Hello 2012!

Yey! It's a few minutes before midnight or should I say, before 2012. Despite plans to go out with some friends, I am stuck here in my room, as always, relieving the past. I chanced upon my very firs New Year article from last year. It made me nostalgic. Haha!

2010 was a good year, I should say, in comparison to this 2011. When I wrote that post, I was hopeful, full of life and all. Well, 2011 pretty much sucked the living daylights out of me. I remember writing about having a great job in 2010. Well, a few months after that, I got bitten by exhaustion from doing that 'great job' and landed another 'great job' I would eventually quit in less than three months.

I was hoping to fall in love again in 2011 and oh, well, I did. Right after the year changed, me and an in despicable ex-boyfriend got together pretty much because we miss having anybody to talk to. I was lured into the same crazy stuff he would pull off just to smitten me. It worked until things turned out for the worst. Well, 2011 did made me cry buckets. At some point I was cursing myself for being a masochist and for just enduring. I don't know... I seem to still find out why I like hurting myself or throwing myself to a sea of daggers.

I don't want to go into details about my misery but all in all 2011 was all about 3 jobs, 2 boyfriends both from a different country, speaking English more frequently than usual, watching my very first 3D movie (Transformers: Dark of the Moon), failing the bar exam, trying to conquer my fear of heights (with a trip to Enchanted Kingdom but I rode the roller coaster with eyes tightly closed), seeing sea lions and penguins for the first time, travelling to Baguio alone, getting my driver's license, knowing how to drive (yey!) and getting more views and subscribers on my blog, Phat Pinay.

I am still hoping for another shot, another lease on life. somehow, all the merriment outside my window and the blasting of firecrackers gives me a feeling of hope that everything will be better. If not, well, there is also the end of the world. Haha! Just kidding!

As always, I am thankful to the people I met and known this year. I may have my bad days but I don't remember them weighing me down that much and I guess it's also because I met a lot of special people who always cheer me up.

I hope to have a new camera and tab by next year so I can blog some more. I am hoping that despite my would-be-busy-for-the-bar sched, I would still manage to find time to blog. I am hoping to rekindle friendships, make them stronger, be wiser and happier. I want to travel abroad and I am hoping I won't be alone.

Here's to a happy New Year everyone! Cheers!

A Party Graded 5 Stars!

Last night, I was invited to crash/ host the Christmas Party for Five Star Trading and Printing Press owned and managed by Honorable Tacloban City Councilor Jerry S. Uy. Being my former boss and of course, I love parties and having a blast, I naturally said 'yes'.

Well, it was a great party full of familiar faces, funny/perverted games and of course, door prizes for everyone.

All employees of Five Star were in attendance. They all prepared games and presentations which had everyone on their toes and vocal chords, belting out tunes like All I Want for Christmas is You. Haha! They even made me join and so, I became a comic character in one of their skits.

Cynthia, Rowena, myself, Nida

myself, Cynthia, Rocky, Kuya Ronie and his wife, Ate Rowena

Unfortunately, I was unable to get a photo of my outfit for the party. It was not something special though. I wore something blue since I belonged to the Blue Team and the only decent blue shirt I have is my floral top from Jewels. I wore flats since I now I will be running around being the host and all.

The most pathetic outfit post I have. Hahaha!

Best of all, to cap off the evening, a raffle was done and I won a gift! I won a rice cooker that is so huge than what we would normally buy. Our rice cooker broke so it's so timely.

What have you guys been up to? Hope you all will have a blast this New Year. Here's to another great blogging year! Cheers!

Journal: I Wish to Be a Kid Again

It was a Christmas just like the rest. I still have that gaping hole in me, that familiar feeling from several Christmases in the past. When I was in Manila last year, away from my family and friends, I was thinking that it was because I was away from them and missed out on a lot of traditions. That's the reason I'm back. But so is that familiar void that's wanting to be filled.

I wish I know what's missing that way I can fix myself. It's a shame having a degree in Psychology and not being able to fix what's wrong with you.

I also wish Santa Claus, with his clairvoyance and psychic powers (?), can immediately come to my rescue and give me that present that I so wanted. But I can't even remember when I stopped believing in things like Santa, love and orgasm.

Partyphiles

I had a blast last night. After dropping off a few items I donated for the typhoon victims, I proceeded to the Christmas party/ lunch at the law office I used to work for when I was still in law school.

It was so great seeing my former bosses' again and it was even great reconnecting with my friends. I bonded with the new staff that they have and generally, I can see myself hanging out with them more. They are just so cool, especially Rocky and Lenie.

Anyways, I got invited again to another party this Dec. 29. Well, I guess I won't be un-partying after all.

OOTD: Color block shirt- random; Skirt with cute cut-outs- Bridget's Closet (Robinson's Place Tacloban);
flats- Penshoppe, watch- Tomato

Nida, Ate Moret, Cynthia and Mayet

I love this shot! L-R   Nida, Lenie, Cynthia, Myself, Mayet

This is a clearer shot of my outfit. What do you guys think? I love the cut outs at the bottom.

I love this new Tanduay Ice Blue Illusion. It looks like a very expensive cocktail drink, eh?

I also discovered that Tanduay Ice has recently came up with new mixes that will get everyone excited! It now has flavors calle Red Mirage and Blue Illusion. They are so sweet, you'll forget that it has 5% alcohol. At least with this one, you can still drink and drive. Haha! Personally, I like mixing them together. Tastes like fruit punch.

Anyways, that's it for now. How are your parties? Hope you all are having a great time. But please before you go to any festivity, I hope each one of us take our time off to do something, maybe donate or help out in packing the goods for our typhoon Sendong victims. It won't take you too much to give so much help.

Happy Christmas everyone!

OOTD: Sheer Twist

It's a few days before Christmas and of course, I want to avoid the holiday rush in looking for gifts for my friends, family members and my godkids (inaanak). So, as soon as I finished lunch, I immediately hurried off to the mall to purchase the last batch of my gifts. Haha! Yes, they do come in batches because it's so hard to decide what to give and of course, I'd have to hunt down for bargains. Nobody can deny of course that with the kind of economy we have now, it's still wiser to have a few bucks left when we usher in the new year. But that is not to say that I give them cheap gifts. I just need some time to hmmm...weigh my options.

For my outfit, I wore my sheer salmon (?) top that I thrifted years ago. It has this weird ribbon in the front that you need to tie so it felt like a sailor collared (???!!) top. I bought this for court practice for law school. I found it in my drawers and since sheer is very trendy these days, I have to wear it again! It was like giving it a new lease on life. To be honest, I really don't like this before because of the weird collar. But I love the color and the sheerness (again, ???) of this piece.

Excuse the blurry photos. My mom and auto focus are yet to get acquainted. That is our tree by the way. What do you guys think?

Top- Thrifted; Pants- Red Girl; Watch- Tomato (love the animal print!);
Earrings- random; Flats- Penshoppe

I also wore my oversized silver earrings and I forgot where I got them but whenever I wore them, I'd get noticed. Well, it's blindingly huge so it's definitely hard not to notice. Hahaha!

By the way, one thing that I hate about having to wear polo is how the sleeves would go down especially when its made of satin. No matter how much I try to roll them up, they never seem to sit still and be rolled up perfectly for the rest of the day. Anyways, what I did (in desperation) was I got one of those x-large rubber bands that my dad uses and rolled it in my arms after I made about two rolls of the sleeves. Anyways, I hope I am making sense here but well, the rubber bands are supposed to prevent the sleeves from slipping down.

I also did another trick to that pesky ribbon. I used one of my connector rings and slipped one ribbon in each hole and tied it. Voila! It looks like an instant brooch.

I am loving my new flats by the way. I know I have been wearing flats way too much these days but well, since it's party season again, I'd have another excuse to wear my heels.

Until then everyone! Have you guys finished gift shopping?

Please leave your comments below and I'd appreciate it very much. Byers!

December Faves

I seriously need my muse back. For some reasons I have not been inspired to do any posts here since, well, I have not been dressing up that much either. Most of the time, whenever I go out, the overcast and gloomy weather would only make me resort to anything plain just to avoid laundry from piling up.

I really wish I can go back to the frequency of my posts. But anyhow, maybe this coming week I might be able to catch up since I plan to crash some parties and have meet ups with my friends. Because it's Christmas, at least I have an excuse to dress like I normally would. Hahaha!

This post will be about the things I have been raving about this month. I know December isn't over yet but anyways... I don't think it matters.

Bench Coffee and Honey Creme Oil and BBW Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin

Since it has become very cold where I am, I find that my skin has become dry and as opposed to a few months back, my face has stopped being the OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries---> a term I coin for slick, oily face) that it used to be. It's now, well, dry, much to my dismay 'cause one thing I hate is when people can guess my actual age. Dry skin definitely makes your face look haggard. So, moisturize.

One thing I also hate is a thick lotion. So I have been loving Bench's Creme Oil in Coffee and Honey. I love it because it's light but still does a great job! Plus, it smells like coffee and I am a big coffee junkie. Same with BBW Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin that I recently purchased from Bath and Body Works Philippines. That online store sells authentic BBW products by the way and they aren't those Singapore versions, either.

Clinique mini palette my bff has given me and I love the powder blush in it w/c is Sunset Glow,
Ever Bilena Pro Lipstick with Shimmer in Berry Rose which is a rich pink color,
NYX Addis Ababa soft lip creme and NYX jumbo eye pencil in Milk

Anyways, these faves would not really be complete without a favorite music. Well, this month, it's definitely Domino from Jessie J. To listen and watch click here: Domino- Jessie J I have been hitting repeat on this one. Plus, that bassist in her acoustic version is definitely H-O-T! 

That's it for now... I still am hoping I'd get my muse back.

Adele in Cosmopolitan

Okay, so I have been slacking in posting outfit shots lately. It's all because of our crazy weather here in the Philippines--- one that makes me sick more often than necessary and one that also does not inspire me to dress up and do any photo shoot. So what keeps me busy these days is either online shopping/ window shopping and random youtubing.

While randomly searching youtube vids for inspiration, I came across one that mentions Adele gracing the cover of Cosmo's December 2011 issue. Now, I love Adele and I even remember a friend telling me to dress up more like her. I am not one who will dress up in head to toe black like Adele would but I just love her. I love her songs even those that are not often blasting in your radio speakers like Cold Shoulder.

I checked out the cover hoping it would not be another Vogue fiasco where her body was obviously cropped for some reason (read: not skinny enough??). I was happy to see her being fierce and feisty in a Dolce and Gabbana leopard print dress that highlighted her curves and for a change, it showed her full body. Adele has a beautiful face and I like her facial features even her cleft chin (something I don't see everyday). But she also has a gorgeous body. I know she has also been hiding her body by dressing up in kaftans and capes and dressing up in an all-black ensemble but in this issue, she looks well, healthy. Of course, Photoshop was also done but this is a far cry from what magazines used to portray.

What do you think?

OOTD: Color Blocking

Yes, despite my cough and colds, I went out again. This time, I was only supposed to buy a new headset/ microphone 'cause the one I have was acting up.

This is just going to be very quick.

I have really raved about this necklace. It's a bib necklace that I got for P50 near Manila City Hall. It just makes such a statement piece, right?

Thanks mom for the pics. They may be out of focus but you tried. Hehe!

Thrift Adventures

I miss thrifting. The rush of excitement you feel when you get a whiff of that familiar scent of garments kept in boxes and sacks. I know for others that's gross but I think we have cleaner thrift stores in the Philippines not like Salvation Army in the US.

So last Thursday, despite my cough and colds, I hauled my feverish self so I can do thrifting with my friend, Nida. She said she has not gone bargain haunting as well since I left for Manila. She said she missed my 'eye for style'. Aww...

Of course, before you go to any thrift store, it is important to know what you are looking for. Otherwise, you will be overwhelmed. Chances are people go to thrift stores without any idea of what clothing pieces to find (except seasonal items like swimsuits or jackets, as in these times). They are left hauling themselves with second-hand clothes that either don't fit their style or are just plain bad choices. And they will say that they had an awful experience.

For that day, I was looking for a knit skirt, something that is similar to my Baleno thrifted find, anything denim since denims are back and maybe anything polka dotted.

So off we go...

What I wore: Jacket/Blazer- Oxygen; blouse-thrifted; skirt- Baleno; flats-Penshoppe; bangles- Accesorize

and of course, my OS ring!

These rows alone are for bottoms. So if you don't know what you are looking for, you will be swamped!

I found a nice skirt although it wasn't black as I expected. I did not find any polka dot top but my heart stopped when I saw this---

It is a bird print cropped top! Yey! When I wore it with my skirt, it was just perfect. Well, my heart stopped again when I was home inspecting it's labels and all (I am not big on label so I don't check them first). It was from Divided by H&M. Seriously!

After that, we headed to McDo and you know what happened. We sampled Mcflurry Cadbury and my cough worsened.

That's Nida and her chicken

I am sick...

I have not been this ill before. I will get occasional colds and after taking any OTC meds, I'd be fine the next day. Ironically too, I have not been this sick in Manila considering all that pollution, all that dust, that noise and the stress!

But when I went home, I got sick after just a week and so far, it has been the longest that I have been sick, I think. Worse, I might have another asthma attack. I am seriously vomiting from all that coughing! I have been cancelling my classes because I have a weird voice. Plus, after five straight hours of talking, I feel that my throat is sore and I'd start coughing again.

It is seriously cold here in Leyte. Like seriously. I am always covering myself with my flannel blanket but even that cannot keep me from the cold.

Anyways, I think I might have also been slacking off in taking Vit.C. So yeah. And also, I have least resistance to Mcflurry. McDonald's recently added a new member to their sweets and sundaes and it is Mcflurry Cadbury.

Sorry that the photos don't show the little balls of chocolate that's distinctly Cadbury but yeah, this is good! I did not finish mine though because I was coughing and embarrassing myself. After all who eats sundae when they have colds and cough? Me!

So yeah, but I'm still sick...   :(

When Friends Think of You...

I may be single everyday but I am lucky I am never alone. I am surrounded with good friends I can drag anytime to watch the latest Twilight saga, or go to the most wonderful winter attraction in tropical country, or invite for a quick chat over a glass of frap or over a pitcher of margarita. Basically, I am never alone.

Take my best friend Jehan for instance. We may be miles and miles apart since she is in Philadelphia but because of Facebook and Twitter, we don't miss out on a lot of stuff.

This is a shout out to her and an expression of my big thanks when I got this package of her "pasalubong".

Clinique make up. I love the Spiced Apple lipstick and how it glides smoothly.  <3

Last year, she gave me a Kenneth Cole Reaction purse which some A-hole stole along with my cash and cards. I think I blogged about it here. Well, anyways, aside from the Clinique makeup, I also got a lot of Kenneth Cole Reaction purses! Hahaha! I got two purses including this very awesome purple travelling kit/ makeup bag and another black wallet (not in the photo).

Oh, I also got that purple Guess purse, something I can tote to the movies or coffee dates.

This is Jehan, my bestie since high school, rockin' her cool fall get up.
Feel na feel talaga ang tights-under-shorts ensemble.  Layering to the highest level!

So there.. Thanks so much, Je.. I love all the stuff and you will see me wearing them, I promise. Oh, in my latest post, I think I wore the Spiced Apple lipstick.

Tee Shirt Obsessed

I have this weird obsession with T-shirts these days. Be it cropped, statement or plain, I am loving the kind of comfort that I get from these cotton babies. I also find myself watching and spending countless hours researching how to rock simple t-shirts.

Well, this morning, I was supposed to do the last of my unpacking (you already know I moved back to my hometown) and I saw this red t-shirt with a screaming "ARRRRRGH" in the front and a picture of a pirate. It fit me well that I did not bother to ask who owned that. Hahahaha!

Apart from the loud print and the color, which is one of the trends this time around, there was really nothing special about that shirt. So I donned my ever-favorite bib necklace and got my dad's fedora hat to give the whole ensemble some oomphh. What do you think?

T-shirt, Penshoppe, Jeans, Red Girl; Belt, Surplus

Oh, I also got a new pair of flats, also from Penshoppe. But since it's screaming red, I don't think I can wear it with anything. So basically, I am still on the hunt for another go-to shoe...

I love the pattern on these shoe. Very flashy...

Aside from wearing statement necklaces, you can also turn an otherwise plain sando into a nice casual get-up by putting on a blazer.

I wore this today when my dad asked me to have an impromptu driving session around town.

Sando (Artwork); Blazer (Bayo); Shorts (from Greenhills); OS ring (from Greenhills); Flats (Penshoppe)

The driving was still a bit "sketchy", "rusty" and my dad was not a good instructor since he was panicking and he panicked more than I do. So, I guess I need to practice and practice some more.

And oh.. I'd love to know how you rock your basic tee.. Please share. Thanks.

I SEE SNOW!

So I guess I am the weirdest person on this planet because at this age (which I won't mention. tehehehe!), I am super excited to see snow, and penguins and sea lions. Well, who wouldn't? In tropical Philippines, it is a must-watch event! We don't have any of those mentioned here so when last November 5, 2011, the Manila Ocean Park opened it's doors to our new Antarctica-based friends, I was excited, of course!

I coaxed my friend Marian to come with me. If you remember, me and my law school friends Marian Therese and Christian Zarah agreed to meet more often than usual and this month, we were supposed to go to a relaxing massage or facial. However, unfortunate things happened so Zarah cancelled. I then coaxed Marian to go on a trip to Manila Ocean Park. She has not been there before. I've seen the Oceanarium around two years ago but they added some new attractions lately to usher in the holidays. They also added a Snow Village, a Sea Lion Show and of course, the Penguin exhibit in what they dub as Trail to Antarctica.

This is us, at the entrance of Oceanarium

Check out this puffer fish! It's very poisonous.

This is Marian posing with the fishes. Nakakaduling daw. hehe!

After checking out the several species of fishes and other marine life in the Oceanarium, we went to the Penguin Exhibit and the Snow Slide. I think we were the noisiest group in there because even long after the whole slide was over, we were still laughing our butts out! Way to go, awesome fear of heights!

This is the Humbolt Penguin, a variety that is found in the tip of South America.
Well, actually they live in the South Pole. 

This fellow reminded us of Mumble Happy Feet! So cute!

You can go inside to feed the penguins for P250. The staff will give you two fishes to feed the penguins and you can take your picture while feeding these fellas.

My hair was flown in all directions! Argghh! It's freezing!

Taken in the Snow Village. Marian said she might not go to the US if it's this freezing cold.
It was -15 degrees Celsius inside.

We were not allowed to take any pictures or use our camera while inside the snow village because the cold temperature might damage the gadget. We were given protective coats to stay comfortable. It was a good thing we wore almost-appropriate attire. LOL!

Then we headed to the Sea Lion show. I think there were two shows in the afternoon. The first one started at 2PM and the last show started at 4:30 PM. We went there at 4:30 PM and were entertained by Vincent and Isabelle. The Sea Lion show tickets cost P150 but definitely worth it.

All in all, that was quite an amazing Sunday. Very tiring but great.

Oh, here is my outfit for today...

Pink tank top with full lace back- Surplus Shop; Blazer- Bayo; Leggings; Flats- Penshoppe