FMM: Feelin' Phyllis

Phyllis Hyman just randomly popped in my head.

And that's how today's Friday Magic Madness came about.

"Old Friend" has such a melancholic melody. But the lyrics are very poignant and uplifting. Songs about friendship always have a special place in my heart. And this 1986 classic is one of those.

As the song states: "Welcome back into my life," Phyllis Hyman!

Fashionable Farm

Qfter entering Surplus Shop, a vibrant print immediately caught my eye. It drew me in, and within a minute, the item with the eye-catching print was in my hand.

It was an Adidas running set.

Not just that, it was from a collab that they had with The Farm Rio.

Running is going to be more fun and fashionable with this dombo.

Are you nuts?

As a pun fan, this brought a smile to my face.

“I’m just a hazelnut spread, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love it.”

Bench press

You're walking on your way to a meeting, you pass by Ortigas Park, and you see this:

Gosh! This cat's body is comfortably pressed on this wooden bench, without any care in the world. It's almost 10am and he's still happily running around in dreamland.

Lucky cat!

Layered Lime

Since Ate Bullet is into loose dresses lately, my eyes are always peeled during mall runs.

Et voila, saw this lime green dress at The Landmark.

It's an easy-breezy dress with a fitted top, an airy skirt, and flouncy ruffles at the hem. And when you turn around, that's where it gets even more interesting.

Tadaa! A lace-up cutout detail at the back. Chic and sexy at the same time.

Incidentally, there was also a knitted top that had touches of lime in the design. It felt like a perfect layering piece, so off to the shopping cart it went.

So, the dress can now be worn two ways. And the top can also be worn separately.

It's lime time!

Best Western

No, this post isn't about a hotel.

It's about my team!

(Too bad Cathy wasn't able to join.)

Glad that everyone came in their best western outfit for our company outing this year.

To Infinity (Pool) and beyond

Luckily, the team arrived early. The infinity pool was practically empty and we had it all to ourselves.

This is a great way to spend a lazy Saturday.

FMM: Stuck in the Island

Today's Friday Magic Madness song needs no introduction:

Yes, it was inspired by yesterday's post.

"Islands in the Stream" is such a feel-good song, masterfully sung by the King and Queen of Country - Kenny and Dolly.

This song is definitely stuck in my head.

Isla in the stream

After what feels like ages, it's great to know that Isla Fisher is coming out in a new film soon.

This family comedy/rom-com is right up her alley, so I'm sure she'll knock this out of the park.

If they don't show this in theatres here in MNL, hope they stream it in one of the platforms.

Shops I miss

Ever since it opened in 1990, Robinsons Galleria was always my go-to mall, even becoming a fave in the mid-90s and early 2000s.

They had a lot of shops that you could only find in that mall, and whenever I'd have extra money, it would usually be spent at those places.

1. Save-A-Lot - This was a store that sold American goods, patterned after Duty Free stores. They even had a "passport" which you needed to enter. They had a very good selection of imported goods, and the beddings section was my go-to. They had American bed sheet brands that was quite rare back then.

2. Zu - A levelled-up version of the 3rd floor of Shoppesville, this was a space that had a collection of clothing stores under one roof. What made it different was that the brands were very fashion forward and unusual. The clothes were also pricey - which was understandable because they were unique.

3. Ibiza - Another clothing line which sold fashionable party and resort-inspired clothes. Their store was very unique because it resembled a beach resort, complete with pebbles on the floor, and tiles that you could walk on. This store turned out to be owned by the sister of one of my teachers in UP.

While there are so many new shops and brands these days - even ones from different countries that I'd frequent during trips abroad - these classics are still part of my shopping consciousness until today.

Remembering them makes me miss them even more.

The brand with 3 stripes

No, it's not Adidas.

It's Plains & Prints!

Let me explain.

Their Purple Sale started last week, and here's the first dress purchase from the sale.

This caught my eye the time it was launched a few months ago. But there were other dresses from that collection that were more covetable, and the decision was to just wait for this dress went on sale.

And it did!

The dress has an interesting print made up of 3 different types of stripes. They vary in thickness and width, and while it might seem chaotic on paper, it came out really nice and chic.

It's definitely worth the wait.

Wickedly Good

Seeing the new trailer for "Wicked" is making me excited for the actual film.

We've seen the musical, and it looks like the film will be as good.

Mother figure

It's nice to see Mother Ricky on TV after quite some time.

I've worked with Mother a few times during my HKG stint. She's very easy to work with, funny, smart, has a lot of creative ideas, and generous with her ideas. 

And thoughtful, too. One Christmas, she sent me a Christmas gift all the way in HKG. 

So, if I were to summarize my working experience with Mother Ricky, I'll use a word that she often uses herself. The experience is...

Gandaaaah!

Blast from the past!

Seeing this store suddenly transported me to the early 2000s.

There was a time when the Gozum group of stores was the go to for clothes that were unique and fashionable. One of their flagship brands was YRYS, and it was one of the stores where you could find a lot of agency people buying their outfits.

Nest time, I'll go inside and see if they still have that strong 00s vibe.

FMM: Harry Up!

Harry Belafonte.

That cassette tape was one of the most overplayed tapes at home.

After all, who wouldn't enjoy listening to his 1950s hit, "Day-O, the banana boat song."

This song is so iconic, we eventually used it in a commercial for Caltex Delo.

This song is so iconic, it deserves today's Friday Magic Madness slot.

It maybe almost 70 years old, but this song never grows old.

LFTAT: The ABCs of fashion - the repeat

It was almost 5 years ago when I wrote about a Look For Less Than A Thousand that was put together using brands of Golden ABC. Yes, the Filipino fast fashion conglomerate with a lot of cool brands under its portfolio.

Yesterday, at the start of SM Megamall’s 5-day Sale, we have a repeat! presenting a new LFLTAT from 3 brands of Golden ABC.

The top is a cropped, oversized shirt from BOCU. The fact that it’s cropped and oversized at the same time is such a great play of contrasts.

The skirt is a wrap around, minimalist one from Memo. 

The slip-on sneakers are from ForMe.

I’m loving the overall neutral palette of this ensemble. Very cool and chic.

But the price is what makes it even more lovable. Yes, the entire thing is a few pesos shy from P1000.

Eye see you

Magic eye posters were the thing in the 90s.

At my first advertising agency, there was a Magic eye poster outside the room of of the Special Prijects team. People would pass by, look at it, and would excitedly declare that they saw the hidden image. Meanwhile, for some reason, I couldn’t see it.

Day after day after day, attempts were made, and they were for naught. Until one lunch break, after deciding to give it another shot, I looked at the poster and saw the image.

It made me feel so accomplished and excited that a tear was shed. No exaggeration!

After that, it was easier for me todo d those images embedded on those posters.

And seeing this poster o line, decades after my last encounter with Magic eye posters, heck, it looks like I still have it.

Sheer up

Sheer blouses aren't a new thing. In fact, we see iterations of this fashion piece ever year.

But this one from Kashieca caught my eye the moment I spotted it from outside the store.

The cut of this sheer top is quite masculine. It actually reminds me of a barong. Then, there are 2 elements that make it feminine: 1.) the sheer, organza material, and 2.) the lace camisole underneath. Yup, the lace inner blouse is part of the package.

Because of its masculine vibe, a pair of tailored bottoms would be a good match for this. Enter this pair of wide-legged jeans with panels on the side. This is from Stella at Robinsons Department Store.

This combination takes 2 fashion staples and ups the ante with little details here and there.

Birth and rebirth

Our dear Adriana is now baptized!

Ate Lissa sent snaps from her double celebration - her birthday, and her baptismal day. It’s so providential that the day of her birth is also the day of her rebirth in the Catholic Faith.

Welcome to the Christian world, Adri!

Hey Mama!

No, this isn't a Black Eyed Peas post.

But it is about a song. Just not that group.

Today is Mother's Day, and it's fitting to play a song about Moms by the Spice Girls.

Back in the day, "Mama" was the quintessential tribute song to Moms. Rightly so, because the lyrics are so apt and so real.

Happy Mother's Day Mom! And to all Moms around the world.

Oreo intrigued?

As a fan of both Oreo and Sour Patch Kids, I'm intrigued by this combination.

Maybe I'll ask Kuya to get one when he goes to the US. Just to satisfy my curiosity.

FMM: Spell it out!

Back in 1985, when I was a kid who was fascinated with spelling, there was one song that caught my attention.

"Young, Free and Single" from Boney M was so memorable because it had a spelling element to it. They spelled out the first 2 words per letter, instead of reading the word. The nerd in me was thrilled by this.

I've forgotten about this song, until it popped in my head this week.

And that's how it became today's Friday Magic Madness song.

Mother-hood plot

Saw this upcoming film on Netflix which stars Brooke Shields. It's about a Mother of the bride who finds out that the Father of the groom was her college sweetheart. The same college sweetheart who broke her heart.

Seeing the trailer, the film looks very similar to "Ticket to Paradise." It has an island destination, a feuding couple, and the romantic tension that happens.

It's not completely the same, though. In "Ticket to Paradise," the objective of the parents were way different, but let me not spoil it.

Despite that, I'm going to be watching this Netflix film.

I'm a huge fan of wedding comedies, no matter what the plot is.

Color Story: Lovely Lilac

There’s this pretty lilac dress at The SM Store that caught my eye.

It was a pleated dress with bubble sleeves, a ruffled hem and a vibrant floral print. It’s a dress with such a strong summer vibe.

The color reminded me of this lilac sandal with scarf details that has been in “the stash” for quite some time now.

Of course, I ended up buying the dress to complete is lilac ensemble.

Lovely, isn’t it?

The peek of fashion

Peek-a-boo, I see you!

That seems to be what fashion is saying nowadays. There are a lot of peek-a-boo dresses that show skin. Some show slivers, while others are more daring and show a bit more.

Just like this dress from The SM Store.

Tomato red color - check!

Silky fabric - check!

Slip dress silhouette - check!

Peek-a-boo detail - check!

This is style at its peak!

Two a Tea

Zesto is an integral part of any 80s kids’ childhood.

It was the juice that was often served during parties, brought during field trips, and sold in school canteens. The iconic stand-up dot pack, and the hard-to-inert-straw, defines this drinkable icon.

Recently, i’ve found myself gravitating towards Zesto again, but this time for their iced teas.

For its price point, these teas are good. It has the right amount of fruitiness, it’s very refreshing, and it’s just P9 per pack!

Fit me to a tea!

Viva Mexico!

Today is Cinco de Mayo!

Time to bring out some Mexican music!

My exchange program in Mexico is still one the highlights of my travels, and my life. Being able to go to different states around the country, meeting diverse sets of people and trying authentic Mexican food - they're experiences that are forever embedded in my memories.

Muchas gracias y felicidades, Mexico!

Noah's Arc

When Noah left the Philippines, he was just a 1 year old baby.

We had this big family portrait, and he was the newest addition and the youngest one in that shot. Biboy and Liz also had him baptised before they flew to the US.

That felt like it just happened yesterday, but in reality, it's been more than 2 decades.

Now, Noah is all-grown up, and just graduated from college.

Our Noah is not a Respiratory Therapist!

It's so mice to have seen Noah's story arc progress through the decades. And it's exciting to see where his story will take him next.

FMM: Get a Klugh

During our weekly Sunday dinners, Raymond is our resident DJ and his playlist usually accompanies our meal.

Last Sunday, there was a song that played that automatically brought me back to my childhood. A golden oldie from the 80s, performed by Earl Klugh.

“Doc” is such a happy and uplifting song to listen to, it has a very sitcom-y and variety show-y vibe to it. And in reality, this song was played in many a sitcom and variety show.

This might be a Friday Magic Madness song, but i’m Going to listen to this the whole week.

When LFLTATs cross over

The nice thing about black, white and denim is the fact that they’re very versatile and can be mixed and matched easily.

There were 2 recent LFLTATs that featured black and white tops, paired with black and denim. While putting them together, I realized that you found switch up the tops, and the ensembles would still look as chic.

Here’s the loose, black and white top with the wide legged denim cargo pants:

And the balloon skirt with the knit top.

Now, that’s the cross over we’v Been looking for.

A Pun day

What better way to start the first of May than a word play! (Is that poetry or what?)

Gosh! Another month has started.

Time is zipping by so fast.