I'm not sure if this is a case of "Johnny Come Lately" or "It's about time," but this once-iconic American fast fashion brand has finally opened its first store in the Philippines.
Yup, Abercrombie & Fitch.
This famous and infamous brand is known for their shirtless sales staff, dark store interiors, and love for unabashedly perfect models. Whenever I'd visit their stores in the US, and even in TYO, and once in SG, it was a bit of a daunting experience especially when their chiseled and near perfect staff would meet you at the door.
But I'd always find myself inside their store since I'm a huge fan of their jeans and polos. This blog is witness to that truth.
The SM MOA store doesn't look like the usual A&F store I'm used to. It looks bright and inviting, very different from the set-up I'm used to. Then again, these are just pictures. It would be interesting to go there personally and see how much the brand has evolved.
Today's Friday Magic Madness is an obvious choice.
The Philippines celebrates Independence Day today, so, let's play a song about Independence.
"State of Independence" is a 1982 hit by Donna Summer. People have always considered this song to be a heavyweight song because of the song's back-up choir. It featured legends like Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick and Lionel Richie! How's that for a back-up?
That's probably why after 44 years, this song is still in a very good state.
Human recently had a collaboration with another street wear brand named Hamu, and they had 1 piece that caught my eye.
It's this white cargo skirt with an interesting detail. It's an embroidery, but it looks like a kid's drawing of a flower. It's this simplicity and purity that drew me to it.
Speaking of simple and pure, this knit top, also from Human, was the perfect pair. It's simple, but the scalloped neckline (which isn't too visible) is what makes it elevated.
The sight of roast items hanging from a window always reminds me of HKG.
Spotted this when Mark and I had lunch at Hawker Chan in One Ayala, and it immediately brought me back to my old neighbourhood in Tak Hing Street. There were a few roast restos around my building, and I've tried them all.
And of course, there's Cafe de Coral who also had a set-up like this.
You know it's a trend when even kids clothes following it.
Thus is the case of the Chinoiserie that has been mentioned here a few days ago. During a routine visit to The SM Store, this super cute and super fashionable ensemble caught my eye.
The top is a Chinese-inspired denim polo from Just Kids. It''s actually a boy's polo, but it'll also work for little girls. I actually got this for my apo, Sab. Luckily, they had a skort made of a similar material, and that's what I got to pair it with.
This ensemble is a perfect example of "small in size, big in style."
An SG icon where I'd usually buy pasalubongs is now in MNL. It opened quietly, and without much fanfare. But the shop, the promise and the prices speaks volumes.
Valu$ is a grocery store in SG that sells items for much less compared to regular supermarkets. This is my go-to place if I'm buying chocolates, cookies and other pasalubongs.
It's a very no-frills place. Wooden shelves. Cardboard signs highlighting the offers. Red and yellow signs everywhere. And the great thing is, they brought all that here, so going inside the Valu$ store in Starmall feels like being in the Valu$ store in Bugis all over again.
From now on, this is going to be my destination for value buys.
After writing about fables, the word "imagination" suddenly came to mind. After all, you need a rich and vivid imagination to be able to come up with stories. Much more if you think up of fables.
And since today is Friday Magic Madness day, I'm digging up a song that I've written about more than a year ago. But it's such a nice song, it deserves a repeat.
"Pure Imagination" is a 1976 song from Lou Rawls. As kids, this song would be played a lot on cassette, whether it was at home or in the car.
True to its title, there's something very imaginative and fantastical about this song. It sounds so soothing, thanks to Lou Rawls' voice, and the lyrics were beautifully written.
So, as the song says: Come with me, and let's listen to this song again.
But as a kid, Aesop's Fables was one of the books that I'd devour.
What this post is about is this recent discovery.
After smelling Aesop HWYL, it was definitely a must-buy. It has this very green and earthy scent that's easy on the nose and not too overpowering. It also has good longevity and lasted more than 6 hours on my skin.
I'm not a big fan of perfumes, so this is a big deal.
File under: "The things you find when you're not looking."
Was walking along the concrete pavements of 13th Avenue, and chanced upon this beauty:
It's so refreshing to see so many flowers and so much vibrant colours in least expected places. It's a nice breather from all the hustle and bustle of city life.
Unprompted, this feature suddenly popped up on my FB reel.
What makes this reel special is that it features my cousin and their family restaurant in BCN.
Cristy is part of the 3rd generation of Bofarruls who are running Los Caracoles. And it's great to see how much they've embraced on-line marketing and advertising, but in a very authentic and organic way.
Looks like Chinoiserie is having another moment in fast fashion.
From Zara to H&M to Stradivarius, Chinese themed blouses, particularly those with frog closures, are popping up. Some are made of Chinese-looking silk, while some are made with more modern fabrics like linen and denim.
Gosh, this reminds me of that whole stash of Chinoiserie that was in my closet during my stay in HKG and SHG. Should've kept those for a time like today.
This is the reason why teaching is something I'm passionate about. It's always great to see how young creative minds work, and how they approach creative challenges.
Today was my Copywriting class' final presentation, and they did campaigns for the school's hotel.
Seeing how creative their work is - both in strategic thinking and creative execution - it's easy to see that the future of creativity is in capable hands.
Call this a double play or double feature, but today's Friday Magic Madness song is inspired by yesterday's movie trailer.
The trailer had a catchy music bed, and the song is a remake of this 1978 hit by Billy Joel:
"My Life" is one of his iconic songs, and it's been a while since I've last heard it play. But thanks to this trailer, it's now back in my playlist and I'm listening to it on repeat.
Safe to say, this song has been given a second life.
A few weeks ago, my parents and I went to this Bicol products fair at Shangrila Mall.
They had the usual roster of products, like abaca and rattan products, pili nuts and its different derivatives, Paracale gold, Laing, and other Bicolano dishes.
But one booth stood out to me. It sold clothing, but with a very artistic twist.
The owner was an artist who does her own paintings, then prints them on fabric. From there, she makes various creations, including dresses, blouses, and other Filipiniana outfits.
The one that caught my eye was also the piece that eventually made it home.
This is a bib blouse with a barong tagalog print. The blue artwork is the owners original art, and she added the barong pattern to give it the total barong Tagalog feels. It was so chic, creative and local.
And just like how barongs are usually paired with dark pants, I've paired it with a straight cut, dark denim jeans.
So, it's true. They're shutting down the Tokyu Hands store in Shibuya.
Mark and I have been here once or twice. As a fan of crafting and writing, this place was a joy to visit. They had floors upon floors of papers, pens, cards, art materials, and everything else in between.
Hopefully, their other stores will still be open. That way, I'd still get my crafting fix whenever we go to Japan.
Was wondering, will Uniqlo be coming up with a new fashion collaborator?
They have the regular lines with Clare Waight Keller and the U Studio. But there was a time when they had people like Phillip Lim, Costello Tagliapietra, Marni, Jil Sander and Alexander Wang doing capsule collections. And it would be cool to have something like that again.
Lo and behold, a capsule collection with Cecile Bahnsen.
She's a Danish designer known for blending femininity with her Scandinavian roots. So, think minimalism, but with a romantic twist. Something that you can see in her Uniqlo collaboration. It has a lot of ruffles and shirring, details that really elevates her pieces.
I've got my eye on the ruffled dresses, and something tells me that will land in Ate's closet soon.
My penchant for botanical prints is well documented on this blog. In fact, Ate Bullet has a number of nice, botanical print clothes in her closet.
But there's always room for another one. Especially if the print is this cute.
This is a botanical print, but done in a dainty way. The prints are small and delicate, simple in its execution and colour, and spaced adequately so that you can appreciate it more.
And this dainty print is from an equally dainty dress from The Landmark.
You really can never have too many botanical print dresses.
Mark has been talking about and swearing by this Japanese restaurant in San Pedro called Aizu.
It's one of the go-to restos of Mark and his family, and I've always wanted to try it and experience the Japanese food he's been raving about.
And today, that day finally came.
We had lunch at Aizu's 2nd branch. Apparently, the 1st branch, the one he frequents more often, is only open from 5pm onwards.
Told Mark to handle the ordering since he knows this restaurant more.
It's a super delicious and super satisfying spread of Tantanmen, gyoza, chicken karaage and chahan.
Everything was good. The ramen was creamy and spicy, and the noodles were firm. The gyoza was flavourful and the skin had the right amount of snap. The chahan was generous in therms of the inclusions and the quality of the rice was top notch. And the chicken karaage was crispy and crunchy without being too oily.
After the hearty meal, I now know why Mark enjoys Aizu a lot. And this is the sign that we should eat at Aizu more. (As well as sample the other restaurants around Pacita.)
Since we're in the subject of j3j3m0hwns, this song from 1993 suddenly came to mind.
"Bring dat booty" is a rap song from the Fil-Am group named Mastaplann.
While this isn't exactly from the j3j3m0hwn era, (it predated it by more than a decade, actually), this song actually captures the vibe of that era. It campy, cheesy and cringey. But it's so campy, cheesy and cringey that it's fun.
Thus, it's fun to go back and randomly listen to songs like this.
When we were kids, we had a talking alarm clock. It was a Raggedy Ann and Andy alarm clock, and if memory serves me right, it was Ate Lissa's and Ate Bullet's alarm clock.
You'd set the alarm, and once it hits the time when it was set, you could hear Raggedy Ann and Andy have this conversation:
Raggedy Ann: Andy, Andy, please wake up, it's time to play our game.
Andy: Okay, Ann, I'm awake, let's do it all again.
Sometimes, I'd get the clock and adjust the alarm to that exact moment I'm there, just to hear this conversation. And was always fun hearing it.
Recently, I saw that exact clock on the net.
It looks like the same one that we had. Now I'm wondering if it sounds the same, too.
This is one of our go-to places to eat. And the Shangrila Plaza branch has been part of our foodie itinerary ever since it was on the ground floor, near the driveway.
For today's visit, we decided to go full-on Pinoy for merienda.
This combination of sweet (ginataang halo-halo), savoury (quezo de bola pandesal) and cold (shooters) was just what we needed. It's filling, flavourful, and has a summer vibe.
Aside from "The Devil Wears Prada 2," here's the other reason I'm going back to the cinema soon.
I'm a huge He-Man fan. In fact, the original "Masters of the Universe" film with Dolph Lungdren was one of my most watched films. And seeing the trailer of this 2-26 version, and seeing how the characters are closer to the cartoon counterpart, I'm even more psyched to see it.
The kid in me in screaming.
And he's screaming: "By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!!!!"
What better way to end Double Denim week than this song from Stevie Nicks.
"Blue Denim" is one of my favourite Stevie Nicks songs. While it wasn't as popular or known here in the Philippines, this song has always been on my playlist since its launch in 1994. The sound is quintessential Stevie - a big of country, a bit of rock, but all phenomenal!
This has got to be the fastest and easiest Stella buy in my history of Stella buying.
The moment my eyes locked in and saw this denim ensemble from afar, my fashion instincts kicked in and propelled me to the rack to snag these:
It's a beautifully pleated denim coords. The top is a sleeveless, pleated blouse made of dark denim. And it has cute ribbon details in front. The skirt is made of the same denim and the same pleating style. These 2 pieces complement each other so, so, SO perfectly.
This blog is a witness to this observation: Stella is such an underrated fashion brand.
I've been buying Stella for more than a decade, and I've been consistently amazed with the type of clothes they churn out. Of course, there are some misses, but mostly they've been hits.
Riding on the denim trend, they have a lot of very nice denim pieces on their racks today. And this double denim ensemble caught my eye instantaneously.
It's a skirt and top combination. The top is cute because it's designed like an inverted denim jean. The skirt is made from the same material, but it has this turned up detail that gives it an edge.
I'm excited to see Ate turn up in this denim ensemble.
No, this isn't a post about that popular 90s clothing brand. But that begs the question, "What happened to Blowing Bubbles?"
But that's not what this post is about.
We're on day 2 of Double Denim week, and today, we have this outfit that's centred on a bubble skirt.
The skirt is from Penshoppe, and was on-sale! Then, the top is from SM Woman, and it was also on-sale at 50% off.
This outfit is another example of "classic with a twist." The top is a classic looking button down, but the bubble skirt is the twist part of the story.
And now that I"m realising that this is also an LFLTAT outfit, I'm blown away!
There are so many nice denim pieces out there these days, you can actually dedicate a week for double denim pieces.
And that's exactly what I'm doing.
First up is this denim duo that has a very relaxed and boxy fit.
The top is from the RAF x Nicolo collection. It's a tie back top made of medium wash denim. It has a boxy silhouette which gives it a modern edge. The belted, wide-legged pants are from The SM Store, and the shape gives it a super easy-breezy vibe.
If a nonchalant, cool-girl went out in a double denim ensemble, this would be it
Got home from the office quite early last Thursday, so I decided to cook dinner. Mom was already preparing to cook Camaron Rebosado, but I thought of levelling it up and made this Camaron Rebosado x Tempura hybrid.
I'm not sure if this is early or late, but this product is already in 7-11.
It's either this is a product from December that hasn't been removed yet, or it's really a Christmas product that they decided to display as early as May.
That's because my parents listened to so many different types and genres of music, and we'd listen to those along with them. We could be listening to Richard Clayderman one day, then Village People the next day. One day, we'd listen to jazz, and the next day, we'd listen to synth-pop.
One of the synth-pop groups that I grew up listening to is a group called Soft Cell. They're an English band who had a number of hits in the 80s, the biggest being this song:
"Tainted Love," has the 80s vibe down pat. It must be the synth aspect of it, but this song was and is a joy to listen to. And each time I'm listening to it, I can't help but be transported back to the 80s.
Interesting trivia is the fact that this song is actually a remake of a 1964 song by Gloria Jones. It was popular back then, but it never reached the same popularity as the Soft Cell version.
I've listened to both, and admittedly, I'm more sold on this version.
Reading the story behind Ferrero Rocher made me love the brand even more.
The brand's founder - Michele Ferrero - is a devout Catholic and a firm devotee of Our Lady of Lourdes. In fact, the word "Rocher" means "rock," and it refers to the grotto in Lourdes where our Lady appeared.
This makes the story of this chocolate even sweeter.
Baking is a part of our family - even at a very young age. Back in my grade school days, I'd buy those pre-packed Devil's Food Cake mixes and try to make it at home. Some would succeed, others would look like burnt cakes on the outside but liquid inside.
The interest came from my Mom who's a good baker. She'd make apple pie and empanadas for merienda when we were kids. And they were spectacular! Ate Lissa is also a good baker, and her specialty back then was macaroons.
There was a book at home called "Cooking it up with Nora," written by the legendary Nora Daza. It had a section on cakes and baking, and I'd find myself reading the recipes and imagining that I'd make them.
When I was in high school, my interest in baking was still there. And around that time, I was determined to make that interest something real. So, with money saved from my allowance, I bought my first baking cook book.
And that cook book is still with me until now - 35 years after I bought it.
This book helped me become more confident in my skills. Through this book. I made my first Caramel Butter Tarts (which later became my specialty), my first Mud Pie, and my first attempt at making Dark Fruit Cake.
Opening the pages of this book brought back so many fond and fun memories. More than that, it made me want to try making these recipes again.
One of these days, I'm going to make those Caramel Butter Tarts again.
Chocolateria San Gines, an uber popular chocolate cafe in Madrid - has opened its first branch in Podium.
They're bringing in their famous chocolate and churros, a combination that's been around in MNL for quite sometime.
And as expected, the lines are cray!
They're not the first big churros brand in MNL. Just a few years ago, La Lola Churrria was a popular hang out spot, but they lost their steam a few years after. They're now trying to make a comeback through The Bistro Group.
There's also the OG - Dulcinea. Now, this is the churros that we grew up with.
Honestly, I'm curious to see if the taste is the same as the original one in Madrid (but it's been almost 2 decades since my last trip there). But I'll wait for the crazy lines to subside before trying it.
During my stint in HKG, one of the things that Hong Kongers would anticipate was the HK Rugby Sevens. It's a sporting event that became part of pop culture, and people would show up - costumes and all - to watch the rugby games.
That's why around April, you'll see a lot of Rugby themed merch floating all over the place.
I'm actually a fan of Rugby shirts, and I've always had 1 or 2 in my closet. Right now, there are 3 in my rotation - 2 from Bench and 1 from SPAO.
While passing through SM Cubao, saw a Rugby shirt that was on-sale. Conveniently, there was a pair of baggy jeans that had the same colour story as the shirt. Those 2 sale items gave birth to this outfit.
This is so sporty and fashionable. The best part, it rang up to less than P1000!
Today's Friday Magic Madness song is bittersweet. It's a song that's 20 years old, and the title has a colour which is also the name of a friend who we recently lost.
Hazel is one of the IUJ girls who I met during that time I surprised Mark in Urasa. I was sitting on a bench outside SD2, waiting for Mark, and this group of 3 girls passed by. I overheard one of them ask if the other 2 knew who I was, and what country I was from. That girl turned out to be Hazel.
It was during that same night, at the Karaoke party, that we were formally introduced. After that first meeting, we became friends. Being friends with Hazel was easy because she had a very friendly personality. She was bubbly, accommodating, and she always had a ready smile.
Whenever she'd see me alone and waiting for Mark's class to finish, she'd stop and take time to chat and keep me company. Whenever we'd go to Yummy Ice Cream or JUSCO in Muikamachi, her presence would always light up that place where we were.
After their IUJ stint and they were back in Manila, we'd still occasionally see each other. Some were planned meetings, like when her daughter was baptised. Some would be accidental, like seeing her in the NEDA building in Ortigas. But no matter how many years have passed, she was still the same bubbly, accommodating and friendly Hazel from IUJ.
It was last Friday when we heard the news that she was in the hospital, and last Wednesday, we heard the sad news that she passed on. It's shocking since she's still young, and it's saddening because we won't be able to experience the friendliness and warmth that was uniquely Hazel.
So, for you, here's Kelly Clarkson's 2005 song which was one of the songs that kept me company during my first few months of living in HKG - "Beyond these Hazel eyes."
Although denim is a fashion staple, I've been noticing more and more denim pieces coming up and out these days.
Plains & Prints dropped their DNM Studios collection recently, and per usual, there were a lot of covetable pieces.
Just like this pair:
Yup, it's so good, I had to buy it stat!
The pants are cuffed, dark denim pants with side button details. The top is a loose, sleeveless top with a boxy silhouette. And together, this outfit gives a very nonchalant but cool vibe.
It's so cool, Ate wore it immediately.
And that's the sign that the outfit is doubly good.
I've been eyeing this cropped denim top from the Stella brand at Robinsons Department Store, but they don't have Ate's size. I've been looking for it at their Galleria, Magnolia and Ermita branch, but to no avail.
So, I asked Mark to check if they have it in RGS, the place to be. Here's the picture I sent him.
Then, a few days, he sent me this picture:
Woohoo! They have it!
But what's more amusing is the fact that our photos look alike, considering we shot it in different places and different times.
The hallmark of a really good designer is the ability to elevate something that would normally be simple.
And Stella McCartney displays that ability in her new H&M collaboration.
While there are a lot of very nice pieces, my key piece is this seemingly simple dress.
Yes, it's a white, sheath dress, but the way she draped it makes it look phenomenal. It's already gorgeous as a flat piece, so imagine it when it's actually worn.
If they carried this piece in the MNL stores of H&M, it would probably be the one I'd be grabbing.
I've been doing this Friday Magic Madness thing for more than a decade, and I'm actually surprised that there's hasn't been any INXS song featured yet.
They're a rock band from the 80s, and they had a number of massive global hits. Needless to say, they're also a mainstay in TV shows like Video Hit Parade, America's Top 10 and MTV.
One of my most listened to INXS songs is this 1983 hit.
"Original Sin," is their first song that really caught my ear and became an earworm back in the 80s. The lyrics well-written, and the musicality of their performance is just top notch.
