For a Change

I was having second thoughts with this entry for this Sunday's snapshot 'coz I don't think it's blog-worthy. But I decided to let you be the judge so I posted it anyway.

Now on to my outfit. I've been into dresses in my last posts so this time, I decided to change it up a bit.

Thrifted top from mom.

DIY: From pants to shorts.

Connector Ring from Aizilym, Oval Ring from SM Accesories

Earrings from SM Accesories

Overused Parisian wedges.haha

I don't know, maybe it's just me but I really love the print of this top, almost like tribal-ish or something. And if it wasn't for this shoot, I wouldn't have realized how few shorts I have in my closet.haha

Anyway, I had lots of activities this week and there's a lot more lining up for the whole month of December so don't forget to visit!

xoxo,

biang

Shabby Chic on the Spotlight

Today's post is gonna be a first. I will be featuring a local boutique which is not new to the fashionable people of Cagayan de Oro.

Although only founded about a year ago, Shabby Chic already has a number of loyal customers on their list. Envisioned by Ms. Shiela Cang and Ms. Maryfe Castillano, the boutique prides itself of having the latest trends in fashion and just about anything every girl wants(or needs).

To die for Bangles and Cutesy Earrings

A must for every fashionista: rings! 

 Their items include brand new, pre-loved, ready-to-wear and imported clothing not only for women but also for men. With prices that start as low as 149php, it's no wonder customers are drawn to them.

Lusting over that F21 Animal print belt. And you couldn't go wrong with those florals!

They also have beauty products like these. 

 So far, only one branch has been opened at Divisoria but they are mulling over the opening of another one at a mall but it's not yet definite. Aside from their boutique, they are also accepting order in their Facebook page for a hassle-free transaction.

Bags from Mags!

Lovely sequined dress displayed.

Shabby Chic is also having their month-long sale from Dec 1-30 so you might wanna have your early shopping for gifts to avoid the rush. I'm sure you will not have a hard time picking, as I have said, they have almost anything of everything.


The store is located at Pabayo Gaerlan St., Divisoria, Cagayan de Oro City. And you can visit their Facebook page here: Shabby Chic

Have fun shopping! 


xoxo, 
biang

Floral Flare

After a long and dragging dramatic week, I'm finally back with my snapshots! 

I decided to change up a bit and not do the usual triple pic collage I've been doing in the past. Today's look is just very simple but I like how it's so comfortable and should I say, girly?  I mean, it's floral, what could be more girly than that? I also opted to braid my hair for a more boho-ish look.

I love how the wind was very cooperative during the shoot and although my sister was whining all throughout, she took some pretty good shots. At least I think she did.haha.


I'll see you on my next post!


What I'm wearing:

• Thrifted dress and bag
• Primadonna shoes
• Belt from SM Accesories
• Bangle from Shabby Chic
• Other accessories from Aizilym

xoxo,
biang

Just what I needed

As promised, I'm taking a break from my usual drama self and decided to finally go out.  My sister asked me to go with her and take Gab, my nephew, out to the mall and I almost didn't wanna go. But I figured I needed to go out, quit thinking for a while and just have fun. So off we went!

We took Gab first to the rides 'coz he seemed too excited when he saw the colorful cars and animals. I think he got tired and bored when he realized some of the rides seem to be just going up and down so we finally left. We then went to Shakey's for some grubs and boy, I didn't realize I was that hungry until I saw the menu and almost wanted to order everything.haha. Good thing the food arrived quickly and the service was great. I was a happy costumer.

Ooooh, someone's scared!

During the entire time, Gab was so friendly and kept smiling at the waiters, it was so adorable.He even made a few friends from the other table. And I kept thinking,  'that awkward moment when your one year old nephew is more sociable than you are' haha. 

Picking out his order LIKE A BOSS!haha

This one's really good.

I think this was called the Combo Platter. 

Seafood Marinara for me. Just because I was craving for pasta for the longest time.haha

After eating, we went to the toy section of the mall to check out bikes for Gab. He wanted so much to ride on this one that after I took the shot, he desperately climbed and almost fell right into the row of bikes. If I was the nanny I'd get fired immediately.haha

He got tired after a while and was already about to throw a tantrum so we decided to head back home before it gets worse. He was so exhausted he fell asleep on the car. Poor guy!


Turns out, this was just what I needed. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and I was thankful I get to spend this day with my sister and nephew. Thank God for family.


 Btw, I'm resuming my snapshots tomorrow so don't forget to visit!


xoxo, 
biang

Reasons to be Thankful

When I woke up this morning, the first thing I read was a blog entry by Jeff Goins. The topic? Thanksgiving.


As I read through, I cannot help but think of the things I should be thankful for despite everything that's happened in the past few days. It's too easy to just scream, cry, be angry and blame everything on everyone. But at the end of the day, when you are back to being sane again, there is no other choice but to accept and just be thankful instead.

1. I am thankful for today. There is a lot of horrible things that could have happened overnight but to some miracle, I woke up and lived another day.
2. I am thankful for the gift of family. I haven't always been the best daughter and sister and we may have differences in opinions and beliefs but they are family. I know they will always be there.
3. I am thankful for my group of friends. I don't have a lot of them but I am blessed enough with the real ones and that for me, is more than enough.
4. I am thankful for the opportunities given to me everyday. 
5. I am thankful for the gift of writing. It is the only way I can vent out without fear of being judged. It keeps me sane.
6. I am thankful for books. When everything becomes too complicated in real life, I can always leave it behind and experience the wonders of fiction instead.
7. I am thankful for music. It makes the world such a better place to live in.
8. I am thankful for my health. I am never gonna be as young as I am now so I try my best to take care of it
9. I am thankful for the sunrise and sunset. Reminds me that nothing ever lasts, may it be good or bad. And that there is always hope and chance to do better everyday.
10. And lastly, I am thankful for the ability to love and be loved in return, for a creator that is unselfish and forgiving, for a life borrowed and hoped to be returned well.

I think I have to take a break from all the reflective posts lately. Tomorrow's gonna be different and keep posted for my snapshots on Sunday!

What about you? What are you thankful for?

xoxo,

biang

On letting go

A few months back, I tried to convince my mom to let me go to Manila and work there. Good news is, she said yes. And then she said no. I think my ability to constantly change my mind comes from her.

But I never questioned her decision and went on with my life. But just about a few days ago, when I told her I didn't wanna be a nurse, she asked me what my plans would be. And before I could answer, she hastily said, "Whatever your decision is, just don't go to Manila."

With all these conflicts happening in my life right now, I guess it is but natural for me to want out. Out of the house, out of the city, out of the people who didn't know me but judge me as if they do, out of the people who do know me really well that they pity me. I just want out and do something new.

But my parents won't let me. For heaven's sake, I'm a fully pledged adult and I believe I have the right to decide for my own. Not that I didn't value their opinion but then again, I was not asking for permission, I was letting them know whether they approve or not.

Is it too hard for parents to let go? I mean, they have to do it sooner or later and how else would I learn to be responsible? I just want to be independent and I wish they didn't see that as such a bad thing. I know my parents mean well but I feel so restricted. I wanna go out and see the world for what it's worth, and meet people, travel, have fun and let loose.

I know it's never always gonna be easy. But how else would I learn? Isn't that what they prepared me for? When is the right time to let go?

I'd love to hear your thoughts too!

xoxo,
biang

Taking the road less traveled

First I would like to apologize for I will not be able to post my Sunday snapshot today. If you'd read the whole post, you'd know why.


In my last entry, I mentioned that I will be starting to work as an OR nurse supposedly today. And believe me when I say that I wasn't lying when I wrote that entry. 'Coz here's the catch: I declined that job offer at the last minute.


When I went to bed last night, I couldn't help but cry. By now, you would've known drama is my middle name. Well, I cried because, aside from the fact that I was scared for the next day's duty, I was scared for my life. I know in my heart that nursing is not for me and as enticing as the offer was, my heart was weeping at it's possibility.

I wasn't able to sleep well and I woke up even before my alarm went off. I knew then and there that I had to make the biggest decision of my life. I went to my parent's room and even before I blurted out anything, I started to cry. I explained to them my cause hoping and praying that they would understand. I guess I didn't do well with that. My dad walked out and almost had a heart attack. LI.TE.RA.LLY. 


That was the worst feeling in the world. Letting down the people who had the highest expectations of me. I'm not proud of it but whenever I think about it, I don't regret that decision even a wee bit. As I have said  in my latest tweet, "I don't have to say sorry for my dreams."


But before you judge and tell me how I'm such an ungrateful bitch, this is even harder for me. And I am deeply sorry for letting them down. When I made that post, my best friend said, she was proud of me for being so brave to accept the challenge, but now I guess I failed her too. To Eunica, I didn't reply to your comment 'coz of this. And to everyone else who is asking why I turned down the job offer, my only answer is, I wanna be happy.


Taking the road less traveled is even more scary. But I have never felt so free and liberated. I continue to pray for my parents that they would understand what I am going through. And I hope the father Almighty would still continue to give me blessings and opportunities despite all of this.


And I quote Bruno Mars, 'Today my life begins.'


xoxo,

biang

Challenge Accepted!

Remember how I ranted about being assigned in the Operating Room in my last post? Well, guess what? I am actually going on my first duty tomorrow.

Few hours from now, I will be acting as an OR nurse in the hospital. And this time, I will be on my own. It really scares the hell out of me that's why I had to write about it just to ease out this dread that I'm feeling.


I know beginnings are always scary, but we all have to be beginners at one point in our lives. And this time, instead of whining, I will just be thankful that I am given this opportunity and ask God to be with me throughout this journey. As my tweet goes, 'If god brings you to it, he will bring you through it'. 


Challenge accepted it is! 


xoxo, 
biang

Christmas is just around the corner

Finally, I was outta the house! Since our househelp had to go home to attend some important matters, I had no choice but to stay at home and babysit my nephew for almost a week. I felt like I was grounded and punished for a week for nothing! 

Plus, I am in major depression right now. Please allow me to rant on this just this once. Just this afternoon, the hospital I applied for called to tell me that I would start going on duty this Sunday. I know you're probably wondering why that is considered a horrible news for me. It turned out they assigned me in the Operating Room instead of the Emergency Room! That was the one area I really prayed hard I wouldn't be assigned in. But they just had to put me in there! You know what, the thought of this is just so frustrating I wanna bawl my eyes out.

So what do girls do to ease out their depression aside from eating tons of ice cream? Shopping! And since I didn't have much money, I settled for just the local stores downtown. I went to Aizilym for some accessories and you wouldn't believe how far a hundred bucks would go if you went there. They have the cheapest fashionable finds! Then I went to another local store, Shabby Chic but was only able to buy a bracelet 'coz it was all I could afford.haha

And of course, my day would not be complete if I didn't go to SM. Although they were having a ridiculous sale of bags, shoes, and accessories, I wasn't planning on buying anything. I just wanted to visit my second home.haha. You'd probably say I'm bias or something but what can I say, I love SM. There was a time when I was in college that I would drop by there before I go home for a whole month. Crazy right? I think Mr. Sy should give me a reward for this.haha

So yeah, I went to SM and yet again, they never fail to surprise me. The place was already decorated with Christmas ornaments and they were already playing Christmas songs throughout the mall. And I swear, my mood was lifted instantly and I felt like a child again. I even had to buy batteries for my cam 'coz I cannot wait to share this with you. 

Of course I went to the place where they were having the sale just to look around. And thank God, nothing good caught my eye 'coz then I wouldn't able to resist myself because of the soooper big discounts that they were giving. I guess this is the best time people should shop for Christmas presents already 'coz aside from the low prices, there's only a few people shopping so it wouldn't be such a hassle.

When I got out of the Carpark building, I noticed a stage just opposite the building with a sign 'Meet and Greet Fabio Ide'. I swear I didn't know who he was but when I saw him, he was so cute and good looking I just had to take a picture with him. And he was really very friendly to everyone. 

I think he looks kinda' gay-ish here.haha

So when I went home, I researched about him. Turns out, he is a Brazilian-Japanese model turned actor at a local TV station I'm not going to mention 'coz I'm a die hard fan of the other one.haha.


Now with all the drama I went through today, I'm just gonna remind myself that Christmas is fast approaching. Happy month is just around the corner and I can't wait to celebrate it with my family. 


xoxo,
biang

Nuffnang Blog Awards, Here I Come

Just so you know, I cringe whenever I read the title of this post. Being new to the blogging world, I had no idea what Nuffnang really was all about. I started noticing it on the side bars of some of the blogs that I'm following and it was around two days ago when I finally had the guts to click it because my curiosity finally gave in. Apparently, Nuffnang is a blog advertising community and when I read about it, the decision to sign up was not only obvious but all the more necessary.

And now, the amazing people behind Nuffnang are gearing up for the Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards 2011. Come 16 December 2011, 500 bloggers from around the Asia-Pacific region will flock to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in Putrajaya Marriott for the said event. The Awards aims to not only honour the region's best bloggers, but also to bring together blogger communities from across Asia-Pacific. The Nuffnang Asia-Pacific Blog Awards is brought to you by Volkswagen Malaysia and Putrajaya Marriott.

There is nothing more I could wish for for Christmas than to be able to attend this event. So in order to take a hold of that chance, I'm going to share with you three valid reasons why I shouldn't be MIA on that event.

1. It is the perfect time for me to meet co-bloggers from all over Asia. It is more than a dream come true to me to be able to meet and greet the people I could only admire from behind the computer screen. Being there will also be a great learning experience especially for someone like me who's just starting her way in the blogging world. Aside from meeting the most amazing bloggers, it would also be my chance to meet the geniuses behind Nuffnang and that would be crazy cool. 

2. If given the chance, this will be my first time to go out of the country. As you can read in my previous entries, I am a frustrated traveler. I have always wanted to go out, travel, and experience different cultures. Unfortunately, I lack the means to be able to do all of that. And what better way to remember my very first travel abroad than attending this event and experiencing Malaysia at it's best. Malaysia, Truly Asia.

3. Fun. For the past years, I have been a constant worrier. I think too much about my family, my future and even the tiniest bit of things that doesn't really matter. I think this opportunity will be a break from my usual routine and will give me the chance to let loose a little and just have pure fun. I mean, when you read the first three letters of the word Nuffnang backwards, what does it spell? Yehes, that's right, F-U-N.

So there it is. I hope this qualifies enough for me to win those invites. Now I will be singing my way to sleep 'All I want for Christmas is you...' 


Nuffnang Blog Awards, here I come!


xoxo, 
biang

UNAROSA Giveaway

UNAROSA Holiday 2011 + Giveaway!!!

by: Aisa Ipac, Drowning Equilibriums

UNAROSA is one of my favorite local clothing brands (though I can't always afford it hehe). Whenever I do shoots, they're always on top of my to pull out from list. Mich, who's overly critical and hard to please when it comes to fashion, LOVES the brand. Can you believe it? She said they always have the prettiest clothes and I agree. :) 

UNAROSA is a proudly all-Filipino brand with an international appeal. It is the ultimate destination for the fashion maven where she does not have to go to the US or Europe to get her fashion fix. Unarosa has everything a fashionista wants at a 'local' price. Unarosa promises ‘exclusivity’ for the fashion maven as each merchandise comes in limited quantities therefore offering more variety besides value and quality. 

Now, Unarosa does the utmost in trendsetting as it ushers the holidays in fashionable form. Dramatic silhouettes, reminiscent of film noir femme fatales in the classic era, have been reinvented in rich, deep colors in their newNeo-Noir Collection. It is the fitting culmination to what has been a remarkable year in fashion for the proudly local brand, flawlessly combining the chic minimalism and classic femininity of the ‘70s. 

Celebrate the lavish season in Unarosa’s variety of coats, suits, jackets, and dresses featuring lush hues of teal, red orange, honeysuckle, and phlox. R.S.V.P. to that dinner party and come in full swing—a full-length, slit dress is ladylike dressing at its best. Topped with a metallic jacket, however, it becomes even more of a stylish gem. 

 Exude androgynous appeal at any event with a jewel-toned ensemble by pairing a cutout top with wide-leg trousers. Polished off by a rich-colored duster coat, it becomes a fresher take to a seemingly ordinary outfit. A sexy statement comes in the form of a sequined mini dress, great for those holiday nights out. Adventurous fashion mavens also can go for a little mystery by donning a double-breasted midi dress and a fedora hat to get the ultimate film noir feel.

  

Whatever the occasion penciled on your packed schedule, Unarosa has the perfect pieces to dress you up this festive season. You don’t have to worry about wearing the same thing as anyone else when walking in to a party, too. With Unarosa’s limited pieces, your holiday ensembles will definitely be unique!

Unarosa Holiday 2011 from Unarosa on Vimeo.

And now...the moment you've all been waiting for! UNAROSA teamed up with Drowning Equilibriums to give one of my lucky readers an early Christmas gift--a gorgeous metallic jumpsuit from their holiday collection worth P4,330!(Open to LOCAL readers only)

Here's how you could join:

1. Must be a blog follower through google connect or Bloglovin.
2. Like Unarosa on Facebook on https://www.facebook.com/unarosafashion

 3. Follow Unarosa on Twitter @UnarosaFashion

4. Repost on your blog, facebook or twitter (leave url/link below)

4. Leave your Name, Email, Birthday, Age, Address, Occupation & Clothing Size (xs-xl) below.

5. Answer this question: "Why do you love Unarosa?" 

Cmon, that jumpsuit is definitely worth all the effort!:) Will be choosing 1 winner on November 28. Goodluck and spread the love!

Falling in love with print

As I am writing (or typing) this entry, people outside my room are howling and shouting. You wanna take a guess why? It's Manny Pacquiao's fight today and Philippines once again is enjoying a zero crime rate for at least a day. Okayyy, so my sister sudeenly interrupts and tells me how insignificant my introduction is to this post so I better start now. 

As I have posted last Tuesday, I went to my friend Zhy's house to get a dress she has been raving about. I would've fitted the dress at home but she insisted I fit it right then and there. So being the obedient friend that I am, I did fit it. And to my delight, aside from the fact that it fit perfectly,it was in my favorite color and I immediately fell in love with it's print!   

I think I should smile less often.haha

So Zhy told me that I should wear this on my next snapshot and she even suggested how to wear it and what shoes I should use it with. Yes, she is very familiar with most of my stuff. hahaha.

Bright yellow nailpolish is love!

These pictures were taken on a Saturday just because I was too excited to shoot already. And thank God we did it earlier 'coz I didn't expect a lot of people were coming to our house for the Pacquiao fight today. Apparently, my dad and sister decided to have it on pay-per-view so my dad's friends came to watch. Gahd, I have to stop talking about this fight! haha

Yes, this was also Zhy's suggestion.

Anyway, I already have an outfit for next Sunday's snapshot. Yehes, I'm beyond excited so keep posted! 


P.S. Pacquiao won! haha


Items on this look:

• Dress from Mags
• Belt from SM Accessories
• Shoes from Primadonna
• Necklace bought online from Fab Finds
• Other accessories from Aizilym

xoxo, 
biang

3 Reasons to Travel While You're Young

A few weeks back, I read an entry from the blog of Jeff Goins entitled 3 Reasons to Travel While You're Young. I was just going through the usual stuff on the web when I stumbled upon this one. And being the travel enthusiast that I am, I was immediately enthralled to read it.And you have to believe me when I say it's like the man knows me and was reading my mind. He was on the spot with every word he had written on that post.


In my past entries, you would know how much I'm willing to sacrifice anything just to be able to travel. Woefully though, I haven't been anywhere outside the country. The farthest I've ever gone to was Manila and Baguio, which is not that far considering it is still under Philippine territories. I've always badgered my friends to go on a trip with me and although some have materialized already, other travel plans just remain like that, plans.


And as I read Jeff's post, I was really inspired with his thoughts so I decided to share it with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Taken at Panglao Beach Resort in Bohol, Philippines

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

3 Reasons to Travel While You’re Young by Jeff Goins

The other night, I had a conversation with a young woman who had a number of decisions ahead of her, one of which was whether she should go to grad school or travel the world.

I told her to travel. Hands down. No excuse. Just go.

Photo credit: Flickr (Creative Commons)

She sighed.

“Yeah, but…”

Never were more fatal words spoken.

Yeah, but… what about debt?Yeah, but… what about my job?Yeah, but… what about my boyfriend (or dog or car or whatever)?

“Yeah, but…” is pernicious. Because it makes it sound like we have the best of intentions when really we are just too scared to do what we should.

It allows us to be cowards, while sounding noble.

Most people I know who waited to travel the world never did. Conversely, plenty of people who waited for grad school or a steady job and traveled still did those things — eventually.

Be careful of the yeah-but. The yeah-but will kill your dreams.

I was so stirred by this conversation that I shared it with a group of about thirty young adults last night, many of which were asking these very questions.

The life you’ve always wanted

When you get older, life seems to just sort of happen to you. Your youth is a time of total empowerment.

You get to do what you want. As you mature and gain new responsibilities, you have to be very intentional about making sure you don’t lose sight of what’s important.

So if you still have a reasonable amount of control over your circumstances, you should do what really matters. Because life won’t always be just about you.

During early adulthood, your worldview is still being formed. It’s important to steward this time — to give yourself opportunities to grow. A good way to do that is to travel.

So, young person, travel.

Travel wide and far.
Travel boldly.
Travel with full abandon.

You will regret few risks you take, when it comes to this. I promise you.

There are three reasons to travel while you’re young:

1. Traveling teaches you to live an adventure

When you look back on your life, you will have moments of which you are proud and maybe a few you regret. It’s likely that the following won’t be on the latter list:

• Bicycled across the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Appeared on Italian TV.
• Hiked a Mayan ruin.
• Learned Spanish in three months.
• Toured Europe by train.

They’re not on mine (fun fact: I’ve done all of the above).

What, then, will be?

• Holding back.
• Being afraid.
• Making excuses.
• Not taking more risks.
• Waiting.

While you’re young, you should travel.

You should take the time to see the world and taste the fullness of life. It’s worth whatever investment or money or sacrifice of time required on your part.

It’s not about being a tourist. It’s about experiencing true risk and adventure so you don’t have to live in fear for the rest of your life.

2. Traveling helps you encounter compassion

In your youth, you will make choices that will define you. The disciplines you begin now will be with you for the rest of your life.

Traveling will change you like little else can. It will put you in places that will force you to care for issues that are bigger than you.

If you go to southeast Asia, you may encounter the slave trade. If eastern Europe, you may see the effects of genocide and religious persecution. If Haiti, you’ll witness the the ugly side Western paternalism.

Your heart will break.

You will begin to understand that the world is both a big and small place. You will have a new-found respect for the pain and suffering that over half of the world takes for granted on a daily basis. And you will feel more connected to your fellow human beings in a deep and lasting way.

You will learn to care.

3. Traveling allows you to get some culture

While you’re still young, you should get cultured. Get to know the world and the magnificent people that fill it.

There’s nothing quite like walking alongside the Coliseum or seeing Michelangelo’s David in person. I can describe the city of San Juan and its amazing beaches and historic sites to you, but you really have to see it for yourself to experience it. You can read all the books in the world about the Great Wall of China or The Louvre, but being there is a different story.

The world is a stunning place, full of outstanding works of art. See it.

Do this while you’re still young. Do not squander this time. You will never have it again.

You have a crucial opportunity to invest in the next season of your life now. Whatever you sow, you will eventually reap.

Please. For your sake, do this.

You won’t always be young. And life won’t always be just about you. So travel. Experience the world for all it’s worth. Become a person of culture, adventure, and compassion.

“What if I’m not young?”

Travel, anyway. It may not be easy to do, but find a way to get out of your comfort zone. It’s really never too late.

But if you haven’t gotten sucked into the routine of life yet, I implore you — travel. It will never be easier than it is right now for you to do that which really matters.

If you’re young, have you traveled yet? Have you seen what the world has to offer and how it can change you? What’s holding you back?

If you’re older, did you travel when you were young? What regrets do you have?

Join the discussion in the comments.

Reading material

If you’re ready to step off the beaten path, here are a few travel companions I recommend:

• The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket by Edgar Allan Poe
• Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo
• Unconventional Guides by Chris Guillebeau

And if you’re looking to travel with a purpose, consider going on a mission trip. I highly recommend The World Race.

_____________________________________________________________________________

I'm young. I'm free. I will go places. I will live the life I've always wanted. Let's go travel while we still can!

Since this is more about Jeff's writing, I decided to keep his title. You can check out more of Jeff Goins' writings in his site: Jeff Goins, Writer


So, whaddya think?


xoxo, 
biang