This year, why don't you...

Still having trouble writing down 2010 in all the checks, emails, and documents you’re writing? And are you still not quite sure about how things will change at the start of a new decade? Well, here’s a quick guide on some things, places and everything else in between that’s worth checking out and filling into your brand-new 2010 planners.

1. Do business while getting beautified. Yes, as most bored boyfriends and on-the-go working girls know, salon visits can take up a whole lot of time – ranging from the quickie one-hour visits, to the all-out, I-have-no-more-feeling-in-my-legs, whole day affair. Knowing how everyone these days needs to be doing at least two things at the same time, Jing Monis of Jing Monis Salon has partnered with HP to provide not just WiFi, but also laptops in his establishment. “We are the first salon in the country to provide this service to customers. We are going beyond just providing standard internet access, we have HP mini laptops that our customers can use. I want them to feel comfortable about doing business, while getting beautiful,” says Jing. So you don’t have to worry about lugging around your heavy laptops and getting it all hairy from your salon visit. Just walk in, request for their HP mini, and you’re all set.

Jing Monis Salon, 3rd level, Greenbelt 1, Makati. (tel. nos. 893-4098, 840-4773)

2. Get techie-smart and save cash. Thinking of getting a video camera to document all the fab things you’ll be doing this year? Check out Verzio D500 HD digital camcorder, a video cam and digital camera priced less than your cellphone at just P7,990. It has a 5-megapixel video camera, three-inch high res TFT display, internal 32mb flash memory, and other nifty and useful features you can use to document your upcoming adventures.

Available at Verzio concept stores at Bonifacio High Street and Festival Mall, Alabang.

 3. Be up to date with global trends while buying local. Gone are the days when local fashion was behind the international scene. Now, Asian designers and labels even move faster than their Western counterparts! A little over a year old, the local brand R.A.F. (Rich and Famous) has gained a big following among fashionistas without much marketing magic. “Our designs are updated and in-tune with the global market,” shares Carla Arguelles, R.A.F.’s merchandise manager. True enough, their pieces are well-made and instantly make the wearer look good with no need for too much accessorizing and drama. The look is clean, sophisticated and upscale without the ostentatious price tag. Perfect for working girls, ladies who lunch, and shopaholic fashionistas, R.A.F. pieces will truly make you look rich and fabulous. Now who doesn’t want that?

R.A.F. stores are in SM Megamall, Eastwood, SM North Edsa Annex, TriNoma, and Marquee Mall in Pampanga.

4. Get a taste of the Greek isles in the Philippines. Want fab pics to post on your Facebook page to make it look like you just vacayed in Mykonos or Santorini? Instead of Photoshopping, pack your bags and head to Thunderbird at Poro Point in La Union. An international resort group, Thunderbird in La Union gives you the luxury feel of vacationing in Greece without the bank-breaking price tag. Complete with cubic white structures, blue accents, a yummy Mediterranean resto, a casino, and a golf course, you can get the feel of being a high-roller, world traveler, and Baguio is conveniently just an hour away. But what’s most amazing about this place is you get the feel of traveling abroad while appreciating the breath-taking beauty that our country has to offer. The sky here is a crazy shade of blue, you will rediscover the deep joy of walking by the beach at sunset and their staff is one of the most well-trained I have encountered in my travels, here and abroad. Being a luxury resort, it’s not the cheapest one on the strip, but you get what you pay for here, and so much more.

Check out www.thunderbirdresorts.com for more info.

5. Make your man level up his style. This year, pay attention to someone other than yourself and help someone in need – your honey. Wharton has partnered with Rajo Laurel to come up with high-fashion tops for your main squeeze so he can have that designer experience on an RTW budget. Sleek, tailored, and modern, these shirts will make the transition from work to date and cocktails smoother and effortlessly stylish. The designs are nothing too over-the-top so your man will feel safe taking his first few steps into the fasyon world.

W by Rajo is available at SM malls.

6. Get eyelash extensions without losing your own lashes after. I have tried a lot of the semi-permanent eyelash extensions available and while each one has its own merit, I-Lash extensions have been the only one that have not left my eyelashes thin and sparse after. Their lashes are also soft and they use less glue than other salons — this translates to lashes that look real and are less stressful on your own lashes. They also offer different levels of thickness and length so you have control over what you’re comfortable with.

i-Lash Extensions Salon is at SM Supercenter Pasig, beside Tiendesitas. (tel no. 4704119; ilashsalon.multiply.com)

7. Face your fortune. Did you know that your luck (or lack of it) in life can be influenced by your facial features? I have always wanted a nose job to remedy my rounded-tip nose, but apparently, it’s a lucky feature! While moles directly beneath the eyes and in the path of tears can mean heartaches and pain (remove now!). Beverly Hills 6750 offers a unique service for the entire Year of the Tiger – a facial feng shui reading with expert Maritess Allen. The consultation just costs P500 and will help you decide which facial features you might want to accentuate or alter. You know how a corny saying goes “You cannot face a problem if the problem is your face?” Well now you can change all that and make yourself look good and get lucky, too!

Visit www.bh6750.com, or call 893-8888 for more info.

8. Get back to your beauty and relaxation roots. Remember how decades before massage was all the rage around the world and that almost every Filipino family knew a manghihilot that they can run to to ease pain and discomfort? There truly is wisdom in the ways of our elders, so why not revisit this traditional method of natural healing. Healing Hands Spa (a sister company of Jancen Medical Clinics) offers the benefits of this age-old massage technique in a brand new spa. Ease your mental and physical pain with the soothing strokes of hilot matched with modern knowledge on aromatherapy and body pressure points. While you’re at it, you can also check out their Muringga (Malunggay) facial scrub and their Barako or Pili Oatmeal Tsokolate body scrubs. 

Healing Hands Spa is at 17 Sct. Borromeo cor. Mother Ignacia, QC. (tel. no. 985-5358/0922 8564450).

9. Flip your flops. We all have the basic flip-flop and even the metallic ones, but for something even more glamorous, check out the new brand Hotflops. Their thong sandals give you the same comfort of a soft rubber sole, but with glamour points via bold punches of décor on the straps. You can get a bunch of grapes with pretty butterflies, girly ladybugs, pearls with seashells, and many other chunky and bold elements that make your flip-flops the focal point of your outfit. So what’s the different with this one and other brands? This is a lot more luxe, almost crossing over to being sandals, and makes it possible for you to fashionably incorporate flip-flops in your most glamorous resort wear ensembles.

Hotflops is at the 2nd floor, Greenbelt 5, or go to www.hotflops.com.

10. Get ready for the summer heat with cool, beautiful skin. Before you know it, the breezy air will be gone and the sweltering heat of summer will start to burn your skin. For these hot days, Olay brings you Olay Total Effects with Cooling Essence, your favorite skin cream with the additional benefit of a cooling essence that lowers your skin temperature by as much as two degrees upon application. Along with the trusted anti-aging benefits of Olay Total effects, you also get much needed comfort and coolness this summer.

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For comments and suggestions, e-mail donna.cunapita@gmail.com.