My siblings have often chided me for having a lucky birth date because they’re not as fortunate. Celebrating my birthday on January 31st has its perks, the most important of which is it’s payday, so I always end up having some treats served for my special day. I even got the chance to invite friends over to our place for a little celebration. But we’re not well-off, so Goldilocks cakes are unheard of in our family until I reached college.

There’s a Goldilocks branch near UST, which my classmates frequented. Since I was living on a tight budget at that time, I would have to save some money from my already meager allowance, and that would take days, even weeks, just to be able to buy a decent meal from Goldilocks. That dream of savoring the delectable foods at Goldilocks seemed unreachable, however, as there were other things I needed to prioritize in school.

Xeroxing resource materials was one. I couldn’t buy all the required books for my course, so I had to photocopy the chapters that I needed to study for an exam. That’s where most of my allowance went. As days progressed, I gave up on my ultimate Goldilocks dream until one day when one of my best pals in college invited me for a snack at Goldilocks and I consented.

I don’t even remember if I had saved enough money for that or if she lent me money or if she insisted on footing the bill, but I do remember what heaven felt like the moment I relished my first ever Goldilocks product, their fresh lumpia. I took my sweet time consuming this delightful treat.

Of course, I didn’t show my friend that it was my first time at Goldilocks nor did I give a hint that I was head over heels in love with what I was having for merienda. I hope she never took notice of my mixed emotions at that time. Since then, I have become a loyal Goldilocks patron. As a matter of fact, my son always celebrates his birthday with a Goldilocks cake.




You’re the 1, Goldilocks, because you made me realize that dreams can come true, and if I wait for the right time, I can have a taste of heaven on earth.

Hi, my name is Tetcha and I’m a shopaholic.

My shopaholic experience happened two years ago, exactly four days before my 35th birthday. The timing couldn’t be perfect because first, I could demand for a birthday gift from my husband, and second, he had recently converted his unused leaves to cash, so he had money to buy me the perfect present for my special day.

Hubby had been asking me what birthday gift I wanted, but I still couldn’t decide yet. The truth was I had long been dreaming of owning an engagement ring. You guess it right. I wasn’t wearing an engagement ring when we got married in 1996.

So off we went to a jewelry store in Glorietta Mall, Makati. There were so many pieces to choose from, but their prices made me cringe. I was actually embarrassed to buy something expensive for myself. So I settled for a lower-priced ring, which turned out to be defective. We had no choice but to look for another ring.

This time around, my husband found one that is simple yet elegant but more pricey than the previous one. And it fit my finger to a T! I was so happy! I was also eyeing a pair of pearl earrings, but I didn’t intend to buy it on the same day. My husband told me I could get those earrings, too. I couldn’t believe my luck! I guess it’s true, diamonds (and pearls) are a girl’s best friend. I left the store beaming with joy and loving my husband even more.

Catch “Confessions of a Shopaholic” in Cinemas on February 18, 2009!