Southbound

I had been sheltered for almost practically a quarter of my life. It's always been school-house and vice versa. So now that I am older and more financially independent, I always see to it to travel and experience the "world" outside of my shell. Thanks to cheap promo fares air travel is no longer limited to the affluent. 

Last year me and my officemates got lucky and scored PhP 218 roundtrip tickets to Manila. Without batting an eyelash we immediately purchased them even if we didn't have any definite plans in mind. Later on, all nine of us unanimously agreed for a Northwestern Luzon tour.

Tagaytay was never part of our itinerary but due to some minor glitches on our assigned driver's schedule, we had a little 8-hour detour prior to our Vigan trip.

Tagaytay's cold breeze and fresh air was such a welcoming change from the CO2 saturated city we're accustomed to. We also dropped by this Disneyland-like place called Fantasy World Castle in Lemery and also made a side tour in the serene and scenic Caleruega. I fell in love at first sight with Caleruega. If only destinations weddings aren't such a pain in the ass and wouldn't burn our pockets,I would definitely love to get married there.

wearing:

"Dalmatian" print top - thrifted 

Denim shorts - thrifted 

Camel bag - thrifted

Gold studded belt - PrP

Opaque tights - SM Dept. store

Shoes - Parisian 

Wayfarer - Bazaar find

Northern Experience

Me and my officemates are going for a Northern Luzon tour this week. We will be discovering Vigan, Laoag, Batac, Bangui, Pagudpud, Pangasinan, and Baguio. If any of you is a local from these areas or have played tourist to these places, please do share some tips on the nice places and must-try restaurants that we can go to. We are a group of nine and we’ll be traveling via a private van borrowed from our company (thank you very much!) so my friends have been pressuring me to pack light for this four-day trip. I have been reassessing the clothes I’m going to bring because Baguio alone needs thick clothing so my head is whirling right now on which is which.

By the way, sorry if my fly is half way down in the photos. Hahaha Running late for work again.

Happy manic Monday everyone!

wearing:

Olive green pants – thrifted

Shirt – thrifted

Blue blazer – thrifted

Bag – thrifted

Shoes – Parisian

Gold studded belt – PrP

Vertically Inclined

While my mom was shooting this, she was asking me why I need to devote time for these outfit shots. I told her they are for my blog. My mom doesn't really know what a blog is and what it's for. Even if she does not fully understand its purpose, I am grateful that she is always uncomplaining everytime I ask her to stop preparing breakfast for a minute so I can lend her on this craziness of mine. LOL The other people in the house could not be bothered at 7 in the morning. And hey, mom knows my angles better than the boyfriend.  Truly, mothers know best. :)

wearing:

Skirt - thrifted
Lace top - thrifted
Camel shoes - Parisian
Messenger bag - thrifted
Sunglasses - Mongkok night market

Of Muddy Quarries and Red Shoes

Some behind the scenes from the shoot we had in Toledo.

The good thing about shooting outdoors is being able to use available light and interesting backgrounds. The downside to it also is the ever-changing weather because one cannot dictate the Heavens to let the sun come out all the time when it is needed. Crowds are also a nuisance especially if the subjects are camera conscious. Even i who is accustomed to posing in front of the camera still gets anxious whenever I am in a public place during outfit shots.
In this shoot, we  trudged along a super muddy sand and gravel quarry,  improvised a rain cover for the camera using a trash bag, walk along a narrow dike to get to a vast green marshland, got wet on the beach then got sun burnt the next day because Mr.Sun let out his fury on all of us
During shoots it is also inevitable that I have to source out and bring props to achieve the concept. I honestly thought the red shoes was a great accent and a nice pop of color so I didn't mind lending them for a shoot at the muddy quarry (take note they're brand new and i never got around to using yet. LOL) The 70's vintage suitcase I had to resurrect it from its dusty refuge in our old storage room.
All the pain, sweat, and heat I have endured, yes all of them, is for the glory of photography and of course love for the boyfriend! hahaha
I'd like to thank Carla of Xcess Baggage for all the help and support she rendered for this shoot. It was a great consolation that we were able to scour the cheap thrift shops (ukay as in literally UKAY) in Toledo after the shoot. I am excited to wear my PhP 65 Commes des Garcon shirt!!!

By the way, sad news everyone. The IT people in the office has just recently blocked facebook, blogger, and photobucket. What's up with that? So as much as I want to go bloghopping during my free time in the office, that's just impossible to do now. Boooo!!
But I will make up for it when I get home. So please bear with me for now.:)

Pretty Wasted

I can probably count with my ten fingers the number of times i had been into a bar and got drunk or got really wasted. Those who do not know me has this first impression that I have such a blooming party life coz I am dressed up to the nines whenever I go out at night. I seldom go out at night. And if i do go out, it's either to watch a movie or just lounge in the coffee shop. My boyfriend and I are polar opposites. Between the two of us, he is more liberated. I on the other hand is still conservative. He smokes, I don't. He drinks all kinds of alcoholic drinks like a camel, I only drink the alcohol-free kind. He is super friendly with strangers, I'm just quiet. He parties like a rockstar, I am super tamed.

So everytime we get invited together for a drinking session he revels in the idea of seeing me get tipsy and drunk after just 2 bottles of beer. And he makes sure to document my wasted face. Damn you, boyfriend, damn you.

I had so much fun catching up with Adong  (who is now based in  Singapore) and his friend Keith that I forgot it was already 3:00 a.m and still had work 4 hours later that same morning. Truly time flies so fast when one is having fun.

 I have to admit it feels good to be wasted sometimes.

wearing:
Leopard jacket - thrifted
Stripe shirt - thrifted 

Leggings - GCM 

Shoes - Parisian 

Camel bag - thrifted

Toledo Fresh

During weekends i can be found a.) assisting the boyfriend on an out of town engagement shoot b.) covering a wedding c.) editing photos at the bf's house, or d.) if none of the above, just in the house catching up on my sleep debt.

To be honest here, I love my regular job coz i have the best workmates ever but photography (or at least just plain assisting) gives me a different kind of high. You know what i mean, the feeling that after a long day of work under the scorching heat of the sun, you still want to do it again and again.It's something i can probably say i want to do for a long time.:)

Maybe I'll include some outtakes on my next post so as to give you guys an idea about how I am put into slavery by my own boyfriend during shoots.  I don't mind really as long as he gives me my own share of outfit shots. haha That's the only talent fee i'm asking. 

I'm shallow like that.

Shot on location at Toledo, Cebu.

wearing:

Yellow gingham top - thrifted 

White shorts - vintage Levi's 

Lace cover-up - thrifted 

Animal print scarf - thrifted 

Lace-up sandals - People r People

Boater hat - SM 

Bag - MCM (thrifted)

Black sunnies - Mongkok night market

Round tortoise sunnies - GCM

Grey Mood

Running late for work again. Hope the HR people don't read my blog or they might perceive this picture-taking of mine  as the reason for my inadequacy to come to work on time. LOL

By the way, is it just my freaking premenstrual hormones that's making me feel crappy everytime it's that TIME of the month again, or do you ladies also get these feelings? I hate PMS because my water retention is really bad and my face gets puffy and bloated for one whole week. Not to mention the stubborn whiteheads that just won't leave no matter how much you scrub them off. 

Oh well,being a woman is difficult sometimes. 

photos: mi mother! (thanks ma. :))

wearing:

Grey knit cardigan - thrifted 

Tie dye shirt - thrifted 

Acid-wash jeans - thrifted 

Shoes - Parisian

Studded bag - 168 Mall 

Beanie - Mongkok night market 

Rings - APM mall