| Unofficial Website of Ms. Janice de Belen |
| Out of the Closet: Janice "I'm happy" (part 1) |
| Posted 08:21pm (Mla time) Jan 30, 2005 By Marinel Cruz Inquirer News Service I'M A homebody," actress/TV host Janice de Belen admits. "I like watching DVDs, listening to love songs, and tinkering with the computer. "Pareho kaming book lovers ng lovey ko, (We share a love for books),� she adds, without identifying her "lovey." "He introduces me to books that he likes. We don't go out much. We don't have the time because he's in school everyday. Patient naman ako (I'm patient)." Unlike her sister Gelli-who, two Mondays ago, shared with us in this section her fascination with shawls, high-heeled sandals and brooches-Janice says she would rather spend money on books than on clothes. "To be honest, I don't really care if I use one outfit over and over," she explains in this interview in her five-bedroom condo unit in Greenhills, San Juan. "First of all, I wear something because I feel comfortable wearing it. Second, I have five kids. My life is not easy. If people see me wear an outfit repeatedly, I know they will understand." BOOKS. "I'm interested in many things so I find it difficult to pick a favorite book. Right now, I'm into self-help books, like 'Instant Analysis' by David Lieberman. If I buy fiction, it has to be something so interesting that I can't put it down, like Dan Brown's 'Angels and Demons' and 'The Da Vinci Code' or Michael Crichton's 'Jurassic Park.' I also read books like 'The Road Less Traveled,' 'Book of Dreams,' even books on psychology, botany, biology and algebra. My Koran is a gift from Robin Padilla. "I have stuff like 'Highly Sensitive Person,' 'The Angry Book,' 'Emotional Vampire,' 'Relationship Rescue' and 'Being Happy,' which I give away as gifts. I have reading materials in every part of the house, even in the bathroom. When I buy books, it takes me the same length of time that a shopaholic spends buying clothes. I like the store Books for Less, because they have good titles at cheaper prices. I also love Fully Booked, which allows me to reserve the books I want and then buy them when I have the money already." TOILETRIES. "I like spending time in the bathroom. I like taking a bath. We didn't have a bathtub in our old house, so I only got to use one when we went abroad. I would soak for a long time. The bath [soaps and salts] that hotels provided were never enough. I would always bring my own. "I'm also into body wash. I like going to Beauty Bar, Body Shop, Zen Zest, or Lush. You could leave me in those stores for a whole day. Puro amoy amoy lang ang ginagawa ko (I would sniff and sniff). "I choose scents depending on my moods. For days when I like to smell fruity, I use orange sherbet, blueberry or similar scents. Sometimes I go for chocolate chip or vanilla-flavored body wash. I also have flower scents. Other times, it's goat's milk from Canus." COSMETICS. "I'm really not like other artistas (movies stars). I'm not into cosmetics. I don't even use body lotion. My sister is really into makeup. You'll be shocked to see my makeup box, compared to hers. I buy cosmetics only because I need them for work. Sometimes, I use those that Gelli donated to me." TOPS. "You'll notice that most of my blouses are quite long. First of all, I'm not sexy. The kind of clothes I have hides those that I want hidden. Second, I like Indian fashion. I don't know why, maybe because I'm fascinated with Indian culture. I love the sari and their henna! "I have an Indian friend. I buy most of my stuff from her mom, Suman Gogna, who imports them. The clothes are kind of pricey, but authentic Indian fabric lasts long. They're very sturdy. In fact, I bought this salmon-colored top two years ago. Maganda pa rin (It still looks good). "I also buy tops with similar design from Nullah and British India. The designs are very simple, pero may dating (but they have character). I guess it's the fabric that makes the outfits look good. Hindi baduy (They don't look cheap). "On normal days, you will see me wearing just regular T-shirts, similar to the one I'm using right now. I like shirts that still look nice even if they're faded." |
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