Taking the leap!

Thank you Google for this uber cute banner to celebrate leap year!

Happy 29th of February, everyone!

Mixy-Matchy or Matchy-Matchy?

A few weeks ago, I found a couple of interesting ensembles at The Landmark. Particularly, a skirt-and-blouse pair.

The pair was a study in contrasts. With one being mixy-matchy, while the other was matchy-matchy.

Here's the mixy-matchy pair.

The top is a white blouse with a large windowpane pattern.

And I paired it with a black skirt, also with a window pane print.

And here's the matchy-matchy.

It's actually a vision in plaid.

And it has a belt to break the pattern.

The ensemble actually works both ways. So I'm glad I got both.

Thesis it!

The morning was a string of Murphy's Law occurrences. From powerpoint presentations not working, to fonts not loading.

Needless to say, it threw my students into a bit of a loop.

But that didn't hinder them from showing off their creativity, their skills, and their know-how in creating a kick-ass campaign!

Now, they're done! With a nomination to boot!

Congratulations, Team EPAL!

FMM: Divine

I'm going to take it easy on the 80s and chill to some 90s music this Friday.



Just like this classic song from Divinyls.

Divine, isn't it?

Part of the Crew

So, there's this nice linen dress on the website of J. Crew. It's a perfect dress for summer, given it's breezy silhouette and tropical print.

If you check it out on the website, you'll see that it's so popular that it's already sold out.

Good thing there's The Haunt!

Not only is the dress still available, it's at the fraction of the price.

The gold elements of this dress are so chic! Not only is there gold foil print, the zipper has that nice, golden sheen.

Finds like these make worth visiting the haunts well worth it.

Material world: Bollywood!

Ate Bullet said she had another upcoming wedding in April, so it was off to The Stash to find something that we can work with.

Here's what we found!

It's a very Bollywood combination of gold, beaded lace, magenta satin and tulle, and a string of jewels for good measure.

I think I know where this is going.

Material world: Sari Saree

 

Hang on a bit. There was another thing that I bought when I was in SG! 

Saree fabrics!

One Sunday, I found myself in Mustafa Center. Yes, that black hole where you can spend hours just browsing through floors and floors of knick-knacks and bric-a-bracs.

I've always visited Mustafa Center for their fabrics, so my first destination was the basement. Again, with the intention of just browsing and not buying.

But there were so many beautiful sarees that I couldn't resist!

First, a vision in maroon!

Then, a fantastic fuchsia fabric with gold trimmings.

And this beautifully beaded wonder!

So, even if I didn't have any luggage space, I bought them anyway. (I just hand carried them.)

These will be equally beautiful dresses soon!

Ad it up!

Last night, another commercial we shot last January finally aired!

This was a fun commercial to shoot. And even more fun to watch. (That's because I played an extra!)

Here's to more commercials in 2016!

Sketchy Stories: Dressed up cake

One of our clients celebrated her birthday last Friday, and the office asked me to design a personalized cake for her.

If there's one thing I vividly remember about this client, it's how she's a big fan of flannel shirts and ballet flats. So, I sketched this design for her.

As expected, Dexter's was able to execute my idea beautifully.

It was such a sweet surprise for our client.

More fashion and art

If Salvador Dali made a dress, I reckon this is how it would look like.

The watercolor print is both charming and surreal.

And that skirt. Perfection!

This masterpiece is definitely a keeper.

FMM: Taken by Carnes

Kim Carnes was a big thing in the 80s and 90s.

She with the beautifully husky voice, and that sultry way of singing. It was no wonder that her songs were always played on air back then.

Her most famous ditty was "Bette Davis Eyes."



It's one of my favorite songs of her as well. Which is why it's going to be my Friday Magic Madness song for the night.

Magical dance

While browsing through youtube, this video came up in the suggestion box. It was an excerpt from a Chinese talent show, and it featured a ballerina.

Not just any ballerina, but a ballerina who does magic!



What can I say, this was really a magical performance!

Oh, the drama!

And it's finally out!

For a commercial that took a week to make, this is very, very, very good!



As Devi said: "Here's to more one-week wonder commercials!"

Grab it by the (Mari)horn

In advertising, Thailand is one of the centers of creativity. Year after year, they churn out all these funny, heart warming and mind-bogglingly creative TVCs.

They're also a creative force in fashion. Since I started traveling to BKK, I've noticed so many awesome local designers there. Among my favorites are STRETSIS, and a relatively new brand called Marihorn.

For their S/S 2014 collection, they came up with a signature print which was based on jazz music. It was rendered in grafitti, and the result was pure sartorial genius!

Last weekend, while I was at one of The Haunts, lo and behold, I found this beautiful dress with the Marihorn print!

I love the illustration style on this dress. And the simple silhouette fits it perfectly.

The print in itself is a conversation piece. And I'm sure people will be walking up to Ate to ask about this dress.

This Marihorn dress is a perfect example of how art and fashion do mix.

Up the Valley

Since most of the big fast fashion brands are now in Manila, there's really no motivation to shop abroad. That's why when I went to SG a few weeks ago, I didn't really plan to buy anything. Besides, I didn't have the luggage space for it.

But while I was waiting for Sheilah Marie along Orchard Road, I saw this interesting store called "Temt." From the outside, I could see shift dresses with eye-catching prints. They called to me, so I had to check it out.

Once inside, I found out that they carry an Australian brand called "Valley Girl." 

Maybe it's because summer was fast approaching that they had a lot of sleeveless dresses in vibrant prints. This particular one snagged my attention because of the color, construction, and ease.

So, even if I didn't have room for anything in my backpack, I thought of buying the dress for Ate Bullet. And I'm glad I did. She loved it so much, she wore it a day after I gave it to her.

Now, I have a reason to shop in SG again.

Spell "Powerhouse"

Jennifer Aniston. Jason Sudekis. Kate Hudson. Hector Elizondo.

Gary Marshall.

And, Julia Roberts!



Where do I line up for tickets?

Movie mash-up

There's a popular book series that combines English literature with monsters. This gave birth to such titles as "Pride, Prejudice and Zombies," and "Sense and Sensibilities and Sea Monster."

It's an interesting premise, that's why the books were such a hit.

And now, the books are coming to the big screen!




With Lily James and Lena Heady, this looks like it's off to a promising start.

FMM: White out

The past few months were quite unfortunate for the music scene. In a span of 2 months, we've lost some of the best musicians from different generations.

There's Scott Weiland, Natalie Cole, David Bowie, and more recently, Maurice White.

Yes, one of the voices behind Earth, Wind and Fire has left us.

But like his songs, his legacy will stay behind "After the Love has gone."



And his legacy will stay behind even after his life is gone.

The mysterious Isla

I've always liked Isla Fisher. She has that bright, bubbly personality that lights up the screen.

A few years ago, she was poised to become the next big thing in Hollywood. She had a string of A-list films, most of it I watched. My favorites being "Wedding Crashers" and "Confession of a Shopaholic."

At that point, I felt that she was going to be the next headliner, like Julia Roberts or Nicole Kidman or Sandra Bullock. Or maybe even the next Amy Adams - they look alike, after all.

After "Shopaholic," though, I saw less and less of her. Yes, she was in "The Great Gatsby" and "Now you see me," but her performance wasn't as remarkable or memorable as her first ones.

Now I'm beginning to miss her effervescence on screen.

Hope she comes out in an A-list project again soon.

They're doing it for themselves

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as sisters!



Maya Rudolf as a guest!

Where is this showing? Sign me up!

Fashion is Art

While we're still awaiting - and guessing - who H&M's next designer collaborator will be, let's take a gander at the H&M Conscious Collection 2016.

It's a collection that was inspired by the archives of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs.

Pretty artsy, I must say.

Force the Issue

I'm a Star Wars geek. Always have been. Always will be.

As a kid, I watched all the movies, collected all the toys, and even dressed up as Star Wars characters when the opportunity arose.

So you can imagine how giddy I was when I saw this exhibit at Changi Airport!

It's a Tie Fighter!

And an X-Wing Fighter!

And R2-D2!

Yes, you can tell how excited I am by my use of multiple exclamation points!

Taking the (cup)cake!

Traveling is about new sights, tastes and experiences. And while I'm in SG for the taste of the familiar, I always try to eat something new.

And today's new eats is this sublime raspberry-lychee cupcake from Prive!

 Sublime. Really, really sublime.

Food flight!

It's still a few hours before my SG flight, and I'm already dreaming of the chwee kueh, prawn mee, ice kachang and Carl's Jr. that I'm going to eat!

This is going to be one filling trip.

FMM: You've always been this close to me

In the 80s, there was this obscure Dutch band named "The Mo," and they had this huge hit that was a staple in all the radio stations.

The song was an homage to the exoticism and beauty of Asia. Strangely, though, there was no mention of the Philippines.

Of course, the song was aptly entitled "Asia."



And tomorrow, I get to explore Asia again. Well, one country in Asia at least.

I can't resist going around Asia. It's all I hear and all I see!

Sweet read

A good book is an essential item on my bedside table. It's what I do to wind down and fall asleep.

And here's the book I'm reading now.

I wouldn't be surprised if I have sweet dreams.

Down this Avenue

Here's one of my favorite go-to places during lunchtime. A nice, little juice stall called Juice Avenue.

They sell fresh, cold-pressed juices in a myriad of flavors. My go-tos are the yellow mango, watermelon and apple, and if I want a little zing, I go for green mango or pineapple.

They should open a branch in Cubao. We definitely need this avenue there.

Krakoff dawn

Kohl's has a track record of collaborating with non-mainstream designers for their Design Nation series. From Thakoon to Milly to Narciso Rodriguez, they usually partner with names that are known for a strong aesthetic, and a non-commercial approach to fashion.

Now, they've added another name to that list.

Reed Krakoff!

I just found out about it today, but it was announced way back in November. That's how low key it is.

They've recently released their look book, and I like what I'm seeing.

Can't wait until mid-April when this collection drops!

The river has run dry...

While in Makati, I made my usual stop at the River Island store in Glorietta 5.

From afar, I could see the big "Buy One, Take One," signages. And when I walked inside, I found out why they were on sale.

They were closing down!

Yup, by February 1, River Island in Makati will be no more.

I hope they don't close the SM Megamall branch.