January, so far!

Celebrated the holidays without dad :( He left a day before Christmas for the land of the Pharoahs (where he and his staff got stuck for a day before leaving for their respective countries/homes because of what's recently happening) and only got back yesterday.

My mom's cousin's wedding! Surprising that she got me maid of honor when she can form a basketball team with the number of her single sisters.. and another for her girl best friends, I suppose. Also, I never really had a conversation with her. Sorry if my dress looks like it's gonna fall.

(Photo by Yoan Medina)
Kinect nights at home. My brother got an add-on for his x-box which I think is better than his Wii because we never have to use those control sticks (or whatever you call them). I had my friends in high school try it and it became an almost-daily routine for them to come over. Of course, drinks and little life kwentuhans included.

..and our little Twitter game in which we have to take photos related to whatever theme we have every week. 

..AND Skype nights as well (as a pre-bedtime routine, if we weren't together that night.). Hello from Los Angeles, Seoul, and Manila! I love my highschool friends. ATTACHED TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL  MUCH?

Job! I work for a cable company's marketing department and our team helps some channels promote whatever something new they have. I like that I get to meet really interesting people BUT it's not what I've been dreaming of because I wanted to go for an ad agency ever since. And alas. A week into my first day of work, my brother brings the "good" news that the agency her girlfriend used to work for has an opening (something that I have never encountered throughout my job hunt) and is asking for referrals. Maybe in another year or lifetime? :( I probably need the experience before getting that chance and for a fresh grad who has nothing much (or just nothing, really) to brag about, who am I to complain?

Anyway, I hope 2011 will be a great year. Korea trip that we've been planning since last month *should* push through. Keeping my fingers crossed!

I "need" a new wallet

While waiting for my turn to get my SSS #, I went to the  mall nearby (OF COURSE I had to, 200 people were in line before me) to eat lunch and stroll... alone. I already stopped asking for company when I run government-related errands for myself because I turn cranky, sorry. Anyway, when I went to the wallet section, I have figured I always carry really small bags that it can't fit my big wallet--I have to put money inside the pockets or anywhere, basically. And that called the need for a little new wallet.

Design-wise, I want it simple, minimal, and... really small (pocket-sized wallets come in different "sizes" too, if you know what I mean). I began searching online and got surprised that there aren't a lot of drool-worthy pieces on the net because 90% are just the usual long ones.

Both from CK, same brand of the one I'm currently using. I like the gray one's design better and I want it in beige/white. I really should've gotten one when I went to Gilroy.

From Marc Jacobs. I absolutely looooove the color and studs!

From Debenhams (for 2,000+ pesos). I'm not really into it but it's cute so I'm just gonna post it here hehe

And I'm not getting these brands here since they cost a fortune in the third world. How ironic right. I am starting my little wallet hunt next weekend!

My What's-Inside-Your-Bag

Even as a kid, I've always been curious of what women carry in their purses. So without further ado..

1) Baby wipes. I use this to remove whatever junk I have on my face.

2) Missha BB cream in vita matte. It doesn't blend with my skin tone well, so I sometimes make it my face primer.

3) Myra-E Tinted Moisturizer. The product had a lot of good reviews so I'm still giving it a try..and for P135, how can you go wrong?

4) L'oreal True Match Face Powder. I pat it on my t-zone, which is my oiliest part. My entire face is oily because I have huge pores but my nose-forehead area produces a bucket of oil a minute.

5) The Body Shop Face Powder. Just in case I need it.

6) Sephora Blush Me. I put this on top of my cheek tint for a hint of shimmer.

7) CG Lash Blast

8) Prestige Kohl Eyeliner Pencil. THIS IS THE BEST EYELINER EVER, and it's a bargain at P250!

9) Foundation brush which I use as a concealer brush

10) The real concealer brush. Haha!

11) E.l.f Foundation brush

12) Nichido Eyeshadow in Seashell for brow bone highlighting.  

13) Bench Lip and Cheek tint. It's what I've been using since highschool.
14) EB Concealer
15) Lip products!
16) Victoria's Secret Live Pink--BEST COLOGNE EVER!!!!! I wish they never stop producing it.
17) My cool water, which I rarely use because I'm not into perfumes. I had that same bottle since like... forever. LOL. Like my Body Shop face powder, it's just there in case I need it.
18) Lash Curler
19) MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC40 (too dark for me but the saleslady insisted I get this one. UGH)
20) MAC Face Primer
21) I missed #21 :( haha!
22) Bobbi pins--because I've had hair emergencies too many times in the past that required it.
23) Hair serum for my curls
24) Sunglasses
25) iPod. Can't live without it. SRSLY.
26) My new pink phone! I really wasn't supposed to get it but my old one had been conking out and I have no spare phone as I already gave them all away.
27) CK Wallet. It has no photo compartment, which makes it PERFECT.

My bag organizer! I can't believe how everything (except my hair serum, sunglasses and cologne) fitted inside and I also love that it's transparent. Got it for only a hundred bucks in Landmark :)

Focus fail. I love this bag. It's sturdy, durable, and something I can pair anything with!

PS: Don't be fooled. Today's one of the rare days that I bring my kikay kit!

Me and make up

As early as 10, I got introduced to using make up in the classroom and come highschool, it became a requirement for girls to put on basics (foundation, blush and a hint of lip color). Ironic as it may sound, they were even more strict with the rule in PE class. I hated it.

Until college. All thanks to youtube and its gurus, I got so inspired with putting them on but so frustrated at the same time because I can't seem to get the look no matter how I "hard" worked. I figured it was probably the lack of tools I was using so after finishing college and my short trip, I bought basic eye brushes and cheap ass palettes from the department store and watched every youtube video I liked from the start--too much of them, in fact. I didn't want to get a MAC palette on my first try, because they're pricey and I don't think I'd deserve them then. Sure I have a few products, but I rarley use them (except for the lipsticks). My make up philosophy is the same as Lauren's lipstick mantra (http://iambourgeois.com/), either you get them really cheap (say, $1-$5 for a tube of lip product) or really expensive. Anything else in between is just a waste of money.




Yesterday while trying on falsies and my grad dress. Haha! Haven't fully fixed my eyebrows that's why they still look "fake". Photo from my cellphone camera so I apologize for the crappy quality. Now that I kind of "know" my make up, I am thinking of getting a MAC quad. But what I really really want right at this moment are just two things.


MAC Studio Sculpt SPF15 Foundation. It's 40ml (I have 30ml BB cream and I have it for almost a year already with regular usage) and gel-based, so it feels less cakey and gives sheer coverage. Great packaging as well. My current studio fix foundation glass bottle sucks, plus I forgot to buy a pump in the states (MAC is a bit overpriced here, fyi) and now I'm on a search for a substitute. I failed twice already.


MAC Lipstick (Costa Chic). Red lipsticks never worked for me. My mom gave me a tube of MAC Red but had to return it to her because they look awful on my lips. I have nude, pink, and bright pink shades so now I need a peachy-coral shade.

I was supposed to get the two last December but me and my cousin had a little misunderstanding. I mentioned via e-mail I wanted MAC as a pasalubong but he thought I was referring to the laptop. Of course, he didn't get me a gadget and instead gave me a Hilfiger tote. It was too late when I had to tell that it was the make up because we were already picking him up from the airport. Le sigh. I hope another set of relatives pushes through this month so I can get them already! Hahaha!

One hand in the air for the big city!

The best thing about an almost-8 hour flight from the Monterey County and 3 extra hours for 2 stopovers is the minute you touch down. Such a blissful feeling! <3




Of course a New York experience ain't complete without the use of subways, but we just found it convenient to ride cabs instead because we were people not familiar with the place who were running on a 3-day time frame. On the second day though, we took the train going to Bowling Green, where the Statue of Liberty is. And with just a little over $2, you can basically go around anywhere with a station.


The view from our hotel room in Long Island, which is just about 4 miles away from the Manhattan. Thumbs up for being 'near' LGA and the city!



Central Park, a public park located at Fifth and Sixth avenues in midtown Manhattan and is a home to over 25,000 trees. To save time again, we got one of tour guides that bike around the park.


My favorite part is the Literary Walk. Reminds of JLo in Maid in Manhattan!


The infamous Strawberry Fields that is dedicated in memory of John Lennon. Almost 3 decades after his death, a lot of people still flock the place.

Madison Square Garden


Empire State Building


From one of the benches in front of the Strawberry Fields memorial. It had my name and my favorite TV show character's (NPH in How I Met Your Mother) in it so what the heck, lemme take a photo! Haha


Had dinner with my gradeschool friends Nikki, Jam, and Christina at the Upper East Side! They said we were lucky because the line to Serendipity 3 was always long irregardless of the day. I got so ecstatic upon seeing them I broke one of their condiment glass containers and good thing they didn't let me pay for it. Both Nikki and Jam migrated to the East Coast when we were about 10 and I haven't seen Nikki since! Christina on the other hand, was just a couple months in the city with her mother that time but she's now residing in Seoul, Korea.


Times Square at night! Yay!!! So beautiful <3 We had a lot of photos altogether but the Chinese guy failed us terribly :(


Subway from Queens Plaza to Bowling Green!


Statue of Liberty tickets get sold out so easy we had to book about a couple of days before actually going there and it's not even on a weekend.


The ferry ride going to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.


YUMMY chicken fritters! These were just about $5 and worth.every.penny.


Hello!!! :)


Where money never sleeps.


On the third day, we met up with some relatives from Rhode Island and ate lunch at this seafood resto with really cute ceiling ornaments.


The very beautiful St. Patrick's Cathedral, my dad's favorite.


Grand Central Station! Gossip girl pilot episode heehee.


One of our last stops, the Rockefeller Center. We almost missed our flight to Los Angeles that night. I remember setting foot on the plane 5 minutes AFTER our supposed departure time and everyone had to wait for us. Omg. New York traffic can get as bad as Manila's sometimes.

While I'd say California's chill and calm atmosphere when asked which I prefer, I will always want to go to NY for a second time. The city's so beautiful even photos can't make up. I miss the chaotic streets, the breath-taking city view, awesome architecture, overpriced anything, and the food. Take me there again.

I'm a blog nomad forever

I don’t know how different this will be from my previous blogs but I’ll try to update it on a regular basis and of course, add more photos on succeeding entries. Here’s to  another (ugh) start! I'm also pasting entries from my secret WP blog to here. Haha!