boat ride through the sky

my everyday make-up

2012-02-08T18:30:00.009+08:00

I'm not a make-up enthusiast and I don't have perfect skin, but I make it a point to leave the house with a presentable to somewhat bearable face. Who knows who I will run into throughout the day, right? I'm very low maintenance when it comes to beauty products. I'm not picky. I usually just go for whatever's available or steal from my mom's or my sister's stash.

My make-up routine is really simple and natural, and takes less than five minutes to apply. This is my go-to look that, in my opinion, can take me from day to night. I'm not a beauty expert or anything, but in my case, I always concentrate on my eyes, so I like to go heavy on mascara and then put a bit of black eyeliner on the crease of my lower eyelid. I would top everything off with bronzer on my cheeks to enhance my skin tone and get me that sun-kissed look. I also like to go nude... on my lips!

For the curious, my "ingredients" include the following: Maybelline New York Clear Smooth Aqua gel foundation, Maybelline New York Clear Smooth Shine Free face powder, The Body Shop Eye Definer Shade in black, Maybelline New York The Magnum Volum' Express waterproof mascara, The Body Shop Brush On Bronze, and Marks & Spencer Shea Nut lip butter.

And this is as close as I will ever get to a beauty post.

i'm an extraordinary machine

2012-01-31T22:30:00.020+08:00

Zara dress, H&M cardigan, sister's socks, Mango booties, Rustan's bracelet

I'm always so bungisngis in my photos. I wonder if people are getting tired of seeing my teeth all the time. It's the only way I know how to werk my thaaang, so unfortunately, you're stuck with my Cheshire grin indefinitely. I cannot do those fierce fashyown poses with a straight face! It was such a struggle for me to do the next shot. I have to show my teeth!!! Hahaha. Besides, don't they say that your smile is your best accessory? So, smile, people! Let's not take things too seriously. :D

Anyway, I wore this to a job interview this afternoon. Funny and embarrassing moment: the swivel chair I was sitting on kept going down on its own and I kinda squeaked "help!" to the interviewer. Hahahaha! Oh, god. Other than that, I feel really good about the whole thing. I can't tell any more until I sign an actual contract, but I'm hoping for good news to come very soon!

love yourself

2012-01-25T20:01:00.010+08:00

thrifted jacket, leaf & co. (F*ART) dress, boots from Hong Kong, old earrings from Africa, bag from Italy

I should be doing stuff for school, but I'm in too much of a chipper mood to skip out on blogging. I don't want to eat my words again and jinx this, but my days have been pretty good recently. Apart from missing a class from being too tired and sore from yoga, things have been quite peachy. School work is slowly piling up, partly thanks to my procrastination skills (old habits die hard). Still, I'm learning and very optimistic about where I am at the moment.

And yeah, I've taken up yoga. It's been great so far! I'm still getting the hang of it, of course, especially since I'm used to sedentary life. But I'm trying to change lifestyles, and I think I'm off to a nice start. Hopefully, I can keep this overall outlook up!

I've come to realize that I've been too hard on myself these past few years, and the only way out of this hellhole is self-acceptance. I need to learn how to embrace myself fully, to accept, appreciate, and affirm who I am. So, let me end this with a reminder. To myself and to whoever needs it. "You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." (Buddha) And once you do, everything else will follow.

maybe i will be ok

2012-01-19T21:45:00.013+08:00

Promod top, YRYS belt, What A Girl Wants skirt, Renegade Folk shoes, Muji bag, Accessorize necklace & ring (gifted by my boyfriend)

I didn't have classes the past couple of days, so it's been kind of a lax week for me. I was able to have time for myself to work on my projects (both for school and personal ones), do a few errands, and pretty much put my life into perspective.

Steady times like these are quite understated nowadays. Nearly everyone I know is busy and up and about, and their diligence and high energy is really something to aspire, but I think I'd like to stick to being carefree and laid back for now. It has it's downsides, yes, but hey, I guess that's why we need build one another up.

accidental fauxhawk

2012-01-18T19:30:00.002+08:00

My hair has a life of its own sometimes.

hose play

2012-01-17T00:00:00.001+08:00

My little nephew Amir having the time of his life with our garden hose!

This is my kind of bath!

saturdate

2012-01-16T10:20:00.020+08:00

Topshop top, Forever 21 skirt, Accessorize necklace, H&M bag, Playground Love Shop boots

Convi has been a busy bee working on graduating basically, so he and I haven't been seeing each other much lately. Thankfully, we managed to squeeze in a lunch and movie date last Saturday! Yay! It was such a welcome break and treat after a long week of thesis for him and me recovering from a flu. Also, coincidentally, we wore each other's presents that day. I wore the necklace he gave for Christmas, and he wore the shoes I got him for his birthday. Yuck, cheesy!

The well-trained boyfriend asked for an outfit shot, too! Haha, so cute.

We ate at Outback Steakhouse for lunch, since he'd been wanting to go there for the longest time. We weren't very happy with our Kookabura Wings (price > quantity), but the rest of our orders left us stuffed (Bacon Cheese Burger and Toowoomba Pasta, yum!). Afterwards, we headed to Eastwood to see Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. I barely remember the first one, but the sequel is brilliant! You should go see it if you haven't yet!

I don't know when we'll see each other next. Probably in two weeks. We're like in a long distance relationship nowadays, haha. But absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that. I'm usually very clingy, but I guess I'm more patient these days and just really excited for him to finish school!

Wish him luck on his thesis, you guys! He needs all the prayers, good vibes, and motivation he can get. :)

tout doucement

2012-01-13T21:15:00.006+08:00

Topshop top, Zara skirt, Sperry loafers, bag from Italy

boatridethroughthesky.com

2012-01-08T23:00:00.013+08:00

In celebration of my blog's second birthday in two days, I'm wearing colors of the sky and formally introducing her brand spankin' new domain! Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to boatridethroughthesky.com!!! You will easily be redirected to the site, but do update your bookmarks just to be safe. Oh, and I created a snazzy new e-mail to match, too. :D

I was going to wait till the actual day for the big reveal, but I have low EQ! I figured out most of the setting up on my own, so I'm really very proud of this. I feel so techie! I used to be great with computers and was always assigned to create simple class websites back in high school. Good to know I still haven't lost my touch when it comes to tinkering with technology!

Amazing how this blog is surviving. I only started and still do this for myself, to keep memories and have something to look back to. I never meant for this blog to actually gain even the small but solid following that it has now. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you to each and every one who continues to journey with me, for giving kind words that help keep me going, for pushing me to be who I want to be (and better), and for encouraging me to reach the dreams I never knew I had. And this goes beyond blogging.

Zara shirt dress, Forever 21 hat, earrings gifted by Cai, Forever 21 belt, socks, booties from eBay

back to school (again!)

2012-01-05T21:30:00.014+08:00

After many twists, turns, bumps, and a whole lot of drama in between, I'm finally back in school. It was actually a bit of a sudden decision. Although I had always planned on going back eventually, I never expected it to be this soon. Either way, I'm grateful and blessed. Especially for my dad, who has been incredibly supportive of all this and was actually the one who encouraged me to get on with it.

There's quite a heavy back-story behind this. I don't know if I have the heart to tell it all. It's really been a crazy and emotional past few years for me, and up until now, I'm still struggling, mostly with myself. I've kept this part of my life private, and my boyfriend's the only one who knows about every little detail. But just to vaguely share something raw about me without giving away too much: I'm seeking help and learning to deal with it one step at a time. Yun na muna.

So, here I am. Back in fashion school for the second time around, pursuing my second degree. A series of unfortunate events forced me to stop before and hold off on the dream, but I guess The Big Man Upstairs doesn't give up on me that easily. Though I've only gone through orientation (we had to draw today!) and met a few people, so far, everything's been lovely and everyone's been so nice and down-to-earth. I hope admiration and inspiration persists rather than haughtiness and intimidation.

Praying I finally find my place here and don't mess this up. Keep moving forward.

and here's me today

Cotton On top, Zara skirt, Charles & Keith wedges, Forever 21 earrings, bag from Italy

has the world ended yet?

2012-01-02T18:30:00.012+08:00

Zara sweater, Mango dress, Renegade Folk wedges, Accessorize necklace (gifted by my boyfriend), Rustan's bracelet, rings from Forever 21 & The Little Things She Needs (gifted by my sister)

Starting the apocalyptic year with my hyena face!

Had a simple media noche with my family here at home, accompanied by a delicious bottle of champagne and sounds of our neighbors' fireworks to welcome the New Year. Then, I spent a great part of yesterday doing a general cleaning of my bedroom, which I often do at the start of every year to get rid of items I don't really need or simply don't want to see anymore. Going through my stuff is kind of my way of revisiting my past, constantly learning more about myself, and then finally letting go of the "excess baggage". It's very refreshing and liberating! A perfect start to the year, me thinks.

Listing resolutions and creating vision boards are part of the fun of New Year, but I always edit and create new ones every single day, so I don't want to commit. I think I'll just keep the specifics to myself this time around. Besides, it doesn't need to be January 1 for me to make changes in my life. I just need to love myself more, work harder, be more available to others, start my days with a random act of kind, make more mistakes, and put Him at the center of everything, and I know I'll reach my goals. Whether or not the world is ending soon!

Wishing everyone a healthy, safe, and exciting year ahead! Here's to a blessed 2012!

wear your heart on your sleeve

2011-12-30T16:30:00.000+08:00

What A Girl Wants top, Forever 21 skirt, cardigan, bag & shoes from Italy, YRYS belt used as bracelet, Muji socks, rings from my mom, Eastwood bazaar, & Yhansy

I meant to save this outfit for Valentine's Day, but I figured any day's as good as February 14 to wear your heart on your sleeve (or your chest), right? After all, December is, in a sense, a season of love.

I wore this to a day out with Convi last Thursday when we did some errands, munched at Charlie's Grind & Grill for lunch, and then headed off to his high school class reunion in the evening. I don't have photos of that night, but it's always fun to see the boys in action and to hang out with old friends in general. I guess now that we're all growing up and don't get see each other as much anymore, rare gatherings like these become more and more crucial.

Conversations become more interesting, too, as you get older. Back then, you and your friends were talking about crushes, college, and career. The next thing you know, the topic of marriage is suddenly on the table and you're scouting prospects for who gets to sit with you on your front porch. The future holds so much promise and surprise that you can't help but look forward to it because you know it'll only get better. It's exciting and scary at the same time.

anyway, this is what we had at Charlie's

1. strawberry milk shake, 2. spaghetti marinara w/ meatballs, 3. buffalo wings

tea time

2011-12-30T11:00:00.002+08:00

Except I don't like tea. Let's talk about milk tea, specifically. Am I the only one who hasn't been jumping for joy?

My boyfriend didn't like it at first, too. We used to roll our eyes and joke around about it a lot, i.e. "Hi, I like milk tea and Zooey Deschanel and New Girl is the best show ever, etc. etc." (Just kidding, Zooey fans! I actually like her but in small quantities.)

BUT THEN, HE BETRAYED ME. He's constantly craving it nowadays! I'm probably the only person left in the whole city who hasn't given in to the milk tea craze. I'm so uncool. I do get the appeal though. I try and sip from my friends' orders every once in a while, but I don't think I'll ever actually go looking for it. I'm really more of a coffee or juice person, I think?

1. Convi's okinawa milk tea, 2. pepper potato, 3. chicken chops, 4. pepper sweet corn

On the other hand, I'm all for pica pica (finger food). When we found out that Serenitea has a small snack selection on their menu, Convi and I headed to the nearest branch to check them out. Basically, we weren't satisfied with the pepper potato, but the rest were delicious. Pairing them with milk tea wasn't all that bad either I guess (haha).

So, just a heads up for anyone planning on taking me on a milk tea run, make sure there's also yummy food involved in the itinerary, and I'll be more than happy to tag along!

my Christmas ensemble

2011-12-25T14:00:00.002+08:00

thrifted dress, Accessorize necklace & ring (gifted by my boyfriend <3), socks, Charles & Keith wedges

noche buena

2011-12-25T13:50:00.002+08:00

although it's been said many times many ways

2011-12-24T13:00:00.013+08:00

Just a quick post before heading off to spend a simple and quiet weekend with my family. Christmas is my favorite time of the year, but for some reason, I honestly haven't been feeling the holiday spirit as much this year. Still, 'tis the season to be jolly, and in celebration of that, I bring to you the second installment of my out-of-tune and shaky singing for your listening pleasure (torture?). I did a rough and meek a cappella rendition of my favorite Christmas song, and again, a warning, it's not the best recording. I was half-asleep when I was making it, so do pardon the imperfections! Enjoy?

Happy Christmas, kids! Whether you're a bit of a scrooge about it or not, and wherever you are, I hope you'll be with your loved ones or at least gorging yourselves with delicious food. Cheers!

HI THIS IS A FOOD POST

2011-12-21T01:00:00.011+08:00

One thing I love and spend on as much if not more than clothes and shoes: FOOD!!! Here are some of my gastronomic adventures with my boyfriend Convi!

1. P25 tacos + P10 softdrinks from the Filinvest 2 clubhouse, 2-3. fearless chicken + burger w/ additional cheese, bacon, & jalapeno from Army Navy, 4-8. pumpkin carrot soup + prawns wrapped in bacon + yang chow fried rice + Cantonese prawns + Vietnamese crispy chicken wings w/ garlic from Little Asia, 9-11. shrimp bisque + grilled prawns + roasted pork from Chelsea, 12. milk & cookies from Borough

an ideal specimen

2011-12-18T20:50:00.030+08:00

I've always fancied feather accessories (and feathers in general) even before the trend actually took off. However, for some reason, I haven't managed to ride the feathery wave even when I practically see it everywhere and on everyone. I've always secretly wanted to have my own feather earrings for as long as I can remember, but I don't know why I never did buy one for myself. Something kept stopping me.

When I found out that MARiS was going to send me something in the mail, I got excited. I thought, YES, I'm finally getting feather earrings! Once I opened my package, to my pleasant surprise, another beauty in the form of leaves greeted me instead. I was strangely relieved and a realization hit me.

This isn't exactly the feather earrings that I expected and adored on girls, but that's just it: I didn't want what they had. I wanted something to call my own. I don't want to look like everybody else. I don't want to be anybody else but me. Leaves are a kingdom different from feathers, and I'm probably a completely different species from the average human being, but that's okay. It doesn't mean we're less beautiful. And I should learn to embrace that.

MARiS earrings, Topshop sweater, Forever 21 skirt, Mango socks, Zara bag & boots, Rebel Gear beanie

P.S. Thanks a bunch to MARiS for sending me this gorgeous earring! I love the colors! Check out other lovely MARiS items over at their website or Facebook page.

smile & maybe tomorrow

2011-12-10T22:17:00.007+08:00

light up your face with gladness
hide every trace of sadness
although a tear may be ever so near
that's the time you must keep on trying

Zara top, Regatta jeggings, Renegade Folk flats

Smile -- Nat King Cole

j'suis d'accord

2011-12-07T22:40:00.040+08:00

I woke up in a bit of a Roman Holiday mood this morning. Put on a simple white top and skirt combo inspired by runaway Princess Ann, and then decided to skip out on the products to let my hair breathe for a while. I also danced and pranced on my bed like an idiot... and recorded it like an idiot. I'll understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore after this, hahaha.

In other news, I had a wisdom tooth extracted today! I was kinda scared before the whole thing, but it didn't turn out as bad as I expected or at all. It took less than 30 minutes and was completely painless (thank goodness for anesthesia). Although, at the moment, I feel like half my face has fallen off, but otherwise, I'm A-ok! Ice cream makes everything better. I got to take my tooth home with me, too, which is pretty cool. I'm gonna have another one taken out next week or so, which means I'm probably not gonna be able to pig out for a while and I haven't been able to lately and it's making me sad. :(

P.S. Music: J'Suis d'Accord -- Francoise Hardy. Yes, I'm aware it isn't even Italian.

BU2 hangover

2011-12-05T00:50:00.019+08:00

(But really, this is going to be a love letter/thank you speech.)

When Aisa and Melai simultaneously texted me in October about the second Bloggers United Bazaar, I got really excited and thought maybe I could help them out again at registration, like I did last May during the first installment. But then, I suddenly got tagged under the "Participating Bloggers" album on the Bloggers United Facebook page, and I fell off my seat!

I cannot express how grateful I am to the three musketeers, Aisa, Melai, and Ana, for this opportunity. I know it was only a 2x3 sq. m. space, but dear girls, it really meant a lot to me that you even considered me to be part of this in the first place. Like Denise said in one of her tweets, you three are indeed the real life Powerpuff Girls! Thank you for all the email updates, enduring the stress, and overall organizing another fantastic event! Everybody's already looking forward to Bloggers United Bazaar Part 3, but I wish you girls could go on a nice, long vacation first, because you totally deserve it!

My BU2 experience was a blast, to say the least. It was my very first bazaar experience as a seller, and yes, it was a whole new world and it was tiring (I don't understand how everybody except me managed to look fresh until the evening). But I can't say that I didn't have loads of fun. I wouldn't have survived it without my wonderful boothmates, Ava and Sarah, and, of course, my selfless personal assistant/photographer for the day, Ria, who was such a trooper the whole time!

To those who bought from me, I hope my things have found loving, new homes with you. To friends, readers, and new faces who dropped by and said hi, thank you so much for taking time off of your day to do so. To the bloggers, you are all even more if not as nice, gorgeous, and fabulous in real life as you are online. It was amazing seeing everybody in the flesh (again and some for the first time). I almost never attend events or show up at gatherings, but I really am glad and proud to be part of the blogging community. :)

Thank you again to all who came by and supported this whole affair! Till next time!

(some of) Venezia

2011-11-29T22:15:00.002+08:00

Venice, Italy

July 21-24, 2011

Paris, Roma, Firenze, Venezia, Milano

only shooting stars break the mold

2011-11-28T15:30:00.000+08:00

SM top, Topshop skirt, Forever 21 bag & accessories, black socks, Mango booties

All Star -- Smash Mouth

pacemaker

2011-11-25T00:20:00.014+08:00

Topshop top, Topshop skirt, gifted coat from my boyfriend, YRYS belt, earrings & socks from the U.S., boots from Italy, Zara bag

Here's one of the first outfits I wore with my new do, so I suppose it has to be posted. I probably look like I'm stuck in the 80's or 90's with this one, but oh well, shoot me.

I don't consider myself trendy. I wouldn't say I'm old fashioned either, but I'm the last person you should ask about designers, runway looks, and the latest buzz in the fashion world. I don't really keep up with all that stuff as much as others do. When it comes to my personal style, I just listen to my gut, I guess? I always stick to what feels good, and don't really bother about whether it's soooo last season or not.

Nothing wrong with keeping up with the trends, of course! It always helps to keep learning something new. I admire people who are up-to-the-minute and can really own it. But personally, I'd rather do things at my own pace.

P.S. Roughly a week left till Bloggers United Bazaar (Part 2)! I still have free entrance tickets to the event up for grabs!

23 on 23

2011-11-23T00:00:00.011+08:00

I turn a year older today. Taller, maybe smarter, not necessarily wiser, more mischievous but a lot less cute than the little girl in this photo. I don't really have any wild epiphanies or big revelations to mark this day. Just a simple thought and prayer, hoping that by being present right at this very moment, I've somehow changed someone's life or made it a bit bearable at least. If not yet, I hope I can continue striving to inspire and allow others to do the same for me. Isn't that enough reason to stay and say, thank You for another day, another chance to be a better person?

way before the cut

2011-11-16T20:00:00.015+08:00

Zara top, Promod vest, Promod leggings, Burberry hat, bag & shoes from Italy

I haven't gotten around to taking outfit shots with my new hair yet. For the meantime, I'll probably be giving you guys backlogs. This is from, um, a month ago. I'm such an ace blogger. But hey, this means more time for everybody to mourn over my old locks! Hehe.

Sooo, no, I didn't cry when they chopped it off. In fact, I'm beyond thrilled I went for it and think it's the best decision I've ever made! Although those curls and I had the best two and half years together, it feels really great not to hide behind all that mess anymore. Anyway, HAIR GROWS. Plus, this is saving me shampoo!

Cutting my hair and baring all of myself physically kind of reflects what I've been going through these past couple of days. It seems a bit cliche, really -- girl gets a makeover, girl's life changes. I hope I can tell you more, but I don't want to overwhelm. One thing I can say right now though is that I'm finally asking for help, which is something I should've done a long time ago but at least I'm taking steps now. I'm just glad I'm not facing this alone.

I promise I'll explain the whole story when I start to get back on my feet. For now, I hope you take time to thank the people who consistently stay with you, even at your absolute worst, even when you repeatedly can't get your shit straight.

Thank you. You know who you are.

SURPRISE!!!

2011-11-14T09:00:00.001+08:00

a little androgynous, a little unfinished, a little bare

The Giordano Fashion Showdown

2011-11-11T21:00:00.013+08:00

I generally don't like contests that involve getting highest likes/comments/text votes/audience impact to win, but oh well, let's do this for kicks!

I joined The Giordano Fashion Showdown with awesome girls and fellow bloggers, Ava, Kookie, and Aisa! We were tasked to style a Giordano ball tee of our choice, and our entries are now up over at the Giordano Philippines Facebook page. Check them out! So cute that the other girls picked the same design by coincidence! I feel out of place tuloy, haha.

So yeah, spread the love, and please vote for us by LEAVING A COMMENT on our photos. "Likes" don't count as votes, so MAKE YOURS COUNT or something. Thanks a bunch! :D

outfit 1

Click here to vote for my first look!

Giordano ball tee, Mango dress, Japan Home Center beanie, Topshop tights, Muji socks, Schu booties

outfit 2

Click here to vote for my second look!

Giordano ball tee, Cotton On bandage skirt, scarf from my mom, earrings from the U.S., clutch from Cambodia, Renegade Folk wedges

bittersweet faith

2011-10-24T23:15:00.025+08:00

YRYS hat, Forever 21 dress, Regatta jeggings, bag & boots from Italy

So, I lied. I said I wouldn't post anything new until I get all the Europe photos up, but whatever. I'm bored, so I come bearing an outfit from last week! Although isn't there some sort of style rule about not getting caught wearing the same clothes more than twice or something? I've worn this hat, dress, and pants a million times already, but oh well, who really believes in all that fashionista crap anyway, haha. In fact, I hate the term "fashionista".

On a more personal agenda: things seem to be slowly falling into place for me. After much prayer and going into hermit mode for a while, I'm starting to gain some -- I don't want to call it "peace" -- understanding, maybe? I used to dread waking up in the morning, afraid of having no concrete plans for the day and an unclear direction towards the future, but lately, I've actually been looking forward to the uncertainty. I'm excited over the possibilities and opportunities that have (and will) come my way, and I feel incredibly blessed with the unexpected turn of events.

I'm starting to realize how things really work, that even though you think you've mapped out your whole life, the heavens will sometimes turn it around and give you something more amazing. For once, I feel good and okay about myself and pretty much everything that's been happening. Nothing over the top. I'm simply thankful for the small, everyday miracles that have recently made me feel so... kilig. Ang sarap manligaw ni God!

~~Am I even making any sense?~~ More recent circumstances have led me to re-evaluate everything. Maybe I'll get into detail another time.

For now, I'll leave you with this photo of me and my boyfriend-slash-personal assistant that I randomly turned into gay shit!

hair woes

2011-10-11T18:00:00.005+08:00

My hair has gotten way too long. There are days when I just want to grab a pair of scissors and snip snip, but more than half the time, I'm simply attached to my mane. Always a love/hate relationship with us, you see. I feel like Samson about it mostly.

Any hair stylists out there looking to experiment/build their portfolio? I'm offering my head of hair as your canvas before I gather enough courage to chop it all off! (My hair, not my head.) Don't worry, I won't charge for every inch or strand. Haha, ngek.

Oh what to do, what to do...

(some of) Firenze

2011-09-26T17:30:00.002+08:00

Florence, Italy

July 19-21, 2011

(more behind the cut)

Paris, Roma, Firenze, Venezia, Milano

lazy daisy

2011-09-18T19:00:00.011+08:00

Nakitta dress, YRYS belt, Muji bag, black socks, Ichigo booties

My face looks terribly puffy in these photos, but I think I look clean and sun-kissed overall, figured I might as well upload the bunch. These were taken about three months ago though. Sorry I've been posting a lot of old photos. I kind of promised myself I'd get all the Europe photos up first before getting around to the new ones, and I've been really slow at editing, so it's gonna take a while. Plus, I've been trying to get my life back on track (seems like I'm always doing this, yeah?). Please bear with me. Hopefully, I'll have good news to tell soon!

When I'm not here, I'm over at Twitter, Tumblr, or Pinterest, but mostly Twitter. So, yeah, say hi! New friends would be nice. :)

this is what i sound like

2011-09-15T17:38:00.005+08:00

Old photos (with bangs!) to remember an old love. My first love, singing!

I was trying to stay up late last night to accompany my boyfriend while he was working on his thesis, and I got bored, so this happened. Thought I'd share more about myself other than what I wear and what I eat. So, here's my gift (or punishment? hahaha) to you guys. Consider it as my thanks to each and every one of you (whether online or in real life), who continues to stick it out with me even if I can be really lame and boring (and like using parentheses a lot).

Listen here: http://gela.tumblr.com/post/10230454450

(some of) Roma

2011-09-06T18:40:00.005+08:00

Rome, Italy

July 15-19, 2011

(more behind the cut)

Paris, Roma, Firenze, Venezia, Milano

three's a charm

2011-08-22T18:00:00.020+08:00

The Ramp corset, Tsubaki skirt, Zara sandals, H&M bag, Forever 21 earrings, Banana Republic bracelets

I know I sometimes say that Convi and I are a boring couple, but we're really not. We have the time of our lives when we're together, and there's never a dull moment. In fact, we're always laughing, even when there isn't anything funny. Okay, this makes us sound totally crazy, but I'm not even exaggerating! What I treasure the most, however, after about eight years of friendship and (officially) three years of being a couple, are the sweet and tender moments that happen unexpectedly.

Last Tuesday, the night before our actual anniversary, thinking that he was very busy with school, I got a surprise text from Convi saying that he was right outside my house. Excited, I went to open the front door for him. When I got outside, he suddenly appears with a ukelele in his hands singing Jason Mraz and then something about an angel, and oh god, I just melted into a puddle right then and there. The kicker: he actually doesn't play any musical instrument, and learned the ukelele from his friend at school on that same day while studying for an exam. I never thought in a million years that I'd be serenaded to, that he'd serenade me. I'm positively spoiled now, and have been wanting him to sing to me every night since then.

My present to him? Well, he's in his last year of college and dying over thesis, SO I made him a... Thesis Survival Kit. HAHA, IT'S SO LAME, I KNOW. We both couldn't stop laughing (see!) when I showed it to him. Of course, he loved it. Never mind what's inside, though.

On the 17th, we capped off our anniversary the best way we knew how, which was by surrounding ourselves with glorious food. We decided to have lunch at this lovely new restaurant in Greenstreet Capitol Hills called Stacy's. We had initially planned on going to a fancier, more conventionally romantic place, but frankly, we're not really the fine dining types. We're more into the laid-back, happy, and quirky kind of date places, where we wouldn't have to worry about proper posture, which of the forks to use, or breaking our budget as much. Stacy's seemed to fit the bill perfectly!

Apart from the charming decorations and delightful atmosphere that reminded me of Pushing Daisies (don't know what I'm talking about? Educate yourself!!!), the food was pretty good and surprisingly filling, despite our initial reservations of the serving size. Maybe I was just in a particularly chipper mood that day, but I felt like my meal consisted of sunshine and fluffy clouds. It probably did!

What we ordered: Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup, Texas Barbeque Ribs (Convi's), and Big Bangers Breakfast (mine). Per table, they also served a complimentary bucket of popcorn, marshmallows, and pretzel cookies for starters, and then blast from the past Peter's Butter Ball candies for afters. They really added to the whole charm of the place and brought out the little kids in us!

This is gonna come off a bit cheesy, but I'm saying this without bias (meaning I'm not getting paid to blog about them or whatever): you can't help but leave Stacy's with a big smile on your face. It's probably my favorite date place thus far, and Convi and I can't wait to go back to try other items on their menu!

Now I feel like watching Pushing Daisies again...

(some of) Paris

2011-08-10T12:20:00.015+08:00

Paris, France

July 11-15, 2011

(more behind the cut)

Paris, Roma, Firenze, Venezia, Milano

tap your heels together three times

2011-07-26T11:00:00.019+08:00

Topshop hat, my dad's top, Regatta pants, Muji bag, Schu wedges

Just a quick hello and an old outfit post before I share photos from my family's trip. I'm still editing and sifting through them, so it might take a while for me to upload everything (read: I'M LAZY). Hopefully, I'll have a batch up by this weekend! I know my photos won't do the beautiful cities any justice, but hey, maybe that's a good excuse to go back again someday? There are so many wonderful places to see yet so little time, really! One can only ever dream.

We're actually in Milan right now, which is our final stop for Europe. Tonight's our last night here, then we're off to Singapore tomorrow to visit my sister and my brother-in-law for one night before heading back to Manila. It's been kinda hectic and stressful, to be honest, but at least it satisfies the globetrotter in me.

I'm sad that this vacation's coming to an end. More than anything though, I'm excited to go home to see my boyfriend, my baby nephew, to concentrate on job hunting, and to EAT RICE!

simple but flirty

2011-07-06T20:16:00.000+08:00

thrifted lace cover up, Promod dress, Ukay Manila necklace, Muji bag, Mitju flats, rose earrings from Cai

When it comes to my everyday dressing style, I think it's safe to say that I like to keep it simple but flirty. I lean more towards subtle colors and light, easy-to-wear fabric, and I generally don't go for a lot of frou-frou and layers. I guess it may have the tendency to look boring for others, but for me, it works! And that's all that matters, right? (More about my personal style in an interview I did for Magdalena's blog, Mjukt Ljus. Thanks, dear!)

In other news, I've started packing for a trip to Europe with my parents next week. We're heading to France and then Italy, and we'll be there for about three weeks. I'm still worrying about how I'm going to handle the job thing while I'm out of the country, and kind of sad about having to miss the hype of the last Harry Potter movie (yes, it's a big deal for me!), but I'm excited for this trip all the same. Can't wait to lug my camera around for pictures!

Who knows, maybe things will fall into place while I'm on vacation. Now, how to fit everything in one suitcase...

Candy Magazine July 2011 issue: My Best Bargain Score

2011-07-04T18:02:00.003+08:00

I'm in this month's issue of Candy Magazine! Grab a copy and turn to page 74 to check me and five other girls out as we showcase our favorite bargain finds.

Thank you so much to Sam, Candy's new Associate Fashion Editor, for including me in the feature! Even though I'm past my teen years, it's such an honor and always a pleasure to be part of Candy. :)

old news

2011-06-30T19:07:00.015+08:00

YRYS hat, black cardigan, Promod top, Forever 21 skirt, Forever 21 bracelets, brown bag, black socks, Ichigo boots

This outfit is about a month old, but I thought I'd post it anyway for the heck of it. I don't recall much of what happened during this time, but I do remember having my very first bite out of the most delicious red velvet cake ever created by man.

Anyway, a quick update on real life: I recently quit my full-time job. It was a good learning experience, to say the least, but now, I'm searching for better and brighter things. No strong leads yet, unfortunately. It's been two weeks since, and hopefully, something good will come sooner rather than later. Being unemployed again has made me feel really inadequate and insecure lately, but I'm trying my best to keep my head up high and have faith. I try to believe in myself as much as I could, although that's easier said than done. Please keep your fingers crossed for me! (And maybe throw a job over my way, if you could? Haha. /desperation)

skulls, pages, & peacocks

2011-06-27T22:49:00.001+08:00

1. Yhansy ring, 2. The Tote Bag by Jitesh Patel + My Boyfriend Wrote A Book About Me by Hilary Winston, 3-4. gifted notebook

pure shores

2011-06-15T21:00:00.002+08:00

Summer 2011

Zambales & Batangas

All Saints -- Pure Shores

food & i

2011-06-14T19:43:00.020+08:00

Penshoppe beanie, What A Girl Wants shirt dress, Cotton On bandage skirt, Cotton On bag, Pill Clothing & Footwear flats

Also known as the day my friends and I saw X-Men: First Class, which was pretty awesome, by the way!

After beach and bikini season (expect a post on this soon!), I feel like I could now eat whatever I want without guilt. Not that I ever cared about dieting anyway, because basically, I love food and have over sized clothes to save me, so I don't really mind. I'm a garbage disposal.

I just ended a chapter of my life (maybe I'll elaborate on this another time), too, so I've been an emotional wreck and eating my feelings lately. ~~Right now, I feel like a Big Mac, 6-pc. chicken nuggets, large fries, and a strawberry milkshake! I'm not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but I know it's awesome.~~ I changed my mind, I KIND OF WANT THREE TACOS.

Anyway, this is how I am around my favorite food.

P.S. I'm thinking of selling out and doing something special on this blog when I hit 200 on Google Friend Connect and 100 on Bloglovin. Haha, we'll see! What do you want me to do? Nothing too embarrasing please!

herCatwalk blogger challenge part 3: socks

2011-05-26T09:00:00.004+08:00

socks c/o herCatwalk, What A Girl Wants bowler hat, Zara sweater, Francesco shoes

The rainy season's rolling in here in the Philippines. It's time to start working on those layering skills again. Frankly, I'm a lazy dresser, so I rarely go past two layers. If it were up to me, I'd be in a white tank top, denim shorts, and sandals every single day.

Check out the blogger challenge on the herCatwalk blog.

herCatwalk blogger challenge part 2: headband

2011-05-23T09:00:00.006+08:00

headband c/o herCatwalk, Cotton On button down shirt, Undernourished Manila dress, Archive Clothing oxfords, Forever 21 tote bag

Reminiscing the good old days by channeling my least favorite Disney Princess, Snow White. Nothing personal. I've just always been a Jasmine fan. In first grade, I had a white Aladdin & Jasmine lunch box that turned violet in the sun. Who was the coolest?

Also, I think this is the closest I will get to color blocking.

Check out the blogger challenge on the herCatwalk blog.

herCatwalk blogger challenge part 1: scarf

2011-05-20T09:00:00.034+08:00

scarf (worn as bikini top) c/o herCatwalk, Chocolate Clothing hat, Cotton On cover-up, Flair for Drama pants, Virtual Mae clogs, Max & Co. leather bag from eBay

Summer's nearly over in this part of the world, and I'm hopelessly clinging to it like a koala to a eucalyptus tree... or something wittier. Hence, this outfit, which is partly a delayed reaction to the long over Coachella fever, and a celebration for the buzzer beater beach trip I have with friends next week! Yay. Here's to the last couple of hopefully amazing days left under the summer sun!

Check out the blogger challenge on the herCatwalk blog.

flower child

2011-05-01T23:32:00.011+08:00

floral tunic top/dress, The Second Shop vest, wide leg pants, H&M hair clips, Playground Love Shop bag, Virtual Mae clogs

One responsibility of being girlfriend to a comic book geek is to accompany said geek to watch superhero movies. Naturally, I expected it when Convi asked me to go see Thor with him the other day. I wasn't in any position to be picky, because 1.) there were no other good movies anyway, and 2.) it was his treat.

I think I slept through parts of Watchmen, The Incredible Hulk, and The Dark Knight, and I supposed I'd doze off during this one as well. But surprise surprise, I was totally into it! I even had follow up questions for Convi afterwards and was actually quite interested when he brought me to the graphic novels section of Fullybooked. Funny.

Then again, I've always had a thing for blonds. Heehee.

We had a good food adventure that day, too. We got our happiness in the form of three boxes of Chowking's Chicharap (prawn crackers) and a slice of Jack's Loft's Chocolate Decadent Cake, so we were two very satisfied bees last Saturday! Ah, this is the life.

Alas, tomorrow, we go back to hard day's nights. I hope you're all well-rested and ready to face the real world again. Fight!

Easter at the zoo

2011-04-25T23:02:00.004+08:00

A day late, but Happy Easter, boys and girls! Hope you all had a wonderful and peaceful Holy Week. Whether or not you actually celebrate lent, I hope you were with the people you love during the long weekend.

For me, this time of the year is almost always spent with family, and it was a quiet one this time around, since we opted to stay in Manila instead of visiting relatives in Cebu. Good thing we have my baby nephew Amir to entertain us. He is such an adorable little ball of sunshine and has made our home a bit more interesting than usual the past year.

I said I'd post about him again, so here are a couple of pictures from our trip to the zoo yesterday!

April 24, 2011, Ark Avilon Zoo with Mom, Dad, and Amir

we got lucky, hey

2011-04-04T13:05:00.013+08:00

Topshop top, thrifted skirt, belt, boots from Hong Kong, hat from Cosmopolitan Clothing, bag from Playground Love Shop

Saturday afternoon was spent strolling and people-watching with my boyfriend (who else), and pretending like we were tourists with our hats and a camera in tow. We craved a different scenery and decided to hang around Bonifacio High Street for a change, since we're always here in the North anyway. Good thing, too, because the place has the yummiest cupcakes and the biggest bookstore in town, so it's always a nice place to kill time.

The rest of the day was spent at my house playing with my baby nephew Amir (who I realized I haven't posted about in a while. Soon!) and being our usual couch potato selves. And um, that's pretty much it. We're boring people.

Dragonette -- Get Lucky

a few of my favorite things

2011-03-30T13:52:00.017+08:00

taking pictures of clouds

glorious food

1. Chicken Pesto Sandwich from Sugarhouse, 2-3. Grilled Salmon w/ Spinach Cream Sauce & Oklahoma Baby Back Ribs from Burgoo, 4. ~~Sushi~~ Just kidding. I don't like sushi, but I like buffets! This was at Sambo Kojin, 5. Froot Loops!

lazy hair days

doodles

1. adorable sea creatures at Sugarhouse, 2-3. my boyfriend's drawing of a tree vs. my pretentious artsy tree

his dimples (yihee!)

recycling clothes & newfound spots for photo ops

A boobier version of this outfit. Boyfriend approves. Plus, yay for candy-colored walls!

& also, flowers!

I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad!

take two blue, now goodnight

2011-03-13T23:13:00.016+08:00

Gap button down top, Regatta jeggings, YRYS hat, Forever21 tote bag, scarf from my mom, bow ring from Eunicena (thanks, babe! :3), Renegade Folk platform clogs

update on the past few weeks

My older sister and only sibling, Kristha, got married last February 26. It was a pretty big and hyped up wedding, and as the maid of honor, I had to help out with a lot of the nitty gritty details. We had around 50 relatives who came over, too, from all over the country and the world, who we had to fit inside our dinky house. It was hectic, but definitely a whole lot of fun! Not to mention the wonderful boxes of cholesterol in the form of lechon and chicharon that came with our Cebu tribes. What a crazy week that was! Even though I felt harassed for the most part, I think the couple had the time of their life on their big day, and that makes me happy and fulfilled!
I also recently got a full-time job. Remember that magazine I'd been interning for? Two weeks ago, they suddenly offered me a position as an Editorial Assistant/Fashion Assistant! Wow. It fell on my lap just like that! Of course, I had to say yes! Plus, I really like the casual and flexible work environment, my nice co-workers and bosses, and the general excitement of being part of the whole creative process behind a magazine. I'm still learning the ropes and everything, but knowing people trust that you can do good in something is excellent motivation to do even better. I hope to do my best!
In other news, I lost a beanie and my favorite hat. :( I was so heartbroken when I couldn't find them anywhere around the house. I even had Convi look around his family's condo and inside his car, but they were nowhere to be found. Luckily, I discovered these two lovely gems at the Archaeology section in Power Plant Mall to replace them with, so I'm nearly over the loss. Anyway, here are some of the goodies piled up in my room lately!

new goodies

1. Flair for Drama pants, 2-3. Pink Panther giveaway (thanks a bunch to Gia Q of Love Letter to the Moon, Dear Darla, and Q Vintage Fashion Finds!) 4. Cosmopolitan hats

also, quick thanks

Check out Candymag.com's 31 Days of Style: The Best of Style Files! I'm on it! Extremely humbled to be part of the list with these stylish folks. Some of them are my personal favorites, and I know a lot of girls look up to them as well, so I'm very honored! Actually, I'm surprised to even be on a list. Thank you, Candy!

Et c'est tout! Have a fantastic week ahead! Start your days with a smile and a random act of kind. :)

when things don't go according to plan

2011-02-17T10:00:00.009+08:00

tank top stolen from my sister's closet, Tango skirt, black socks, booties from eBay, Cotton On bucket bag

I usually throw a fit. I mean, I'm generally a pretty laid back and carefree kind of gal, but my inner spoiled brat tends to resurface every once in a while and I absolutely go nuts when something doesn't go my way. Life, however, has this funny and annoying way of playing games with you. One minute, it ruins everything you already had mapped out and you're just about ready to jump off a cliff, then the next thing you know, you find yourself having one (or three) of the best nights you've ever had.

Everything went wrong for Convi and me the past few days, I wanted to tear my hair out at certain points. We didn't push through with the play we'd planned on seeing for over a month because of ticket issues, we wasted one afternoon sleeping when we were supposed to go out shopping, and we had a bit of drama the night before Valentine's Day (I blame PMS). At the end of it all though, it really isn't about what you've got planned and forcing everything to be perfect, but about who you spend your days with and how you handle the little surprises that come your way, right?

We took a nice, long walk and spent all night talking instead of watching the play, we went on a fun evening drive to make up for the nap, and on Valentine's Day, we cuddled and ungracefully laughed over episodes of 30 Rock like the boring couple that we are. It was simple and wonderful and yes, I'm gushing. It hasn't been the over-the-top and whirlwind kind of romance most girls dream about, but the lazy days on the couch with our respective laptops kind that we have is perfect, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

I know people are probably sick and tired of the explosion of cheesiness from the other day, but I had a really good Valentine's weekend, and I hope you did, too! Whether you're in a loving relationship or single and fabulous, I hope you continue to spread love even if Feb 14 is over!

P.S. I just noticed that I talk so much about my boyfriend this might as well be his blog too. Haha, oh well.

call it beauty

2011-02-11T12:50:00.006+08:00

Forever 21 mini dress w/ rosette details, Forever 21 shirred skirt, Schu wedges, Accessorize hair clip, Accessorize rings, thrifted tapestry bag

So, we went to a wedding last Saturday (congratulations to the new Mr. & Mrs. Cruz!). I wasn't able to take good pictures of the couple or the ceremony itself, but we did take advantage of the afternoon light for some outfit shots and a little dose of vanity. I obviously didn't bother to iron my dress or brush my hair.

Sorry, I'm not feeling very chatty at the moment. I'm recovering from this stomach flu I've had for the past two days. Plus, it's that special time of the month when I want to bite everybody's heads off. Ugh hormones.

Strained as love's become, it still amazes me, and I would like to call it beauty.

our favorite parking spot

2011-02-06T18:57:00.043+08:00

Topshop tube tunic top, poncho, Forever21 high waist flare jeans, Virtual Mae clogs, peacock plume headband from birdbaths on Etsy, bow necklace from Eunicena, flower ring from Cai, Max & Co. leather bag from kingstone179 on eBay

I recently bought these high waist flare jeans from Forever 21. I think I got too excited when I was trying them on at the store, because I never realized they were too long for me. I wore them with flat sandals the other day, because I had to spend the day helping out at a shoot, but since the pants were long/I'm short, I had to fold them up, which totally defeated the purpose of the flare. Hahaha fail. Good thing I brought clogs to change in the evening, so I think the pants looked better then. /end ~fashen~ rant

After work last Friday, I met up with Convi at Eastwood to watch Tangled. I thought the movie was a really nice throwback to old school Disney! I can't say that it's on par with the classics, but it did, in some way, bring back the same magic and humor of the previous princess movies. I definitely enjoyed it better than The Princess and the Frog, at least. Plus, it didn't hurt that Zachary Levi did the voice of Flynn, because apart from doing a great job with the voice acting, he's Chuck and I love him. <3

Sorry for the frizzy hair, sweaty face, and slightly constipated look (I had a long day). I don't know what's going on in these photos, but this is our favorite wall near our favorite parking spot. For some reason, the parking gods would always leave this particular spot empty for us whenever we're at Eastwood. Even when everywhere else is full, this one never fails us, and it's pretty near the entrance, too! Funny. Oh, Eastwood and your poorly designed underground parking area.

Anyway, Valentine's Day is in a week! Whether you love it or hate it, there's no denying the commercial hype, so we joined in on the cheesiness at Me & U. Ewwww.

Inspiration Board on herCatwalk.com

2011-02-02T09:14:00.012+08:00

In addition to the interview, herCatwalk.com has also created a wonderful montage of my outfits to feature on their Inspiration Board page. Check it out over here!

Another shout out to the lovely Michelle who called me a "tropical storm". Aw yeah. That should be my new nickname. It's so badass. Thanks again, girl!

i like stripes ok

2011-02-01T23:08:00.024+08:00

Gap button down top, Cotton On striped bodysuit, DarkWhite tapered pants, belt stolen from my sister's closet, black socks, booties from eBay, Topshop bag

YRYS hat, Cotton On striped button down top, Zara tank top, Regatta jeggings, Muji tote bag, Ichigo flats, What A Girl Wants freebie bracelets (thanks, WAGW!), flower rings (not seen in picture) from Cai (thanks again, dear! <3)

Little Miss Marie dress, Freeway pants cut into shorts, black socks, booties from eBay, Topshop bag

This is how I've been dressing up lately. Loose and comfortable, so I can easily move around and do my best impression of greatest intern in the whole world. Yep, I recently got an internship! It's with a small and relatively new magazine called Depot Fashion Magazine, where I found out Aisa of Drowning Equilibriums also works. Yay for a familiar face! I finally got to meet her in person and see her styling in action, which was awesome.

I've always toyed around with the idea of working for a magazine, and it's only recently I realized that it's something I could see myself doing for a long time. Not necessarily for something fashion-related, but the idea of putting together a magazine is really fascinating to me, and I thought I'd give it a shot. But being an International Relations major with little creative writing and artistic background, I don't really have much to offer (only my genuine interest, enthusiasm, and charm, har har) and feel that I need to learn more before jumping in the shark tank. So, I went with my gut and decided to take this small, hopefully promising step forward. I'm happy I did!

I'm only a week into this, and I can already say that it's great. The schedule's irregular, but it's pretty flexible and convenient. I'm also unpaid, but I've got to start somewhere, right? I'm learning while having fun, and the people I've met so far are incredibly nice and down-to-earth, so it's all really inspiring and motivating.

Good vibes abound! Hoping that everything else will fall into place and that more blessings will come in the upcoming months.

Catwalk Spotlight on herCatwalk.com

2011-01-28T13:35:00.019+08:00

I'm featured on herCatwalk.com's Catwalk Spotlight! Thank you so much to the editor of herCatwalk, Michelle! I'm really not as cool as she makes me sound in her intro.

Can I just say this: I went through some of the other spotlights, and I appreciate the fact that Michelle really goes through the trouble of reading the whole blog to actually get to know the blogger's interests, hobbies, background, etc. and then incorporate them in her questions. Now that's a true journalist!

The new fashion community's main site will be up on winter, but their blog has been up and running for a while now, so do check them out!

lunch date at Cafe Juanita

2011-01-24T22:30:00.036+08:00

Preview hooded vest, Promod tunic (both recycled from this look), bow necklace from Eunicena (thanks, darling!), Regatta jeggings, Mitju floral flats, round glasses from Thrift Depot Online

Kuzko and Kronk. (Hahaha sorry, Bee! Couldn't resist.)

If it isn't obvious already, Convi and I like to eat. A lot. I'm really picky when it comes to food, but when I like what's on the table, I will gobble it up in seconds. What my boyfriend finds amazing is that, for a relatively tiny person, I can match the appetite of somebody twice my size. I think that automatically makes me girlfriend of the century, yes? Hahaha.

For our dates, we set one day of every month to spend more money than usual on food, and last Saturday, we chose to splurge at Cafe Juanita. What we ordered: molo soup, gambas al ajillio, Juanita crispy spring rolls, two-way adobo pork ribs, crab meat fried rice for him, garlic rice for me, and caramel flan for dessert. Which seems a bit much for two people, but that's how we roll.

Aside from the restaurant's delicious Asian (dominantly Filipino) selections, Cafe Juanita is also known for its eclectic and romantic ambiance. Inside, you'll see a hodge podge of pretty things, like random fabric strewn over chandeliers and chairs, gorgeous antique plates, dolls and masks perched on shelves, among other things. If you're not going there for the food, go for the stunning decorations that add to the whole whimsical feel of the place. They're great to look at and preoccupy yourself with while your boyfriend hoards your iPod Touch to play Angry Birds.

the food

some pretty things

chill Saturday

2011-01-16T17:44:00.036+08:00

bowler hat from What A Girl Wants, striped sweater from What A Girl Wants... for her MAN (stolen from my dad), denim shorts from Freeway, black socks, booties from eBay, sunglasses from Mango, bag from Cole Vintage (thanks to Kookie's giveaway!)

I had a nice, laid-back afternoon with a couple of friends yesterday. Spent it in Makati, which was very unusual for some of us who are very loyal North kids, but we just had to check out what all the fuss was about BonChon Chicken. I'm not sure if their fried chicken is the best I've ever tried, but I was pretty happy with what we ordered. I'm not really good at describing food, so I'm going to let my boyfriend do it. He says, "THE SKIN. OOH THE SKIN" and that he liked the spicy ones more. There you go.

It was also my first time at Ayala Triangle Gardens. It used to be just a random park in the middle of Manila's business district, but they recently commercialized it and added a line of restaurants to the area. I actually like how they developed the whole place. I hear it's packed during most days, but it wasn't bad when we went, so thank goodness for that or else I don't think I would've appreciated it as much.

In other news, I missed my blog's first birthday. Whoops. Can't believe I got this thing to last a year though! I didn't really prepare anything to mark this ~epic milestone~, so I'm going to end with happened to me after this weekend.

Candy Jan-Feb 2011 issue and Prom Special

2011-01-11T17:52:00.010+08:00

I haven't been in a blogging mood lately, but I thought I'd drop by to share this to you guys, since Convi already broadcast it on Facebook anyway. Can you say stage boyfriend? Hahaha. <3

A few things:

I did the Style Diary shoot back in July last year, so certain things in the text don't apply anymore, like I stopped fashion school (for now, at least. It's a long and complicated story), and I haven't really shopped at Topshop, Zara, and Promod in a while.
I had a splitting headache during the shoot, too, which is my lame excuse for the awkward poses and boring captions. Blah, oh well.
Of course, I'd be right next to an ad of a whitening product, while simultaneously looking the whitest and chinkiest I've ever been. I didn't know this was even possible.
Also, this was the reason behind my perfect hair in these photos.

The one for the Prom Special shows the actual me in all my tanned, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed glory. Remember my gorgeous make up here? All thanks to this shoot! I wish I looked this good in my own prom.
Apparently, I stopped growing when I was 15.

With that said, thank you to the Candy team for allowing me to be part of the double issue! I think it's every high school girl's dream to be on Candy, and although it took turning 22 and being overaged for the magazine to happen, I'm extremely grateful and over the moon for the opportunity.

So yeah, go grab a copy, if you want to see the whole thing! I think my parents are gonna buy a million to give away to the whole world.

guess who turned a year older

2011-01-04T12:54:00.025+08:00

Convi turned 23 yesterday! Due to time constraints, though, I wasn't able to think up a more creative present for him, but good thing I had a solid back up. I got him this extremely awesome and scrumptious rainbow cake from The Cake Shack! (Thanks to Smarla for introducing them!)

When I picked up the cake from Genine, who was super nice the whole time I was dealing with her, I was surprised because I didn't expect it to be so big and heavy! Right then, I was bubbling with excitement, and couldn't wait to see and taste it myself.

I'm happy to report that Convi loved it! The colorful coconut cake was hidden underneath a layer of delicious white cream cheese and buttercream frosting, and it was pretty good, not to mention visually fun! Like Lisa Frank decided to put up a bake shop. The best part was seeing his reaction as the cake was being cut. Hee!

Anyway, he'd been sick since New Year, so instead of going out, we just stayed in, doing what we do best which is laze around. We watched Black Swan, too, which was an amazingly intense movie. Go see it, if you haven't yet! Natalie Portman did such a brilliant job in it.

Also, can I just say that I cannot get enough of the lighting in his family's condo?

By the way, you all seemed to enjoy his guest post last time, so I'll be sure to ask him to make another one sometime! Or maybe he'll actually push through with "plane ride under the sea". Haha, we'll see.

Send him some love over at the comments, you guys. :3

December backlogs

2011-01-02T10:05:00.034+08:00

Happy New Year, loves! How did you spend your holidays? I hope you all had a fantastic time celebrating with your favorite people. Mine was simple, quiet, and spent with family for my sister's graduation and a bunch of reunions.

Hoping for more exciting things to happen in the upcoming months, but for now, here's a photo dump of what I'd been up to the past two weeks.

Sorry to keep this short, but my internet's shot at the moment. Hopefully, I'll have something good up in the next couple of days. Have a good week ahead!

Singapore, December 20-23, 2010

nude halter top from Topshop, gray skirt from tango, beige pouch bag from Topshop, peep toe sandals from Trunk Show

Cebu, December 24-30, 2010

FOODIE SO GOODIE

2010-12-13T16:20:00.041+08:00

Laziest outfit ever: over sized sweater from Archive Clothing, white Mary Janes from Muji, bag from Zara, heart ring from Ring Apartment

Ollo (vague Megamind reference for you there)! Since Gela is currently in an epic battle with Me & My Katamari on the PSP, today's post will be written by me, Gela's loving boyfriend, trusty photographer, and number one fan, Convi (see above photo of strapping young fellow overly excited by the sight of a white Christmas tree)!

I planned to surprise her last Saturday by treating her to an early monthsary lunch date at this new restaurant I heard of on the radio -- The Real Thing Diner over at Il Terrazzo in Tomas Morato. I think it's the first Coca-Cola themed restaurant in the country, and the dishes include Coca-Cola products as ingredients! The store displays all sorts of trinkets and merchandise, a lot of them featuring those lovable, fluffy polar bears and their bizarre (and probably unhealthy) fondness for Coke.

The rest of the afternoon was spent window shopping for wax seals at Eastwood Mall, where we ended up in CCA Kitchen for dinner, due in large part to the "splurge on salad" that comes with every entree. For clarification: unlike Gela, I am actually capable of consuming uncooked vegetative matter, especially when combined with loads of their delectable Asian dressing, plus croutons and fried wanton chips stolen from the soup bar.

After eating, we went back to her place to continue our lives as the world's most boring couple, mostly watching downloads of 30 Rock (ME WANT FOOD!).

The Real Thing Diner

A placemat! The whole restaurant coincidentally matched Gela's outfit.

Also, look: CHOOKIES!

Strawberry Milkshake

Spicy Sarsi Wings

Sarsi Fish N' Chips

Ginger Sprite ~~Tiger Prawns~~ LITTLE SHRIMP THINGIES

CCA Kitchen

Cheese Sticks

Fettuccine Alfredo with Grilled Prawns (note: this is what real REAL prawns look like)

Le Cordon Bleu Chicken

Surprisingly, both meals cost roughly the same amount. Now which one would you rather spend on?

P.S. We also tried fried chicken and waffles the other day at Pancake House, which I throughly enjoyed, but that's another story/argument.

P.P.S. Hey guys, this is Gela. Sorry you had to go through that possibly painful experience, hahaha. I was busy playing my game and eating peanuts, so I told Convi he could write my post. I DIDN'T THINK HE WOULD TAKE IT SO SERIOUSLY. (Like that time he hijacked my Looklet.) Disclaimer: I had nothing to do with the stupid title. Also, CHOOKIES!

thank goodness for friends & coffee dates

2010-12-08T22:51:00.012+08:00

(Some photos grabbed from my friend Cai. Thanks again for the White Chocolate Mocha, love!)

December 2, 2010 was bad. I won't even bother going into details. It was just too messed up for words. I'm still recovering, but I guess a new world is waiting for me. Here's to hoping for the best!

how to wear jeans

2010-12-07T16:41:00.026+08:00

I was so thrilled last week when bridal gown designer Michi Calica asked me to style a few outfits for a bloggers event she and her sister, the lovely ladies behind Sisters On Style, hosted with Meralco last Friday. I had to come up with five different ways of wearing jeans, which I was supposed to briefly talk about at the event, but was unable to due to conflicting schedules. So, instead, I sent Michi pictures to use for her presentation, and thankfully, she said the audience enjoyed the segment. Yay! Congratulations to them on a successful event!

I had so much fun dressing up, and I thought I'd share with you guys what I'd put together! Which look would you go for?

Outfit #1: geek chic

cuffed True Religion jeans, thrifted floral button down top, salmon pink woven belt from What A Girl Wants, thrifted leather bag, glasses from Folded & Hung, nude pink Oxfords from Archive Clothing

Outfit #2: bohemian

True Religion jeans tucked inside booties, pink top/mini-dress from Promod, thrifted cream lace cover up, floral bag, peacock plume headband from birdbaths on Etsy, necklace from Ukay Manila, mahogany booties from Dressed to the Nines

Outift #3: casual glam

jeans from True Religion, silver dress turned top from Landmark, black blowler hat from What A Girl Wants, black wedges from Schu, black bag from Topshop, necklace from Peppered Cherry

Outfit #4: tough & edgy

cuffed True Relgion jeans, striped bodysuit from Cotton On (underneath), black tank top from Topshop, sequined beret from Topshop, glasses from Greenhills, rings from Forever 21, thrifted floral bag, black socks, boots from eBay

Outfit #5: simple & classic

cuffed True Religion jeans, white button down top from Gap, jacket from Regatta, woven bag from H&M, white boat shoes from Ichigo

let's pretend i eat salad

2010-11-30T10:19:00.022+08:00

white tank top from Topshop, denim vest from Promod, skirt from Archive Clothing, flower clip from H&M, tote bag from Cotton On, heart ring from Ring Apartment, blue and white oxfords from Pill

I met up with a few college blockmates yesterday, and one of my first friends in Ateneo, Leinard, who is waiting to be mentioned here (here you go, Lei, hahaha), asked me why I don't update a lot. I'm always surprised when I find out people I know in real life read my blog!

I guess it's mostly because I'm incredibly lazy, and partly because I don't feel right about spamming everybody with self-centeredness every single day (I have Twitter for that). I think once or twice a week of word vomit and my face is more than enough for all of us, yes? Plus, I don't want this blog to be some kind of task. I've never considered it that big of a deal, honestly, and I suppose it really isn't in the greater scheme of things. I just want to have fun with this blog and be able to express myself in the most candid way possible, whether I have a million followers or not. It's simply good therapy!

And while we're on the topic, let me take this opportunity to thank those who continue to drop by and leave nothing but sweet and kind messages. I never thought I'd receive such warm welcome in the blogging community or even last this long! (I have an attention span of a goldfish.) You motivate and inspire me, and I genuinely love you all!

Anyway, so much for that. Here's the rest of my long weekend in a nutshell!

rigatoni all' alfonso from Cibo, burger bites and grilled chicken ceasar salad from Flapjacks, tan cut out peep toe sandals from Ichigo (my boyfriend's birthday gift part 2!), clog wedges from Renegade Folk

the day i turned 22

2010-11-25T15:42:00.034+08:00

was also another one of my baby nephew Amir's rare day outs. Sorry, I can't get enough of this little angel, who obviously wore the bowler hat better!

Other than a midterm exam in the afternoon, the day was mostly spent around food. Had family brunch at Chateau 1771 in Greenbelt 5, dinner with Convi at Cocina Juan in Maginhawa Street, and then chocolate cake and fruit salad for dessert at home. Also, quality time with my boyfriend in the evening, which always means having our eyes glued to our laptops the whole time. <3

bowler hat from What A Girl Wants, gray jacket from Regatta (a birthday present from Convi!), white button down top from Dean & Trent, blue treggings from What A Girl Wants, floral socks, black shoes from Francesco, round glasses from Thrift Depot Online

(I don't know what "treggings" are exactly, but that's what it says on the tag. Tree leggings? Triangle leggings? Triceratops leggings?)

Overall, it wasn't really that exciting or any different from regular days. I didn't get anything from this list, but it was a peaceful day filled with love and happiness, plus a double rainbow! And I could not possibly ask for anything more. I only wish that the rest of my days will be as good if not better.

a hip hop the hippie to the hippie

2010-11-19T10:01:00.019+08:00

bowler hat from What A Girl Wants, gray tank top from my sister's closet, jeans from True Religion, rings from Forever 21, Anagon Collection, & my mom's friend, black socks, black booties from eBay, bag from Topshop

As I was taking these pictures last Monday, I decided to try something different, and did this one pose where I had one leg up in a sort of awkward position, almost like I was dancing. Kind of like this. Convi says I look very hip hop in the shot, but really, it's all sorts of crazy and embarrassing, so no way am I posting it, hahaha.

You can egg me on to sing karaoke, and I will do it without complaining (and there's a big chance that I'll hog the mic), but I cannot dance to save my life. I can probably drop it like it's hot if you get me really drunk. Otherwise, I think I'll keep my moves to myself if you don't want your eyes burning.

Ok, I'm exaggerating. I'm not that bad a dancer. I can do this dance after all.

In other news, check me out in pigtails, and take a look at my freakishly large hand.

don't forget to breathe

2010-11-17T21:57:00.018+08:00

This month has been good so far. I started it with a flu and a bout of laziness, but everything turned around for the better, and I've been trying to get my life back on track. Thank God for little things and surprises that constantly remind me of how great it is to be alive!

1-4. after a photo shoot (more on this when it comes out! :p), 5. recently acquired vintage bag (my aunt's, originally), 6. Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins, 7-8. my 11-month-old nephew Amir

My birthday's coming up in six days. I'll be turning 22, which isn't really worth fussing over, but I suppose any of the following would be nice too: balloons, flowers, cupcakes, macarons, a tub of Nutella, the clouds and then the stars, maybe a glass of champagne, or any cheap and delicious bottle of alcohol, really, and, best of all, a long conversation on hopes, dreams, and funny things.

And maybe the new iPod touch? (Hi, Mom and Dad!)

I think I'll actually be spending the 23rd on a midterm exam, but I'm throwing this out to the universe just in case.

Halloween weekend in Cebu

2010-11-10T21:09:00.011+08:00

first stop, the mall

candles, Coke, & lansones kept us company

behold, unkempt bangs & my trusty black booties (perfect for cemetery-hopping in the rain)

& finally, a goat taking shelter

need to recharge

2010-10-29T23:53:00.015+08:00

Sure fire way of getting sick overnight: get zero sleep, and then spend a whole day lugging two heavy bags around the mall while stressing and crying over how terrible October was.

Gaaaah, I hate this yucky feeling prior to the actual colds, when my throat only just starts to feel scratchy, and I suddenly feel light-headed and tired. It's such bad timing, too, since I'm flying out in the morning for a trip to Cebu with my parents. I hope I don't end up sleeping the whole weekend!

26 months & some pretty things

2010-10-23T10:52:00.015+08:00

Last Wednesday, Convi and I had a lunch date at Bonifacio High Street, and we decided to check out the new and first Muji that recently opened there. Lots of neat things, but we ended up buying nothing. It depressed us a little bit, but we promise we'd go back next time with vengeance and with more money.