Ciao: Some amore!

Despite the million things in my head right now that I just can't wait to blog about, not to mention the hundreds of back posts, here I am trying still to make it past the two-digit mark (not even)....here are my excuses:
#1: my laptop has been indisposed for a while.
 #2: I'm behind my study schedule by um...2 episodes of Cake Boss and one season of House,to be accurate.
#3: blah, blah, blah, I was just lazy.

But really, when I was just contemplating on starting a new blog, I was dreaming sooo big. In my own world,I had secret high hopes of being the next best thing. haha. Who doesn't, show of hands? As voyeuristic as we shamefully deny ourselves to be, I believe that we are more of exhibitionists. Right Mr. Zuckerburg? hmm.hmm? Who isn't tweeting his lunch of the day or posting her outfit of the 7 days a week? Raise your Blackberries!
Days of the week? Parang panty lang ha. Hehe, excuse me as I laugh 'bout my private joke.

Back to my excuses reasons...well, as a recovering agoraphobic, you'd understand that I had a lot of blog insecurities. Deciding on my blog header font alone took days, I'm really OC (boy, do I need help!). I wanted to integrate all of my favorite blogs' styles that it wasted me time starting my own. So, I just went ahead, and tried the easiest format, looked at the style that best fitted my aesthetic and figured that I'd just make many changes along the way.

Still, the green eyed monster didn't stay away. Just as I was in the process of negotiating with an artist to do my header...(say kina-career), this popped up...

 Waaahh! (butter churning moves on!) Over the moon.
Just when I was debating myself (now, I'm a schiz atop all) whether to go all the way with this blog and do the works (feeling sikat na ba?) or abandoning it, inspiration comes in the sweetest package!
I've mentioned before that I was such big big fan of Sally Shim's blog, and who better to pull me out of blogging limbo but her!

Really, this knocked me hard on the noggin', back to earth....and reminded me why I blogged in the first place. Ms. Shim put it perfectly, my blog would be a "wonderful place to connect with friends and family..."
And that it shall. I forgot that I shouldn't be conscious of what the blog paparazzi would throw at me, I had quite a few traumatic ones before (and I'm not even a blogging starlet,I'm more of in the indie category, so to speak). I didn't even listen when one of my bestfriends told me "just hella write what you want!",one even offered legal advise.hehe. 
I'll write for myself and the people who don't care if my spellings wrnog. 


After all, if some won't like what they see, it's their fault they looked.


Thank you so much Sally! You'll forever be my blog heroine.

Ciao: Au Naturel

7 posts/month? dismal. So here's making July's 8th. I've been really busy lately, work rounds, out of town jobs, hitting the (hard) books!, going back and forth to check on my sick grandma...all while trying hard to get home early to read T his Cookie Monster book. Now, as if I'm not busy enough...me and Dada signed up to be social entrepreneurs! Well, we just signed up as members of this enterprise, but really...its a cause we really support. In a small way,we're now part of the Human ♥ Nature family.
It all started with this...

...as I was cleaning out my locker from somewhere I used to train with, I unearthed my "overnight toiletries bag" -you know,the stash you leave at work just in case you can't get home to freshen up. And I found a 3-year old Human♥Nature lip balm (yeech),from where I got it? Maybe it was from that vegetarian cafe hiding inside the UP campus or maybe from my mom. All I remember is that aside from Burt's Bees, this was the only lip balm that works for me. Forgetting that there was such a thing as the internet, I asked around where I can get this again, as I was lazy to go to the mall (wasn't even sure if there were there), and heard that these were being peddled around Avon-style.
Then life happened, so I just forgot about it and finished 2 tubs of petroleum jelly for my lips.

Then, divine intervention. To my surprise, one of the blogs I followed featured Human Nature's flagship store (see here). But because I'm in the province since, and I have had many bad experiences with online shopping....it was so lucky that my mom found out that a family friend was a products dealer. Yeah! Reunited....though they don't have that Watermelon lip balm anymore, its now repackaged as Tutti Frutti.

H♥N Natural Lip Balm (see here) 

Yum, I tried Choco Fudge too and boy, it is what it is. But then,there were also the tinted ones..

H♥N Natural  Tinted Lip Balm (see here)

I don't want to wear lipstick anymore...wait, that's a lie. But it makes you want to. My Flame Tree is always in my pocket. And being so OC, I have one for my bag, one for the car, and one for emergency! Its a quick go-to when you rush out of the house without make-up, instant pickerupper!

Much has been said about Human Nature, and I'm so sorry to notice this so late. Mere fact that its 100% organic, I can't say no to this. You see, the Dada has always been a staunch believer in going all green. Before everyone was into being fit,and before milk teas replaced our mochaccinos, he already was into the healthier choice. So before T popped out of me, I knew that he'd remind me to make the same conscious effort to start him out on organic products. Of course I said yes, because I too believe in being as natural as possible-food,makeup, (even with milk-breastfeeding!- don't get me started)...lifestyle. Its a bit hard maintaining it though because there's a limited 100% organic market. You must know where to look and I believe it would would only work if you know how to strike a balance between whats available and not. Organic products are not cheap, as ironic as it is.

Aside from being organic & healthy, as the tag says: Human♥Nature is also pro-poor and pro-Philippines. From the couple organizations who deduct monthly from my bank account (not more than 100PHP naman, hehe, I have a family!) we have already been supporting Gawad Kalinga, Human♥ Nature's patriarchal organization. As I said, a hundred articles are already in print, and it won't take a rocket scientist to see that as their motto says: "only the good", it is really. Read about it here (and support!).

If you don't believe me, here's a very private peek into our sanctuary. And even more, a glimpse of our comfort room, so you'll see that we really try to integrate green into our dailies.

Don't judge a book by its moisturizer! Its just that my mom gets a lot of swag from work. So if you can see the Human♥Nature purifying facial scrub on the bottom left, this is an attempt to integrate organic into the cabinet. So far, its been great! Strawberries on your face, luxurious! Confession: my sisters, mom and many of my female relatives are now swapping products to test them all out..so you'll just see 1 face product/person now. But I've tried this already...

H ♥N Balancing Facial Wash (see here)

The magalogue reads: "What does Human Nature face care have in common with Chanel, Dior, Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs? These top luxury brands all use manila elemi from the sap of the pili tree. This prized ingredient revered by the world's beauty industry is found only in the Philippines!"

Sold! Having a mom in the "beauty" business, I was constantly reminded since puberty to cleanse, tone and moisturize....to my mom's dismay, I was too lazy to. When I had a zit, mom will know what to do..really, I just relied on her to take care of my own face! But now, a late bloomer as I am, I now truly deeply appreciate her wisdom. And me trying this out, didn't disappoint. It was a refreshing wash and afterwards I felt so clean already!   But more of the beauty reviews later, I still have a week left to test everything...but know what, I ordered everything in advance already!

Of course, there's something for T.

To prove what I've said, here's Human♥Nature's Shampoo & Body wash next to Nature's Gate's-which we got at Healthy Options before, it did its purpose and I'd recommend it to anybody, but beside from H♥N's being cheaper, hehe, and more available, it smells great! It also comes in Pineapple Pawikan (original!), but I like this better. A little secret: I use it for my evening shower too (when I don't mind all my hair standing up)! I got to order a bigger one. If only H♥N would come up with toothpaste,I'm down to T's last tube of Earth's Best yummy Strawberry & Banana-flavored one (pictured above), he's kinda picky with toothpaste. This is the only one he'd gladly use, and brush his teeth with, on his own! Pagbigyan. And its also safe for kids to swallow. 

And of course,not just for kids but for you too! To get rid of those dengue fears...

Cheapest,most safe and effective bug repellant! Here are Human♥ Nature's against our former brand.
All Terrain's is less smelly, but I really don't mind the Citronella scent, and less greasy..it does its job too but its 600+ bucks! So long, farewell!

...super long story, so back to being members. We chanced upon their flagship store one fine day last week after bringing T to his former pediatrician for a social visit. After reading into the enterprise and researching thoroughly, we signed up without hesitation. Honestly, we figured that we believed in the products anyway, so why not? Pro-poor, pro-Rp and pro-environment, and with just 799 pesos with included bestselling products, sold,sold, sold! To learn about it more, send me a message or check it out. You can order directly or because we love you...you can use our members' discounts!

Baby Choo: Peg

I'm keeping all restraints in using the word-peg. Just because nowadays, everyone seems to be using this word to connote his/her "model/inspiration/vision"in many versions than one. For me, it reminds me of a clothespin, so I guess the word 'peg' makes real sense in reference to 'something in mind that reminds you of...' or 'something you fancy that you just want to tack onto your vision wall'. Duh.

I don't mind trends, really. I just hate it when everyone tries soo hard to be uso, and I also hate it when many try to defy trends and say its baduy. Just because #1: maybe you can't pull it off. #2: don't have the resources to, or worse, just trying to be rebel-cool. My motto is-don't knock it 'til you try it. A few hits and misses won't hurt. To each his own,right? Key is to be truthful to oneself, and know what looks good on you.You wear the clothes, not the clothes wearing you. Pasok (come in) Nina Garcia.

On to shallow pretty things...thats a joke. From my previous blog, one mommy asked if I have a peg for T's style...I guess I take inspiration from a lot of stuff, I particularly like Sally Shim of Shim & Sons blog (check here) that when I check out her pics, I realize that I've been getting almost the same stuff that it looks like I've been getting her sons' hand-me-downs! And also, since I'm confined to the same and same malls, I just try to make the most of every shopping experience.Spoken like a true shopaholic! Much as possible, I try  to stay classic (because thats an all-year trend!), and since its for a kid, it should be young and fun, with comfort at utmost priority. Would't want a kid to be itchy-scratchy  right? Especially for a young boy, who'd just make his outfit a canvas of dirt, grass stains and tomato sauce. Quality then would spell the difference between whats "hot" and "not". You would want to choose items which would last frequent washings (alot!!) and also, would be passed-on to your other future kids. I-n-v-e-s-t-m-e-n-t. Especially young parents of today, who put a premium on what their kid should wear on the first playdate, first dentist appointment....first brag-to-comrades date..etc.

But check this out. Earlier this year, one random google search led me to this article (whole post here), and guess what? I may be on the right track. Its rare to find an article which seems to be written off your hat, I completely agree with everything. here are some excerpts:

Undoubtedly #1 trend in the boys’ fashion of SS12, Bermuda shorts have made the most glorious comeback popping up in men’s, women’s and children’s fashion, completely dominating boys’ collections. Bermuda shorts - close fitting, upscale cousin of regular shorts, possesse an uncanny ability to instantly create pulled together look and add polish to summer laid back outfit due to their knee length and tailored look. Catwalks of SS12 Pitti Bimbo were overflowing with Bermuda shorts in a mind boggling variety: solid, striped, patterned, checkered, trimmed, cuffed, flowing, structured, casual and dressy, laying a foundation for the exciting styling possibilities.

Guess Kids

So cute right? This would be T in a few years...when his hair grows out. Ooopps! I just said it, yes, T has short hair now, but more of that later. Here are more pics from that site:

Guess Kids

Tutti Piccoli

  I guess the Dada was right after all, shouldn't have doubted the real man of the house when he said  that I shouldn't fold the hems. My excuse, it was okay because it was summer. Hehe.


Ahoy Forever! Somewhat tired nautical theme gets a boost from European designers who obviously can’t have enough of clean lines, crisp navies & whites, stripes, anchors and sea creatures.

Guess Kids

Guess Kids

  Who loves preppy, show of hands! Me, me, mee! A sailor-themed party was what I originally planned for T, but that was just for me. And whats more navy than...


Add Red! Bored by navy & white? Add red! Bold scarlet adds punch and instantly awakens pristine nautical combos, not to mention an irresistible patriotic vibe done in style! 

Grant Garcon

Calvin Klein

  Red shoes: check! Red bow tie: you'll see that soon. And of course....


Denim Lite! Another red hot trend, favored by European designers: chambray, lightweight denim, light-washed denim, tencel and linen treated to look like denim showed up all over the Pitti Bimbo runways.

Calvin Klein

Can you say yeah. Really, I'm growing T's hair out.
Though those were last season's trends, remember that here, we only have 2 seasons! Wet & dry. So, when its raining, just bring an umbrella!

Chew: Baby Series (sorta)

Ciao! No, this won't be a post on mashed potatoes and teething biscuits. We're a year past that.
But as I was wondering what Chew Series post no.1 would be, I actually have a lot of foodie escapades in mind but sadly, I didn't document any. Well,I have a couple but none really that give justice to the restaurant. Goes to show that when it comes to food, I don't think, I just eat!
Instead, these are what I found...









As you can see, one little man's following on his mom's footsteps. He'll eat anything, even green soup!
Must be because his favorite book is Green Eggs and Ham by Dr.Seuss. Hehe.
But I can't wait to start documenting my latest food haunts. I really am a gastronomical archeologist by day and a certified snacker by midnight. Now, where are those food pics...

Ciao: Call me....next year!

Its the time of the year again.

Photo Credit:  http://pinoymostlike.blogspot.com/2012/04/uaap-basketball-75-season-schedule-and.html

Few of my friends know that I am a strong supporter of the UAAP. After my first college pep rally, I was hooked. There's something about rooting for your alma mater, or anything you're passionate, about that just gives me goosebumps. I particularly like the season openings the most, and with classes or without, I used to watch it live. lagot! I don't know if its because people you don't know become your bestfriends courtside (yess), or just the bragging rights (Dada had pretty solid connections ssshh)

Only this year my excitement was dampend by this: see here. Argh, its like the plague.

With games, of course its mens basketball (flickering eyebrows), especially because I used to have a crush on this one MVP. Just look at this...

Looked like we were holding hands huh? Hehe, nah...but it was amazeballs. Super saya monaman ineng, bawasan ang gilagid. But he was really really nice. Good thing the not-yet-Dada was supportive of this uh-madness and always gave me tickets. I reciprocated by attending the women's volleyball games with him. Amanos.

I miss those days, here's a pic of this MVP's last UAAP game. (He's now in the PBA.) Spell supportive? s-t-a-l-k-e-r.

 

M was so sweet when she had a shirt for me signed by him for one birthday. And where did I put the pic of that? Hmm...it would be worth more than it was now because MVP is now in the big leagues.

This years opening would be on the 14th and would be more special because it will be held at the new Mall of Asia Arena. More tickets surely. Would I go? Lets see.

If you haven't guessed by now which university I cheered for...

 Rawr.

Ciao: Mid-year check

Ciao me! No new readers yet, why? because I don't talk about it. Yes, I have a Masters in Marketing.
And on to more of me, since its mid-2012 already...I wanted to revisit my New Years Resolutions list...
I'll start with number 2 since I don't remember half of the list, maybe number 1 was : "Don't forget your brain pills?"


2012 Resolution #2: I will refrain from deleting pics/vids in which I think I'm fat, show my double chin or show my worse angles... gotta embrace all these imperfections....And being so conscious all the time, it takes so much effort, time and blush-on! <going Lady Gaga-heck, I was born this way>




Check! Check! Heck, I'm too lazy to Photoshop! (you do it F).

2012 Resolution #3: To appease my sisters ...I will er, lessen wearing denim...yee.(tlgang pinicturan pa for me not to forget)




Only worn the shirt once and abroad, pants-not since summer I think, shoes? never this year. Hey,I'm growing up!

2012 Resolution #6: To admit to myself and resolve once and for all --that my parents have no favorite daughter ;) <wateyber>




This is outta my hands. Hmm, I wonder what my other resolutions were..I made ten. 2/10 Fail.

In relation to the denim diva inside me, I spent my day doing this...

Guess what this big box contains? All mine and my sisters pants from grade school to college! I was doing mid-year 'decongestion' and created this pile...crazy huh? With Walk this Way at the background, I created my own SJP moment by squeezing my bum into some elephant pants (M's!) and flared checkered clamdiggers (they exist!) for half a day.

Found this...

 

clever!
...and this (below), surprisingly, the Dada claimed to have the same exact pants in highschool, freaky.
Yea, I remember my tomboyish phase.

Aww, old Calvin Kleins! Darn it, faded,washed out 26-incher! Dream on. 

Off for donation!! 

In the end,I managed to save 4 pairs + 2 to be made into shorts. None in denim, don't worry.  Looking back, I guess I wear denim too much. But can you blame me, its fun being a blank canvas. I have amassed a rainbow of belts, so for me, a new belt would give you a new outfit. Hence, I am the Kate Middleton of denim. See...

 

This was back in 2010. T's first Christmas. I love denim so much that I commanded  nicely asked the family to all wear denim for the picture. From the left, F wearing a denim-bottom dress (mine!), M wearing a button-down denim shirt (also mine!),the one previously pictured...Dada and baby T also in denim shirts, and of course me, in a...wait for it.....denim dress!  I thought that was nice. Denim may not be klaz for some, but its classic. But I heeded to my sisters' request, so in compensation...

T in more denim, mine was a 'simulation'....and,



Still obvious?

Ciao: Androgynous

Hello bebis! It'll just take a while for you to know what T stands for...its actually our excuse for letting his hair get so long...reason for me to go all-Mama Tiger, ready to get all defensive and pounce correct people who says he's a girl. Even in a baseball cap or a necktie, really...if I had an eyelash for every single person who said that they thought T was a girl, I'd be Nicki Minaj.
Look...

Let's just say I love Brad Pitt.


My parents say,as I always get home pissed at another yet saleslady offering me a frilly dress for T, perhaps I should just take it as a compliment. "Better a boy who looks like a girl, than a girl who looks like a boy!" Truelala! Perhaps T may very well have a career modeling, say androgynous look?
Just look at this adorable boy for Zara (yep,I need help I know)...

Photos from Zara Kids

Or maybe I just look like T so much, I'm so gwapo (below).

Here's the closest pic of T...

Mi piace.

Baby Choo: Native History

Kamusta? Because the Dada got first pick of T's outfits-all time favorites. Here's mine...

Shirt (similar style here)◦Zara//Pants◦Zara//Shoes◦Mothercare//Beret◦gifted

I really am so lucky to be an hours drive away from Baguio City. If Manila has Tagaytay, then we have the good 'ol City of Pines to retreat to during the weekends. The breezy, crisp, cool wind in your face

..ahh, porma-weather.

When Papa feels like it, we drive off to BC to have breakfast in one of those hotel buffets. If I remember the hotel's name I'd write about it next (Note: I really got to start documenting our food escapades). And here's T looking good for the camera. Yes, its another Zara ensemble. And for the umpteenth time, I don't get paid for this. And true enough again, I told you I liked color blocking!

This was mid-March of this year, 

 

...and as you can see, one vain kid coming up!

Even T thinks he's cute! But as the holiday weather has not yet subsided in Baguio, it got a bit chillier...
so one of the reasons why I like 'blocking' it, is that its so easy to accessorize...here's T with his vest  (gifted and grey, of course) on with the Boss, this was now when we transferred to the Ayala Technohub at Camp John Hay.





Where we chanced upon an ResToeRun store where T picked up some Native shoes... here he is saying "Wow!" in the picture...



T sneaking out of the store with the Natives on...

   

Okay okay, so I... (I meant the Grandma G-my mom) caved in, he was soo happy in those shoes! And mom said that summers coming up, ok mom, no argument there! ...and thank you for the treat.

Shoes◦Native Jefferson shoes in Torch Red

Well played little man, well played (wink).