The Real Housewives Series

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I first fell in love with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. I was able to watch the entire first season. But I somehow lost interest during the mid-season 2 and now I heard they are on the 3rd season already.

It’s just funny to watch how these ladies live their life. Sometimes it gets amusingly over the top. The two brunettes in the bunch, Kyle and Lisa, are my favorites.

Kyle is Paris Hilton’s aunt. I love her because she reminds me of my own aunt in Canada. While I love lise because she has this classic snobbish English trait that sometimes border to being funny. I think Lisa’s family has the least problems of them all.

Over the weekend, I was able to finish the last season of The Real Housewives of Orange County. Being the first and longest running The Real Housewives franchise, I thought that this is a good second choice to watch after the girls in Beverly Hills.

The women in Orange County is rich, but not as fabulous than the ladies in Beverly Hills. Equally entertaining, yes, since there’s a cat fight in most of the episodes I’ve watched.

In here I love Tamra and Heather. Tamra’s the short-fused maldita. Her allies, Gretchen and Heather, are the bffs against Alexis and Vicki. Talk about Mean Girls mothers version.

Heather is the professional actress who grew up in the East coast. She’s married with plastic surgeon Dr. Terry Dubrow and now has 4 kids–all so adorbable. What’s cooler than that is I heard she has a net worth of US$4 million dollars and salary per season is US$30,000.

I’m now watching The Real Housewives of New York. I’m so curious on the difference of the girls living in the East coast versus the West Coast. I must say, the girls in New York is so much more boring. Or maybe I have not seen much yet (I’m only on episode one of the first season). I really don’t know, but the girls here do not have much pizzazz than those in Beverly Hills. Or those in OC.

I guess I’d have to check out the franchise in Miami next.

I’m a certified gaya-gaya for Chanel Le Vernis Case

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Sometimes I get jealous easily. Materially green-eyed, for that matter.

When I first seeing these Chanel Le Vernis case over Instagram, flaunted by the local fashionistas, it was only available on Etsy.com. I know that, for sure, it won’t be long until our Filipino geniuses can do a cheaper, more accessible, knock-off of these cases.

True enough, the Chanel Le Vernis case came out in a lot of local online sellers a couple of months back… but my first reaction was: “Gosh, so expensive naman for a knock-off case! Mas lalo na if it’s from China (which I’m 100% positive it IS), for sure the cost is only Php50-Php70!”

Yet these online sellers were marketing it for Php400-500 each. OA ha! Here are the iPhone case suppliers I have seen carrying the Le Vernis case:

From @pinksider_gs iPhone 5 – P490 iPhone 4/4s – P480

@loveforcases had it for a cheaper price of Php 400 Iphone 5 Php350 Iphone 4/4s

@crownedvelvet sell it for Php450 (iPhone 5 and 4s) with free shipping

Then genius behind @crownedvelvet started sending out these cases all over the fashionistas on Instagram. Here are some of the beneficiaries from @crownedvelvet:

I even read @crownedvelvet’s sponsorship to Jenni Epperson on her blog

Of course, @crownedvelvet made its way to fashionista Laureen Uy

But another supplier, @loveforcases, sent some for Laureen Uy, too. She’s one lucky girl to have so many sponsorships.

Not to be easily swayed by fashion. I decided to wait for a little more until another supplier pops up with a better price. ;)

Last week, @case_a_holix made its way to Divine Lee selling it for Php250 (excluding shipping of Luzon P90 • Visayas P95 • Mindanao P100)

But @case_a_holix doesn’t have the shade I like.. :(

Then last week, I heard that my mom is now carrying an iPhone. I almost jumped for joy when I heard about it. If you do not know my mom, she’s the ultimate late adopter of everything techy. She’s a total Jurassic–but I absolutely love her.  <3 <3 <3

So, anyway, when I saw this post from Laureen Uy (it helps to be the #1 fashion blogger in town ‘cos you get gazillion sponsorships), I knew I had to get it for my mom. She loves Dior so much and is crazy loyal to the brand so this cute case would be awesome for her.

I saw this post from Laureen Uy, the golden girl of sponsorships, and she got it from @atchcatch

I immediately viber-ed @atchcatch and was more than delighted to know that they are selling these cases, along with Chanel Le Vernis case, for only Php260-Php280 (excluding MM Php50 shipping).

I didn’t think twice of getting for myself, too. And I got na rin for my ate.

Here are the ones I got for my mom, my sister and myself. Pure love <3

My Le Vernis Case is in Black Pearl. It’s a rubberized case with hardshell back. The design scratches easily–no wonder there is a protective plastic on it when you take it out from the box. But that’s okay, I love how it looks and feels on my phone. Again, pure love. <3 <3 <3

You can get in touch with @atchcatch via instagram or

To Order: Please fill up the form tinyurl.com/atchcatch For inquiries: text/viber 09178282891

Pick of the Month: Oryspa Wasabi Rice Bran Butter and Wasabi Detox Scrub

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Oryspa (from the scientific name of rice, oryza sativa) means rice for the spa. Coming from pure Filipino ingenuity, Oryspa is the first and finest maker of rice bran based spa products in the country. Oryspa products are of 100% natural origins. The brand uses rice bran and rice bran oil as its main ingredients, which is primarily exfoliating, anti aging and moisturizing.

Rice bran, known to Filipino as darak, a brown powder that is a by product of rice milling contains beneficial antioxidants, and packed with vitamins and nutrients which are found to have powerful anti-ageing properties. Rice bran oil are rich in vitamin E and gamma-oryzanol. It is rich in co-enzyme q10, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids and even oleic acid.

Benefits of Rice Bran

  1. Look and feel younger as rice bran used in Oryspa products are high omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin b which are natural anti oxidant
  2. Get fairer whiter skin safely with Oryspa products with rice bran. Unlike virgin coconut oil, rice bran has a high smoke point which means it does not react easily to the heat of the sun where we experience abundantly in the tropics.
  3. Get smoother softer hair and skin as Oryspa products are easily absorbed by the skin
  4. Enjoy a clearer complexion as Oryspa brightens with rice bran being naturally antibacterial in nature.

I’m sure everyone is new to this concept. Imagine seeing rice, the Filipino’s staple food, in a new light. Who would’ve known that there’s so much more to rice and its by-product than just for food?

I was so delighted when I finally got my package from Oryspa. It was really thoughtful of them to give me their wasabi goodies for product review–perfect for my blog’s name, couchwasabi. :)

I love that Oryspa’s Wasabi Rice Bran Butter (Php 235.00) gives the right amount of moisture without being sticky like most lotions do. It contains grapeseed oil, shea butter, and jojoba oil which are known for their anti-oxidant and moisturizing properties.

Since I am confined in an air-conditioned room most of the day, which everyone knows can be extremely drying to the skin, I really hoard on good body butters to keep my skin soft and supple. Oryspa’s Wasabi Rice Bran Butter gives you that instant hand spa experience, which includes the invigorating spa scent it leaves on your skin.

Scrubs are an easy way to enhance your natural glow by removing dead skin cells leaving soft, supple skin. Putting in body scrub sessions once a week can help slouch off those dead skin cells to give way to new glowing skin. Oryspa Rice Wasabi Detox Scrub (Php 235.00) is a dual-action scrub containing seaweed and elemi extract for firming and slimming effect. It is infused with pili oil for firming and olive butter for moisturizing stretch marks, making it less visible after continued use.

As an all Filipino brand of 100% natural product, it bids to compete with the rest of foreign brands particularly in Asia. As rice is a truly Pinoy trademark, Oryspa is a truly Pinoy experience the rest of the world would want to get a share of.

Oryspa has branches in SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Calamba, SM Sta. Rosa, SM Clark, and SM Lipa. You may also order Oryspa products through their official website http://www.oryspa.com

PS, Thank you to Ms. She for the wonderful gift of Oryspa