have to forget my i.d. and access card ever again! (I hope...).

The one I bought has a gazillion pockets and compartments!

Ok, that's exagerating.

It's about 10" x 8"... the size of a medium-sized bag. This size suits me and fits inside most of my bags. I need a big one because the cosmetics bag I carry with me everywhere is already about 7" x 5" big. My bag organizer has 3 compartments, 3 inner pockets, 1 inner zipped pocket, 3 side pockets for cellphones, 3 pen holders, a key holder, and a small coin purse.

Price: P180.00 (Approx $4)

Smaller ones go for P150 (Approx $3.50) .

Bag organizer inside my hand bag.