Sunday, August 31, 2014

Selamat Hari Merdeka - S Goes To Malaysia!


After a yearlong hiatus from blogging, I’ve pushed myself to finally blog again. To further keep me motivated, I’ll share my previous trips starting with the most recent, Malaysia! This post is very timely especially because Malaysia is celebrating their independence today.

When we visited, we noticed that most buildings had the Malaysian flag prominently displayed. So when we asked our guide, he mentioned that it’ll be Hari Merdeka in a few days.


Anyway, let’s go on to the details of our trip. We stayed in KL for 4 days and booked a half day city tour on our first day just to get acquainted with the area. We initially planned to go to Batu Caves via train on our second day but our guide graciously took us there right away when we asked if i's a good idea to go to the caves in the afternoon. 

First Stop: Batu Caves
A tip for those planning to go to Batu Caves, if you’re like us who are quite umm… unfit, we suggest that you do this on your last day in Malaysia especially if you’re planning to climb the 270++ steps. Our leg muscles were sore by noon and remained sore for days! Hahaha!





Next Stops: Istana Negara (King's Palace), National Monument, Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square)

King's Palace KL_TMF



Last Few Stops: Batik Factory, Chocolate Factory




We bought several chocolates to give to our loved ones back in the Philippines. Of course we got the must-buys, Beryl's almonds, milk chocolate, macadamia, and dark chocolate.

Final Stop: The Petronas Towers

 

Aside from it being part of the tour, we were able to take snapshots of it in the morning and at night in various angles because of the proximity of our hotel to the towers.

After the tour we rested in the hotel then we explored the malls near our hotel. We also decided to visit Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka) again in the afternoon because we wanted to spend time in Arch Kuala Lumpur City Gallery.
We were surprised and a tad confused to see that their train tickets
are in coins because we're used to card type tickets

I suggest that you visit the place for their handmade wood veneer crafts. It’s located in Jalan Raja and here are the directions. But for those who don’t feel like visiting the City Gallery, that's alright. You can also find an Arch store in Suria KLCC's 3rd Floor.

Final tip: It is important to choose a hotel with a good location. We were fortunate to have booked a place near several malls and train stations. The excellent location made it a breeze for us to buy food and goodies to bring home, as well as to commute to other locations.

So there, that's what we did on our first day in Kuala Lumpur. In the next post, I'll share with you the food and the coffee shops that we tried! :)

Monday, August 25, 2014

Of Operas and Daydreaming

Yesterday, I saw my first Opera.


 My only idea of Operas is that from what I saw in Pretty Woman. That scene with Julia Roberts in the beautiful red dress and Harry Winston necklace is how I've always viewed Operas as. But I'm not Julia Roberts and my version of the Opera is not as lavish as hers. For one, it was a matinee show (in the afternoon) and the dress code wasn't very strict (I was in a t-shirt). But the overall feeling was basically the same.
Black shirt - Bench | Green graphic mini skirt - H&M | Black and brown wedges - Rajo Laurel for Parisian
I'm notorious for falling asleep during musicals or anything that has to do with orchestral music. So I won't lie and tell you outright that I fell asleep in Act 1, and daydreamed my way through the next two Acts. Don't get me wrong, it was beautiful. It's also a different kind of singing which makes it very interesting but it's just not for me.

What's the difference between Musicals and Operas? I find that Operas have simpler plots, with longer song numbers. The pacing is slower so it can be a bore. But it also has that air of luxury to it which makes it so... for lack of a better word, Regal.

The design of the sets are also very lavish but at the same time quite simple. It takes you back to the time of Shakespeare when sets were opulent but looked like a "set". Most sets now try to make things more realistic but Operas don't give you that. They give you that sense of fantasy, but in which you know (and are aware) that it is not real. You know that feeling that you're watching it from afar, versus that feeling that you are one with that characters. That's how I felt with Operas.

Overall, I say I am pleased at how my first Opera experienced fanned out. It didn't disappoint me, given that the entire production was beautifully done, but it's also something I don't think I'd be watching again soon. Watching Operas elevates your artistic taste, that indeed is true, like anything less feels like child play. But maybe I'm not in that level yet. Or maybe it's just not for me. Nevertheless, it was a great experience. And definitely something I won't ever forget.
With Jae Wook Lee, the Duke of Mantua. Amazing voice he has!

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Bath to Basics

A few days ago, S and I were welcomed home with a big package from Watson's Philippines:


Who wouldn't be excited to open a package as big as this?? If the box looks awesome, wait 'til you see the contents!

So many products! ♥

Personally, I've tried only a handful of the items they sent but I posted the photo on my Instagram and my friends were recommending products they are using. Obviously I can't try them all in one go so the product posts will be done as I go through each product.

Are there products in the bunch you're familiar with and would want me to try first?

Thank you again to Watson's Philippines! I was excited to take a bath the moment I saw the products :P

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Walk in Closet

A few weeks ago, me and my colleagues found ourselves at Walk In Closet (WIC) in Serendra trying on designer dresses.


Walk In Closet is this quaint boutique in Serendra that carries affordable designer clothes. I honestly won't even enter the store, much more consider getting an item from them, if not for the recommendation of a former colleague. WIC is really an amazing store. The dresses are to die for! They carry designer labels so it is a bit on the expensive side but if you're looking for something special, then the store is for you! I love how all the dresses are perfect for that special occasion you need something amazing to wear.

I was so excited about everything, I took a lot of time picking something to get. Choice no. 1 is the green bandage dress in the top photo. Here's option 2:


The black dress from Ralph Lauren was really beautiful except it was a medium and I didn't want to shell out Php 4,400.00 for a dress that was a size big. If they had it in my size, it would have been perfect.

Choice 3 is a last-minute decision:
The blue dress is from Miu Miu and of all the dresses I tried on,  it's the one with the best fit. I didn't like that it was sleeveless but my friends convinced me that it was a very pretty dress which I should definitely get. It does come in an amazing print and fits perfectly so yeah, it'll do :P

Wore the dress to work under a white trench (not in photo) and it works! Love that I can dress it up or down depending on the occasion
I also went home with a royal blue trench coat/dress from BCBG which goes perfectly with my dress and just gives me that Princess Kate vibe. It cost me another Php5,000.00 bringing the total to about Php9,000.00 and I honestly don't spend that much on clothes but once in a while, it's also nice to splurge, especially when it's something beautiful like the clothes from WIC *wink*

It'll be a while before I return to WIC (cause I really shouldn't be spending so much money on clothes) but for what it's worth, I had a great time shopping for dresses there. They do have such a nice selection! Thank you to the wonderful staff for the assistance. I think I may have tried on around 1/4 of the dresses in the entire store. Hehe :P

Next time you're around Serendra, drop by Walk In Closet, you may see something you may take a liking for :)

Walk In Closet
2/F Serendra
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Gilas, Pilipinas!

We don't usually feature items for men in our blog. But allow me to make an exception this time, just because this item is close to my heart-- the official Gilas Pilipinas Nike apparel:

 Pilipinas, for the win!

Gilas Pilipinas jerseys - Php2,790.00
I don't really understand why men like buying jerseys so much but I'm making an exception this time because it's not just ANY jersey, it's the Gilas Pilipinas National Team jersey! I'm so glad Nike made these available. And not just jerseys! They have the official shirts too!

Php1,500.00 (approximate only!) Sorry forgot the exact price
Php1,290.00 (again, an approximate! cause I can't remember the exact)
I am totally in love with the "Pilipinas Never Stops" shirts. It's so cool! It makes me feel so proud of our team! We don't excel in a lot of sports so I cannot tell you enough how proud I am of our boys and how far they've gone. I am actually tempted to get the Pilipinas Never Stops in white to show solidarity! But maybe giving them as a gift to a guy friend/ brother/ your dad is a better idea :P

I'm so excited for the games! Goodluck to our boys! I am already super proud of all of you! #PUSO #LABAN #PARASABAYAN

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Ten X

I cannot believe it's been ten years since Cinemalaya started!--What? It feels like only yesterday when I watched my first Cinemalaya film, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. Now, Cinemalaya is on its tenth! Congratulations to the Cinemalaya crew! Philippine Independent films soared high because of you!

In recent years (partly because of this blog), I have been taking outfit photos on the first day of the screenings so it is with utmost glee that I post this ootd now! Tenth year!
The weather has been gloomy so I'm really glad the rain let up so I can take photos outside. There's really no inspiration for this outfit. I just wanted to wear my wedged sneakers and you know much I like bandage dresses and it was rainy, hence the jacket and voila! Instant outfit :) But I do have to admit, I've been very sporty the past months and I know it's showing in how I dress up. It's a nice break from all the girly outfits I'm usually seen wearing.
I wasn't really supposed to wear the jacket anymore but the dress is a bit slinky, and it's backless and that's a little too sexy, even for the cinemalaya crowd, me thinks :P


I haven't seen a lot of films yet cause I got lazy. But I'll do so this coming week. If you see me around, say hi! Sometimes I watch alone so it'll be nice to sit with someone sometimes :)

So I'll see you around, then! #Cinemalaya2014 #CinemalayaX

Red polka dot bandage dress - Forever 21
Black Jacket - bazaar
Black wedged sneakers - Call It Spring
Black studded bag - Forever 21

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