Charcoal me maybe

While walking in Cubao, I spotted the neighborhood Lawson and decided to go inside. Just for kicks. Even if I know it's not like the Lawson in Japan. Even if they don't have onigiri.

Okay, that's enough lamenting.

When I got inside, I found this instead!

Yes, the bamboo charcoal soft serve ice cream is old news, but the fresh caramel one is pretty new!

I tried it, and it's SO GOOD!

Will definitely come back for this.

Seeing double

So, H&M was on their "not-only-are-we-70%-off-stuff-is-buy-3-get-1-free-sale."

Of course I had to check it out!

While inside, I saw this pair of shorts with a built-in belt which was going for P500 from the original P1490. Not bad for the design and quality.

Was planning to get it, but decided to give it a pass.

Cut to a few minutes and meters later, I went to Surplus Shop, and found this!

It's the same frickin' pair of shorts! And it's P399.75!

Only in the Philippines can you have a fast fashion store and an export overrun store selling the same item. At the same time!

Lesson: you need to double check stuff before you buy them.

Mall this time

Just when you thought we had more than enough malls in Metro Manila, they open another one!

After a frantic, last-minute push, they've finally opened the new Podium Mall. It's going to be the high end mall of the SM group, and seeing the interiors, it looks like they're serious about the imaging.

Everything's so clean, streamlined and pristine. And the lines are unlike the usual boxes that SM is known for. This mall is more curvilinear and softer. It actually reminds me of Pacific Place in HKG.

At least we have a new mall to hangout in now.

Say Cheese (Tart!)

This greeted me when I entered the newly-minted Podium Mall.

It's the same cheese tart that Mark and I would get in Japan. We buy it at the Eki after his classes at Dela Cruz. We even had it as part of our lunch at the park one springtime.

Now that's another cheesy thing worth looking forward to.

FMM: Call me!

Nope, it's not the Debbie Harry ditty.

Since it's the weekend before Halloween, I think it's time to play something fun and spooky for our Friday Magic Madness song.

Flashback to 1984, Ray Parker, and the theme song of the classic film of the same name.



Now, you know who to call.

Hallo-winner!

Tomorrow is our office Halloween shindig, and we're expecting kids to descend on our department in search for candies.

And thanks to my weekend Divisoria sojourn, I'm ready!

My trick-or-treat bag has a puzzle, a pencil, a twirlie toy, Smiley's cookies, and the requisite chocolates.

Hope the kids will find this a real treat.

That's the Baz!

Finally, they've released the full film that Baz Luhrmann directed for the Erdem x H&M launch. And it's just lit!



All the clothes look spectacular on film. Just hope that it'll look as beautiful IRL.

And the wait for the collection begins!

Too many wrongs

Last week, I saw this memo inside our office elevator.

At the risk of missing my floor, I took time to take a photo of it. There were so many grammatical lapses that it deserved a post.

Proofreader, please!

Va-va-vintage, again!

When I was in HKG a month ago, I found this really pretty vintage style dress at one of my favorite haunts. It was a tulle dress with black ribbon details, and it was flowy, airy, and breezy.

Yesterday, Ate Bullet wore it to a wedding event at Shangrila Hotel. She paired the dress with vintage-looking feathered slides which I got from SM Department Store.

The theme of the event was neutral elegance. And this vintage ensemble fit the bill perfectly.

Gotta Loaf it!

Back when I was in High School, everyone was wearing loafers.

Not just loafers. Penny Loafers.

Not just Penny Loafers. Haruta!

And as proof that everything 80s is back, tadaaah!

Parisian has a line of loafers for women, and they just scream 80s chic!

Welcome back, Loafers!

Suddenly, Songbird

The Melrose gang were talking about watching the 30th anniversary concert of Regine Velasquez. But since everyone was busy with their own shizz, nothing came out from the talks. So, I thought we'd skip the concert altogether.

Well, that's what I thought.

Suddenly, I found myself in MOA Arena with 2 of my agency friends for the concert!

I must say, the songbird didn't disappoint.

FMM: It's Time

The past month has been uber busy, that this 80s hit from the Culture Club pretty much sums up what I need.



You tell 'em, Boy George!

In a Barbie world

Looks like Plains & Prints is on a collaboration streak.

Fresh from their Vania Romoff collab, they've come up with another unique and interesting partnership.

Plains & Prints x Barbie!

It might sound odd on paper, but upon seeing the pieces at their pop-up store, I was delightfully surprised. The dresses were very modern and chic, but still keeping with the effervescence of Barbie.

One dress was a complete standout for me. This modern take on the shirt dress with an A-MA-ZING print! I can't get enough of the print. It's so pretty, chic, and just astounding! It's one of the best prints I've seen from the brand. Ever!

This is definitely the dress worth getting dolled up in.

Cut it out!

Here's another Erdem x H&M piece worth coveting!

A dress with the iconic Erdem print, but with cool cutouts on the side.

Let's see how this looks like in person.

Boy, oh Boy!

A few weeks ago, my colleague came up to me to ask about Dexter's making a cake for Boy Abunda's birthday.

After confirming with them that Ate can make a cake within their time frame, they put me on the spot and asked me to sketch a cake design.

This is what I came up with.

And this is how Dexter's executed it.

Pretty cool, eh.

Topsy turvy

They say when you buy cheap stuff, you can expect quality control to go out the window.

Was checking out a black dress in SM Department Store last week and wanted to look at the size.

And voila!

The tag is inverted!

Quality control, please.

Going up!

Found this bottle of Red Bull stashed in one corner of the elevator inside Shangrila Mall.

Guess the operator needed a pick-me-up while shouting, "Going up!"

Makan is gone

More than a year ago, I was writing about how excited I was about Makansutra opening in Manila.

And when I passed by their area today, this is what I saw.

Bye, Makanstura MNL. Back to visiting Makansutra in SG, then.

FMM: Unforgettable Faces

When we - the 90s kids - get together at the office, it's usually one big nostalgia trip. Especially on Fridays since we all grew up on Friday Magic Madness.

Today's topic was discos in Manila. Apparently, no one uses the word "disco" now, and whoever mouths that word is automatically dated.

Among the gamut of discos in the 90s - Euphoria, Rumors, Where else, Cats, etc. - one of the most iconic is this "place to be seen" in Paseo De Roxas. The disco known as "Faces."

And just as iconic is their theme song. Their TVC had Joanne Zapanta dancing and flying in mid-air to this classic 90s ditty.



Talking about this definitely put a smile on our faces.

Erdem x H&M: The (big) money piece

Finally, the full lookbook of the Erdem x H&M collaboration is out!

Looking at the past collections (Balmain, Kenzo, Versace), it seems like there's a conscious effort to bring up the price points for their capsule collections. More and more, they're introducing pieces that are considerably above the prices that H&M consumers are used to.

Not sure how that's working for them since their recent collections didn't move as fast as Lanvin or CDG, which had more approachable prices.

In any case, the pieces from this new collaboration is true to Erdem's aesthetic. A lot of romantic florals and dreamy dresses.

My favorite among the lot, this snowdrop gown.

In SG, it'll retail at SG$399, so that's roughly PhP14,000. Pretty steep for a fast fashion brand.

But looking at how pretty this piece is, I would'nt be surprised if it's snapped up in an instant.

Color story: The OK Corals

One of the most ignored colors in my 64-piece Crayola set was Coral Pink.

Back as a kid, none of my coloring books or art projects needed this hue. Frankly, I found it a bit confused for a color. It was like a mish-mash of pink, orange, and red. Plus, I was never a fan of pink, so this was automatically off my consideration set.

But as I grew older, my appreciation for Coral Pink started. Especially when I saw them nicely executed in fast fashion brands. Usually, they'd come out in the Spring-Summer collections, and they'd always look refreshing on the runway.

It's no longer summer, and we don't have spring, but that didn't stop me from whipping up this Coral Pink outfit for Ate.

Both pieces are from my Greenhills haunt. While I don't go there as often as before, they never disappoint when I'm there.

The first piece is this top with ruffled sleeves. I got this for Ate Bullet in white, and she loved it. So, when I saw this deep Coral option, it was a must buy.

Then, I saw this pair of printed pants, also in a lighter shade of coral. And it was a nice contrast to the heavier shade up front.

Given how funky and chic this ensemble is, I'm sure Ate will be tickled Coral Pink.

(Cebu) City of Lights

Food trip was on the agenda on this trip to Cebu. The group decided to try places that we wouldn't find in Manila.

One of those places was a casual French restaurant called "La Vie Parisienne." It was just a few minutes away from our hotel, so we decided to have dinner there.

First impression, it was legit. The owner was a young, French guy who was manning the register. The breads were delicious. Their cheese selection was massive. Their deli, well-stocked with cold-cuts.

And of course, there was wine, wine, wine.

Just like Paris, this restaurant was filled with lights. Everything had that nice glow. Usually, I'd find this type of decor cheesy, but somehow, this works.

Surprisingly, their prices were uber affordable! No wonder the place was packed during the 2 nights we were there.

I'll definitely be back here the next time I'm in Cebu.

Best laid Unplans

As they say, the best plan is to have no plan at all.

For the past 2 years, my production friends and I have been trying to plan an out-of-town trip. The planning usually happens whenever we have a shoot. We've planned to go to places as far as Tokyo, and as near as Batangas. Strangely though, it never happens.

Until this weekend. Because of a project, we found ourselves in Cebu!

While we were having lunch, the consensus of everyone was: "Finally! Natuloy din!"

As they say, the best plan is to have no plan at all.

Straight to the (Sacred) Heart

One of the places in Cebu that I knew I had to visit was Sacred Heart Church. This is where Lu-Ann got married a few years back, and it has a special place in my heart.

Luckily, it was near our hotel, so that's where I heard mass.

To my surprise, they've renovated and spruced up the place! I'm loving the more architectural and modern look.

It was a heart-enriching visit indeed.

Double take

In one of my trips abroad, I chanced upon this pretty dress by Diane Von Furstenberg.

The dress was a new take on her iconic wrap dress. It played on color blocking and a bit of proportion. And it made the dress interesting.

A few months after, this dress from Plains and Prints came out.

It made me do a double take because there are similar elements to the DVF dress. The Plains and Prints version was shorter, though, which makes it more wearable for everyday. And of course, the price point is much better.

Ate Bullet already has the Plains and Prints one. Who knows, the DVF one might find itself on the Lane Crawford outlet rack in HKG, and we can make it a double.

FMM: Vernie max

Today's Friday Magic Madness song started with dinner.

It was a dinner with Devi Ever and some of the office folks at this fun, Filipino restaurant called XO 46 in SM Aura. They have a great modern-Filipino concept, plus really awesome food!

That "XO" eventually led to what the letters mean, which is "Hugs and Kisses." This then led to an old 80s song entitled "A little kiss," and ended up with one of the singing divas of the 80s, Vernie Varga! (Look her up, kids!)

So, today's FMM is a medley of her disco ditties!



Now this is the way to spend a Friday.

XOXO,

Gossip Girl

Old and new

After decades in their original place in UPSC, Rodic's opened another - and more modern - branch, just in front of their first.

How's that for old meets new?

Random Scary Stuff

It's amazing what scary things you find on the street.

Creepy, eh.

Cats and Chicken

Found these 2 cats outside the KFC branch in Telus.

They were actually meowing for attention, and I can only surmise that they were asking for chicken.

What's interesting is that even if the door to the store was open, they stayed outside and tried to catch people's attention from where they were sitting. I mean, they could've easily gone inside, but they didn't.

These cats must really be disciplined. Or maybe they're just chicken. Harhar.

LFLTAT: Cool-lottes

By the looks of the window displays of fast fashion brands, it looks like culottes are back! From Topshop to H&M to Zara to SM to Uniqlo, denim culottes in different washes and colors are making their presence felt.

Even The Landmark is getting into the program. I got this pair from their department store this weekend.

Not only is the denim nice and light, the silhouette has this modern vibe, thanks to the tucks in front. And this pair is less than P400!

To match the loose and cool vibe, I found this blouse with balloon sleeves and the appliques du jour. Cost: less than P400 as well!

So, here's a relaxed and fashionable outfit, for less than a thousand bucks!

Cool.

LFLTAT: Breathe!

"Knock-out Sale! Items P399 and below!"

Those words were emblazoned on posters in front of the Oxygen store in SM Megamall. And with a poster like that, resistance is futile.

Truth be told, Oxygen is too young and trendy for my liking. But there are times when I found some gems in that clothing store, so, what the heck.

Yes, they were on sale! And yes, things were on the cheap! And yes, I was able to put together a look for less than a thousand.

The top was a nice, loose black shirt which was labeled "Cool Girl Fit." This is true because it has the loose, nonchalant vibe to it.

Plus, this dark, boyfriend jeans. The cut is nice and roomy, and the fabric has some stretch to it.

Put them together, and it's a weekend look for Ate Bullet when she's feeling relaxed and unfussy.

And did I say this outfit was less than P600?