THE FASHIONINA

FriDate with Jen and Iza

2012-02-23T18:16:00.000+08:00

Last Friday, two of my closest college friends and I spent an entire afternoon together. Just to give you a little bit of background, we were block mates ever since our first year in college. We always hung out before and even called ourselves the "Spice Girls" for a while, not knowing that our other school mates called us that discretely. Haha. Plus, we were five in the group. We ate lunch at Bon Chon while catching up and went around the village riding Jen's golf cart...

Taken from Izabelli's iPhone. Instagram is the coolest, ever.

And here are some photos from my [dying] digital camera.

Cute Jen posing

Hipster shot

Second hipster shot. Lol.

Cute Rilakkuma cases of mine and Iza's

Our reflections were supposed to be seen in Iza's shades but, fail.

Lovely nature shots

I <3 NY for Anna!

The closest we can get to Anna who's now based in NY. </3 We miss her so!

Hello, Braces!

2012-02-20T16:45:00.001+08:00

My teeth are officially 'under renovation.' I've actually been wanting to have braces for the longest time now, since I've been bothered by my crooked teeth [that's why I always smile with my mouth closed]. Some of my friends say that my teeth aren't really that crooked as how I point it, or if it indeed was, it's not that obvious. But anyway, I got grillz, and they're pink! Haha. These braces were actually a blessing and an answered prayer. My older brother also had braces when he was a teenager and I remember it already costing a fortune. Knowing that it was indeed costly, I had to wait a while. Of course, we all know that God works for the good and at the perfect time. One of my Titas blessed me and gave me these braces! She said it was her graduation gift to me. I had them on since last Wednesday [February 15]. I felt so overwhelmed. Obviously there was a reason why I never got to have braces when I was a teenager. I'm just so happy that I'm already a step closer to having straighter teeth! Some people might probably find it shallow but I'm just so thankful at this blessing. I was warned though, that it's really going to be painful and there would be times that I wouldn't be able to eat, which I'm already experiencing. But I know I'll get used to it. I've also been practicing how to smile in front of the camera, since the not-showing-my-teeth-smile is already hard to do. So, how does this smile look to you? :D

Ryan & Roseli's Wedding

2012-02-20T16:06:00.000+08:00

As mentioned, here are some of the photos taken from Ate Rose & Ryan's beautiful and intimate wedding. No fancy photos this time, since I was one of the bridesmaids! I think I didn't get to mention it in my previous post, but yes, I was. The "photographer" in me was off duty. It was my first time to be a bridesmaid and I felt so honored to be part of her entourage. I absolutely loved my dress, by the way. Ate Rose was so wise and practical because she bought the dresses in Canada, guess where? In my favorite store, H&M! It was a pink Georgette sweetheart cut short dress with ruching & ruffled details and an uneven hemline. It's so pretty! I paired it with my beige patent pumps and wore my long black chandelier earrings. I'm happy to say that I managed to do my own hair and make-up, despite rushing so as not to be late at the event.

Congratulations again to the newly weds!

Posing with my mom. She was one of the Principal Sponsors.

Ate Rose in Nina Peña

The couple posed for the official photographer before the ceremony

Here comes the bride!

My dad officiated the wedding

And here are some pictures of the pretty set-up at reception

The wedding cake

The chandelier amazed me. It was so pretty.

And here are the photo booth photos! They are from Celebrations! Photobooth.

My First Bride: Roseli Pulusan-Sayoc in Nina Peña

2012-02-20T01:28:00.001+08:00

I can finally upload these!!! Last February 12, 2012, my first bride Roseli, straight from Canada, finally tied the knot with her long time boyfriend of 9 years, Ryan. If you remember my post last year, I briefly wrote about a client who's asking me to make her wedding gown, and here she is! The photos below are shots I took right after I got the dress from the sewer. I'll dedicate an entire post of the wedding itself, my family and I in the wedding and even our photo booth pictures soon.

Love, Love, Love

2012-02-14T16:07:00.000+08:00

Love Love Love by Avalanche City

There are three things that amaze me --

no, four things that I don't understand:

how an eagle glides through the sky,

how a snake slithers on rock,

how a ship navigates the ocean,

how a man loves a woman.

{ Provers 30:18-19 }

Today is Valentine's day! Actually, I think the entire February is especially dedicated to couples from all over the world. But I don't think that it is just solely dedicated to the lovers. And because the theme is very timely, I'd like to share my views and thoughts about LOVE. I personally am not yet in a relationship with any guy right now, but I am very much looking forward to it. I always have been. I like the idea of being loved and giving love. I've learned through wise and godly counsel from people that this season I'm actually in, being single, is something that I should be extra happy and extra prayerful about. This season is the season of training. This is what will prepare me to have that 'future love' I am looking forward to. I believe God is molding my heart to be the woman that He wants me to be for him, in the same way that He is working in his life for me. To tell you honestly, I pray for my future husband everyday. I pray that purity will always abound in him, I pray for maturity and leadership, I pray that He would seek God all the days of His life and most importantly, I pray that he will always love God more than he loves me. This is also the same prayer that I have for myself. I consider my future husband as a part of my life even if I don't know who he is yet. As women, waiting is our game. But I'd rather wait for God's best than settle for anything less. I believe that there is a great reward to those who wait. I desire God's best. I choose God's best. I deserve God's best. I really believe that the man for me is exactly or even greater than what I asked for or ever imagined. But because he is still not in my life right now, I thank God because He is my security. He overflows my heart with great joy that I can never find in anyone. He is making me enjoy single hood by looking forward to the future but not living in it; God is teaching me to enjoy living in the now. And until the day comes that love will come my way, I'll be in great expectation and hope. And of course, keep all of you updated!

My lover is mine, and I am his.

{ Song of Songs 2:16 }

In Love with Maxis

2012-02-06T15:42:00.001+08:00

Like most girls out there, I have been drawn to maxi skirts for a while now. I started wearing them late last year, and it's one of my favorite things to put on. It's great especially when I don't really feel like making an effort with my outfit for a particular day so much. I just wear a maxi skirt and I already feel dressed up! I've actually been on the look for the perfect black maxi skirt for a long time now. Since the retail market is failing me, I decided to make my own. Tada! I wore it yesterday and paired it with my "Where's Wally" shirt, a pair of white Keds and a thin yellow belt. Fun fact: Wally [from the famous children's books] is named differently depending on your country. I grew up knowing him as Wally, as some may have known him as Waldo. Either way, we're always on the look for him. And oh, that awesome Volkswagen van below is not ours. It's parked in our street as most vintage cars are. Most of our neighbors own Mini Coopers and Volkswagen bugs. They're totally cool. I hope my neighbor doesn't mind that I took pictures with it. [Hi neighbor! The Volkswagen you own is amaze!]

Black pleated and shirred soft tulle maxi skirt by Nina Peña

My cute brother decided to pose with me. Hey, Julio!

Fisheye2 Photos

2012-01-28T03:03:00.000+08:00

I finished up my first 3 rolls of film and finally got to have them developed. I'm really happy with how my photos came out, here are some of my favorites!

View more of my photos here.

Awesome Sweaters

2012-01-20T11:31:00.001+08:00

Sweaters are probably one of the things that are a must-bring on my list whenever I travel. I know of many girls that don't wear them and won't even consider wearing them, but for me it's something that's very useful. They keep me warm especially when riding the plane, when the AC in wherever place we're staying in is really cold [which is almost in all occasions] and most importantly, during those awkward breakfast moments where I have to go to the hotel's restaurant and instead of everyone seeing me in my pajamas, I just throw on a sweater and sweatpants. I was on Polyvore just a while ago when I saw an interesting sweater that had "Up" printed on it! It was so cute that I just had to click on the link from where the sweater came from. They had other pretty interesting designs, too. Here are my favorite ones:

YSL printed sweater

Francisco Lachowski for my friends who adore him so much.

Pancakes, anyone? This is probably best worn during breakfast.

I don't really eat chocolates anymore but I used to love KitKat.

And the colors of this sweater is really nice.

I found this so awesome. Vegetables instead of junk, people!

More of these awesome sweaters over here.

New Year, New Hair

2012-01-13T17:44:00.000+08:00

I finally gave in to having a haircut after more than a year of hiding from my hair stylist, haha. It was actually my mom who convinced me to have it trimmed, plus I noticed it was becoming so dry and lifeless. I really didn't want to have it cut at first but the thought of a 'new look' sounded good. I actually had a peg for this, and it was a look that Miley Cyrus sported in the August 2009 issue of ELLE Magazine. I happened to have a copy of the issue so I brought it to the salon to show my hair stylist.

Tadaaa! Well I didn't get to color my hair but I'm happy with how it turned out.

This Side of the Room

2012-01-13T16:54:00.000+08:00

I had a spontaneous Monday that I decided to decorate my walls with pretty 'ornaments' I got straight from New York and London.

These used to be a postcard-ish calendar that my best friend Anna owned. I had the idea of doing this because these were formerly stuck in her wall at her old condo in Makati.

She was going to throw it but I decided to keep it since it was too pretty to be garbage.

You might remember this flag from a previous post last year.

Adrian & Sally's Wedding

2012-01-13T15:42:00.003+08:00

My family and I attended an intimate wedding in Tagaytay last December 28, 2011. It was actually one that my dad officiated. Since he was "on duty," I had the liberty to play around with the DSLR he brought. I had fun taking photos but at the same time I realized how hard wedding photography is! For one, there's the conscious effort for framing. I'm really an OC when it comes to that. I figured, you just really have to continuously take because you can't stop the ceremony from proceeding. Also, it is an awfully hard task to make sure that there are no unwanted stuff on your frame like random heads and hands of the guests, haha. And you really have to keep an eye on the bride and groom for those priceless captivated looks. So to all the professional wedding photographers out there, kudos to you. You all deserve a pat on the back for doing an awesome job.

Here's my take on the challenging but fulfilling job of wedding photography.

Pretty little flower girls throwing petals all over the aisle.

The quartet band was playing Train's Marry Me as the bride walks down the aisle.

Such a tear-jerking moment.

My dad officiating the wedding

Honoring of the the couple's mothers. Everyone became very emotional, in a good way of course.

The couple exchanging their vows. *giddy* Heehee.

I really found the flower girls cute. And this particular little one had the prettiest sparkly shoes.

Church friends Don and Maan singing for the couple

The principal sponsors covering the couple in prayer

And for the big finale...

They're officially man and wife! Congratulations again to newlyweds. ♥

Press On!

2012-01-13T09:33:00.000+08:00

There have been quite a few things that the Lord has taught me this past week that I must share here! Well first and foremost, hello, I'm back. I didn't really go anywhere but I had an 'internet hiatus' for personal reasons and convictions, and also because our church had the annual 7-day prayer and fasting. The sacrifice of guilty pleasures definitely made me more earnest with seeking God and boldly asking Him in prayer for the things I'm believing for this year. It's definitely a great year-starter and I'm expectant that God will indeed grant me my heart's desires. Before the start of the fast, I've listed down the things I'm praying for and did a quick run through of it. If other people saw what I had written down, most of them would probably say that those things are impossible to happen or that I've gotten insane. But I think that's the beauty of it. To us, things are impossible, but for the God I serve, know and believe, it is not. He will show you great and mighty things that your mind can never comprehend and He will surprise you with blessings that you never thought could ever happen. I must admit that there are occasional times that I think it's also impossible to happen, but as I was reading my devotions the other day, I got reminded of how great God is.

Genesis 18 talks about God's promise to Abraham's wife Sarah, that despite being barren for years and for being at her ripe old age, she will give birth to a son. Sarah found it kinda funny that she laughed at the idea and somewhat doubted the thought of still giving birth. When the Lord saw this, He said to Abraham, "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" [Genesis 18:14 - NLT] As I read that, the verse hit me. I then realized [again] that NOTHING is ever hard nor impossible for the Lord. If you are dreaming or desiring for something to happen in your life, whether it be a career opportunity, travelling, healing, impacting lives or whatever it may be, believe for it with all your heart and specifically pray for it to God. If it is for you and it's under His plan, the Lord will not withhold it from you. Claim your blessings! We all deserve the best.

"Let us acknowledge the Lord;

let us press on to acknowledge Him.

As surely as the sun rises,

He will appear;

He will come to us like the winter rains,

like the spring rains that water the earth."

Hosea 6:3 [NIV]

Happy New Year, Loves

2012-01-03T19:22:00.001+08:00

photo from tumblr

I may be a tad bit late for this post, but I wish everyone not just a happy but a fruitful, blessed and better new year! I really believe that this year, God will grant all our dreams and heart's desires. So, how was everyone's holidays? Well mine was fun and relaxing. On Christmas eve we went to our annual Peña clan celebration in my grandma's house. Everyone was present and we had fun catching up with the relatives. My family and I have been hosting the games and activities for the past 2 years now, and I'm glad that my relatives really participate in these traditions. Here are really few shots of fun captured moments that happened during my holidays.

What I wore for Christmas eve. My peg was Lola's Baul [Grandma's clothes trunk]. Hahaha

And here are pictures of me and my lovely cousin, Ciara. I practically grew up with her.

New year's eve was quite a special one too. My family and I didn't get to go to Baguio, as we would usually do, because of conflicting schedules. Nevertheless, we still had fun. We checked in at this condo-tel right in front of Greenbelt 5 which was so awesome cus we could just literally walk across the mall. I had the most ideal new year celebration [apart from the ones in Baguio], because honestly I never liked new year's eve growing up. If I were to put it in an equation, new year's eve = loud, smoky, smelly and full of annoying firecrackers that destroy the environment [haha yes]. This year broke all those ideologies because of the simple celebration we had. And the best part was, we just enjoyed all the beautiful fireworks displays around the city through the unit's perfect view. Awesome shots are taken by my dad.

"And at last I see the light, and it's like the fog has ~~lifted~~... just finally emerged."

More like smog, from all of the fireworks that lit up the night sky.

♥ 2012 WILL BE AMAZING. ♥

Christmas Costume Party

2011-12-27T21:14:00.000+08:00

December 22

A few church friends and I had a Christmas party last Thursday at our friend's house in BF. Originally, they said to come dressed as super heroes. It then ended up as, just-go-as-anyone-with-power. Lol. I thought of going as Lois Lane [Elle says she has power in some translations]. Then at the last minute I just thought of doing Wednesday Addams. The party was actually fun, despite not having activities or games involved [haha] and Elle and I took photos and made our friend a "model" that night. I practiced my make-up skills with some of them, too.

2011: Holiday Wishes

2011-12-22T13:53:00.001+08:00

My family and I finally had our annual Christmas picture taken last night, right at the heart of our humble home [haha so serious]. We actually also had another option, which was a photo taken at the newly opened Acacia Hotel. It was just a bummer cus the photos that we took at the Acacia Hotel were blurry/out of focus. Anyway, here is our Christmas Card [which we'll give away] this year!

Self-timer shot ;)

Editing and Design Elements by yours truly.

'Fish' Be With You

2011-12-20T13:44:00.000+08:00

I, together with half of the funds from my parents [haha], recently purchased a lomo camera -- the Fisheye2! I've always wanted to own film, and when lomography started becoming so popular, I became interested with it. All those toy-looking cameras that give your shots a fun and quirky way of processing really caught my attention. So when my childhood best friend said that she was selling a brand new Fisheye2 at a discounted rate, I didn't hesitate to contact my dad and ask if I could buy it. What made me more giddy was the fact that it was in PINK. Oh gosh I really couldn't help but purchase it!

It's the way I'm feeling, I just can't deny

2011-12-20T02:28:00.001+08:00

I've been thinking about this text post I saw on tumblr the other day and I just can't get it off my mind:

"I like being alone.

I like drinking coffee alone, and reading alone.
I like riding the bus alone, and walking home alone.
It gives me time to think, and set my mind free.

I like eating alone, and listening to music alone.

But when I see a mother with her child, a girl with her lover, or a friend laughing with her best friend, I realize that even though I like being alone, I don't fancy being lonely. The sky is beautiful, but the people are sad. I just need someone who won't run away." [via tokyo-tea]

Funny how sometimes you can't seem to define what you really feel inside and suddenly, you randomly come across something familiar [in my case, off the internet]. You then find yourself stopping and saying, 'Hey, this is exactly what I've been feeling!'

Just yesterday, I too was walking home alone and as I was about to turn to our street, a beautiful fireworks show from a nearby mall started lighting up the night sky. It instantly caught my attention that I had to stop and adore the colorful display of lights. I enjoyed that moment alone. But as cliche as it may sound, I would've probably liked it better if there was actually someone right there sharing it with me. Well if you're wondering as to why I've been feeling this... I guess it all boils down to the whole transition phase from becoming a student to becoming a young professional. I have, indeed, been alone most of the time now. It's not the funnest thing there is and sometimes I can't do anything about it. One major factor causing this is probably missing my friends, especially the few closest ones. Most of them have gotten back to their countries of origin or have just plainly gone abroad. You probably think that it's just a matter of getting used to or it's just how life is [and I know that it is], but sometimes I can't live with being just alone anymore, you know? It's not that nobody's there because trust me, from my family alone I can feel that I am very much loved and cared for. But having these people who have surrounded you, spent everyday with you, shared the most memorable things with you... I miss having that. Despite it all, this season that I'm actually in is one where I can really tell who my real friends are. It's true how they put it that some are just coming and eventually going. My real friends may have left, but our bond stays no matter where we are in the world. Don't get me wrong, I am not depressed nor am I feeling any separation anxiety. There are just things that I plainly miss, like probably how you are with something or someone right now.

But how about those you've never actually had a relationship with yet already miss? Isn't that awfully weird and quite painful at the same time?

Cravings: Perfectly Christmas

2011-12-16T22:12:00.000+08:00

Mistletoe by Justin Bieber [Cover] AJ Rafael x Tori Kelly

Sprocket Rocket film

ASOS Aztec Rucksack

Peter Pan collared dresses are love

Getting this Fujifilm Instax Mini 25 soon!

You Know You Love Me

2011-12-16T11:34:00.001+08:00

The other day was our church's Appreciation Night for the leaders and volunteers who have fully committed themselves to serve both God and the church in any way they can. It was a themed night; attendees can dress up as anyone they want from any TV series. First that came to mind was Gossip Girl, hah. It was the easiest in terms of, you-don't-have-to-wear-a-costume-to-be-a-character type of thing. Since mom dressed up as Lily, I thought of just going as Serena.

Photos are from Pastor King Lucero and Party People Photobooth. Thank you!

First Wedding Dress: The 'Fabrics' of the Bride

2011-12-15T18:28:00.000+08:00

I'm so excited to share with all of you that I am currently working on my first wedding gown for a client! I've been in touch with the bride since late this year regarding the design and details for her dress. She's actually a very good friend of mine and my family. She was one of our cashiers in the local coffee shop we franchised years back. Anyway, I already bought the fabrics for her gown and here's a sneak peak. I fell in love with these materials so much.

From left to right:

Chiffon

Geena Silk

Charmeusse

Corded Spanish Lace

And of course, what's a wedding without a ginormous amount of soft tulle?

♥ ♥ ♥

These are a few of my favorite things

2011-12-15T16:50:00.002+08:00

Bacolod 2011

2011-12-13T21:24:00.003+08:00

As stated in my previous post, my family and I went on a four-day vacation at the beautiful laid-back city of Bacolod. We had an amazing time knowing the rich culture that the city had to offer. Everything was so cheap and affordable that we literally indulged on the good things, most especially the food! I also got the chance to hang-out with my beautiful friends who are based there. Here are some of the awesome memories we made.

We left the house at around 1:30am and arrived at the airport just in time for the check-in.

Hello Bacolod! We landed at about 5:30am. Check out our tired and sleepy faces.

By the time we got to the cab from the Silay airport going to Bacolod city [30-minute drive] I was knocked out. I even slept in the hotel lobby while my mom was at the reception for check-in! Haha. After catching up some Z's, we headed to a new restaurant right in front of the hotel we stayed in.

The food at Cuayx was the bomb! It was cheap and had a generous amount of serving. One dish I still can't get over is the Sinigang na Hipon and the green mangoes! Ahh. Bummer though, right after we ate, the rain started to pour. We got stranded for a bit in the resto and when we had to head back to the hotel, it was still raining. We had no choice but to brave the rain. Mind you, it started to flood in that street. What's worse was I was wearing these new shoes I got. I started screaming when I saw that the flood was ankle deep. The guard who was helping us cross the street was talking to me in Ilonggo [native dialect in Bacolod] and I think he was offering to carry me! But whatever, I just walked through the flood and laughed everything off instead of stressing over my new shoes.

We attended the 4pm service of Victory Bacolod in Robinson's mall. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. Here is a picture of my family and I with the senior pastor, Pastor Ryan [far left] and my dad's classmate when he studied in the School of World Missions, Glenda.

My first try of the famous Calea cakes! YUMMM.

The second, third and fourth day of our stay in Bacolod were filled with touring, sight seeing and ~~pigging out~~ eating. We visited the famous landmarks such as The Ruins, Balay Negrense Clara's [both] ancestral and beautiful home in Silay.

Lunch at Nena's Rose

Awesome, I tell you

Here are some photos from The Ruins mansion! I instantly fell in love with that historical place. The story behind it was so bittersweet, my heart couldn't help but feel faint.

At dinner, I met up with my lovely friends Lois, Clarissa and Clara! We ate in Mushu. You probably think that I sound so redundant now by saying that the food is great, but I can't help it! Mushu was a fusion of mostly Asian cuisines. How I wish the food here in Manila is THAT good and THAT affordable.

Now posting awesome photos from Lois's blog. Her shots are amazing.

The Ruins with Lois, Clarissa, Clara, Jodi and Shannon

FLIBBY'S. Enough said.

Tourist shot, lol

Balay Negrense in Silay City. Now with Eunice!

Lunch at Cafe 1925

Clarissa being hipster. Haha

Clara's grandparents' house in Silay.

Best tour guide, haha

I miss everything and everyone in BCD. I'm sure to come back real soon. ♥

Birthday Weekend

2011-12-13T12:12:00.000+08:00

My brother and I celebrated our breakfast birthdays [yes we have the same birthday and no, we're not twins] with our family last December 3 at the Bellevue Hotel. We decided to just have breakfast cus my dad had work during the day and we were leaving for Bacolod at 4am! It was definitely a fun-filled weekend.

My brother Jokko [23] and I [22]

Julio likes to make faces A LOT

We didn't get to take a photo of everything we ate cus we were so hungry that we dived in to our meals when they came. Haha. My brother got steak while I got the special Chicken Mami. I wasn't able to indulge on a better meal since my stomach was all weird that morning :( so I had no choice but to order my safest comfort food, a bowl of a hot delicious soup.

Quite special indeed

Happy birthday to me! ♫

Surprise Christmas Tradition/Merienda

2011-12-01T22:38:00.003+08:00

Our lovely leader, Ms. Phoebe Lucero, surprised our Victory group [Bible study group] last Saturday with a special Merienda [afternoon snack] and a Christmas tradition. She made us decorate our own ornament with a little note about things that we were thankful for in 2011. We then hung it in our cute little blessing tree. Ms. Phoebe did a great job with the table set-up and the ideas she had for our small get together. Even for just a short time that I was there, I had so much fun decorating my ornament and sharing the things that I was thankful for. I also appreciated and adored her 'give-away', special Christmas plates that were set on the table! Here are some of the photos. Got this from Ms. Phoebe's camera :)

Thank you so much, Ms. Phoebe!

LIVE IT UP: DLSU-Manila's Biggest Concert of the Century

2011-12-01T21:48:00.005+08:00

The De La Salle Innersoul recently had their very successful two-day concert last November 17 and 18 2011, held at the Yuchengco auditorium of their campus. I was honored and definitely delighted when they hired me to be their stylist. It was actually my best friend Mariella [first few photos are her, of course] who told me about the job. Since I'm not really that busy now and since styling is pretty fun, I agreed to help out. I also saw it as an avenue to advertise/expose my name. I lent some of the clothes I made as well as my personal stuff. We were also privileged to get pullouts from one of SM's trendiest line for girls called CHILL. The experience I had was such a treat. Besides having the sense of fulfillment despite the hectic schedule, I gained new friends. Being in La Salle and getting that school atmosphere again made me miss my college days so much! It wasn't that long ago when I graduated but I definitely miss all the fun memories we had.

Here I share with you [literally] some BTS photos from my [crappy] camera and the official photos by Ken Koo.

Magenta Bat Wing Jersey top by Nina Peña

White sweetheart mini-dress by Nina Peña

Pretty Mariella! Such a doll.

Photo by Zia Roque

LSDC-Street performed their winning routine from the Skecher's battle

Chichi Adam wearing CHILL

Aki Enriquez wearing a CHILL dress

One of their sponsors was Havainas

Aki Enriquez wearing a Xara Luxe dress

Chichi Adam wearing a CHILL dress

Jas Abrenica wearing a CHILL dress

Lol hi Yves.

Chichi Adam wearing a romper from CHILL

And here are my BTS shots from day two. You can really tell it's crappy, I didn't get to take legit shots anymore since I was busy handling clothes and assisting all the singers. I'm so sorry hahaha. Kinda fail to put it after Ken Koo's amazing shots, by the way.

I kinda like this shot, except the horizontal lines, blah.

Thank you, Innersoul! ♥

Not such a mystery, not such a faint in a far away sound

2011-11-22T13:12:00.001+08:00

In less than two weeks, I'll be a year older. They say you get wiser as you grow older... I'd like to think it's true. I'm grateful for the experiences that I have had in the past, because I know it has prepared me for what is to come. Sometimes I can't help but think and reminisce of the days when I was so carefree. I can definitely say things are quite different now. Responsibilities are more relevant. I think it's a good thing though, because it makes me purposeful in what I do and mindful of the more important things. Character has also been an important factor that everyday is a challenge to practice it. I've realized that it is more important than the position or status of a person. No matter who you are and what you do, if you posses a bad character, it corrupts your whole being. It saddens me to see people with destructive characters. It makes me asses myself with how I deal with situations and people. In James 1:4 it says, "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." More importantly, it is the security in the Lord and His grace that makes everything fall in the right place.

Chard and Anj's Wedding

2011-11-21T17:05:00.001+08:00

Last Saturday, two of our family's dear friends got married. ♥ It was such a joy and an honor to be part of their lives ever since the time that they were just friends. I even remember our trip to Baguio back in 2009. We heard that Chard really liked Anj and had intentions to court her. So my family, together with [another dear friend] Ate Ria, plotted to make Chard suffer!!! That is by making him do house chores in the house we stayed in. Haha! We couldn't be any happier for them on their wedding day. They're one of the cutest couples ever!

I was so sleepy that day. I came from work, a 2-day concert in DLSU. No, I didn't sing, but I was hired to style the singers for the concert. More about that in the next post. Anyway, I totally forgot that I didn't have anything to wear for the wedding, and I forgot to plan on who should do my hair and make-up. After spending an hour at the mall trying to pick out clothes to wear, I just decided to borrow mom's lovely Grecian maxi dress, since it was the wedding's theme and the color was part of the color palette that Anj wanted. Also, it was a good thing that my mom booked me to get my hair done at the salon. I did the make-up myself and I'm happy with how it turned out, despite rushing and being a tad late for the wedding.

My lovely family

There was a photo wall of the couple's pre-nuptial photos. So cute!

Wedding vows. I CRY.

The Newly Weds

Congratulations again, Chard and Anj! All the best. ♥

We Could Be Anything

2011-11-21T16:10:00.002+08:00

♫ I don't know why it has to be so black and white for you and me ♫

Too bad I didn't get to take a picture. It was really beautiful though.

Some random photos with my family two weekends ago. We went to watch my brother with his friends perform at the lobby of The Landmark.

My brother playing the keys

Dad and I at dinner in BonChon Greenbelt

M&S stands for Me & S... Hahaha

...when there's a million colors in between, and we could be anything. ♥

The Apocalypse: Elle&Ina Battung's Party

2011-11-21T12:11:00.001+08:00

11.05.11

Elle & Ina had been planning on throwing a party for a while now and it finally came to pass about two Saturdays ago. They themed it "The Apocalypse." In short, they wanted their guests to come in wearing clothes that they think they'd be wearing when it's the end of the world. I had the hardest time thinking of what to wear, since I wasn't really that exposed to apocalyptic themes [I hardly know movies and characters]. With the help of Elle's email and some clothes I forgot I had, thankfully I had something to wear. P.S. The military-ish cropped jacket I wore was a project I made back in college.

The party and the food was great. I finally got to meet Lois, Clarissa, Clara and Iya for the first time. It was nice to meet other new people too.

The condemning Christians... with a gun?

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber survived the apocalypse

Aww, miss you guys!

LIBER-TEE

2011-11-09T12:49:00.000+08:00

I recently joined the Artwork t-shirt design competition [which I worked on for about a month or so] and unfortunately, my entry didn't make it to the semi-finals. I respect the judges decisions and I'm genuinely happy to all the 25 finalists who won in the competition. I would still like to share my entry here, because I am happy with the outcome of what I have submitted. The shirt was originally a plain white tee. I did all the cutting, slashing, dyeing, distressing, sewing and embellishing myself. I really enjoyed working on it and dedicating myself to doing this.

Here's my explanation for this artwork!

"The main concept of the artwork I have came up with is to encourage and promote the ability of an individual to break free from personal bondage that they may be in. I have compared and illustrated this situation to animals, whose natural instinct is to find a way out whenever imprisoned. The fringes at the shoulders represent the urge and desire to feel the feeling of freedom. The slashes of the shirt represent the act and ability to fight, creating holes that become pathways for freedom. And lastly, the reason why the shirt is dyed brown is to remind us of our flesh and worth; yes, we may be merely human beings, but we were created in the image and likeness of God. He did not make us live to be defeated but He called us to live a life free from bondage and condemnation -- a life of true victory."

View the winners here.

BTS: Blued Photo Shoot

2011-11-08T19:16:00.003+08:00

I'm not quite sure if I have mentioned in my previous posts about the nature of my work. Well as of now, I am a Freelance Fashion Designer. I work with clients who need clothes for particular events like weddings, parties and the like. I'm also doing a project for a local clothing brand called Blued. They had a photo shoot about a month ago in Pioneer Studios and I was thrilled to see some of my clothes being worn and modeled. I designed mostly for the Ladies' line. Here's a sneak peek!

High waisted shorts and striped pink and white bodysuit by Nina Peña

Cropped jacket by Nina Peña

His and Hers: Varsity jackets by Nina Peña

Leggings with zipper details at the hem by Nina Peña

Be sure to watch out for my line hitting the racks real soon. ♥

Little Outlets of Happiness

2011-10-21T16:49:00.002+08:00

Whenever I crave for something I want, I tend to unconsciously not get it off my mind. Here I share with you some of the little things I've acquired within the past week that definitely left a big smile on my face.

After almost a year of wanting it, I finally bought myself a copy of Audrey Niffenegger's "The Time Traveler's Wife." I can't remember why I never picked it up the moment it hit the book stands. I've always been so intrigued by the story and now that I'm actually reading it, I can't put the book down. I'm just so drawn that my hands are glued to it the entire day. It's beautifully written and the emphasis of love over time just makes me adore it so much. I plan to watch the movie after I'm done reading the book.

I don't think I've ever gone shopping without buying myself a ring. If I have not mentioned, I am just like most girls. I am a ring collector, ever since I was younger. I got the one on my right hand form the recent Cuenca bazaar. It's so pretty. It reminds me of a sparkling meteorite, if there be such a thing.

And the most recent purchase I had was the craving I've had since last July. I blogged about it on my tumblr.

I was so surprised to see it still at the racks after three months! I actually had a strong feeling that it was still there, considering that the store where I bought this was still on sale! It was the last piece and it was my size. Definitely meant to be.

"I hate to be where she is not, when she is not. And yet, I'm always going, and she cannot follow." - Henry ♥

FALL for You

2011-10-21T14:42:00.002+08:00

Although I am grateful for the tropics, I've always envied people who reside in countries that have four seasons. Fall/Winter is probably the best season there is, since you can get away with wearing thick cardigans, knits and boots without breaking a sweat. Here are some Fall fashion inspirations I saw over tumblr. If I were living in a winter country, I'd totally be happy wearing and seeing people in these get-ups.

"I've been homesick for countries I've never been, and longed to be where I couldn't be." - John Cheever

Jeffrey Campbell for Free People

And of course, some runway photos of the Fall/Winter trend. I really adore Anna Sui. Fall/Winter + the Aztec revolution is brilliant.

Taal Vista Weekend

2011-10-20T19:39:00.001+08:00

Tagaytay is one of the beautiful places you'll never get tired of visiting here in Manila. Besides the ever-present fog and chilly weather, you'll always come back for its ultimate scenic spot, the Taal Volcano. Our hotel room had the perfect view of this beaut.

Beautiful. God is amazing!

Reminds me of a view from the window seat in a plane

Hehh cute little brother

My older brother took this. Hi.

Styling Your Mom 101

2011-10-20T19:08:00.001+08:00

My parents recently headed our church's The Marriage Journey/Couple's Getaway held at the Taal Vista hotel in Tagaytay. They also had an 80s themed party on their first night. It was fun to see married couples all glammed up and ready to party. I wouldn't miss the opportunity to help dress my mom up, not just because I didn't want people to think that I am an unhelpful-fashion-design-graduate-daughter [lol what a thought], but I've always loved dressing up for themed parties. In this case, I loved dressing up my mom. I'm happy that she was up for it, too. She even borrowed a wig from her friend! I made her wear the corset dress I made for celebrity host Mariel Rodriguez in Pinoy Big Brother. I paired it with: my favorite lace top, head scarf [that was originally my mom's that I think she got in Milan], layered pearl necklace from one of the Christmas gifts I got in high school, chain necklaces I bought in Divisoria, studded bracelet Anna gave and high socks from Forever 21. And oh, a customized lace glove I made. Thunder bolt earrings and peep-toe wedges are Mom's.

Tadaaa!

She's wearing everything off my closet, haha

My parents. They be youngin!

Tita Cherie and the DJ of the night, Tito Hans

Tita Vera as Boy George and Tito Ardy as a punk

And She Will Be Loved

2011-10-12T20:32:00.002+08:00

This morning, I met up with a client who gave me an entire box of Krispy Kreme glazed donuts. I am a happy child. I treated my mom and little brother for lunch at the mall, then headed back home. I was thinking of doing another song cover but my vocal chords weren't participating that much. I decided to watch the third episode of Gossip Girl over the internet, cus I couldn't wait any longer! Oh. My. Gosh. My heart melted and I cried so much in the part when Blair totally told Chuck how she wanted him to be the father of her baby. Sorry for spoiling, guys. I'm quite excited for this weekend. My family and I will be going out of town again, tomorrow until Saturday for our church's "Couple's Getaway" event. No, I'm not a participant, I don't even have a partner yet lol. It will be headed by my parents, that's why I'm going. I'm pretty sure it's going to be loads of fun. I can't wait to see the costumes of the couples, too. This year's theme is the Smashing 80's! Rad. Well, that's it for now. Oh, that photo above is a photo I took just a while ago. I was... bored. Totally random post by the way.

Seed's Casa

2011-10-12T20:07:00.003+08:00

I finally got to meet Seed! She's a friend of many of my friends and I hear a lot about her + see her stuff online. I've been wanting to hang out with her for the longest time since I found out that we live near each other. Finally, the Battung's and I visited her last Thursday to bake and have a movie marathon! Seed is awesome. Fun fun day.

Our "pasalubong" for Seed. Haha

I melted ze chocolate for Seed's famous Lava Cake

Omg. Just. Perfection.

Since I wasn't allowed to eat chocolate [I blogged about the reason over here], Seed was so sweet to bake me my favorite dessert of all time: a special apple pie! Can I just say that I absolutely love Seed's apple pie?! I munched on this by myself while we were watching 'Elvis and Anabelle.' Oh dear gosh, it was my first time to ever hear and watch that movie and I got kilig to bits. They were just so adorable.

Beyond delicious, I tell you.

And this would be our first and only picture that day. From my camera at least. Sorry for my smile, it's so fail.

Family IS Forever

2011-10-10T15:32:00.000+08:00

Got that line from the recent movie I saw, Dolphin Tale! I found it timely since my family and I had dinner with the Peña clan + the extended family last night at Mesa in Tomas Morato, Quezon City. We celebrated my Lolo's [my dad's dad] and my Lola's [my dad's dad's sister] birthdays. The food was amaze, and so was the place. They served Filipino cuisine with [I guess I can say] a modern take to it. We all had a fun time catching up with one another. I don't really normally get to spend time with these relatives and it's always nice to see them even just on special occasions such as this.

This was what I wore. I finally bought myself a maxi skirt!

These flats I recently bought at the mall were on 50% off!

Mesa. We were at a private room that had three long tables. My uncle said that it only took 15 minutes to finish every platter that was served at our table, since all of us were so hungry. Haha. And oh, the interiors were AMAZE as well.

Interesting wooden thingies attached at the ceiling

Julio drew a robot named 'Julio'

My dad led the prayer for my grandparents and the food

Family will always be forever.

Thea Munji and Aries Sanchez wearing Nina Peña

2011-10-04T18:24:00.000+08:00

Thea Munji
About a month ago, my friend Thea asked me to design for her a skirt that she will be using for her Grandfather's birthday party/concert. Her mom had already bought her a top, so she wanted something custom made to go with it. I immediately thought of making her a tulle skirt, then maybe play around with it by adding another fabric. Initially, I drew 3 sketches for her, and Thea plus her mom picked the tulle skirt with uneven strips of layered chiffon. I enjoyed this project so much because I was really hands-on. I actually planned on sewing the skirt but since I kinda lacked time, I had to ask some help from my sewer. I told her though that I'll be the one to cut the strips and do the edging, so here's what the skirt looked like before I did stuff to it:

This was how it looked after!

Thea Munji [Photo by Tito Franco Laurel]

Aries Sanchez
About two months ago, another friend of mine named Aries contacted me to inquire if I could help him with what he will be wearing for this Cosplay event held last October 1. He asked if I could make an exact replica, or at least something very similar to the coat that the Japanese Green Ranger (Gokai Green) wears on the show. After 2 months of working hard for this, I am happy that I was able to deliver what Aries wanted and I'm really glad to know that he was very much pleased with the outcome of the coat. Thank you Lord!

Gokai Green

Aries Sanchez [Photo by Jeryl De Asis]

Chloe S/S 2011

2011-10-01T11:18:00.001+08:00

In general, I've been pretty much addicted to thick eyebrows, the 'no make-up' make-up look and minimalism. I adore clothes with drapes that are paired with structure. Chloe's S/S 2011 collection sums it all. I've been seeing lots of these pictures over the internet and magazines. From the color palette to the silhouettes to the fabric treatments... Indeed they are beautiful. I am obsessed with the electric pleated long skirts too. When I get the chance to produce another show, this is my ultimate peg. At least for now.

These backstage photos are from Fashion Show Photos ♥

And oh yeah, happy October 1st everyone!

American Idol Live Tour 2011 in Manila

2011-09-23T14:32:00.009+08:00

I love American Idol. That's probably one of the few shows I follow every time a new season airs on TV. I particularly followed Season 10 since it seemed like a fresh start for them, having two new judges that filled in and a celebration of a decade of successfully producing the next 'American idols.' I really enjoyed each contestant too of the Top 11, all of them have exceptional talent and stories to tell. When I was told by my friend about two months ago that they were coming to Manila [she even said that this was my chance to see my ~~crush~~ I mean, fave finalist Stefano], I got extra happy and felt that I really have to see [him] them perform live. I really wanted to watch so bad, even if the tickets were mighty expensive. I really believed though that I was going to be able to watch the show. Only days before the concert and finding myself quite low on resources, I somewhat prepared myself to give up this desire of mine already. Until Elle called and told me that she got complimentary UPPER BOX A [about Php 3,500] tickets to the second day of the concert! Gaaaaaah. I was screaming on the phone, I bet Elle was quite deafened on the other line.

Hype this on LOOKBOOK

Upper Box A ticket, yo

Here are some [take note of the word SOME] of the pictures I took that night. I had to cut down what I was only going to post here , although I couldn't help but put a lot of photos of Stefano! The experience was such a treat. From only catching them on TV to actually watching them right before my eyes, I was so amazed. I loved every minute of the concert and I enjoyed so much. I didn't care at all if I was the only person screaming at the top of my lungs in our row. Of course, I went gaga over Stefano, whether he was the one performing or not. I screamed for his name all the time, haha.

Stefano and Pia singing California King Bed

And now for some Stefano Langone overload. It sucks though that my camera wasn't cooperating as much when I was taking videos and photos of him, I guess my camera couldn't take how crazy I was getting while Stefano was performing. Here are his pictures. Feast your eyes, folks.

Yes, he took his shirt off O_O

Caught on screen

Pia Toscano! She's also my favorite.

Haley and Casey's awesome jazz blues performance. Hands down!

Wearing an all-red ensemble, everyone [except Scotty] performed 'Forget You' before the intermission. This number was cute.

Hah, Seacrest

See, day 2 wasn't as full as day 1

Lauren Alaina

A greeting from Steven Tyler

James Durbin came from the back!!!

He was phenomenal

Jacob Lusk. Stefano was one of the backups :3

Haley Reinhart singing Benny and the Jets

Aww. Idol trips down memory lane.

And now here's Scotty!

This was taken right before we were leaving

I felt infinite. I was very happy that I got to witness a great production such as theirs. I got inspired by their talents and passion that they each posses, and I was totally blown away. In my head, those young individuals who aren't any different from me were all living a dream they probably never could have imagined would happen. My dreams mean so much to me to, and seeing them live theirs encouraged me to aim harder. I know someday, I'll also have a great story to tell.

Mysterium Exhibit at the SDA

2011-09-22T18:41:00.002+08:00

Miles had her 4-day graduation exhibit called 'Mysterium' that just ended yesterday at our Alma mater's Museum of Contemporary Art and Design. It was a beautiful exhibit that showcased the works of 23 up and coming artists and graphic designers, including Miles'. I love how the works are diverse and the concept for each artwork is different. You could really tell by the outputs that the students really exerted extra effort in producing a one-of-a-kind piece that they sure can be proud of.

Miles, Elle and I

Lol the text got cut

3D glasses and some calling cards of the visual artists

Mini Cooper! Someone sponsored them this beaut.

Pretty chair. This was a sponsored thing too.

And here are Miles' beautiful glass artworks! She made these with love. Like seriously, she cut and glued this by herself!

Hello there can you see me heehee

Miles' awesome floating photo

We then ate in Cerealicious UM and met up with Joe, Luis and Josh. And oh, I saw some former batch mates too.

Miles and I both ordered Chicken Pesto

Elle got the Meatball

With the "curls" Edrick and Jerry

Thanks for inviting us Miles! We had fun.

Ah-ah Love You Like A Love Song, Baby

2011-09-21T14:31:00.002+08:00

Sundays are the best, especially when spent with the family. We met up with my Aunt Grace [or as we'd all call 'Manang'] and cousins for dinner to post-celebrate her 50th birthday.

Me, Bea, Faye and Mariella after the 4PM service

Happy 50th!!!

Lovely parents

Me and my brother

Hahh, told my cousin to put his photography skills to use

...and I keep hitting repeatpeatpeatpeatpeat ♥

Salon De Ning Saturday

2011-09-21T13:53:00.000+08:00

Last Saturday was fun. My family and I, along with some close friends, went around Makati before watching and supporting my brother, Jokko's gig. We went to the mall and ate at BonChon and Banapple at the Ayala Triangle before heading to the Manila Peninsula. Here are some random photos. Sorry I didn't edit these photos anymore, too lazy. :P

Little brother Julio, my Mom and I

My beautiful parents

Bumped in to Lily at The Landmark

Cakes at Banapple

Apple Crumble-something I got

We surprised my tita because her birthday's coming up

Jokko is a musical arranger. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Music Production at the De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde. Music is really his passion. Currently, he does jingles for TV and radio commercials. He even gave me an opportunity to sing in one of the commercials he made for Palmolive! More about that next time haha. Anyway, so my brother also recently got this gig every Saturday to play at the Manila Peninsula's Salon De Ning. It was my first time to go inside that place and I was blown away by its concept and interiors. The person who gave us a background of the place told us that this branch in Manila is just the 4th [or was it the 5th] in the world. Here are some pictures of the room. And oh just a fun fact, this was where Penshoppe shot their ads with Ed Westwick!

See! This one! Ed westick was heeeere.

The Shoes Room! LOVE.

My brother [on keys]

Tagaytay Weekend

2011-09-19T18:45:00.001+08:00

My family and I went for an overnight trip to Tagaytay two weekends ago. My parents had to attend a wedding [or actually, I think my dad officiated the wedding] in Batangas. They didn't want the hassle of driving all the way from home to there, so we tagged along. We stayed at this nice hotel called The Lakehouse. It was still so beautiful despite the rain that poured. We had fun. I think I just slept most of the time in the hotel, haha. I didnt get to take much photos, and most of these are from the following day [which was Sunday]. Before heading home, we passed by Taal Vista hotel and we ate lunch in Nuvali Sta. Rosa.

Cute liddo brother Julio

My favorite: Fuji Apples!

Childhood memories! Heehee.

Some snacks for us in the hotel

It started to fog after it rained

Mom and I at Taal Vista

Collector's Bazaar at Nuvali

Conti's Mango Tart. Mmmm.

It rained again on our way home.

Cuteness

Everyone is running with THELMA - including me!

2011-09-14T16:12:00.003+08:00

Thelma is now on it's 2nd week!!! So proud of this movie for all the comments, great reviews and numerous praises it has been receiving. Here's a video I got from Director Paul Soriano's YouTube channel, which I am happy to say that I am a part of. Click on 1:05 to see what I said! Heehee.

Shamcey Supsup: The Beautiful Pride Of The Beautiful Philippines

2011-09-13T23:38:00.000+08:00

Like every other girl on this planet, I found myself glued to the live telecast of this year's Miss Universe pageant. Only hours before the coronation, I was extra ecstatic for our beautiful representative, Shamcey Supsup, as she took her spot in the Top 5 final candidates. I really thought she was going to win. I took in to consideration that the other contenders were equally deserving as her, to be fair. But in my opinion, her answer alone in the Q&A portion outshines them all. She has not only won my vote, but she has inspired me and touched the hearts of every person in the world who was watching her.

When asked if she would change her religion for the person that she loves, Shamcey, with full conviction said: "If I would have to change my religious beliefs, I would not marry the person that I love. Because the first person that I love is God, who created me. I have my faith and my principles, and this is what makes me who I am. If the person loves me, he should love my God too."

I instantly felt chills. This person, a fine young woman inside and out, grabbed the opportunity without shame nor fear to share her beliefs to the entire world. The crowd went wild. She was indeed a blessing.

Though she did not bring home the crown, to us, Shamcey is the winner. Everything happens for a reason. Winning 3rd place is still an achievement because, not everyone gets to be in her position. She was bold enough to speak what was inside her heart, and God honored her for that. She is truly victorious.

Fashion Cravings

2011-09-08T20:21:00.001+08:00

Currently, I've been wanting to dress up in a loose chiffon top paired with dainty floral pants and adding statement bangles and shoes, plus a pretty satchel to carry all those daily must-haves. I also picture this look with the 'no make-up' make-up look with just a sweep of lip gloss, pink blush and curled eyelashes. Finally, the hair should be worn in loose and volumized curls. I'm sure this entire look will make you feel extra pretty, too.

View this look on Polyvore

THELMA: A Must-See Movie

2011-09-08T11:29:00.002+08:00

My family and I were privileged to be invited to the Red Carpet Premiere of 'Thelma' last Sunday. It was held at Megamall, probably one of the busiest malls ever here in Manila. The movie was great, and I'm not only saying that just because I support it. Thelma is a wonderful start to the positive influence and change we can make in the Philippine movie industry. It is a great representation and example of how people should just choose to press on regardless of the unexplainable situations in life. The tag line of the movie says it all: "Some people run away from their problems. She ran to fix them." Want to be insipred? Watch THELMA! Showing now nationwide in theatres near you!

Vent, Talk, Play Mismo!

2011-09-07T20:46:00.007+08:00

Mariella, Elle and I decided to hang out at the mall yesterday. Elle and I met up at around 2:30 PM and decided to check out the movies on sale at Odyssey.

The title. Win.

Yela followed at around 3PM. On her way to where we were, she ran in to more friends, the Hensons and the Cunas. We joined them for a while in Hobbes and Landes where they were playing 'Mismo'. It was my first time to play it and I always hear about it. It's this Filipino game where you spin two roulette-like thingos [sorry I don't know what you call it] that contain categories and you put both words together. Each player then has a set of cards on hand which are anything and everything Filipino. Whatever the category is, you have to place a card on the table which you think suits best/describes the category. The players then vote for the best card and whoever gets the most votes gets this other chip. Blah! I don't know if I explained it properly but hopefully you got it. P.S. I grabbed these photos from Joe's cam!

I don't know who took this and what was happening. Haha.

Lol Mariella trying to guess the word

Anyway, it was fun. I think it was even more fun since we were a lot playing it. The crew of Hobbes were even entertained by our loud cheers and laughters. The Hensons and the Cunas had to leave after a while, so Mariella, Elle and I decided to walk around the mall and check out more bargains. One of the things we saw at this store that we don't normally go to was pretty rings! Mariella decided to buy us one each of this ring that we all liked. So sweet of you Yels! Thank you again.

It's perfect! It fits my thumb too.

Elle had to leave at around 7 PM. Yela and I decided to stay for dinner and eat at our favorite catch-up-cozy-place, Mary Grace! We ordered Cassava chips with Onion dip, Summer Squash soup and the Mushroom and Cream pasta [forgot to take a picture]. Everything was good! We ate and talked and shared stuff about life. We're really getting old, Yel. Heehee.

Please excuse my weird smile. Thank you.

Keep Calm and Sparkle with your sisters.

Elle, Nina and Mariella

A Parcel from UK

2011-09-07T18:49:00.003+08:00

I got a notification from the Post Office last week that I have a package waiting to be claimed. At first I got scared because I thought I had accidentally purchased something online. Then I realized it must be the flag I asked from my Aunt Chinky [who's now based in UK] weeks back, and I was right! I was so excited to get my package. I waited 3 days before I could claim it since I was scheduled to come only on a Tuesday or a Thursday.

When I opened the package, the lovely flag came with a lovely letter of encouragement from my Aunt. Thank you, dear Auntie.

This beautiful flag will hang on my wall soon.