Blow Me Kisses 'Cause You're the Real Queen

If there's one woman I deem worthy to receive a gift, it's no other than my mom. Despite my penchant for girly things, she prefers to keep everything simple. During her youth, she was a belle who loved to doll-up.

Belle de Jour 2013 Fair: Make It Happen

Two weeks ago, I was able to attend the launch of the Belle de Jour 2014 planner. While I’ve been using the dainty planners for five years now, I’m still thrilled to see what the team has to offer.  

The fair itself is very fun! Like last year’s Belle de Jour fair, Mall of Asia’s Music Hall served as an avenue for exciting activities and enriching talks.

Sugar Town at Its Finest: Calea Bacolod City

I can attribute Bacolod’s penchant for sweet things to the fact that the city is surrounded with sprawling sugarcane fields. My Papa, who hails from the “City of Smiles”, used to tell me how they’d freely pick sugarcane simply because it was that abundant. When I revisited Bacolod, I made sure to satiate my sweet tooth by going to Calea – the city’s pride when it comes to cakes.

Charles and Keith & Grendha Haul

“A woman can be sexy, charming, witty or shy with her shoes,” says a highly-acclaimed shoe designer. While I will never spend an exorbitant amount of money for a pair of Loubotins which I will eventually ruin, I’m very fortunate to meet an equally stylish brand which doesn't leave me with ailing feet and wallet: Charles and Keith. Thanks to the utmost comfort that it brings, I was able to amass more than 20 pairs from this brand in less than a year!

December's Magic Wand

I’ve been watching a lot of “New Girl” these days hoping that Jessica Day’s disposition will somehow rub on me. While I’ve always been optimistic, recently, I feel like I’m about to be trapped in a vortex of negativity.

I know that I will eventually regain my rose-tinted glasses but for the meantime, let me share some of the photos which I find aww-inducing.  So…who’s excited for December or simply put, the month where almost everyone is engaged in a conspiracy of love and generosity?

Hardcore Ballerinas

It's very rare to see me go out of the house whenever it's my rest day. By all means, I prefer to stay at home catching up on series, smothering my dogs, and devouring "real" meals which my condo kitchen unfortunately does not have.  Since I similarly love to waste my time Buzzfeed-ing and Thought Catalog-ing, allow me to re-post this photo set which presented the truth about ballet in its rawest form. Donna Dickens, you definitely nailed it.

Ballerinas literally put their entire body weight on their big toes.

This is What Happy Looks Like

At times, people tend to exhaust themselves in their pursuit of happiness. I know I am likewise a victim of such paradox. It’s when you give so much fuss to the littlest of things because you have these skyrocketing standards of how happiness should look or feel like. We tend to forget that at times, it’s the simple and unnoticeable things that yield contentment. 

This post has been inspired by a book which recently charmed me. While it’s an insurmountable task to sum up all the things that make me happy in a single post, it’s still refreshing to create a list that will remind you of the famed “vivre l'amour de la vie” philosophy.

To be happy is to take delight in the serenity of water…

Holiday Inn Clark Staycation

While sunbathing in an isolated beach and experiencing another country's culture seem euphoric, such kind of trips call for rigorous planning. What if it's a Friday and you suddenly craved to be in a soothing environment? For spur-of-the-moment vacation cravings, a staycation will serve as your best friend.

What's in My Bag

My bag is such a far cry from all the contents of my high school bag. I still shudder whenever I remember all those glittery and feathery things that I have amassed as a teeny bopper! Throughout the years, I have learned how to get rid of excess baggage. Apart from its literal context, weeding out insignificant loads in your life can make everything less onerous. 

My Overused Office Shoes

Being clad in corporate wear does not mean that you're not entitled to be stylish. Gone are the days wherein office wear meant shapeless outfits. Despite the transition in corporate wear trend, my choice for shoes remains basic. 

That Grateful List

As a girl whose hunger never seems to be satiated, I remember telling my man, "Babe, stop spoiling me with flowers. They're pretty but I cannot eat them. Sayang." It's not being ungrateful, it's being practical! :P To my surprise, he brought me this present while quipping, "Ayan, dinalhan kita ng bouquet na nakakain." What touches me is the fact that he pulled an all-nighter just to create this when he could have bought it easily. At times, I wonder about the things I did to deserve such a good man.

Vous Etes Belle

It's a strange phenomenon that in Girl World, cutting yourself down seems to be the most appropriate response for a compliment. Rather than giving a meek yet wholehearted "thank you", we retaliate by using self-depreciating remarks. Through this "experiment", Dove proves that  you are more beautiful than you think you are. If in the mirror all you can see is a woman with large pores, aged features, frizzy hair, and so on, don't let such image get into you because someone else sees how lovely you are!

On a different side of note, I really have high respects for Dove because it's one of the rare beauty conglomerates that put so much meaning into their ads. These are the ads which do not shove their products down their target consumers' throats but instead inspire lives. In my previous blog (RIP, Multiply), I even remember musing about Dove's campaign about society's altered concept of beauty.

*Sigh*

Did your eyes get misty while watching the whole thing as well? :')

Of Princess Crowns and Graceful Glides on Ice

I might be 21 but that day, I felt like I was part of the crowd. That crowd, if you will ask me, consisted of girls prancing around in their sparkly tiaras and fluffy costumes. It's as if they were there to support the Disney princess that they fancy.

Disney's Princesses on Ice was such a timely and thoughtful gift from my boyfriend since our Disneyland trip was pushed to a later date. He seemed pretty much oblivious to the fact that we were surrounded by giggling starry-eyed kiddos. The show took place last January 2 at the Araneta Coliseum but not-so-recent happenings made me wander for quite some time. 

When Time Doesn't Seem to Be Enough

As a self-confessed bibliophile, I have this moleskin wherein I write all the quotes that strike my soul whenever I read books. In accordance with this week's serenity, let me just share this piece from Mitch Albom's Timekeeper.

Sample Room Loot: First Impressions

If there's one thing that everyone loves about Sample Room, it's the opportunity to choose the samples that will go into your loot. Typical boxes have that element of surprise but I likewise can't deny that at times, I end up disappointed after getting products which don't suit me at all.

Thank You, Winter

Anatole France once said, "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Well, it's true. As humans, we are far from perfect and more often than not, it is our furry companions that bear the brunt of our imperfections. They don't mind loving us in so many ways we never could.

What's in My Belle de Jour November Box

While this might be late, I still want to share the surprises that I got from the BDJ November box. For the November month, the theme is travel so the box is filled with handpicked products which a wanderlust can conveniently stash insider her luggage.

Shiseido Benefiance Wrinkle Resist 24 Night Emulsion (P3,100 for 50ml)

Japanese women have enviable skin which is why skincare lines from their country are deemed trustworthy! I gave this to my mom though.