My Blue Jeans

Back in high school (third year), I remember I don't have a pair of jeans at the start of the school year. My wardrobe consists of school uniform, some t-shirts which I wore for out-of-school functions (very few I must say) and some old clothes for home.

When I joined the COLT (Cadet Officer Leadership Training), we were required to go to school every Saturday wearing jeans and white t-shirt. Because I had none, my sister-in-law gave me a pair that belonged to her brother. It is an acid-wash 80s-style jeans (high-waisted that tapers near the bottom). Every Saturday for a few months, I would wear that pair of jeans (and only that since it was my only pair). I was eventually taken out of the program (only 18 or so went on to finish the COLT program and become commissioned officers, the rest of us became NCOs). I don't remember what happened to that pair of jeans. I don't particularly miss it as memories attached to it were not really dear to me (I don't particularly like military and other authoritarian systems. Possibly, it is because my older brother was Corps Commander and my sister was a Company Leader that I joined the training program in the first place).

Today, acid-wash jeans, high-waisted and tapered jeans are soooo out-of-style. I now have several pairs of dark denims (with regular waist and straight-cut or boot-cut). Still that pair of jeans, no matter how many I have will always be memorable (not dearly remembered but remembered none the less). May it rest in peace (whereever it may be and for whatever purpose it is being used right now).

"Top Design"

I'm still not over my "Top Design" phase and still not satisfied with how my apartment looked. Last weekend, I again stayed up most of the night cleaning and rearranging stuff in my house.



The hanging lamp (shaped like a lotus flower) is an IKEA lamp (costing P2,100 in Ikea Makati retailer), the painting I bought in Greenhills a few months ago (I originally planned on buying a painting with blue and green as dominant colors for my bedroom but the allure of the jewel tones and reds made me purchase this). I covered a piece of glass found in the apartment with black sticky paper (I don't know what this is called but it is generally used for lining drawers and cabinets).

I also like some modern metal musician figures I bought from Landmark (I think about P200 each).





The black jars I bought from One Price in Waltermart Makati for P99 each. I just love jars with the metal thingy for lock. I use the three for storing my coffee sachets, coffee stirrers and iced tea powder.

I also added shelf near my refrigerator and used this to store and display my Melaware plates (they would not fit in my dish rack).



I bought the shelf wood from SM, sawed some part off to get the appropriate length. I bought the "terrace" wood from Japan Home Center, drilled holes in the shelf wood and put the "terrace columns" in the holes.

Long before I took these pictures, I realized that something's wrong with the orchid flower. Only upon looking at interior design magazines late last night did I realize that the flower needs to be bent a little (rather than pointing straight up).



Right now, I'm still not satisfied completely with the apartment. I will add another set of shelves near my bedroom door. After completing the living room/kitchen/bedroom floor, I'll be doing the top floor which has the bathroom, a walk-in closet (actually a small room where I put all my clothes) and a roofed outside space for doing laundry and as an additional storage space.

I went to Evangelista last Sunday to look for some stuff that I can use. I found nothing. Most of the items sold there are like really old, or are Victorian in style (which is not my style).

I also went to the antique arcade in Kamuning (near EDSA). I only liked some classical sculptures (head of David by Michaelangelo, a bust of a Roman Emperor or a Greek/Roman god, busts of some other Greek/Roman deities or historical people). I liked a sculpture of two bearded men wrestling but I found it too gay. The men were naked and one guy is holding the other's sizable penis in his hand. Too much of a giveaway.

When doing and reading for my "top design" work, I realized:

1. Interior design is not cheap.
2. Minimizing (or hiding clutter) is the best way to go.
3. Buying small tchotchkes is not a good practice. They clutter a space and makes a small space even seem smaller. Buy select pieces in the appropriate size. As for me, I'll just be saving to buy paintings and sculptures that I like.

This long weekend, I'll be coming back to Ikea Makati (Ikea Kamias is a big disappointment - not too many products sold), going to Dapital arcade (in QC) and probably to Megamall, Greenhills and Tiendesitas.

The "Hottest" Royals

Velvet channel featured a show called on hottest royals today.

Of course, Prince Harry and Prince William are at the top but they're sooo exposed that I lost interest in them.

Among the list are Prince Andrea of Monaco (who I think is HOT). His family is worth more than the Royal Family of UK ($1.2 billion compared to $600 million of the English royal family).

Then there's this prince of Sweden (I forgot the name). Who looks good in some pictures, not in others.

Then there's Prince Azim of Brunei. He hosted a lavish birthday party in London (inviting celebrities and models), he gave a jewellery costing almost $4 million dollar to Mariah Carey, he designs luggage. These, with the way he looks, got my gaydar sounding off. It's ironic that he is called a "playboy prince". Hmmmm.