VNC shoes, for showing off your feet

As a woman, I have a love affair between shoes ~ and bags. I still have to think about what weighs more in my heart. Although logic should easily tell us you wear your shoes wherever you go, but a bag is something you can leave sitting on a chair or desk. So yes, shoes will always be a practical option. Just ask Madam Imelda Marcos :D

Being a shoe lover, I was quite thrilled when the company behind VNC shoes (through their publicist First Tier) invited women-bloggers to view their latest collection. I haven’t been attending blog events lately, but this was one I couldn’t resist. VNC is one of my favorite brands. In fact, my preferred pair these days is this VNC strappy sandals I bought for a little more than P1K at a recent sale in MOA.

VNC shoes

The predominant shoe color in my closet is black, but a review of VNC’s spring-summer collection shows that bright colors are “in.” And yes, they do have bags too!

VNC shoes and bags

VNC shoes and bags

Love the Chanel-style pink bag in the background. The average price for their items are between one thousand to two thousand pesos ($30 to $50) but what’s good is they always have sales and promotions. The last we saw was “Buy two items and get the third at 50% discount” – definitely an open invitation to commit shoetunny (the counterpart of gluttony) – if there ever was such a thing.

VNC designs are funky and cool, with catchy details like the buttons on these wedge sandals. They’ve got the most lovable flats too.

VNC

VNC slip-ons

It’s a pity. The mainstream shoe market in the Philippines is being flooded by cheaper, more fashionable counterparts from Asian neighbors. VNC is a franchise of Malaysia’s leading shoe brand, Vincci. Their presence here (since 2003 yet!) ensures that we don’t have to fly all the way to KL to buy those must-have fashion for our feet.

VNC branches are located in Robinsons Galleria, Glorietta III, Robinsons Manila, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, TriNoma, Alabang Town Center, Shangri-La Plaza Mall and soon to open in Eastwood Mall this month.

When Katrina said ‘Binaboy ako,’ swine flu cases went up

Katrina's line

This week in Barrio Siete, I speak about the ramifications of language and the many meanings it can conjure.

Take for instance Katrina Halili’s famous line in the Most Downloaded Video of the Year. Whereas other phrases can easily be translated from Tagalog to English, her utterance of “Binaboy ako” was lost on some experts. “I was swined” or “I was porkified” is kinda awkward and is just for joking. ” I was treated like a pig” is rather harsh for something that she probably enjoyed, if only it was kept more private.

Being “lost in translation” is something we always encounter. In this country of 7,107 islands, there exists several hundred dialects. A word in one province can have a nasty meaning in another, and this is where the riot comes in.

A few of the strange words that cropped up in the comments:

Utong sa Tagalog means nipples. In Ilocos, it’s perfectly okay to munch on utong because it means string beans :D

Utot as we in Manila know it is a fart, utot in Pangasinan is a mouse (via the Cath)

Asapu ke in Kapampangan means “I caught it.”

Cebuano speakers like moi find it normal to say “nalibugan ko” when am confused. In Manila, this will get you in big trouble :P

Read more here

Saizen store shopping tips, when everything is 85 pesos…

Mind you, 85 pesos sounds cheap, but when compounded to 25 or so items, can add up to a lot already. This is what happened to me when I bought 36 cute knick-knacks at the store, while still promising to come back for more. It’s just good that the staff and cashiers are friendly and helpful. Here are my own tips for shopping sanely and effectively in Saizen, the authentic 100-yen (hyaku-en) shop in Manila, after Japan’s very own Daiso chain of stores:

1. Look out for their products labelled Made in Japan. Some of the stuff is Made in China, and if you say China, you might as well look in Divisoria. Japan-made means you’re assured of the quality and the uniqueness of the item, such as those bento picks, onigiri rice ball maker and other kitchen accessories I chose.

2. Have a shopping budget, and stick to it. It’s hard when everything you see is cute and pretty so you might as well set money aside. The difficult part is that the store accepts credit cards, which brings you the illusion that you can have this and have that :P

3. Be ready with your own shopping list. Related to No. 2. Having a list means you’re guided on what to buy, and will not act on impulse.

4. Look elsewhere before you buy. The shopping savvy would do well being familiar with various shopping destinations in the metro and compare prices. This is so you’ll not be overwhelmed on your first Saizen visit and scoop up something you see at the first opportunity.

5. Shop hungry. This is my own general shopping mantra. I do find that when I am out on an empty stomach, I tend to like things less. Of course it didn’t help that I was in the store till its closing hour and by the time I got out, most of the restos were about to close too.

6. Promise to come back next time. Yes Virginia, there will always ne next time. So don’t fill your shopping basket like there’s no tomorrow. Prioritize what to buy, and you’ll be fine. Happy shopping! :P

Carnival of Cities- here they go…..

It’s already June 5th, and am two days delayed for my round-up of the Carnival of Cities. Apologies to all those who submitted, as consistently bad weather in Manila the past few days prevented me from being online most of the time. Also, I was deluged with entries. It was good actually, since it opened up my eyes to other parts of the world I haven’t visited, or explored. Reading about them made me feel like am there already. Thanks to all those who participated.

Jon, the DCtraveler, recounts in his post: ” While people are staying away from travel to Mexico, I had a wonderful long weekend in Cozumel and with prices low, NOW is the time to go.” He also adds “a few fun, silly and goofy “photo ops” of the Washington Monument in Washington, DC.”

Julian Dobson writes about Sheffield, which claims to be the UK’s greenest city. Here’s his thoughts on why it’s at risk.

Orlando Restaurant Reviews focuses on Roys, which prides itself of Hawaiian-style seafood in Florida.

Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips opens our eyes to cheap eats in Berlin: ” Berlin food isn’t all currywurst, a bratwurst covered in ketchup and curry powder. While you’ll find those on every streetcorner of Berlin, there are better options to be had. So if you’re looking for good cheap eats in Berlin, here are some great options for pizza, Indian and Asian food, and the more genuinely German. ”

Liz Wright of Travelogged gives us a peek on the good life with her wine tasting at Domaine Chandon in Napa Valley : “The tasting room has the atmosphere of celebration since most people are sipping — or gulping — sparkling wine. Another nice touch is that they serve food: sandwiches, seafood and caviar.”

Andrew Edgington expounds on Life in Spain – 10 Reasons Why You Should Live In Alicante Golf

Marina Villatoro of The Travel Expert(a) : All you need to know about Travelling and Living in Central America! recounts her sports fishing experience in Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica where they had the time of their life catching a 50-pound rooster fish.

A Changing Life shows us some photos and some description of a recent visit to the tiny principality of Monaco, near the French border.

Spanish Country Travel lists the reasons to visit Costa Rica and why many people enjoy this country so much. “Costa Rica’s jungles are becoming a favorite destination of families. You can ride a sky-tram over active volcanoes and get a bird’s eye view. That’s if you dare or you can ride on a horse and dip into some volcanic mud pools that are around the way. Meeting the howler monkeys, riding tubes through the river currents, and visiting a pineapple or coffee plantation are some additional examples of your day by day schedule.”

Admirable India presents his day trip to Maitri Bagh, a zoo and a park at the same time. Most of it is in photos.

Melo Villareal takes us on a photo journey to Quiapo, in Manila’s old downtown, with its famous church and all sorts of knick-knacks on sale.

Jim DeSantis praises the driver-friendly people of Texas. “Taking a vacation to visit relatives is always fun and can be a surprising adventure when one is open to discovering all that the local culture has to offer. Each locale always has something unique that one wishes they could take back home. So it was in the Lone Star state of Texas.”

The Roaming Tales tells us about the people who live on colourful house boats in the center of London and the artistic past of Detroit, Michigan ~ back during its glory days as the Motor City.

Ed Biado names the top 10 travel destinations in cinema, adding that “there are hundreds upon hundreds of films that make us want to be where they’re set.”

Sophie Lynette remembers one memorable Labor Day in Ohio, capped by a glittering show of fireworks in the Cincinnati river.

The Geek MBA shares the “seven lessons I learned from relocating to a new city.”

Everything About Nothing spills the dish on $9 airline tickets on Jet America!

Greg Laden relates the long road to Goma, Zaire…on the so-called “empty truck.”

The Watch Me Eat blog narrates visiting an Earth Day event in Sanford, Florida and enjoying a shrimp boil.

In Too Many Places, Too Little Time, The Houseband recounts their journey to Hangzhou, China’s West Lake and cites the many reasons why Hangzhou is considered to be the best tourist destination in China.

Writingtravel.com talks about a couple of historical landmarks in Nashville. ” The 1934 Art Deco building that houses the Frist Center for the Visual Arts was formerly Nashville’s main post office. Next door, Union Station, which opened as a busy, stylish railway hub in 1900, is now a Wyndham Historical Hotel. Both offer example lessons in urban redevelopment as well as delights for visitors to Nashville.”

The Natural Capital writes about the C&O Canal, and other car-free access points in Washington, D.C.

My own entry would be the bits and pieces from my short trip to Singapore last year. It was my first visit, and the impression it gave me was that it was very livable indeed. I felt safe there, and I really liked the food and the shopping.

(Submit your blog article to the next edition of carnival of cities using the carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page Thanks to Sheila for letting me be a part of the Carnival of Cities! .)

Saizen, 85-peso shop in Robinsons Galleria: the house of cute

Truth to tell, during my first (and only) visit to Tokyo in ‘05, budget constraints forced me to visit the 100-yen stores as my only option for buying ‘pasalubong.’ They were huge, housed in three to four-storey buildings with all kinds of stuff available.

Fast forward to 2009, one need not fly as far because the real 100-yen (hyaku-en) shop named Saizen opened its first branch at the Robinsons Galleria last April 29. Everything at 85 pesos each! I have to admit: the extent of their offerings makes Japan Home Center a poor cousin. Must-buys here, in my opinion: beauty aids, home organizers and kitchen tools, including bento accessories that I’ve been looking for. And of course, things related to Japan!

I just wish Saizen would go forth and multiply soon, and not limit its store to faraway Ortigas.

Saizen - 100 Yen Store

Some interesting items:

Saizen Philippines

French fries container, almost like the way it looks in McDonalds. Bought a pack, so kids will think it’s the real thing :D

Multi-colored, brightly-designed chopsticks.

Saizen Philippines

I look at these, and if I were the copywriter, I’d say: “Hayden Kho-inspired banana holders.” :D

Saizen Philippines

Seven Dwarfs home ornaments ~ complete them all!

Saizen Philippines

My Saizen loot netted me P3,060. Aaaargh! And they say 100-yen shops are cheap? Hehe.

Saizen loot

My favorites from this batch are the bento picks, lunch cloth, the polka-dotted hair turban, gold-colored bracelets, the magnetic dolls as well as the kikay accessories like nail art and eyelashes. They’re all the height of cute!

The sales clerk told me celebrities like Judy Ann, Chynna and Carmina have been flocking to the store too…. so we’re definitely not in the wrong company.

My next post will tell you all about shopping wisely in this Saizen. Mata ne!