Empowered Women Of Achievement Award 2012

This photo was added to the cover of Vanity
magazine along with the other Awardee.
Photoshop is an amazing tool. They placed
all of us to look like we were all in the photo
shoot together.
I feel truly honored to have been one of a select group of women chosen to receive the Empowered Women Of Achievement Award 2012. The event is organized by an independent group of Filipino artists and fashion designers. The first gown designed for me, sight unseen, was truly remarkable. But then you be the judge.

Photos taken by Toné McGuire. He made the photo shoot so fun and brought out the best in me. It's so different to work with a photographer who gives you feedback and direction.

Hair and makeup by David's Salon on Rizal Ave., Puerto Princesa City, gown by Goullee Gorospe, location: Hotel Centro, PPC, Palawan.

Click any photo on this page to enlarge.
There will be an actual Award Dinner this coming Dec. 15th in Manila. I am hoping I can re-arrange my schedule so that we can attend!
Many thanks to the panel of judges for choosing me along with all the other remarkable women on the magazine cover, who I am looking forward to meeting!


What is amusing to me is my placement on the magazine cover. I am probably the shortest lady there at 4'10" ! The gown was at least a foot too long. I am actually standing on the stair above the bottom of the skirt. Postulating that my legs were on the lower step, it would truly seem to the viewer that I must be a long legged gal. It just goes to show you not to always believe what you see.  I am thrilled about it, as for once in my life, I see what I might have looked like taller.

The occassion of me being invited was through Facebook initially, then through cell texting. I have not yet met the organizer nor the designers!  They asked for my measurements and designed the beautiful gown around that. It was then sent by overnight courier from Manila to me, where I live on beautiful the island of Palawan.

Cleavage courtesy of Nubra adhesive,
strapless bra cups!
Although the gown was so clasic with the tulip skirt, it was actually about 4 inches too tight in the back and wouldn't even begin to close. My 86 year old angelic mother, sewed ribbons on the back so that they could be tied to keep the top from falling off me.

Thanks mom, what would I do without you?  And while I am on mom, I wouldn't be the woman (a senior citizen now at that) I am today without her. Her loving support all my life gave me the strength I needed when I was feeling in the depths of despair. The fact is, that I have stellar parents without whom none of this would be possible. They have been my pillar of strength, inspirations, my heroes. It is remarkable to grow old with both parents and I am eternally grateful.

It has not always been an easy road to follow, learning online e-commerce, as well as trying to learn new sustainable ways to re-use, reycle, harvest rain and eventually grow our own vegetables in our personal lives. Since we live in the countryside now, with a nice slice of Mother earth to tend to and nurture, I am excited about learning to grow vegetables in a controlled greenhouse using aeropinic and vertical growing techniques. We are already supplying night lights via solar charged batteries and are starting to harvest rain to preserve the well water so as not to drain it.  The island of Cebu has been a big lesson to me in preserving water, as they already import most of their potable water since their watersheds have not been properly managed.
Our temporary loft apartment above
our workshop. One of these days we will
get the energy to build the master
cottage. In the meantime, rest, relax
and enjoy the clean air and
ubiquitous green vegetation
everywhere I look.

I never tire of learning new things and I hope that more people will always be curious about our world and try to nurture and sustain it in their way as well. It is a beautiful mother, our Earth, and we each must do what we can to preserve it's natural beauty for our children to enjoy and the generations after them.  Each of  us is responsible for the dire conditions our poor earth is in.

On a lighter note, it's so fun to be able to play dress up. Living in the countryside as I do. most of the time it's practical clothing, cool and comfortable and not glamorous at all. Yet as fun the occasions are to dress up, I so adore my bohemian lifestyle now in our native abode on this gorgeous, pristine island of Palawan.
Empowered Women of Achievement Awards in Philippine National Inquirer Lifestyle section Dec 9, 2011

Gown by Goulee Gorospe


Check out my personal website for more events and information.










Comments

Anonymous said…
im coming, and it's my firstime what should we wear?
December 17, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How MCTV15- Channel 15 Started

Image
Setting the Record Straight As a major fundraiser for the annual 4th of July fireworks on the city of Mt. Shasta's local TV station, Channel 15, I wanted to put on a show about them.  I approached the City Administrator at that time, Joe Riker about it.  He then drove me to the Community center, opened up a door in the basement, we had to move chairs that were stacked all around, he took me to a corner where a funky tube TV sat on a rolling TV stand with an old VCR (we were already up to VCHR then) attached to it. Upstairs in the room where the Mt. Shasta City council held their meetings, there were fixed view, black and white security cameras attached to the live feed wire, and from there, the feed went to the TV and VCR. Someone had to personally go down to the basement and start the VCR to record the meetings each time.  When there were no Council meetings to air, Channel 15 broadcast text messages on a blue screen with public service, and city announcements. I called it t
Read more

One Amazing Wedding- Singson- Michael - Jan. 4, 2010

Image
Manila fashion designer Icon Oskar Peralta. The first Filipino designer to be featured in Vogue Magazine. In December of 2009 Richelle Singson invited me to be Godmother at her wedding to Richard Peter Michael.  Her father, a family friend, just happens to be the Deputy National Security Adviser in the Philippines, and former govenor of Ilocos Sur, Luis "Chavit" Singson. As far as invitations go, it was rather last minute considering I didn't have anything suitable to wear and most of the fashion designers in Manila were already pre booked and buried in orders for the holiday season. I actually tried some of the higher end department stores, but alas, nothing would fit my shortness. I was lucky enough to run into a social acquaintance in Facebook chat, Becky Garcia , who I know has great taste and also knows everyone around it seems, especially fashion designers. She turned me on to a designer named Oskar Peralta , who I later found out is an icon in the fashion
Read more

Discovering El Nido

Image
This is a late post, but El Nido always seems to be in the news of late and I haven't been back. We actually went to Corong-Corong, El Nido, a beach just before the town itself in January of 2015. It was blustery and not still and quiet waters like you seen in the postcards. I never did get to swim as the waves made it uncomfortable on my bad back but it was truly beautiful. We did try to drive into El Nido town in our truck, but the roads are too narrow to accommodate it so we stuck to Corong, Corong where we were able to park on the lot of a friend's friend. The town of El Nido as of this writing is very congested. The water in Bacuit bay has coliform bacteria due to raw sewage running into it. But people still throng there and once you get out of town on the tours to the various coves, all seems well. Personally, I am more of a forest elf, but I do upon occasion, enjoy the beach. I do like going out to snorkel in the sea on our banca, which is much different that sitting
Read more