Buy flowers early for All Saints' Day

MANILA, Philippines - With just a few days left before All Saints' Day on November 1, flowers and candles are very much in demand as Filipinos look forward to offering them at the tombs of their departed loved ones in cemeteries nationwide.

The seasonal high demand and the low supply--no thanks to typhoon Juan's wrath in flower-growing regions in the north--the prices of flowers at markets such as Dangwa Flower Market in Manila have gone up by 30 to 50% as of Wednesday, October 27.

The Dangwa Flower Market in Manila. Video grab from ABS-CBN News

Expect that prices of flowers will go up even higher in the coming days.

So why not buy flowers this early to save precious pesos?

There are flowers that can be bought this early and will stay fresh until All Saints' Day.

Carnations, for instance, can last for 2 weeks. They sell for P120 per dozen.

Chrysanthemums can also stay fresh for 2 weeks. A dozen chrysanthemums sell for P150.

Anthuriums, selling for P100 per dozen, can last from 5 to 7 days.

Likewise, Malaysian mums can also last for 5 to 7 days. They also cost P100 per dozen. (All prices quoted are as of October 27.)

To make flowers last and stay fresh, observe the following tips: Cut the edges of the stem diagonally and trim the leaves, especially those on the lower part of the stem. This will keep the flowers clean and the water in the vase free from bacteria. Change the water in the vase daily.

As for buying candles, listen to the sound they make when you "clap" them together. The sound should be solid and not hollow. A strong solid sound means the candle has been made well.

Choose candles with wicks that are straight and firm to make sure there won't be too much smoke when the candles are lit.

Put candles in the freezer for a day to make them last longer.

Be discriminating in buying flowers and candles this season to make sure you get more value for your money.

Dine and help a cancer patient

MANILA, Philippines - To help people with cancer, a local restaurant chain is donating part of the proceeds from its most popular dishes to the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Cancer Institute.

Dishes included in the LJC Group's "Good to Dine" campaign, which ends on November 30, are:

- Sinigang na bangus belly with ripe guava of Abe in Serendra, Trinoma Mall and SM Mall of Asia

- Picnic adobo rice of Bistro Remedios in Malate

- Lengua estofada of Cafe Adriatico in Malate, Gateway Mall and SM Mall of Asia

- Lunch buffet of Cafe Havana in Greenbelt 3

- Mangohito of Cafe Havana in Malate and Greenbelt 3

- Fely J's dilis-cious rice of Fely J's Kitchen in Greenbelt 5

- Rosemary chicken of Larry's Cafe & Bar in Serendra

- Bangus belly with kangkong balachian of Lorenzo's Way in Greenbelt 5

The LJC Group said P10 of the total cost of these dishes will be set aside and given to the Cancer Institute Foundation Inc., which sources funds for the UP-PGH Cancer Institute.

The restaurant chain will equal the total amount raised from the orders to help the UP-PGH, which only has 51 beds alternately shared by patients undergoing chemotherapy.

The "Good to Dine" campaign was launched in celebration of Larry J. Cruz's birthday.

As founder of the LJC Group, he supported a number of charitable projects such as yearly feeding programs and scholarships for deserving students in the field of food and beverage service.

Cruz passed away in 2008, and his restaurant chain continued with his humanitarian efforts by supporting different fund-raising campaigns.

New kicks: Shoes made for Kobe, LeBron to be released in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Sports apparel brand Nike will release limited edition footwear on Saturday in celebration of basketball star Kobe Bryant's 5th championship.

The signature shoes, called Zoom Kobe V 5 Rings, were worn by Bryant during the Los Angeles Lakers' first game at the National Basketball Association (NBA) 2010-2011 season.

The pair, priced at P6,995, has different graphic renderings of the number 5 as Bryant enters his 14th season at the NBA with 5 championship rings.

"The Nike Zoom Kobe V 5 Rings features a lighter, stronger version of Nike's innovative Flywire technology that's strategically placed to perform like synthetic tendons while cradling the foot like a second skin. The shoe's overlays were bonded with heat welding, which is lighter, more consistent and less abrasive than traditional stitching," Nike said in a statement.

It added, "Bryant's input and inspiration were also instrumental in shaping the aesthetics of the Nike Zoom Kobe V 5 Rings. The shoe's designer, Eric Ayar, and the design team in Nike's Innovation Kitchen incorporated aspects of Bryant's game and personality into every detail of the shoe."

Only 36 pairs of the Zoom Kobe V Rings footwear will be available in the Philippines on October 30.

Eighteen of them will be sold at Nike Park at The Fort starting 12 p.m. on a first come, first served basis.

The remaining 18 pairs, meanwhile, will be available at Titan through its players club, which can be contacted at info@titan22.com.

LeBron 8

After the launch of the Zoom Kobe V 5 Rings on Saturday, Nike will be selling another pair of footwear on November 1.

The LeBron 8, priced at P7,495 per pair, is part of the signature shoe collection of LeBron James, one of the star players of NBA's Miami Heat.

Nike said the shoes are built with a supple all-natural leather upper, a basketball-specific Max Air 360 unit combined with Flywire technology and deep-cut forefoot flex grooves.

"The lion on the front-side of the tongue represents LeBron's ravenous nature 'like that of a hunter on the basketball court,'" the sports apparel company said.

It continued, "The tongue-back label is a nod to bespoke off-court attire, and highlights the crafted nature of the LeBron 8 made specifically for Mr. LeBron James. The numbers 828 represent the 82 regular season games and the 28 playoff games."

Weeks ago, Nike sold limited edition Ateneo championship shirts in the Philippines, the same ones worn by the Blue Eagles when they snared their 3rd straight men's basketball championship last September 30.

The sports apparel brand is also known for selling limited edition Manny Pacquiao merchandise, which aim to pay tribute to the Filipino boxing champ.

The mistakes women commit with make-up

MANILA, Philippines - Despite the availability of make-up in leading stores, women tend to make the wrong choices. After all, choosing among thousands of brands and colors and shades is not easy.

But the current trend in make-up is a "soft" look, according to beauty ambassador Lynnette Cole-O'Nan, a Miss USA 2000 titlist.

"Today's make-up is all about the natural look--softer looking hair, softer looking make-up," she said in ANC's "Headstart" recently.

Former Miss USA Lynnette Cole-O'Nan said make-up should be fun. Credit: ANC

The most common and most recurring make-up mistake is choosing a foundation that is "too white" or far from the natural complexion, Cole-O'Nan said. Often too, women do not know how to properly apply make-up.

Cole-O'Nan was in the Philippines recently for the launch of Pür Minerals at Rustan's Department Store. Pür Minerals is one of the leading manufacturers of prestigious mineral-based make-up and skin-care treatments.

The Miss USA 2000 titlist is currently the company's Vice-President for Global Relations and Spokesperson.

Pür Minerals' new line boasts of the "hero product," a 4-in-one foundation that, according to Cole-O'Nan, cuts down make-up time to 60 seconds.

The product has foundation, concealer, finishing powder, and SPF all rolled into one.

"A lot of [women have] given up on make-up because it irritates and suffocates the skin. It also causes skin to break out," Cole-O'Nan explained.

The hero product is fragrance- and chemical-free and is made of minerals and vitamins, said Cole-O'Nan.

Ditching these "nasties," it has Vitamin A and shea butter, which increase the easability of the mineral make-up on the skin while conditioning and hydrating it.

Lynnette Cole-O'Nan applies make-up the correct way. Credit: ANC

"You just brush, dip, draw, and apply it," Cole-O'Nan explained. "It doesn't matter how much you apply. You're never gonna look like you applied a mask of make-up."

The product is good for all skin types and can be used by anyone.

"All skin types can wear it, regardless of age. We have clients beyond 80 and they love it," she said. "You don't have to be a make-up artist. You just have to be able to raise your hand to your face."

When asked for a make-up suggestion for President Benigno Aquino III, Cole-O'Nan suggested "just a little more powder" for the bachelor president.

"You'll eventually learn the tricks of the trade. We don't have perfect skin but we can make them look like we do," she said. "Make-up should be fun."

The top 3 fashion trends that should have died

MANILA, Philippines - Most people want to put their best foot forward, and fashion plays an important role in accomplishing that.

But unwittingly, some people still follow fashion trends that ought to die or fade away as these just make a person look "not awesome."

Fashion designer and artist Patty Eustaquio shared on the ANC show "Tease" last week the 3 fashion trends she wished had died a long time ago.

Patty Eustaquio: 'Loose pants are so passe.'

Number 3: Flip-flops. "Don't wear flip-flops if you're not in the beach. I think that people have become way too casual about wearing clothes and it would be nicer to see more people wearing shoes around in public," said Eustaquio.

Number 2: Loose clothes. "Do wear good fitting clothes. Ill-fitting pants are the worst. And I still see so many boys wearing really loose pants. I think they're so passe," she said.

Number one: Going over-the-top. "Don't go over the top. I guess with the proliferation of so many fashion magazines, everybody wants to be different. They pile on all these clothes, they overdo their hair, their makeup, their accessories. Everything's overdone. And you're just hiding, sort of, in a mountain of things," said Eustaquio.

"So you're no longer an individual. You're actually a walking sculpture. It doesn't really work that way so much. So I think just be yourself. If you want to wear something different, go ahead, but be comfortable. Just be yourself."

In fact, dress for yourself and other women. Eustaquio added: "I don't really think of clothes as a way to attract men. I do think strongly that women dress up for other women because it's only the other women who will actually talk about what you wore."

Fashion and art

Eustaquio, a former president of the Young Designers Guild of the Philippines, knows inside out what looks good or not as she is also a serious visual artist. In fact she was named one of the Thirteen Artists awardees by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

"I just call myself an artist. I just really make things. I love working with my hands. A lot of people would categorize between design and art. I like to blur boundaries," she said.

Eustaquio's fascination with art started when she was young. "As a child I was introduced more to paintings and more wall-bound works. I reacted to that and thought that I could express myself more in different media."

To her, creating art is like making a story. "I think of it more like these are words. All these different materials, all these different ideas in my head, they're words. And the way I put them together is making a story," she said.

Planning is essential for her. "I really do plan. I spend so much time planning my pieces. Everything is more or less written out and then as I make it, then of course things will change, accidents will happen, and during that time, then I just sort of accept, 'Ok this is how it turned out. How can I make it better? How can I achieve what I want to say?'"

Designs made by Patty Eustaquio

For Eustaquio, fashion and art exact the same of her. "I see fashion as art in the sense that the process for me is exactly the same."

Social issues

Eustaquio showed that one can merge social consciousness with art.

"My last show, I called the exhibit 'Dear Sweet Filthy World'. Basically it was my reaction to the calamities that have happened in the past year. I really made pieces that talked about the Ondoy flood. So I made these boat sculptures made out of fabric which I plasticized as well. Basically they look like shells of boats that had been fished out of swampy waters so they are like these mossy things."

She also made a cardboard piece that depicted the earthquake in Haiti, and painted 2 dead birds fished out of an oil spill.

Eustaquio's cardboard sculpture depicts the earthquake in Haiti

"They were all sort of socially relevant. This is actually the first time that I made a narrative about actual social events. My main interest in telling a story is how I made certain pieces that have a negative space in them so that when I combine all these different objects, there is a space for the viewer to complete the narrative," she explained.

Eustaquio said her favorite medium right now is cardboard. "I've been making these huge sculptures out of cardboard. I find that it's really easy to use. It's green. I don't have to use a lot of materials and it's recycled.

"So I think maybe these social things, that's why I started making these socially relevant narratives, is because they started getting to me and it's starting to show in my choices of medium," she added.

For Eustaquio, fashion and art have a deeper meaning. More than being trends, they tell a story.

Other Headlines

Raymart, Claudine deny separation

MANILA, Philippines - Celebrity couple Raymart Santiago and Claudine Barretto addressed the issue that they already separated.

"Hindi na siguro dapat pag-usapan 'yan kasi magkasama kami ngayon so obviously hindi totoo, hindi totohanan," said Barretto during the birthday party of talent manager Annabelle Rama.

Asked if they have an idea who started the rumor that they already separated, Santiago replied, "Wala akong maisip. Ngayon ko nga lang narinig 'yon."

A report said the two allegedly parted ways after rumors surfaced that Barretto reportedly had an extramarital affair with Martin Castro.

The news about the supposed extramarital affair, according to Barretto, was spread by actress Angelica Panganiban, girlfriend of actor Derek Ramsay, the close friend of Castro.

In the interview, Santiago also spoke on the issue of the rift between Panganiban and Barretto.

Santiago believes that everything will end if they finally get the chance to talk about it.

"Well, sabihin na ngayon ay tahimik, dahil kung dati ay nakipag-usap sa akin si Derek tungkol sa problema na kailangan ay pag-usapan pa e hindi pa dumarating ang araw na 'yon. So kapag dumating ang araw na 'yon na magkausap-usap na lahat at magkalinawan na lahat, doon matatapos," Santiago said.

In a previous interview, Barretto vehemently denied the rumor about the extramarital affair.

She suspected that Panganiban was allegedly trying to ruin Castro and Ramsay’s friendship by spreading the rumors.

In defense of Panganiban, her lawyer Jojit Alonso maintained that Panganiban has “not done anything wrong, much less, maligned Claudine. On the contrary, it is Angelica who is being maligned by these unfounded accusations.”

Alonso also said they will be forced to file a case against Barretto if she keeps on hurling baseless accusations against Panganiban.

Juday gives birth to baby boy

Judy Ann Santos has given birth to a baby boy,.

According to Santos's mother Carol, Judy Ann gave birth at the Asian Hospital on Thursday afternoon, at 5:51 pm.

Judy Ann Santos is married to TV host and actor Ryan Agoncillo.

In an interview with Karen Davila on TV Patrol, Mommy Carol said that as of 7:30 p.m. Juday was already resting at the recovery room.

"Nasa recovery room pa siya, mga 2 hours pa bago siya umakyat, pero ngayon nagbe-breastfeed na siya kay Lucio at she's fully awake na," she said.

She said she has no other information about the baby yet, since the couple is still at the recovery room.

"Normal delivery, at di siya nahirapan dahil she started labor pains ng 11 [a.m.] at nag-give birth siya ng 5:51 [p.m.]," she said.

Mommy Carol said Juday gave birth via normal delivery.

The baby will be named Juan Luis, and will be nicknamed Lucio. The name, Mommy Carol said, comes from Lucio's sister and grandfather.

"It's Juan Luis, ang Luis 'ata is from the father of Ryan, and iyong Juan, si Yohan kasi is Johanna, so Tinagalog lang nila," she said.

She said Ryan is very excited about Baby Lucio, saying the new father even joked the kid already has a new car.

She also said they are still not accepting visitors, to make time for family bonding.

"Hindi pa kami nag-a-allow ng visitors kasi nga kailangan muna sigurong manamnam nila iyong baby nila," she said.

She also thanked everyone for their support and prayers for Juday's safe delivery.

"Thank you so much Karen, she did not have a hard time. Thank you so much sa mga prayers ng maraming tao," she said.

You like it where? Facebook campaign leaves people wondering

MANILA, Philippines - Where do you like it?

For days now, many women have posted mysterious Facebook status messages, like "I like it on the floor," "I like it on the kitchen counter," and similar stuff, leaving other people wondering what these people are talking about.

Don't worry: The "I like it on..." meme is just the latest Facebook campaign devised to raise awareness for breast cancer.

The campaign, started in connection with the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, calls for women to post status messages starting with the phrase "I like it on..." - to indicate where the woman would usually prefer to place her purse at home.

Because of the cryptic nature of the meme, many Facebook users have been left scratching their heads, wondering what these status messages meant.

Some blogs and websites have commented on the campaign's "heavy sexual connotations," and some also criticized it as something barely related to breast cancer awareness.

The campaign is a follow-up to last year's similarly cryptic Facebook meme where women would post the color of their underwear on their status messages.

Chemistry Nobel winner says his discovery now beyond him

WASHINGTON - US professor Richard Heck said Wednesday he was thrilled to receive the Nobel prize for chemistry but acknowledged the discovery he made was now well beyond him as companies and labs harness its uses, often in secret.

"I'm very pleased to receive the prize," Heck, an emeritus professor at the University of Delaware, told AFP when reached by telephone in the Philippines, where he said dozens of people had gathered to congratulate him.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards the Nobels, had called him there earlier Wednesday to inform him he had won the prize, and Heck said he was not entirely caught off guard.

"It's always been in the back of my mind," he said. "People have told me it was worthy of a Nobel prize, so I wasn't totally surprised, but yes I was very happy to get it."

Heck, 79, is among three professors sharing the 2010 Nobel prize for the development of a chemical reaction that bears his name -- a sophisticated tool that has helped revolutionize several industries.

"It turns out to be a fairly useful reaction," he said with soft-spoken understatement.

The so-called palladium-catalyzed cross coupling may be little known outside Heck's field. But with the palladium metal acting as a chemical matchmaker, that threw open the door for chemists in a range of experiments previously stymied by the difficulty of inducing carbon atoms to react with one another.

Because the discovery allowed more efficient ways of making complicated molecules and compounds, scientists now use it in a huge variety of fields, from cancer research and pharmaceuticals to the making of computer chips and screens and other electronics.

But Heck, who retired in 1989, said he hasn't kept abreast of just how his discovery was being used in 21st century medicine and industry.

"I really am not up on everything that is going on with this reaction," Heck said.

"It's a useful laboratory reaction, with major applications in industry. But much of that is secret, and that is because they want to keep their patents" closely guarded.

Heck shared the prize with Ei-ichi Negishi, 75, a professor at Purdue University who is credited with developing a reaction that has become known as the Negishi coupling, and Akira Suzuki, 80, a professor at Hokkaido University in Japan who is the namesake of the Suzuki reaction.

Michelle Obama ranked world's most powerful woman

NEW YORK - First lady Michelle Obama beat out heads of state, chief executives and celebrities to rank as the world's most powerful woman in Forbes magazine's annual listing on Wednesday.

Kraft Foods Chief Executive Irene Rosenfeld, who led a hostile $18 billion takeover of Britain's Cadbury, came in second, followed by talk show host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey, who is ending "The Oprah Winfrey Show" next year after 25 years to launch her cable network OWN.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, elected for a second term last year, was the fourth most powerful woman, while Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was put in charge of brokering Middle East peace, rounded out the top five.

Moira Forbes, vice president and publisher of ForbesWoman, said the women on the business magazine's list were "shaping many of the agenda-setting conversations of the day."

"They have built companies and brands, sometimes by non-traditional means and they have broken through gender barriers in areas of commerce, politics, sports and media and cultural zeitgeist, and thereby affecting the lives of millions, sometimes billions of people," she said.

This year Forbes changed the way it ranked women, basing the list less on wealth and power and more on creative influence and entrepreneurship.

Last year's winner was Merkel, followed by Sheila Bair, chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Obama ranked No. 40.

Forbes said Obama topped the list this year because "she has made the office of first lady her own" while remaining popular.

"In a telling sign of her charisma, the White House is putting her on the campaign trail to headline fundraising events in battleground states like California and Colorado," Forbes said.

"She's also effective: In response to her Let's Move! campaign against childhood obesity, companies like Coca-Cola, Kellogg and General Mills have pledged to reduce the calorie content of their foods by 2015," it said.

PepsiCo Inc Chief Executive Indra Nooyi, who was last week named the most powerful woman in US business for the fifth year in a row by Fortune, was in sixth place, while singer Lady Gaga came in at No. 7.

Gail Kelly, chief executive of Australia's Westpac Banking Corp, was in eighth place, followed by singer Beyonce Knowles. Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres rounded out the top 10.

The complete Forbes list of the 100 most powerful women can be seen atwww.forbes.com/powerwomen.