I’ve been obsessed with perfume making lately (aside from coffee and tea, which I’ve always been obsessed with). Developing scents is a lot of fun. Took a loser like me to realize that fragrance notes really DO come in different levels. All I thought of perfume scents was that they fade a few minutes after applying the perfume. I realized just now that the scents do in fact change as the body absorbs the perfume. The crap about top notes, middle notes, and base notes is totally true.

Perfume is a lot of fun to make, and they make great gifts. Never realized until now how a lot of people like perfume, and how they appreciate it even more when they find out that it’s handcrafted.

So that’s my new project. I hope it works.

In other news, I’m so in love with the packaging of Saipua soap!

I probably won’t be able to pull off something like this for perfume, but I sure will try.

Apple iPhone

Didn’t I say I was an Apple whore?

This is actually the reason why I am not getting an iPod Touch. I’d choose the iPhone over the iPod Touch if I needed a mobile device that’s packed with features. Calls, SMS, e-mail, internet, camera, and sweet apps – now these are things I’d want in my phone. I probably wouldn’t use it as an mp3 player (I wouldn’t want my mp3 player to ring in the middle of a song), but I can. Camera feature’s great, too, as a lot of phone cameras don’t even go beyond one megapixel while the iPhone camera has two. Plus because it’s getting pretty popular, there’s a lot of support for it, so if I need help with anything, I’ll most probably be able to get it. I’ve heard a lot of people complain about the keypad being small, but I have tiny hands, so it really isn’t a problem for me. Plus my Palm Treo has me quite used QWERTY keypads, so the transition should be easy.

And just look at that. It looks GORGEOUS. Unless the person using it is absolutely grotesque, the iPhone can make anyone look sexy.

Glo Pillow

I have horrible luck with alarm clocks. It doesn’t take me long to get immune to the sound and the volume of alarms. Really, the only thing about alarm clocks that I’m not immune to is how annoying they are. I was happy to have discovered this little invention by a certain Ian Walton and Eoin McNally. It is what you think it is. It’s a pillow that glows.

The Glo Pillow works like an alarm clock, but it makes absolutely no sound. The pillow is made of LED fabric, and it uses nothing but light to wake you up at a set time. Forty minutes before the set alarm time, the pillow starts to glow, very slowly getting brighter and brighter, gently bringing the person out of sleep. It’s much like naturally waking up to the sunlight, so it would be a lot easier to get out of bed, and I’d probably feel a lot less cranky doing so. It also helps properly set the body clock, so it helps improve sleep/wake patterns. Beauty sleep done right every night. Or day. Awesome? Oh yes.

Wacom Intuos3 Pen Tablet

As soon as I let my battered Graphire3 retire, and if I’m still gonna do graphic design and/or digital painting, I’d like to have an Intuos3. The thing looks sexy, and for its price, it’s got the most benefits. With added features like 1024 pressure levels and multiple nibs, I can’t possibly complain. Not after being able to paint with a Graphire3 (which has either been renamed to Bamboo Fun or has been discontinued). I’m glad they kept the things I liked about my Graphire3 pen, like tilt-sensitivity, the DuoSwitch, and the built-in eraser. I really like the idea of a palm rest on the tablet. Hopefully it can reduce the cramps I get from painting too much. I also like how it has a long cable, so I can position my tablet pretty much wherever I want. Would be cool if it were wireless like the new Graphire, but hey, I like the Intuos3 just the way it is. Doesn’t really matter what size I get. I have a 4×5 Graphire3, and even in its current condition, I’m plenty happy with it. I’d be more than happy with a 4×6 Intuos3.

Gibson Les Paul Goddess

I don’t care if Gibson Guitars are overpriced. I drool over the Les Paul Goddess. It’s the perfect guitar for girls. Aside from it being really pretty, it’s really comfortable, too. It has a lightweight mahogany body and a slimmer profile neck (for smaller hands). And as expected from a Gibson, it’s got awesome craftsmanship and sound. The Goddess has powerful 490T and 498R humbucking pick-ups to make it produce strong, commanding sounds when played loud, and subtle and responsive tones at lower volumes. They’re made specifically for female guitar players, but I know a lot of guys who would actually be willing to play this axe simply for the no-frills comfort it provides and the no-bullcrap sound it makes. And at 1,700 USD, it’s pretty cheap for a Gibson.

Of course I’d want to have one of these if I could actually get my hands on one as these models have been discontinued. What still IS there that looks promising is the Les Paul Vixen, which I have yet to try out. And I’d get an electric guitar if and when I feel confident enough in my playing. For now, unless someone gets me an electric guitar, I’m sticking my good ol’ acoustic Gibson SG-shaped axe.

Apple iPod Classic 120GB

No, I actually do NOT have a portable mp3 player. Shocking. I’d buy a cheap one, but I need a lot of space to store a lot of songs, as I get tired of overplayed songs pretty easily. Except for Vienna Teng’s. But I digress.

Despite the popularity and the kickass features of the iPod touch, I’d want to have an iPod Classic with 120 GB of space. I won’t go into detail as to how wonderful iPods are, but I will say why I want an iPod Classic more than an iPod Touch. More than sweet graphics and additional features like gaming and internet, I need the space for the music I’m too stingy to put in my laptop, and other junk I have in my files (papers, PSD’s, graphic design resources, coffee recipes, etc.). And God knows I’m pretty clumsy accident-prone, so I’ll need something a little tougher than the iPod touch. Something that isn’t gonna get cracked by my hips or my derriere.

Yes, I have heard of the Microsoft Zune, but um…I’m too much of an Apple whore to consider other brands. If Apple has it, chances are I get the Apple version.

Grado GS1000

I’m more of a music nerd than an audiophile, so I don’t appreciate audiophile headphones as much. And I’m too stingy to spend for audiophile headphones. But my word, the Grado GS1000 Headphones blew me away when I first tried them out. These are, without a doubt, the finest set of cans I’ve ever had the pleasure of using, even if it was for roughly just five minutes. There is no special super advanced technology that makes these cans deliver such wonderful sonics. Just excellent craftsmanship, and pure design genius. The mahogany housing combined with high-powered drivers deliver absolutely immaculate, flawlessly balanced sound. The dynamics are unbeatable, the top end is pristine, and the bass is deep but crisp. All these are enjoyed with an enlarged soundstage (thanks to the specially-made room in the cushions for the ears), resulting in amazing separation, making the listener hear every single layer of music. Layman’s terms? Unlike most headphones that make you feel like you’re on the front row of a live performance, the Grado GS1000 makes you feel like you’re on stage with the artist. It feels like the artist is right in front of you. You can almost feel their breath.

For professional use, like for recording or engineering music, I’d get a Sennheiser. But for sheer eargasm, I’m sold to these wooden babies.

Fruit Moon Dress by Anthropologie

Triple Strapped Mary Jane Booties by Chloé

Tina Bag by Paul Smith

Commercial Espresso Machine

I need a commercial espresso machine for my business. But more than that, right now, I want an opinion on what brand I should get. At the moment I can’t decide between an Astoria, a Rancilio, or a La Pavoni. I intended to get an Astoria at first, but when I found out that there were local distributors for Rancilio and La Pavoni, now I’m all confused. I’ve read various reviews on all three brands, and all three of them sound great. Both the distributors of La Pavoni and Astoria are roasters and they can supply coffee as well. The difference is that I get free service if I get my machine AND my coffee from the La Pavoni supplier, while the Astoria supplier can give me the most freshly roasted beans and could probably, probably offer me free service as well. As for the Rancilio supplier, they also happen to be the official distributor of Torani syrups, and well…they carry Rancilios. I see a lot of successful cafes in Manila use Rancilios, so they probably provide great service, too.

And in case you’re curious, the machine pictured above is an Astoria Gloria Semiautomatic (Two-Group Head).

Belgium Royal 4C Cafe Siphon Vacuum Brewer

This very pretty device is a 4C Cafe Siphon Vacuum Brewer. While the process of making coffee with these babies is time consuming (plus these babies are rather fragile), the result is a smooth, syrupy, and utterly delicious brew. You put coffee in the glass chamber, and water in the metal chamber. You boil the water with the alcohol burner. The boiled water will be forced into the other chamber, and the water chamber will get lighter until it rises high enough for the lid of the burner to close. This creates a vacuum, and the brewed coffee will get sucked back in the water chamber, ready to be served through a tap. The brewing process is amusing to watch, and the coffee it makes is divine. And I’m always a fan of devices that can make great coffee without the use of electricity. I’m seriously considering getting one of these (or a traditional siphon brewer, even) for my business.

I have yet to find a local distributor of these babies, but in the event they CAN be shipped to the Philippines, I’ll be getting them from Sorrentina Coffee.

Zoka Coffee

I so want a cup of Zoka Coffee right now. Hell, I want an entire bag of their beans. While I love the coffee I make myself, I will have to admit that I’m a hopeless fangirl of Zoka’s brew. I experienced the bliss that is Zoka when I visited Seattle a few months ago. Being the geek climber and coffee freak that I am, I checked Zoka out just to see what the home of Delicious Monster was like. Not surprisingly, the place was packed with students, most of who were from UW which sat nearby. I ordered a regular latte (pictured). SWEET CHRIST. It was done flawlessly. The milk was perfectly velvety, the temperature was just right, and the full-bodied, caramel-undertoned, and very smooth coffee was just plain awesome. I didn’t even need to add sugar. There are still some Seattle coffee shops I have yet to check out, but among the ones that I did check out, Zoka has my favorite brew.