It’s been a loooong Friday at work and we were about to pack up and leave when someone from Cebu Pacific told us they are dropping their rates again, this time even lower (thanks to new aircraft delivery). Yippppeeeeee!!!!!! The press release won’t be out in the papers till tomorrow, so of course we’re giving you ShopCrazies a head start. Flights from Manila to anywhere in the Visayas are now P568 one-way, while Manila to Mindanao flights are now P868 one-way. Notice the beach pic? That’s our super secret hideaway in Negros and we’re booking a flight right this minute. Race you to the website www.cebupacificair.com! Obvious tip: It’s much easier to book online than queue up at the ticket office. Hurry before the seats run out. Toodles and happy weekend!

We love getting liquored up at home with our friends, but hate setting up and cleaning up. So we just serve rhum coke out of plastic cups. It’s tacky at our age, but convenient. Now that Tiffany’s Martini Bar is around, however, we’ve lost our excuse to be lazy hosts. Tiffany’s is an on-call martini service that can set up almost anywhere you want: office, home, clubhouse, tennis court, rooftop—you name it. They bring the best ingredients, plus experienced bartenders and waiters who can keep the drinks flowing while you flit from guest to guest as gracious unfrazzled host.

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You know how it feels when you’ve come across the PERFECT perfume you’d love to wear day in day out for the next year at least, and wanting to keep it a secret, for fear of smelling like the next person you bump into at the mall? Well that’s how I feel every time I evaluate each season’s batch of fragrance launches: I wish it were all mine.

I do get to keep most of what is sent my way. But as beauty editor, I am not allowed to suppress (nor sell!) products. Much as I would like to keep the season’s top scents a secret (who doesn’t want to be the best smelling person in the room right?) my job requires me to divulge every single note, flower, and essential oil found in a spritz.

The Cosmo team and myself have started going through this year’s nominees for the Beauty Awards, coming out in August. You won’t believe the amount of product entries we’ve had to weed through (and still in the process of sorting) to choose the best of the best of the best in beauty. And speaking of fragrances, there are so many to love! My fave at the moment is Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria collection, featuring the Grosellina, Tutti Kiwi, and Herba Fresca colognes; they’re all so light and refreshing!

And while we’re on the subject of special scents,

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A little slice of Bavarian heaven has sprouted at the corner of Commerce and Madrigal Avenues in Alabang. Swiss Inn has opened a branch inside the BMW showroom, and though we haven’t paid a visit ourselves, resto owner Katrina Limcaoco recommends the Corned Beef (P350), Beef Fondue (P850), Raclette (P700), Sea Bass in Pesto Sauce (P385), and Toblerone Chocolate Fondue (P390). Not sure we can head south this week from our base in the north pole, but in case you get to try the food before we do, be sure to “yodel” about it here in ShopCrazy. Kat says there’s an ongoing art exhibit at the restaurant called “Metalscapes” by abstract artist Ivan Acuna (www.ivanacuna.com), so that’s an added treat!

Swiss Inn Alabang is located at 2/F BMW Autozentrum, Commerce Avenue corner Madrigal Avenue, Ayala Alabang. Call 8092326 for reservations. The restaurant is open Tuesdays to Sundays, 11am-2pm, 6-11pm.

                                                                           Care for a Whopper, shopper?  Christine Sipin of Burger King is giving us ShopCrazies these freebie coupons for burgers, fries, spaghetti, coke, and chicken tenders every day of the week till July 26. Burp! Just print out these coupons and they’re good to go. Based on our calculations, if we use these coupons to split lunch with folks at the office for one month straight, we’ll save P1,496. That’s almost enough for a Debbie Co multi-way top at Ishq (P1,590). Worth a try. Thanks Christine! (Click on the jump to get to the coupons)

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