I See's you!

This sight at The Podium made my heart skip a beat.

A full-sized See's Candies store!

And it's just a stone's throw away from the office.

This I gotta see!

Black buster week: Blowing bubbles

Nope, this isn't about that popular clothing brand from the 90s. But it's about clothes. And about black.

To cap of this week of black outfits, here's an ensemble that takes the skirt du jour - the bubble skirt.

This super cool skirt is from Surplus Shop. It has a very interesting shape and the bubble detail gives it swish and movement. For the top, it's a loose, dolman-ish style top, also in black.

Bubbles have never looked this chic!

Black buster week: Samurai style

Apart from the fact that Incerun has nice pants and skirts, there's also something good to be said about their selection of shirts and vests. 

There's a vest that caught my eye. A wrap around vest that's loose like a kimono, but sans the sleeves. The fact that it's black makes it a perfect addition to this week's black outfits feature.

Even the black pants from Incerun also has that Japanese vibe. It reminds me of Samurais, thanks to the pleats and the loose-ness of the design.

Since they're both from Incerun, this brand is 2 for 2 today!

FMM: Black buster week

Since we're in the subject of black, why not make our Friday Magic Madness song aligned with the theme.

Whilst there are a lot of cool songs about "black," this 1967 song from Los Bravos will definitely be among the top ones on my list.

"Black is Black" is such an iconic song. It's something that would play on the cassette in our old Morato home. It's been used in commercials. It's been danced to in many a variety show. It's been there and back, and back again. That's how good this song is.

No wonder it's a blockbuster!

Black buster week: See you layer!

One of the great finds from the GU x Rohk collab was the layered plaid pants and skirt ensemble. It's one of Ate's favourite pieces and it enjoys a lot of wear.

Was browsing through the Incerun page and saw a pair of pants similar to it, and it was an immediate "buy" for me.

The black pair of pants has a pleated overskirt. Unlike the GU one, this is attached and you have to wear them together. Still, it's a nice statement piece. 

The top is simpler because of the fashionable quality of the bottom. It's a body hugging, turtle neck body suit from Kashieca. It's a seemingly simple piece, but with details that elevate it.

This pair brings black to an edgier level.

Black buster week: Halter ego

Kashieca has been on sale for the past week, and their tops are a must-buy.

They have a wide selection of knits that would easily qualify as staples.

Just like this black, ribbed halter tank. Which is part of today's black outfit.

Ate has been gravitating towards halter tops of late, which made this an easy decision to buy. This is paired with Japanese, Hakama-style pants from Incerun.

This pair just elevated the halter to show stopper.

Black buster week: Utilitarian chic

It's because of the influence of Kurt & Cza's clothing brand - Meraki - that Ate has also been into cargo pants and skirts of late. 

So, after seeing this black, nylon cargo skirt from The SM Store, it was an easy decision to buy it.

Since the skirt has that masculine, utilitarian vibe, the top had to be feminine and classy. Enter this turtleneck top from Kashieca.

If Audrey Hepburn had a utilitarian fashion phase, this would be how she'd look like.

Black-buster week: Neck deep

Recently, Ate Bullet has been into black outfits. This is mainly because of her 2 current favourite shoes - the black Tabi Japanese shoes, and her Zara ballet flats.

So, this week is going to be about the outfits that we've put together for those shoes.

The first one is inspired by a black, ribbed mock turtle neck top from The Landmark.

This blouse is super nice because of the fabric. It's so soft that it sculpts itself on the wearer's body. The texture makes it go beyond basic black, which is always a plus. Whether it's tucked-in or untucked, this blouse elevates the look. 

And we're tpairing it in a mixed-fabric skirt from Incerun. Again, this brand has been delivering consistently, and this black skirt is a winner.

This is going to look great with the black, ballerina flats.

Fam-iliar

While my student was reporting, this particular slide immediately caught my eye:

It's Toni.

Yup, she's using my niece as part of her Communication Plan. And it's fun and surreal when you see your family as part of your students' project.

They're definitely her target audience.

Meals with Mark: O Genki Desu

Despite the fact that we were just in Tokyo last January, Mark and I still can't get enough of all things Japanese.

So, for one of our dinners, we decided to eat at an uber popular Japanese sushi chain that has branches here in MNL.

Genki Sushi!

Aside from the food, this restaurant is popular because of the fact that your food is served by trains. Yup, the Shinkansen looking trains travel from the kitchen, straight to your tables. Very Japanese!

But of course, the food is very Japanese as well. From the miso soup, tuna gunkan and green tea, it brought us pack to Japan, despite the fact that we're just in Cubao.

Sugoi ne!

FMM: What a Ham(mond)

Back in the early 2000s - the time when my life was still as an expat in HKG - the commercial that was on everyone's lips was the Smooth-E series. 

This face wash commercial was novel back then because of the series format. The original campaign stretched to around 4 materials, and even had offshoots after that. The story was funny, the acting was superb, and the physical comedy was top notch.

Another thing that made this commercial memorable was the song that it used throughout the campaign. It was only some years after that I learned that this song was an old song from 1972, sung by a British singer named Albert Hammond.

"It never rains in Southern California" is such a cool title. Not only is it longer than the usual, but it feels random - which is why it's interesting.

And the fact that it's interesting is the precise reason why it's today's Friday Magic Madness song.