Shop for FREE with your BDO Rewards Card!

Saving and Shopping has never been this rewarding! 

If like me, you have a BDO Rewards Card that is!

Because from now until December 31, 2014, BDO Rewards cardholders get to shop for FREE at our favorite stores! Just imagine if you have 100,000 rewards points. That’s equivalent to a Php100,000 shopping spree! 

How? We just simply convert our BDO Rewards points from qualified BDO bank transactions, SM and retail partner purchases to gift certificates from RSSI (Benefit Cosmetics, Shiseido, Topshop, River Island, Warehouse, Howards Storage World, True Value, Daiso Japan, etc), Resorts World Manila (Adidas, Bally, Beyond the Box, Bvlgari, Pandora, Rimowa, Rolex, etc) and select Lucky Chinatown Mall stores, Rustans, Marks & Spencer, Debenhams, Mango, 7 for All Mankind and more. 

Redemption is easy! If you are already a BDO Rewards cardholders just go to your BDO branch of account and look for the branch manager or marketing officer to fill up the redemption form. Another way to convert points is through the BDO Rewards call center hotline, at +02 631-8000 

Branch or call center will then submit request to BDO Rewards Marketing and your GCs will be delivered to your branch of account so you can claim your GCs. 

If you don’t have a BDO Rewards card, but your parents or a sibling has one, you may redeem their points for shopping GCs, with their permission, of course. To save them the hassle, you can even be the one to do the redemption for them, all you need is an authorization letter! 

To get a taste of what’s it like to shop for FREE with a BDO Rewards card, join the BDO Rewards Giveaway! 

Three winners will each get Php2,500 in SM Movie passes and 2,500 Starbucks GCs. 

Just retweet “I want to win the #BDOrewardsGiveaway!” and link to https://www.bdo.com.ph/bdo-rewards/special-offers 

Contest starts on Nov 20, 2014 and last day for entries is on Nov 29, 2014 at 11:59 PM. Join, Join, Join!

A Mystical Autumn/Winter 2014 with Pandora

As if Pandora has not enchanted us enough, they have just recently released their Autumn/Winter 2014 Collection in stores with rings, earrings, charms and pendants that remind us of the otherworldly quality of the fairy tales we grew up with back when we were all little girls, via a Philippine Ballet Theatre interpretation of "A Mystical Tale with Pandora".

Equally a sight to behold are the pieces from the collection.

Crafted from sterling silver, 14k gold, colored enamel and sparkling cubic zirconia, each piece is made to be a precious heirloom, to be passed on from mother to daughter, through generations.

I was able to take a sneak peek of the collection months before the collection made it to the stores, and it really makes a big difference seeing the pieces in person vs seeing photos. The attention to detail is amazing, and I was really able to appreciate every exquisite detail.

Really, I just have to share my favorites with you!

While I am not really a necklace type of person, these charms from the Night Blue Crystal collection are just so precious! The pave cubic zirconia charms are made using micro-setting techniques similar to how high-end jewelry are made. The deep blue crystal charm is faceted to catch the light.

These fairytale inspire charms from the Mystical Fairytale collection are just so pretty! I want the crown charm most of all. Because I am a queen. Haha.

Here are some ways to put together a Pandora bracelet. You can start with just three, and build your way to a full set.

This is the most fun bunch of all! The Christmas themed charms, with gift boxes, Christmas balls, a snowman, a reindeer, an itty bitty candy cane...I wanna bite it!

PANDORA's Autumn/Winter 2014 Collection is now available at Greenbelt 5, Glorietta 4, Bonifacio High Street Central, Newport Mall (Resorts World Manila), Shangri-la Mall East Wing, The Podium, Elemento in SM Aura, Megamall Fashion Hall and Century City Mall.

Pandora's Spring Paradise Collection + Mother's Day (Hint! Hint!)

A couple of days back, my friend Karrots & I were invited over for tea by our friends from Pandora (Hi Rochelle, Tricie & Riza!) at Spices in Manila Peninsula.

with  event stylist Ferdi Salvador and the day's host Issa Litton

 It was for the launch of Pandora's Spring/Summer 2014 Collection and it was oh, so, pretty!

the gorgeous table setting

scones, savories and sweet treats flanking flower beds

look up and the ceiling is equally pretty with flowers galore!

these blooms weren't just for display, Pandora sent us home with a gorgeous bouquet of fresh flowers to celebrate Spring

As with the day's set-up, the Spring Paradise Collection is a celebration of new life, the unfolding of Spring, taking it's cue from Mother Nature where an assortment of soft florals, pastels, and delicate swarming butterflies take flight in this collection.

Delicate Butterflies in pendants, rings, earrings and charms are made with sterling silver and embellished in zirconia. Some of these pieces are especially crafted with Milgrain Detailing, mimicking the intricate texture of butterfly wings.

the Butterfly, the messenger of Spring,  symbolizes transformation, renewal and rebirth

The flowers of Spring meanwhile are captured in their distinctive colors and hues with the Soft Spring Flora and Roses Collection.

daisy chains, lavenders and wild flowers, bows and everything little girls are made of

 English roses on rings can be worn individually or stacked together

Pandora's popular pave ball charms have been re-imagined as lovely bouquets with multi-colored cubic zirconia in the palest pink, lavender and purple, set in contrasting sizes.

Shimmering Lace meanwhile conveys gentleness, softness and delicateness - qualities that best remind us of the woman who nurtured us with gentleness, whose hands softly brushed our hair after each bath, and whose delicate touch taught us what it also means to be strong.

Mother's Day is coming in a few days, hint! hint!

Yes, I am talking about our moms! Or, us moms, pwede din. Because Mother's Day is happening this Sunday, May 11 and if you're in a tizzy as to what to get her (or yourself!), then Pandora's Spring Paradise Collection has the answer.

Whether it's a starter bracelet or bangle that symbolizes milestones ahead...

Or a full on stylized bracelet with charms, there's always something for the special women in our lives.

Pandora's Spring Paradise Collection is in stores now. Let me repeat, just in time for Mother's Day. Wink! Wink!

Discovering the New ESSENCE of PANDORA

Last week, I attended the launch of the PANDORA ESSENCE Collection, and I loved how PANDORA has again given new meaning to jewelry, which is something often associated with indulgence or ostentation.

Because let's face it, more often than not, jewelry is not only associated with memories, but also with price or value. Or is it just me? Ahihi.

But really, they are not just pretty things that express our/the giver's tastes and preferences. The fact of the matter is, more than accessories, they can also be seen as status symbols. Our jewelry collection is somehow an indication of what our ancestors were worth if we have heirloom pieces in our safe, or what we can afford, if we are investing on our own.

PANDORA's newest line, the ESSENCE Collection, deviates from that line of thinking and is meant to be "an embodiment and emotional expression of our inner values."

More than just a pretty trinket, it takes on a deeper meaning and represents the values that we hold close to our heart, and remind us of what is important to us - be it health, prosperity, strength or joy, or all four, or more.

The collection features a slender sterling silver bracelet with an accompanying assortment of 24 delicate hand-finished sterling charms, each representing a personal value

According to PANDORA’s Chief Creative Officer, Stephen Fairchild, the “ESSENCE Collection is defined by women to inspire women”. In fact, in coming up with this product line, he challenged the Design Team to create a new concept that has a different overlying theme – something that depicts not of moments but of meanings.

These meanings are depicted by charms which represent passion, freedom, hope, happiness, confidence, faith, health, peace, compassion, trust, stability, energy, love, courage, wisdom, wellness, prosperity, loyalty, positivity, balance, respect, joy, honesty and strength.

The charms slide effortlessly onto the special Essence Collection bracelet, and are secured in place with the innovative patent pending flexible silicone grip built inside the sterling silver core of each charm.

Because the ESSENCE Collection hopes to inspire women to express their true selves, for the Philippine launch, PANDORA has chosen four inspiring women who are the embodiment of the values of prosperity, wisdom, love and passion.

For Amina Aranaz-Alunan, social entrepreneur/designer and co-founder of School of Fashion and the Arts (SOFA), “Prosperity is having a dream, a goal, a vision, and being joyful while working to achieve it”.

Harvard-educated lawyer, Atty. Karen Jimeno-McBride defines wisdom as “acknowledging that you don’t know everything. It means you are always open to learning and continually growing”. Karen believes that in order to gain wisdom, one should be open to learn from others and their experiences.

Model/Host/Fashion blogger and the recently engaged Kim Jones, enthuses,  “For me, love is eternal. It is a universal language, and nurtures us and allows us to grow by doing things that we are passionate about”. Kim also puts equal importance to faith as part of her life. For her, faith is the firm foundation under everything worth living, and without it, she wouldn't be the woman she is today. “I believe that love and faith work hand in hand. These values influence me in making decisions,” she says. 

"Passion is dance, it's my commitment and my intense love for classical ballet which is the strictest form of dance," shares prima ballerina and nominee for National Artist for Dance Lisa Macuja-Elizalde. 

Her passion continues to spark hope for the young generation through Project Future Ballet, a scholarship program founded to make ballet an option for a way of life and a profession for talented young people who do not have the means to learn ballet. The foundation aims to provide bright futures and breadwinners for families, starting with training in classical ballet supplemented with equipment and nutrition assistance for the students. 

I think PANDORA has chosen their ambassadors in a very inspired manner, because all four women are truly the embodiment of their personal values.

Rochelle Romero-Mangila – Publicist, Pandora Philippines, Kim Jones, Atty. Karen Jimeno-Mc Bride, Emerson Yao – Managing Director for the Lucerne Group of Companies, Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Amina Aranaz-Alunan, Tricie Legarda – Sales & Marketing Head, Pandora Philippines & Riza Torres – Head of Marketing, Lucerne 

I have always looked up to Lisa Macuja as a young girl, because I am a frustrated ballerina and for her to use her passion for dance to benefit the less fortunate makes her a hero in my book.

Dada knows Karen through the Harvard Law Club, and I have met Karen once, and while she is known for her beauty and brains, she has no yabang or airs at all. She is soft-spoken and charming, it's no wonder she has become such a sensation even outside the law profession.

I have had the pleasure of sitting next to Amina and Kim at separate occasions and apart from being gorgeous and awe-inspiring in real life, they are just so nice and fun to talk to. The kind where I felt like we ended the evening as friends, because they are just so gracious and genuinely kind. I mean really, Amina & I exchanged cellphone numbers and Kim & I followed each other on Instagram levels! Diba, how can you not love them? They're seriously beautiful inside & out!

I really have to say a huge thanks to my Instagram friend Angel Jacob, who hosted and invited me to the media launch and serendipitously re-connected me to my childhood friend Rochelle Romero who happened to be the publicist for PANDORA.

I have always been a huge fan of Angel, way back when I was in grade school (we were school mates for a time and yes, she's been a cool girl ever since she was 12) and being with all these inspiring women in one place for the PANDORA ESSENCE Collection was an experience like no other. Thank you Angel, my Positivity twin!

Yes, Angel & I both chose the Positivity charm, which is the first ESSENCE charm I picked for myself. Because I am positive that I will be adding more to my bracelet! I want to embody Joy, Wisdom, Respect and Health too, heeheehee.

The PANDORA ESSENCE Collection will be available in PANDORA stores this March 2014.

PANDORA is available at Greenbelt 5, Glorietta 4, Bonifacio High Street Central, Newport Mall (Resorts World Manila), Shangri-la Mall East Wing, The Podium, Elemento in Aura Mall, Megamall Expansion, and Century City Mall. 

Which values are you going to be wearing?

About PANDORA

PANDORA designs, manufactures and markets hand-finished and modern jewellery made from genuine materials at affordable prices. PANDORA jewellery is sold in more than 70 countries in six continents with over 10,300 points of sale, including 900 Concept Stores. Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, PANDORA employs over 6,000 people worldwide. PANDORA is publicly listed on the NASDAQ OMX Copenhagen stock exchange in Denmark. In 2012, PANDORA’s total revenue was DKK 6.7 billion (approximately EUR 893 million). For more information, please visit http://www.pandora.net. 

Photos courtesy of Ramon Tan Mangila of Pix Republik Studios.

Berry's Playlist

The Little One, who we've nicknamed Berry (because she started out the size of a blueberry when we started tracking her growth), loves Joe Dassin's Aux Champs Elysées song so much! I think this is her number one favorite song next to the McDonald's Filet-o-Fish jingle.



Every time we play these 2 songs, she just starts moving in my tummy, as if dancing to the upbeat tunes! But it's really Aux Champs Elysées that gets her groove going. I tried having her listen to other French songs like Serge Gainsbourg's but I don't get the same reaction from her. When I go back to playing Joe Dassin's Aux Champs Elysées, there she goes again, happily dancing to the rhythm!

We realized she loved it when Dear Hubby and I were watching The Darjeeling Limited and when this song was played, Berry just started going hyper. We had to rewind the song credits at least five times just to find out who sang this song! Haha! Luckily, Dear Hubby found the karaoke version in YouTube and now Berry and I sing to this song every chance we get!



Here are a couple more of Berry's favorite songs:
- Itsie Bitsie Spider
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit
- some Mozart compositions, not all! But I'm not into classical so I don't know which ones, I just make her listen to the playlist in Pandora, haha!

We try singing different songs to her, and making her listen to various types of music and we found out that she really has her favorites. She reacts the same way to her favorites all the time, even after several hours or even days have passed, so it can't be coincidental. We play her favorites in between other songs, and she recognizes it! When she doesn't like a song, we don't even get a tiny kick from her, hahaha! What a funny baby!