By coincidence, I was sent items of Crumpler accessories to review: a bag tag called Limpet, a pencil case named Carrot and a camera strap called Noose. All attractive names, isn’t it? I welcomed this review since the Crumpler accessories line is something I haven’t fully explored yet.

Let’s begin with the Limpet. I immediately liked its choice of colors and the modern, jazzy design. This piece doesn’t really discriminate whether the user is a boy or a girl. It is elegant, period. Am sure anybody wouldn’t mind hanging this on their luggage when travelling.

The best thing about this item is that it doesn’t look like a luggage or bag tag, unless you pull out the card containing the owner’s info. Of course, you can hide your money or credit cards in here too (like some women who stuff the most unimaginable things in their bra), but we don’t really advise this It’s not meant to be a wallet.

The Carrot is another object of desire. Pink and violet is an unexpected color combination that sits well on the eye.

A nice shade of orange in the interior lining of this pouch, and that is why it’s probably called Carrot. I tell you what: this little thing is magic. Although this is meant to be a pencil case, I can’t believe the number of items I was able to stuff in here. These include a makeup brush, two lip glosses, mascara, ballpen, eye liner,flash drive & internet dongle. w00t!

The last item is the Crumpler Noose which is so called because of its shape. This is the picture of the Noose the first time I held it. You actually loop it around your camera so that you can hold it firmly with your wrist, as opposed to the cam hanging around your neck.

Using the noose is the less cumbersome way of carrying a camera for the shoot-happy. Open the red button and it even has a small pocket for a memory card. Amazing!

The Limpet, Carrot and the Noose are available at the following stores in Manila: Crumpler Bonifacio Highstreet, Crumpler SM Megamall & Crumpler Trinoma.

And now, here’s something I can’t resist. I will surely line up for this one. THREE DAYS ONLY

I recently attended the opening of their new store in the ground floor of Midtown wing of Robinsons Ermita and took some photos.This beaded purse was just beautiful….

Rings shaped like a panda…. simply cute!

Accessorize necklaces are simply fab! It’s all in the details.

I love their bag line which has a touch of Brittania.

Brand manager Monica Sangalang and marketing manager Ayet Bernardo-Quimpo are the best testaments to the Accessorize look

Accessorize Philippines branches are in the following malls:
Festival Supermall
Alabang Town Center
SM Southmall
SM Mall of Asia
Greenbelt 5
Glorietta 3
Edsa Shangri-La
Robinson’s Place Ermita
Robinson’s Galleria
Trinoma
Marquee Mall Pamapanga
SM Pampanga
SM Davao
SM Cebu
Ayala Cebu
Robinson’s Dumaguete
SM Cagayan de Oro
Abreeza Mall

And recently, they just signed up Maja Salvador and Melissa Ricks, two of best-looking, in-demand female celebrities in tinseltown to be their endorsers.

Maja Salvador, who just wrapped up My Binondo Girl reveals her favorite Petit Monde collection consists of long dresses, trendy shorts, and colorful cardigans for the cool December breeze.

“If you don’t feel comfortable with your outfit, don’t wear it because it will ruin the whole aura and the look that you are trying to project. The key to dressing well is confidence,” Maja advises.

On the other hand, Melissa Ricks, star of the hit primetime soap Nasaan ka Elisa, relies on Petit Monde to dress her up in style.

“Petit Monde has everything from casual shirts, to formal dresses–different prints like floral prints and pastel colors! They even have accessories and colognes to boot! Petit Monde is really every girl’s one-stop shop for all their fashion needs,” says Melissa who will soon start shooting a new soap called Walang Hanggan.

Although Melissa has a stylist who helps her pick out her outfits, she still has the last say about the whole look, always opting for a simple yet well-put finish. Melissa is open to taking risks and exploring different styles.

For its 2011 holiday collection, Petit Monde offers a vast array of clothing that help these stars glam up just right for the yuletide season. If they can look good in their outfits, so can you

I still would like to see the Hello Kitty rooms at this hotel in Taiwan.

Then I went shopping at the Noel Discovery Bazaar 2011 at the PICC Forum Tent yesterday and saw this Hello Kitty car at the parking lot. Joy, joy, joy! Am not sure if I can pull of driving a cute car like this in the crazy roads of Manila, but it’s still a novelty just the same.

Car’s front view but the image is kinda blurred. It is a Honda Jazz dressed up in kitty colors. To the owner of this car who I failed to meet: thanks for sharing some Hello Kitty love

Here’s our group pic. We met at the famous Roxas Boulevard landmark, Aristocrat Restaurant, which is open 24/7. As you know, Mama Sita is a real person. She is the third child of Aristocrat founder Engracia Reyes. We went to Divi to retrace the steps of Mama Sita (or Teresita Reyes) who loved to shop and haggle there like the rest of us.

Did you know that it’s fun to go to Divisoria on a kalesa? PR lady Rosary Ysmael and Ige Ramos show us how. I once rode this horse-driven carriage in desperation because it wash rush hour and I couldn’t hail a taxi. It proved to be a good experience. It’s hard to find parking in Divi so I always commute going here (otherwise, your best bet for parking is the area around Binondo Church). If you’re a tourist, ride a taxi, take the LRT train and do a walking tour or enjoy a leisurely ride on the kalesa. They’re a vanishing mode of transport in the city.

Dirt-cheap prices make Divi a fun place to shop in.For example, these fruits would be triple the price in the supermarket. I would advise you to be a discerning shopper though. The big Sagada oranges at five for P100 looked attractive but I was surprised that it wasn’t really from Sagada because it had a Made in China Sticker

I’ve been seeing these knick knacks in the malls and bazaars where they would typically sell for P180. But in Divi, they only retail for P100.

This is the facade of 168 Mall, one place we always love shopping for accessories, bags, shoes, toys and other items. The other airconditioned shopping havens in Divisoria are Divisoria mall, 999, 11/88 and the new Cityplace Square (which hardly had tenants as of our last visit)

I love shopping in Divi! Will give you shopping tips in my next post.

About our sponsor, Mama Sita:

” After she gave birth to her youngest, Mama Sita became the purchaser for Aristocrat. She would leave the house at five in the morning everyday and headed to Divisoria or Quinta Market.

And just as her mother did before her, Mama Sita, would make her inside the narrow alleys, scour the market for the best buys, and engage the vendors in a round of friendly haggling.

One of her favorite sukis in Divisoria was Mariano Gobiau Egg Dealer. She bought paper bags—which were used to pack take-out orders of Aristocrat’s famous chicken barbecue—from Estanislao Trading and shopped for sugar at Windon General Merchandising Corporation. She often brought one of her children along and left him or her in the care of a trusted suki. “She would entrust me to her suki, like Johnny of Sin Kian Heng and many other Chinese and Filipino merchants, or to our drivers, and come back for me after the rounds of the market. I wonder how I never got lost,” recalls Aida with a smile.

So close was her association with Divisoria’s vendor and traders that she religiously went to market in good or in the most inclement weather. “No typhoon signal could keep her from going,” tells Ramon. “And even when a typhoon hit town, she was undeterred by knee-deep murky floodwaters in the fruit and vegetable markets.” This diligence, adds Ramon, stemmed from her sense of loyalty—Mama Sita found it objectionable to disappoint the vendors waiting for her in the market.

But she would emerge from the bowels of the raucous and swarming market richer in knowledge. She would also secure the loyalty and friendship of her sukis in Divisoria from whom she learned the greatest lessons—in marketing, cooking and sharing. In their hearts, she was a gravious suki : always sunny, consistently fair, naturally kind and friendly—a true “Diva ng Divi.”

A week ago, the family found ourselves in Rockwell Powerplant Mall in Makati City and I stumbled upon the Moonlit Bazaar. It looked attractive from outside with soft lighting emanating from the tents. I checked it out after paying a P100 entrance fee. This bazaar is relatively small compared to the Noel or Cuenca bazaars. Still, it was a treasure trove of interesting items and I ended up buying more than I expected.

I saw a drink mug shaped like a camera lens but it was kinda pricey at P1000. So I settled instead for this cigarette lighter that looks like a miniature camera. Just press on the shoot button when you want to light up your cig. Neat eh? Only P250.

Something for the guys, or the bachelor. A telephone shaped like a girl wearing a bikini (or bra). P1,200.

This is something to add to my Christmas wishlist. I love vintage style necklaces

There was even a guy selling antiques and paintings. This pre-World War II gramophone was selling for about P45,000. It was still in good working condition

Satchels are in fashion these days and these selections from the Philippine-made School Satchel were eye candy. Bag prices start at P3,800.

Overall, this bazaar was geared for females. What I mean is that most of the selections consisting of bags, shoes, tops and other stuff were mostly for women.

What was in my bag: a white shirt from this store called Flattering Tops, an accessory ring shaped like a woman’s mask, earrings & bag organizer.

Catch the next wave of the Moonlit Bazaar at Rockwell on December 2 to 4 and December 9 to 11, 2011.

This baby with an engine displacement of only 1.0 liter, is recognized as one of the most fuel efficient cars around and is intended for people who are buying cars for the first time. Retail price is only P439,000 and comes in the following colors: Silky Silver, Dazzling Red and Sunlight Copper Metallic.

I wish I can test drive this car or maybe own it So many power specs, it seems, in such a small body. These include a 5speed manual transmission, electronic power steering (EPS), front power windows, power door locks, AM/FM CD, MP3 audio system with aux port, full wheel caps, seat belts for all passengers and an engine immobilizer system. The manufacturer has also thrown in a 3-year, 100K warranty.   

Anyway, I expected the car launch to be like the car shows and it was! The event was all about the car and women! There were the usual dancing girls ….

The girls presenting the Suzuki Alto K10 in its full glory…

The emcee, DJ Angelicopter of Magic 89.9, in short shorts and also in her long-legged glory…

The top officials of Suzuki Philippines, president Satoshi Uchida and managing director Lyn Calderon, unveil the newest Alto. I was lucky to sit beside Ms Calderon, she was so nice More power to you guys!

Here’s a look at what we can get from JB Music during the great Historical Himig Lakas Sale:

Do the Conga! This 45th Anniversary Conga from LP is really hard to ignore. With its size, color and shape plus the foot shaking beats that come out of it, this beautiful masterpiece of percussion gets everyone dancing!

Suzuki Electric Guitar Package – Who says learning to rock out is expensive? This Electric Guitar Bundle comes fully equipped with all the things you need in order to start your road to becoming the next biggest thing in music!

M-Audio Pro Tools Vocal Studio – Need a quick way to record your vocals? This is the right item for you! It comes with an M-Audio USB Condenser Microphone plus a version of Pro Tools, all the items you need to produce quality recordings at an affordable price.

M-Audio Oxygen 61 is handy if you are in need of a good controller. The M-Audio Oxygen 61 boasts of its amazing capabilities and good looks! Go check it out for yourself because believe me, nothing beats giving it a real test-drive!

Other music equipments on sale. Visit your nearest JB Music & Sports branch today to find out how!

If you are shopping for a gift for a musically-inclined loved one this Christmas, hear this: the Historical Himig Lakas Sale is now giving 45% off on all items in all JB Music stores! Due to popular demand, JB Music’s great sale has been extended with increased discounts to satisfy the needs of musicians all over the country! Company officers said this is the first and maybe the last time that they will be doing this so take advantage of this amazing opportunity. Now, you can get your hands on the instruments or recording equipments that you’ve always wanted at a fraction of the original cost!

Just take a look at some of the items on discount:

This Gretsch drum set -

Acoustic guitars, keyboards, a complete vocal studio set-up, synthesizers and so much more!

Visit JB Music branches today! Stores (with their telephone numbers) are found at :

Abreeza Mall, Davao (082)321-0361
Alabang Town Center 809-1726
SM Cebu 232-1432
SM Davao (082) 297-8266
SM Fairview 935-4467
Festival Mall 856-7128
General Santos 553-8550
Harrison Plaza 526-3733
JB Music Audio Solutions 921-5556
Manila Music and Sports 733-4248
SM Megamall 635-5691
SM Mall of Asia 556-1535
SM North Edsa 925-4010
SM Pampanga 963-5236
ParkSquare Makati 815-3949
Salonga Music 911-2307
SM Southmall 806-6725
Trinoma 916-6309

I highly recommend these personalized wine bottle labels from ADP Industries. I like them the first time I saw them (aside from the fact that I like receiving wine gifts for COOKING!) They’re water-proof and come free for a minimum order of 30 bottles. Each label has been designed to fit the wine bottle of your choice and to seamlessly blend with the original wine label.Choose from an extensive library of designs and messages or create your own. Put a logo if it is a company gift. Put a photo for a really personal touch. It is not only for Christmas that you can use these labels. They’re also apt for special occasions like New Year, birthdays, christening, anniversaries, homecomings, weddings, bon voyage, thank you, welcome, best wishes, good luck and more.

About ADP Industries: for the past 30 years, it has forged strong relationships with some of the world’s best wine producers notably René Barbier and Freixenet from Spain and Yvon Mau from France. These wineries produce the finest merlot, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, cava, rosé and more.

ADP Industries represent companies and brands that are leaders in their categories and countries of origin like Spain’s Freixenet SA, Galo Pasta and Cidacos, France’s Societe Bic and Yvon Mau Wines, Turkey’s Taris Zeytin, USA’s Sweet ‘N Low, Austria’s Pez, Germany’s Haribo Chewy Candies, South Korea’s Orion, Japan’s Kamaya, Netherland’s Droste BV, Colombia’s Noel, Indonesia’s Asia Pulp and Paper and Agel Langgeng.

To know more about their Wines and Wishes promotion, go to www.xmasgifts.com.ph or www.adpic.som.ph or call 921-2121.