or Hazel Klenk Reyes-better known as actress Ara Mina, 25-the long search is over. She has finally found the perfect location and house design to put her hard-earned money on. It's in a posh village in a somewhat hidden area in Quezon City.

"Ang tagal ko ring nag-ikot-ikot," she sighs. "Naikot ko ang North Susana, Tivoli Royale… Umabot ako pati sa Valle Verde area. Until nakita ko ito."

It was the Ayala Land Corporation that developed the village, and it laid down the rules. "Napakahigpit," says Ara, who claim she's one of the first buyers there. "Kahit may-ari ka, hindi ka basta puwedeng magpa-extend o magpa-alter ng bahay nang walang permiso. Magsa-submit ka pa ng design for their approval."

Before this, Ara was in constant motion, never staying long in one place, renting either condominium or townhouse unit.

"Una kong na-rent, condo," she recalls. "Tapos, nag-townhouse ako ng mga one year sa me Loyola Heights [QC]. Then, lumipat na naman ako, townhouse din, sa may Capitol Subdivision [also in QC]. Nakakaloka, doon sa huli, may mumo [ghost]. Imagine, may sumasagot ng phone kahit walang tao? Umalis ako, umuwi muna ako sa mommy ko sa Marikina. 'Tapos, rent na naman habang ginagawa ito."

For this house that she now calls home, she paid in six figures monthly, two years straight. "Ang dugo! Kasi nga, habang naghuhulog ako, me binabayaran pa akong rent."

She vividly remembers how she felt when she finally moved in three years ago.

Habang hinahakot ang mga gamit ko, bigla na lang tumulo ang luha ko," she says, laughing at the memory.

In three years' time, Ara went through about six major construction jobs on her house. She had her dining area extended and made into a separate room, created a proper kitchen where there used to be a garden, had two rooms upstairs made into one, and added fountains and a trellis to the garden.

And she's not done yet, we're telling you.

Ara's interior decorator, Cynthia Almario of Ivy and Associates, helped her with the overall look. Says Ara: "Bale ang ginagawa nila, halimbawa itong sofa, pinapapili muna nila ako ng design, 'tapos, papapiliin naman nila ako ng tela, 'tapos ng kulay, saka nila gagawin 'yong pieces. Kaya more or less, lahat ng gamit ko dito, pasadya." Yellow, and gold are Ara's colors of choice. "Kasama daw kasi sa lucky color ko ang light yellow," she smiles.

A view of the living room from the second floor. Ara, a believer in feng shui, calls this her lucky house. "Kasi nagmula noong lumipat ako ditto three years ago, doon ako nagkaroon hg sunod-sunod na projects," she says. "Tapos, nananalo na ako ng [acting] awards… kaya maraming nagsasabi sa akin na kahit makabili ako ng iba pa, 'wag ko raw ito ibebenta"

Ara calls this room, which is directly opposite the living room, "the gallery." The off-white shelf hold her four acting trophies, neatly framed photographs of herself and her loved ones, numerous photo albums, and volumes of magazine clippings, plus some of her favorite books (The Secret Language of Destiny and the Secret Language of Birthdays). To the left is a captivating French-style love seat.

The dining room is a new addition to the house. "Hindi siya room dati," Ara explains. "Bale pagpasok mo sa sala, dining [area] na agad. Masikip. So, nagpaalam ako sa [Ayala Land] management na magpapa-extend ako. Ganoon kasi ditto, hindi ka puwedeng basta gumalaw kahit sa iyo pa ang bahay. Pati design iaaprove pa nila. Dati, 'yang part na 'yan, labas na, part na ng garden." Thus, she was also able to extend the kitchen and sink area. "Kasi, sabi ko, aanhin ko malaking lote, masikip naman ang bahay ko. Di lumuwag, 'di ba?"

This secretive, a made-to-order piece, now stands as the living room's main accessory. It contains her angel collection. "And dami pa rin kasing nagbibigay sa aki," she says of the winged figurines. When closed, the upper door panels serve as mirrors.

In the three years she has lived here, the house has undergone uncountable reconstructions. Not mere repairs, but reconstructions! For instance, the white door at the far end leads to a room that-take note-was formerly a servant' quarter, is at present stockroom, and in the future will be an office.

Ara's bedroom on the second floor has floral-upholstered walls with matching drapes. It is done in what she calls "Victorian California romantic style." Her queen-size bed-with its sumptuous white linen and lace, seven gigantic pillows and two small ones-add to the extremely feminine feel of the room. "Kasi pag nandito ako, talagang pahinga ang habol ko," she says. "'Yong blinds, talagang lagging nakababa 'yan para kahit umaga na, mukhang gabi pa rin. Saka kung mapapansin n'yo, wala akogn TV dito. Kasi pag meron, hindi rin ako mapapahinga. Music lang ang meron ako ditto. Nagpapatugtog ako ng mga Enya… isa pa, bawal talaga maingay sa neighborhood na ito."

The guest room's black-and-white concept is Ara's. "Kasi noong bata pa ako, mga 14 to 15 [years old], ganyan talaga ang dream room ko," explains the homeowner. "Siyempre, iba na ngayong. Pa-princess effect na ako, girl na girl. Pero sabi ko, why not make one dito sa bahay na ito? Para hindi monotonous."

Ara has at least 200 perfume bottles! "Pero karamihan naman dati ko pa nabili," she says. "Magmula nang mapunta ang isip ko sa bahay, nahinto na ako sa pagbili ng mga pabango." Among her current favorites are Annick Goutal, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Nina Ricci.

This walk-in closet was originally one of three bedrooms in the house. Ara attached it to the master bedroom and then converted it into her dressing room. Ara is a very organized person. And her clothes are arranged in very clear categories: formal dresses, colored T-shirts, denim pants. Her shoes kept in their original boxes and labeled.

Ara's 200 plus square-meter house stands on a 363 square-meter property. "Bale noong nabili ko ito, lupa pa lang," Ara tells us. "Noong nag-down [payment] ako, saka pa lang ginawa ang bahay. Ganoon ang system dito. Tapos, more or less, pare-pareho ang itsura sa labas. Alam ko, isa ako sa pinaka-unang nakakuha ditto. Phase 1 ito, e." Her neighbors, she says approvingly, are "mga lawyers… may isang mayor ng isang province, may general."

"Nako, 'yang mga 'yan ang dahilan kung bakit na-delay ang pictorial natin dito," she says about her landscaped garden. "One-year in the making ang pagpapa-landscape ko! Kasi one-year in the making ko ring binabayaran. Pati bako na adobe, pinataasan ko." Put together, the crazy-cut stone pathway, ornamental plants, garden lights, and fountains, plus labor costs, set Ara back by at least P500,000.

This house is now proudly hers. She declined to say the full amount she paid for it, but admitted that the home extension alone cost her P1.5 million. Trouble is, she's still not done thinking of what to do-or undo-next. Just two weeks before this pictorial, she has the huge glass panels you see here changed from clear to tinted. Although, we must says that the results are great!

Originally, Ara wanted an open-air Jacuzzi, on this spot, but changed her mind soon enough. Instead, she placed a fountain, which is best viewed at night when all the garden light are on. One of these days, Ara plans to host a dinner for her neighbors. "Dito kasi, every weekend, may nagho-host ng dinner," she says. "Ako na lang ang hindi pa." She adds, "Alam n'yo, ang babait ng kapitbahay ko dito. Noong first time kong nanalo ng award [sa MMFF] for Mano Po, pinadalhan nila ako ng malaking card na nakapirma lahat sila doon. 'Tapos, may mga messages sila na: 'We're proud of you,' 'Keep it up…' Ang sweet, sobra." - -