31 October 2012

metal madness

A few months ago, I saw silver foil nails on Pinterest and I knew immediately that I had to have those nails for the holidays. I've found several distributors on Multiply, but I have yet to place my order. A couple of weekends ago, I saw a Sally Hansen Stick-on Metallic Nail Polish set that retails for more than Php500. It's not as if it's something that is reusable, and by computation that would amount to Php50 per finger. It was just too much. Luckily as I walked on, I saw this Bobbie Stick-on Metallic Nail Polish Set for only Php65! The designs were a bit more cheesy but it was worth a try. So I bought 2 sets, and decided to bring one of the sets along on my trip to Baguio. It was written in the package that it's "Easy to apply anywhere and anytime" so I decided to test their claim and did it on the bus as the daylight was already streaming through the windows.

True enough, it was very convenient to apply, but you do need to have some fine scissors on hand, especially if you have smaller nails. My application wasn't so bad, considering I only had a self defense blade on hand, and I had to do it in a moving vehicle. Another plus side to this is it is easy to get rid off, no more need for cottons, removers and none of thosesmudges and traces fo polish left on the cuticles. Perfect for night when you need to be back to your prim and proper fashion the following day. Over-all, this is an easy way to color your nails for a fun night out.

25 October 2012

crisp climate

My "Vacation Marathon" was jump started by a weekender in the Northern part of the country. My cousin invited me to a trip to Baguio, because her friend (who has also become my friend) had a coupon for a night's stay in a new establishment in the city.
 
I was last in Baguio in December 2010 and January 2011, and I doubted that much had changed so I wans't really craving for much activities. The long bus ride, the change in scenery and being away from the regular things I do was really already enough to scratch my "itchy" feet. We planned to take the night bus from Cubao so we'll arrive very early the following day in Baguio so that we can maximize the time. We left Cubao Victory Liner Terminal at 2:00AM and arrived at Baguio around 8:00AM. I was wearing clothes from Friday night which was a dress, and slippers. We unboarded the bus and a cool gush of wind welcomed us. I quickly put on my jacket to combat some of the cold. We decided to look for a place to stay for one of our companions. The coupon we had was only for 3 people and we thought that we might have to pay a large sum for an extra person in that hotel. We walked to Hotel 45 but found that there were no available rooms. I suggested that we have breakfast first because I was getting hungry since we only had strawberry taho as we left the terminal. We ate at Jack's in Session Road. We finished eating by 9:30 and the sun was shining so brightly. The wind was still cold, so it was a really pleasant time to be on the street, save for the backpacks we were lugging. We decided to go to the hotel, even if we couldn't check in yet, we could just leave our bags at the reception area. So we took a taxi and headed to Azalea Residences.
 
A few minutes later, we pull into this beautiful driveway and I cannot help but smile. I wasn't expecting a swanky place like that. We went in to ask the receptionist if we can leave our bags. Lucky us, the room is already available and we could check in already! Yey. So we went to our room, and it was beautiful! Plus it could fit 4 since it had a queen size bed and a sofa bed that can accomodate 2. We washed up (since it's been 24hours since our last bath!) and went out to explore.

Day One: Burnham Part, Orchidarium, Good Taste


24 October 2012

light and ladylike

So last Friday, I met up with my lovely cousins (from my mother's side) and had a salon day at Azta Urban Salon in Katipunan. My eldest cousin and I have been talking about having our hair colored (she does this regularly, but I, on the otherhand am a hair-color virgin) for months already. We finally found time to meet up (our offices are about 10mins away from each other) and do it at the same time. We invited our younger cousins to join us and have dinner after. My other cousin who was not a stranger to having her hair colored, just recently dyed her hair blue but went anyway to get a treatment.  
 
I am so thankful that I chose Azta to be my first color-er. Saves me the trauma of a blotched dye job and the staff were so friendly and gave a lot of information. Plus, they had a promo when we were there. BOGO on Lycopene Treatment (something that would condition colored hair and keep the color looking good) for Php700. It was worth it because my hair is relatively still softer even after almost a week. Plus I have the free treatment I can use before my grand vacation. Yey, me! So after three hours of sitting in the salon chair, loudly catching up with my ladies (we had the salon to oursleves, probably because everyone else was friday night partying to celebrate the beginning of sembreak), here is the end result:
top (l-r): lian, shanta, me, laura (yes, her hair is a confused shade of green; it was bleached then dyed blue by her bf [obviously, not a professional stylist] a month prior)
bottom (l-r): after, before (should be the other way around. my editing mistake. haha)
 

17 October 2012

pale pippi long stockings

Of all the Disney Princesses, I've always loved Sleeping Beauty aka Aurora the most, because of the flirtiness of the curls at the ends of her hair. This style is not uncommon these days because of the rise of KPop, bringing with them Korean Salons which gave boom to digital perming. I've been thinking about undergoing this service, as an alternative to my regular straightening treatments. But because I am not used to that service, I am apprehensive because it might cause more damage to my hair. Or it might not turn out the way I want it to. So I searched for ways to get the style, only not (semi) permanently. Of course, the primary way is to get a curling iron or straightening iron if you're more patient or skilled (or simply cannot afford a curling iron and already have a flat iron on hand) and heat your hair until it curls. But excessive heat damages hair. Really really bad. So I searched the web on how to achieve Aurora's curls without the heat. Lo and behold, I found Curlformers, unfortunately this was not available in our country. Or it is but it is quite expensive. Fortunately, many sites featured a knock-off, called Magic Leverag. The disadvantage is there are no size options in Magic Leverag (both in length and in the size of curls) but it would serve my purpose so I did some snooping and found out that it was available in Landmark and SM Department Stores. But after a week of searching, I couldn't find any. So I took to ebay and finally had heat-less curlers for my own.
Hook, Short Curlers and Long Curlers
(a complete set includes 1 hook, 8 long curlers and 8 short ones)

16 October 2012

wander and wonder -- or vice versa ;)

On Sunday, as part of my really good friend's birthday celebration, we had planned to visit the Mind Museum at The Fort. We've been wanting to drop by ever since he saw in the newspaper that a modern science museum was being constructed. It was very fortunate that my company had sponsored part of the museum, which they honored by placing a marker inside the museum and by giving us free vouchers for distribution during our Vendors' Night. And because I was one of the few who labored for that event, I made sure that I would be rewarded with at least two vouchers. Otherwise, Adult Tickets cost Php600, but discounted tickets are available for students and teachers.
 
 

15 October 2012

ceremonies and country men

What a way to start the week. For the second time since April, I have been asked to be the master of ceremonies (emcee) for the Monday morning flag ceremony at our company.  Today's program was good run, better than my first one, since I have gained courage to cut my script and do a bit of adlib. I hate public speaking but I recently learned how to swallow my shame and just get on with it. Perhaps the reason why I was more confident today is because I had caused a blunder, only a month ago, also on the same stage which was quickly forgiven by the whole company.
 
On September 03, following our successful Vendors' Night in Makati Shangri-la (arranged with the leadership of yours truly) I was asked to lead the recitation of the Panatang Makabayan (the old version, which IMHO is more beautiful) during the flag ceremony (featuring the previous night's festivities). I thought to myself that if I had survived emcee-ing two weeks into my work, I could handle this short segment. What I failed to realize was that the Panatang Makabayan was to be said in Filipino.
 
So I go up the stage, and start, and stutter through the word, "kapakipakinabang". I tried to say it, around 5 times until finally giving up, apologizing (yes, I said "Sorry", out loud), taking a breath and got through the word slowly. I was very much grateful for the crowd as they waited for me to gather myself. It was embarassing, more so because I found myself having a harder time talking in my mother tongue.
 
I recalled this incident to my friends from another company when we met and after laughing at me (or should I say, with me), we went into a conversation about the beauty of the Panatang Makabayan.

Image Source: http://onwardphilippines.blogspot.com/2012/03/true-pinoy-defined-in-panatang.html
 

09 October 2012

southbeach and size 12

It's been more than a week into October! My, my, how the days pass by so quickly. WAKE UP, for September has already ended. It is the fourth and final quarter of year 2012, and what a busy quarter this is.

I would like to start this quarter by making an announcement. I AM ON A DIET. Yes, I had to say it because I have to see it through. Why, you ask? For one thing, my clothes don't fit me anymore! I've been wearing (and buying) dresses and stretchy skirts for the past six months that it didn't occur to me how much thicker I've been growing. Aside from the obvious large pooch that is my stomach, and the larger than average size of my tighs, my normally great-fitting bras feel a tad uncomfortable already. Secondly, we have a bikini baring vacation in a months time and I want to at least look decent in my photos!

I do not want to dwell on how I got to this point and I do not want to say that it was due to my rekindled romance with baking. What is important is that I am going to try and go back to that beautiful place I was before, when I felt more confident felt light on my feet and loved going out. My ever supportive mother has convinced me that the best way to go about this quest is to try the South Beach Diet.
 
A few years ago, she had gone through this diet and lost a lot. My brother was another success story. Now, I'm hoping that I will be too. So I spent the better half of the first weekend of the month preparing my meals for this week. Since I work worlds away from where I live, I don't have much time when I get home so I pre-prepared my breakfast, lunch, some dinner, and snacks for the weeks ahead. The diet requires me to skip carbs and sugars (including fruits) for 2 weeks. I've survived the first week with only one incident of hyperacidity. And even kept my commitment through a triple celebration dinner at a dessert restaurant. Yey me! :) Here is a sample of my office lunch during a good day:

Kani Asupara Mock Maki, Chicken Satay & Miso Soup (just add water!)


06 October 2012

pretty as a princess

I feel pretty today. It has been a good day. :)


Loving the red lip. Been playing around with newly bought Maybelline Gel Liner and Very Cherry Sensational Lip Color.

I've not felt this pretty since coming home from the Vendors' Night wearing Bloom Cream Liner and remnants of Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti.

That's the farthest I go with make up. Some liner and lip color. I don't think I'll get farther than that, but whatevs.

Fourth and final quarter of the month. It's going to be a marathon. I can't wait!

<3, dee

04 October 2012

a note to GLOBE

Dear Globe,
 
 I have been a loyal subscriber for 13 years (and counting) and throughout this time, your telecom service has been well within my tolerance, even recently what with all your major connection fails. I wish I could say the same for your customer service. I find it has degraded as the years passed by.
 
 I’ve encountered multiple bouts of terrible customer service from your company and I am saddened because these past few months, I have been campaigning (albeit passively) that GLOBE’s customer service is still better than SMART’s (partly because I really believe so, taking from friend's experiences; also because I work for a sister company; and because I would like my contacts to remain in the same network) but goodness, my arguments has become very old and invalid. It is frustrating that we, mobile users, have to choose the lesser of two evils. It is disheartening that you spew your taglines of having things MY WAY and giving it HASSLE FREE, yet give your customers anything but what you promised.