LDW vibes

 

#MimiJax Wedding (Part 2)

[Read part 1 HERE]

#MimiJax Wedding (Part 1)

Pangulasian Island by El Nido Resorts (Part 2)

[Read part 1 HERE]

Pangulasian Island by El Nido Resorts (Part 1)

We needed time to de-stress after our wedding reception in Cebu so we planned a mini honeymoon (minimoon or #FakeHoneymoon) immediately after that. We wanted to book a place with good food, beautiful interiors and great service. A lot of people suggested Pangalusian Islands by El Nido Resorts (their newest one) so we took everyone's advice and set aside a 5-day trip after unloading our things in Manila.

Montauk

First month in New York [via iPhone]

Hi, I'm alive! Here's a mishmash of iPhone photos since I don't have my computer yet and I just recently got my camera's charger in the mail.

Enjoy the lack of structure in this post- just wanted to share a bit of the nicer things during my crazy first month in the city... 

My broker suggested Stone Street and it was actually my first time here. Enjoyed some of the cute & quaint restaurants lined up! 

I also went on a Literary Pub Crawl around Greenwich Village with my cousins Beatrice & Mikey. Learned about most of the writers and artists who used to live in the village as well as the history behind these brownstone houses. This was a fun tour so I'd recommend it to all of you bookworms! Check out their tours here.

Milan photo diary [part 3 of 3] - Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2014

A mandatory photo of me at the venue just so this trip grants me points for my CPE booklet (we need it to maintain our Interior Design license, haha!) 

Milan photo diary [part 2 of 3] - Salone Internazionale del Mobile 2014

The Salone del Mobile was the main reason why I traveled to Milan a few months ago [view part 1 here]. I don't really travel out of the country unless it's business-related or if I know I can attend a convention in the city [Instagram is deceptive]. This was my first time to attend Salone and I think every designer should go at least once or twice!

Milan photo diary [part 1 of 3]

It's simple.

shoes- Nike LunarElite City Pack, bag- Balenciaga, watch- Armani, coat and cap- Zara, dress (worn as top)- American Apparel, jeans- 7 for all Mankind

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You know what I've been feeling lately? 

Grateful. 

Yes, I have so much to be thankful for... but as much as I hide most of my work from everyone online, I know I flaunt enough for people to think that I'm living a good life- a bit of truth into it but I know I put the work in. And it's true, you reap what you sow but it's never instant gratification. 

I've battled enough bouts of sadness through the past couple of years but there's a huge pressure to be happy especially since I appear to have all the reasons to be content and happy. I try my best and there are parts of my life that aren't so ironed out but I work with what I have. I have enough faith to do better things and feel safe about my life decisions. 

There's always a huge pressure from inside me. People expect you to be a lot of things but the only thing that really matters is how you reach your own standards for yourself (if you have any).

So do I feel like I'm moving forward? Definitely. I had 2 months of self-doubt, of trying my hardest to keep from falling into that box of sadness. I chose to move on and I chose to notice what I had that others didn't. I know better than to wallow in self-pity. I acted on this grey area and hoped for the best. 

I'm moving forward in my career by taking up my masters in my dream city. A big deal for me but I have so much to prove and work on yet again. What are my dreams? I don't know, but I do know that I have a bigger calling. Cliche as others may think, I need to be able to serve others and provide opportunities for others as how others have given me the opportunity to do so much. The future is always scary but it makes me even more nervous if my plans don't shake me.

Every little thing in life leads to something bigger if you just allow it to. I'm not focused every minute of my life but I try to. I have fun for a reason, I get away for a reason. Do I overthink things? We all do. But we can choose the trajectory of our thoughts. I'm lucky I can now choose who and where to channel all my energy towards. A bit selfish but I believe everyone is. 

Never expect anything from anyone except yourself. That is the key to success and happiness. 

Your thoughts determine your life experiences. Keep your mind off petty things and focus on what you can do to improve yourself. Simple, really. Life is simple but never easy.

❤

Mt. Arayat- first major day climb [traverse]

Mt. Maculot day climb (traverse)

Golden Gate + Sausalito + POFA

Castello di Amorosa- photo diary

Umm... I am obsessed with my GoPro! 

SNEAKERBOOTS

I caved and bought a pair of sneakerboots [after swearing off wedge sneakers for life] this week just because they were in my fave colour scheme. Really comfy but I can feel that they're too warm for Manila weather so I can't be walking around the neighborhood in these unless it's raining. I'm dying to get the men's version [Nike Air Max 90 Sneakerboot] but they ran out of my size at Niketown. Hoping to find a pair for myself before leaving SF! They run a bit small so I had to get a women's 8.5 instead of 8. Other than them being snug I love the WaterShield finish so I know they'll keep my feet dry for the rainy season.

Paired with department store jean leggings and a flannel shirt from Urban Outfitters. Wore this today (December 25) while looking for a place to eat with the fam. All the shops and major restaurants were closed plus the diners were packed so we had no choice but to eat at Carl's Jr. Being the only pescetarian meant I had to choose between fried zucchini, onion rings and french fries. As much as I hate the cleansing fad happening recently that's all that's on my mind at the moment- I have to detox and eat clean once I get home. No workout can save me from feeling like a deep fried ball of butter (frozen then re-fried) right now.

❤

122413

San Francisco for the holidays- day 1

Cebu weekend

the beauty of symmetry 

Okay, not from the hotel but it's too good not to post- Squid Ink Risotto with Oysters & Prawns from the Tinder Box

We celebrated mum's birthday dinner at Ibiza. 

I spent Sunday morning swimming and trying to transform myself into a lobster

4 hours under the sun and no sunburn - all thanks to Nivea's Protect & Refresh Invisible Cooling Mist (SPF 50). 

Sometimes I forget about the loot brands send me, but I just had to bring these to Cebu since I discovered mum swears by the Revitalift Laser X3 products... Also been loving the EverPure sulfate-free color care system, fall repair shampoo & conditioner ever since I dyed my hair black (thankfully these new formulas don't have those cancerous ingredients)! I have yet to try the 3-in-1 Extraordinary Oil (orange bottle)- it's a blend of 6 precious flower extracts and smells amazing. It can be used before shampooing (as a hair mask), before straightening or as a finishing touch! I'm a bit late but THANK YOU, L'ORÉAL! I have the simplest beauty regimen but lately I've been trying out these really cool products with better and safer ingredients. 

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Really happy and thankful that I was able to fly to Cebu last weekend! Mum chose to celebrate there instead of Manila for a change and our little family was complete. We decided to stay at the Mövenpick Hotel since we've never been and the white interiors really drew me in (as usual). Was a bit hesitant to fly in because of the aftershocks, but I really needed the sun and sand again. Experienced 2 earthquakes during my stay--nothing too scary but it's not the same for everyone. Got to see some of the damages caused by the first earthquake (magnitude 7.2) last Tuesday and it was just so eerie. Praying for Cebu and Bohol, two of the most beautiful cities in the country. 

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