2012 Golden Globe Awards Red Carpet

One of the biggest award ceremonies of the year, the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards, took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel last January 15, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California. Hollywood A-listers didn't miss the chance to flaunt their glam making a serious statement on the 2012 Golden Globe Awards' red carpet. Actresses and TV personalities strode in front of the cameras in breathtaking designs by the greatest fashion houses. Check out some of the most memorable celebrity dresses from the event!

Innocent tones of white were plastered all over the 2012 Golden Globe Awards' red carpet. Screen sirens donned amazing garments in pure white, beige, cream, bone, off-white and nude accented with intricate lace, sequins or studs. Actress Charlize Theron walked the red carpet in a Dior gown with Cartier jewels and Givenchy sandals, while Kate Beckinsale and Elle MacPherson both looked stunning in their strapless mermaid gowns by Roberto Cavalli and Zac Posen.

Style icon and designer Nicole Richie shone in a metallic frock by Julien MacDonald, so did Angelina Jolie in an Atelier Versace creation. Mom of two, Jessica Alba donned a Gucci strapless gown drizzled with embellished detailing, while Australian actress Nicole Kidman opted for studs with a floor-length gown by Versace.

Colombian beauty Sofia Vergara flaunted her hourglass figure in a Vera Wang peacock-colored mermaid gown. Freida Pinto wore a lighter shade of peacock courtesy of Prada. Sarah Michelle Gellar stood out in a dramatic Monique Lhuillier tufted gown featuring contrasting ink blot prints.

Emma Stone and Salma Hayek had the privilege to wear unique, custom made designs to the 2012 Golden Globe Award. Emma Stone was wearing a wine and raspberry V-neck dress by Lanvin, while Salma Hayek donned Gucci. Glee's Lea Michele showed some skin in her metallic embroidered illusion dress from Marchesa.

Ladies in Red.......Viola Davis arrived wearing a one-shouldered chiffon gown by Emilio Pucci, while Reese Witherspoon made quite an entrance in a scarlet gown by Zac Posen. Glee girls Amber Riley and Dianna Agron rocked different shades of red, courtesy of Badgley Mischka and Giles.

Julianne Moore has chosen to wear a black strapless gown by Chanel, whilst Claire Danes played it safe in a black and white J. Mendel gown. Kate Winslet also kept her look simple with a black and white ensemble with a Jenny Packham dress, Roger Vivier shoes and Fred Leighton jewelry. As the new face of the Miss Dior handbags, Mila Kunis wore Christian Dior.


The full list of the winners at this year's Golden globe Awards:


Film:

• Best Picture, Drama: The Descendants
• Best Picture, Musical or Comedy: The Artist
• Best Actor, Drama: George Clooney, The Descendants
• Best Actress, Drama: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
• Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Hugo
• Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
• Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
• Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
• Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help
• Best Foreign Language: A Separation
• Best Animated Film: The Adventures of Tintin
• Best Screenplay: Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
• Best Original Score: Ludovic Bource, The Artist
• Best Original Song: Masterpiece (music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, Jimmy Harry), W.E.

Television:

• Best Series, Drama: Homeland, Showtime
• Best Series, Musical or Comedy: Modern Family, ABC
• Best Actor, Drama: Kelsey Grammer, Boss
• Best Actress, Drama: Claire Danes, Homeland
• Best Actress, Musical or Comedy: Laura Dern, Enlightened
• Best Actor, Musical or Comedy: Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
• Best Miniseries or Movie: Downton Abbey (Masterpiece), PBS
• Best Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
• Best Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Idris Elba, Luther
• Best Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
• Best Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
• Cecil B DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award: Morgan Freeman

Halika Byahe Tayo! Summer Destinations ...... part 2

As promised, here is the continuation of the summer destinations I posted the other day.  There's a lot, so I'll just be posting a few, it would take me months to post everything that the Philippines has to offer.

Camsur
Camarines Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. It is the largest among the six provinces in the Bicol Region both in terms of population and land area. It is the most visited tourist destination nowadays because of it's white sandy beaches and of course the CWC "The Best Cable Park in the World".

wakeboarding at CWC

Basilica of Our Lady of Penafrancia

Caramoan

Ilocos Norte

Bangui Windmills

Ilocos Norte is located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon, its capital is Laoag City. The province offers a number of popular destinations for tourists, locals and foreigners alike. Because of its proximity to the South China Sea, tourist arrivals peak during the summer seasons, the beach resorts topping the most visited list.

Saud Beach, Pagudpud

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

St. Williams Cathedral

Vigan, Ilocos Sur

Sinking Bell Towe

Ilocos Sur is also located in the Ilocos Region. Vigan City, located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the provincial capital. Vigan houses the most intact example of a Spanish colonial town in Asia. Other spots include pottery making and other forms of cottage industries. It also has hotels built in the "bahay na bato" ("stone house") style.

Calle Crisologo

Vigan Cathedral

        

Baluarte

Paoay Church

          

Burnayan

Boracay


Boracay Island and its beaches have received awards numerous times. 
The island comprises the barangays of Manoc-Manoc, Balabag, and Yapak, and is under the administrative control of the Philippine Tourism Authority in coordination with the Provincial Government of Aklan. Leisure activities available on or near Boracay include scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, cliff diving, and beach relaxation. In addition, Boracay offers a wide range of restaurants, bars, pubs, and nightclubs.  

With 2011 having seen a spindle in visitor arrivals, the Philippines’ tourism sector is moving ahead with plans to become a major engine for the country’s economic growth. Let us make the Philippines the leading tourist destination and commercial hub in Asia!

 

Halika Biyahe Tayo! Summer Destinations..... part 1

"It's more fun in the Philippines", the new slogan of the Department of Tourism in it's campaign to boost the number of foreign visitors to the country. Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. described the new international slogan as: "so deceptively simple" that traditional advertising and marketing people may find the new tag line "a little strange" because it is a thought almost drawn from social media…. In a very real sense, it is a very modern 21st century kind of campaign. But it's something Filipinos immediately can get behind, because it's true." 


The slogan answers the basic question, "Why the Philippines?". What differentiates the Philippines from any other place in the world? It is the desire of the Filipinos to provide the most amazing experiences to every visitor that we encounter, we want them to have a good time and to remember the experience as long as they live.


Since summer is just a few months away, Here are some of the places you can visit here in the Philippines. Tara na, Biyahe Tayo!


Cebu
Cebu is one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines, it consists of Cebu island and 167 surrounding islands which include Mactan, Bantayan, Malapascua, Olango and Camotes island. Its capital is Cebu City, the oldest city in the Philippines, which forms part of the Cebu Metropolitan Area together with four neighboring cities which include Danao City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Talisay City and eight other municipalities. 

Magellan's Cross

Sto. Nino Church

Magellan's Statue

Blood Compact site

Man made forest

Bohol

Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. The province is a popular tourist destination with its beaches and resorts. The Chocolate Hills, numerous mounds of limestone formation, is the most popular attraction. Panglao Island, located just southwest of Tagbilaran City, is famous for its diving locations.

Loboc River Cruise

Baclayon Church

the famous Chocolate Hills

Tarsier

Palawan

Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. Palawan's almost 2,000 kilometres  of irregular coastline are dotted with roughly 1,780 islands and islets, rocky coves, and sugar-white sandy beaches. It also harbors a vast stretch of virgin forests that carpet its chain of mountain ranges. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island.

Underground River

Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral

Honda Bay Island

Coron

These are just a few of the amazing places you can visit in the Philippines, a tropical country with fascinating landscapes and splendid beaches. I will be posting more of these superb summer destinations tomorrow, for the meantime, relax and plan your next getaway!

Raising Kids

Raising kids can be a difficult task to complete sometimes but the reward from watching them grow up and develop is worth every bit of effort. There comes a time when every parent feels overwhelmed and feels like they are exhausted since keeping up with the energy level of a child is very difficult and tiring. 


One of the most popular choices and it's becoming a trend is getting a nanny or a babysitter. Getting a nanny can be a lot of help but some parents simply don't understand that a nanny is for help and not for replacing the parent. But, do you really need a nanny?


You need a nanny if you have a job and you need to leave your child with a responsible person while you are at work or you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. You don't need a nanny if you are unemployed and you can turn all your attention towards your child. In this case you can hire a part time household help to assist you one or two days a week so you can run to do your chores.  Better yet, you can get the help of your family, usually the grandma's are always willing to lend you a helping hand.


Always remember that children need parents attention, love and support and they can only get that kind of love from the parents. When the child feels he is not getting enough attention from the parents he will start having behavior changes to attract the desired attention.  Children can become very frustrated because the parents are too absent and may need counseling for dealing with their emotions. These are all things you should avoid, your child is your most precious possession and you, as a parent should do anything you can to protect them from harm. The best thing you can do is to get involved in the your child's life as much as possible even if you have a nanny.  Try to spend time with your child as much as possible because time goes by so quickly and you will soon miss the times when your child was a tiny baby. 

A perfect balance is all you need for a healthy and happy lifestyle.

Weekend eats: Tomato and Garlic Pasta and Mushroom Bruschetta

Italian cuisine is known to be one of the most popular in the world. It's main characteristics is it's simplicity, many of their dishes have only four to eight ingredients. They are more particular on the quality of the ingredients rather than the elaborate preparation. Italian cuisine is also well known for its use of a diverse variety of pasta. Pasta include noodles in various lengths, widths and shapes.  Olive oil is also an essential food ingredient in Italy.


After the scrumptious foods we had during the Holidays, I decided to share these light and healthy recipes that you can make in less than 30 minutes.

Mushroom Bruschetta

Ingredients:

Extra Virgin Olive oil

300 grams Fresh mushroom, sliced

 (shitake, portobello, button, etc...)

3 gloves Garlic (2 chopped, other one cut in half)

1/2 tsp. thyme (dried or fresh)

1/2 tsp parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tbsp butter

juice of the end of a lemon

2-3 tbsp water

baguette, sliced and toasted

Procedure:

1.  heat pan, put olive oil.  Saute mushroom, then add garlic, thyme and salt and pepper.

2.  after 3-4 minutes, add the butter and lemon juice and toss.

3.  to make a creamy sauce, spoon over 2-3 tablespoons of water into the pan.  simmer until the sauce loosely coats the mushroom.

4.  toast your bread.

5.  cut a clove of garlic into half then rub the toast with garlic.  place the slices on a plate and pile the mushrooms and the sauce on top. 

Bruschetta is an antipasto from Italy, it is usually served as a snack or appetizer.

Tomato and Garlic Pasta

Ingredients:

500 grams Spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions

2 cans diced tomatoes

3 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp. sugar

pinch of chili flakes

1/4 cup basil, chiffonade

Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved

Procedure:

1.  cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente.

2.  heat olive oil in pan, saute garlic for a minute then add thyme, oregano and chili flakes.

3.  Add the tomatoes and sugar then stir well. lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. turn off heat.

4.  add pasta into the sauce , toss in Parmesan and basil. place in a large pasta bowl then garnish with basil sprigs and shaved parmesan cheese on top.

Note:  you can also use Linguine or Angel hair or even whole wheat pasta to make it healthier.

The blend of herbs lends a magical touch to these recipes, plus they are good, healthy and easy to make. Very simple and does not need many ingredients. You can make it as an afternoon snack, baon or dinner. 

"Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good."

Bonding with your Teen

Many would ask,"What can I do to make my teenage daughter/son want to spend time with me?". I know a lot of moms out there wants to spend more time with their teens, the problem is, they don't know where exactly to begin.


Welcome to the exciting world of moms of teens. Even though teens may act like their moms are the last people in the world they'd ever want to hang out with, bonding is more crucial than ever during the high school years. Here are some smart tips for bonding with your teens even when you are both busy.


1.  Seize the small moments

     Make the most out of small moments when paths do cross. Try to be alert when they do   

     want to talk – even if it's just during the five minutes before they head out the door to 

     school. Whatever it takes, you have to try and be available – meaning listening and paying 

     attention whether it is a small time or longer.

2.  Show interest in your teen's interest

     If you want to get your teen's attention, you should show sincere interest in the things that 

     he/she is interested in.  You need to have something to talk about and do together, you 

     need to show interest in something that your TEEN wants to do instead of including them 

     in the things that YOU want to do.

3.  Schedule a date (bonding time) with your teen

     Go to a movie, have lunch or dinner, you can even go to a coffee shop and have coffee 

     together. JUST YOU AND YOUR TEEN! If you don't have a budget, you can schedule 

     movie nights at home, with DVDs and  popcorn. Make sure that you ask your teen what 

     he/she wants to do, on their most convenient time. The key is not just taking your teen out 

     for some one on one time, but also using this time to communicate.

4.  Invite your teen shopping

     One surefire way to get teens to spend some time with you is to invite them to go 

     shopping, or to accept their invitations to do so. Whenever my son asks me to accompany 

     him in buying something, I make sure that I say yes. I even go with him to the salon every 

     time he have his hair cut. 

5.  Connect through social media

     When all else fails, go digital! You might not be having the fun friend times you want, but 

     texting and facebooking  is still connecting.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to have fun with your teen.  The important thing is to spend quality time together and create a bond that will last forever.

Another year to make it right..........

After a week of hiatus, I am definitely back! Happy New Year everyone, I hope you had the most wonderful Holiday. I celebrated mine with a lot of cooking, eating, reflecting, laughter and love love love.


For most of us, New Year's has always been the time for looking back to the past, and more importantly forward to the coming year. I had the time to reflect on a lot of things, including the changes I want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. Here is a list of my New Year's resolution, what's yours?


1. Get Fit
     Exercise regularly and eat healthy to shed those extra pounds. Exercise keeps you healthy 
     and makes you look and feel better. 


2.  Enjoy Life More
     It's an important step to a happier and healthier me, I will try to get out and try something  
     new. I will definitely post my adventures.


3.  Be Financially Wise
     Will concentrate on the needs, not the wants. Also, save save and save!


4.  Learn Something New
     Take up Culinary, why not?  


5.  Be More Grateful and Whine LESS
     I will be more thankful everyday for all that we have.


I hope that I can actually achieve my goals this year, cross fingers! 


By the way, 2012 is the year of the Water Dragon and according to the Chinese:

THE WATER DRAGON 1952 AND 2012

Water has a calming effect on the Dragon's fearless temperament. Water allows the Dragon to re-direct its enthusiasm, and makes him more perceptive of others. These Dragons are better equipped to take a step back to re-evaluate a situation because they understand the art of patience and do not desire the spotlight like other Dragons. Therefore, they make smart decisions and are able to see eye-to-eye with other people. However, their actions can go wrong if they do not research or if they do not finish one project before starting another.

 "You hit a goal, you achieve a goal. You keep a resolution".