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Showing posts from June, 2011

[Project Look Book] Thursday, June 30, 2011

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After green's prominence yesterday , brown dominates today's getup. I picked a short-sleeved shirt from Martin Box at Prima Linea. The lighter-hued patterns are actually sheer but it's mostly unnoticeable because it blends well with my skin tone. I actually appreciate how the fabric's manufacturers did it, blending sheer with the usual opaque into just one fabric. I think it's amazing. For trousers I went with my bluish gray chinos from Bench, just to break the monochrome. After all, my belt (from SM Department Store) and shoes (Zara) are already brown. And oh, my socks aren't brown! The day started warm and sunny. Then without warning, it rained by noon, followed by brief periods of sunshine in between what was mostly a wet afternoon. Now this is me confused with the weather: I wonder what it would be like tomorrow.

[Movie Night] Transformers: Dark of the Moon

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My Bibe and I watched  Transformers: Dark of the Moon  last night at Greenbelt 1. We don't normally go out on weeknights anymore but I made an exception with this one. Personally I think the movie is worth watching if you're looking for something fun (not necessarily funny, though). If you're looking for noteworthy dialogue, character development and fine acting, remember that this is a Michael Bay film. So you'll have to expect lots of grand set pieces, long camera crane shots, action sequences, special effects and explosions (heck, GQ just even called him "the most explosive director of all time" in its July issue!). Don't think too much and just enjoy the ride. And don't bother sitting through the end credits, especially after seeing that extra clip played early on. There's nothing waiting for you there. Dark of the Moon  was definitely better than  Revenge of the Fallen , but still far from the wit, charm and magic of the 2007 origin

[Daily Doodle] June 30, 2011

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[Project Look Book] Wednesday, June 29, 2011

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Yesterday I said I looked like a tree. Well, the "green streak" continues today with something really green: my pants. No more tree allusions today but what do I wear with it since they're really green? This was the result: I fell in love with these pants the moment I saw one on a mannequin at an H&M store in HK. So in love was I that when it was time to "edit" my loot to fit my budget, I foregone a handful of cheaper items just so I could keep this one. And there are absolutely no regrets. I originally thought of wearing a blue double-breasted jacket with it but I thought it was too formal. Some other time perhaps. So instead, I pulled out my ever-reliable madras jacket from Zara. I actually wished I had an electric blue blazer -- that would be perfect! But because I wanted to tone things down a notch for my green pants's debut, I picked a white shirt from Celio and my not-so-white-anymore loafers from Zara. Then I just went white all the way

The Market at Hotel Icon

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See related posts: Hotel Icon: Designed to impress Inside our room at Hotel Icon Not to be missed: The gym and pool area at Hotel Icon After missing breakfast and lunch altogether on our second day in Hong Kong (because we slept till 2pm), we got up earlier on our third day, early enough to catch breakfast at The Market. Among other stuff, look what I got: I wasn't really planning on them but I was intrigued by their pancake maker, which, at the push of a button, makes you a small-sized one in a minute. Besides, fresh blueberries and raspberries for toppings? It couldn't get any better than this. Hotel Icon houses three restaurants: Green, which is located at the ground floor ( you can get a glimpse here ); Above and Beyond, which is exclusive to guests staying in club rooms; and The Market on the second floor. We haven't tried Green and understandably, we never got to see Above and Beyond. The hotel bills The Market as "a restaurant like no other,&q

[Daily Doodle] June 29, 2011

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Epals: Our own version of Manila Pen's "Pen Pals"

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Everyone has probably tried -- or at least heard of -- Pen Pals , a signature dessert offering from the Manila Peninsula Hotel. It's a humongous serving of 19 scoops of ice cream, a bed of fruit, marshmallows, sorbet, wafer sticks, whipped cream, and maraschino cherries, all in a huge bowl. Craving for it now? Well our team here at the office thought of making our own version, which we called Epals . Epal is actually a slang for someone who intentionally seeks attention, butting in conversations, volunteering on nearly everything, sometimes acting like a know-it-all -- you get the picture. But it's totally unrelated to our ice cream concoction. We bought one pint each of chocolate, cheese, strawberry, and cookies n' cream ice cream, then a litter of ube and half a gallon of vanilla. The last two weren't available in pints at the store. For fruit, we just settled with banana since there were no melons available. We also got a bag of marshmallows, a canister of wafer

[Project Look Book] Tuesday, June 28, 2011

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I was right about yesterday being warm, first of all. Today I was supposed to wear something I bought from HK but I couldn't find a certain knitwear I was supposed to pair it with. So I ended up with this short-sleeved shirt from G2000 that I paired with chinos from Bench. I really don't know what the color's supposed to be, if it's olive green or on the brown side. I'm confused. It looks more brown in the photo, though. Anyway, I look like a tree. It's not that obvious in the photo but the shirt actually has a floral print in white. Here's a closer look: The shoes are from Zara. The belt, on the other hand, I got from SM Department Store. I wore it to somehow make me look less like a tree.

[Daily Doodle] June 28, 2011

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[Project Look Book] Monday, June 27, 2011

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I've spent most of my weekend sleeping. How nice is that? But I was wishing the weekend was longer (as always). Nevertheless, it's good that tropical storm Meari (locally named 'Falcon') has left the country already, and we're now in for better weather conditions -- in the meantime at least. I didn't know what to expect of today's weather, though, if it's gonna be warm today or what. I placed my bet on warm. Rummaging through my closet, I found this long-forgotten shirt from Topman. It's a pretty basic one, no fancy stuff whatsoever. I just like it for its simplicity -- white with touches of gray, which I think is easy on the eye. Paired it with what else but gray pants, a slim leather belt from H&M, and a pair of Zara lace-ups. Accessorized with a ring and necklace, both from Aldo.

[Daily Doodle] June 27, 2011

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[Project Look Book - Weekend Special] Saturday, June 25, 2011

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I'm happy the rains stopped. It's still cloudy but at least there's no more rain. That tropical storm sure made a watery hell out of Metro Manila last Friday. It was still a "bed weather" up to now so My Bibe and I got up really late both yesterday and today. She was supposed to attend her high school reunion last night but it was postponed, so we decided to eat out and catch a movie instead. I wore this John Lennon tee from Artwork, something I haven't worn since last Christmas. My Bibe also got one with Yoko Ono on it, but she didn't wear it today. Paired the tee with black jeans from Topman and silver sneaks from Zara. And then.....it's Monday again.

[Daily Doodle] June 26, 2011

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[Daily Doodle] June 25, 2011

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[Project Look Book] Friday, June 24, 2011

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The Human Resources advisory that we've all been waiting for came at around noon today: we already can go home. You see, this tropical storm has been dumping huge amounts of rain since yesterday, causing flooding in many areas in Metro Manila and of course, unbearable traffic jams last night. It was just chaos all over. Good thing we live relatively nearby but some of my office mates made it to their homes close to midnight already, considering most of them left the office before six. So that email announcement earlier was definitely a good thing for everyone. But what did I wear today in this kind of weather? Boots. A few even commented that they're perfect for today, like I was ready to brave the floods (though luckily I don't have to). I got them from an Aldo store in Hong Kong, and they've become an instant favorite of mine. I also wore an Ed Hardy tee and a pair Penshoppe metallic jeans, which I realized I haven't worn in a while. And given

[Daily Doodle] June 24, 2011

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Breakthrough tech with the Lytro camera

I may not be the first to admit, but I do admit, that I'm not alien to having photos with out-of-focus subjects. Sometimes it's a hurried shot. Other times you think you've focused it right but when the photos come out, turns out you haven't, errors you realize you've made only after you've downloaded them to your PC or Mac. Sorry, can't do anything about it anymore. But with the advent of next-generation camera  Lytro , that should no longer be a problem. Imagine having the power to adjust the focus of a photo after you've clicked the shutter! No more wasted shots! Seriously! Thankfully, a Silicon Valley start-up thought of it. And the brains behind the technology is Ren Ng. But how does it work? The camera uses a special kind of sensor called a light field sensor that "captures the color, intensity and vector direction of the rays of light," which completely runs against traditional camera sensors that adds up all light rays and r

[Project Look Book] Thursday, June 23, 2011

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After having to deal with a fickle-minded weather these past few days (it can't seem to decide if it wants to rain or shine), it finally made up its mind as it's been raining incessantly since last night. At least that got me decided on what to wear today. I chose this knitted sweater from Zara, something I don't get to wear that often. I love its predominantly light blue color and stylized collar. Didn't think much of the pants, though. It's a black one I got from BKK. As for the shoes, my blue and silver metallic lace-ups from Zara was the way to go. Now I wonder what the weather would be tomorrow. But I bet it's still gonna be a rainy day.

[Daily Doodle] June 23, 2011

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[Project Look Book] Wednesday, June 22, 2011

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I think I may have sat in front of my iMac for too long last night because right after, I fell into another lazy spell that I had to choose the easiest items to prepare for today's look. I picked up these pinstripe pants from BKK with the intention of wearing a shirt that would go well with my metallic lace-ups from Zara. I rethought my choices and ended up with a simple Topman pullover instead. But it's red, so the color alone speaks volumes. Topped it off with an Anthony Nocom jacket. Shoes (Frank at Traffic).

GQ July 2011: The case of the interviewer lost in the interview

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I got my July GQ last week while at the airport in Hong Kong. Back here in the Philippines, it usually is not available until the last week of the month. So Chris Evans of Fantastic Four fame, and now Captain America, graces the cover. The photos inside were great, courtesy of Mario Testino. I loved his use of light in that shoot. The article, however, was a disgrace in my opinion. The writer, Edith Zimmerman, who was supposed to profile the actor, basically wrote all about herself and her flirtatious time with Mr. Evans instead. Seriously, the article was all about her. She was like this teenager gushing and acting so irresponsibly, getting wasted and sleeping over at Chris's house.

[Daily Doodle] June 22, 2011

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[Project Look Book] Tuesday, June 21, 2011

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I just realized I put Monday instead of Tuesday in this post's title, so I corrected it. Having Monday a holiday makes you think Tuesday is Monday because the week has just started. And one good thing about it? The week is shorter! I'm wearing cufflinks today! A tie bar came with them to form a set, an old gift from My Bibe. I really would want to wear cufflinks more often but I only have a few shirts made for them. Of course it's not that hard to find shirts with french cuffs but they're usually found in the more upscale stores (at least here in the Philippines). I just hope that I can find more of them from stores that are within my reach, financially that is. The pink shirt is from Merger, one of my go-to stores for corporate attire. Notice the fabric and all its details. The brown pants are from Memo, and the shoes, Aldo. The tie, I just picked up at SM Department Store.

[Daily Doodle] June 21, 2011

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[Daily Doodle] June 20, 2011

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[Daily Doodle] June 19, 2011

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[Project Look Book - Weekend Special] Saturday, June 18, 2011

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As everybody probably knows, tomorrow is Father's Day, yet another consumerism-fueled "occasion." Because My Bibe and I wanted to avoid the crowds, we celebrated a day earlier with her dad over lunch at Greenbelt 3. Then My Bibe and I spent the rest of our day at the movies. I wanted something relaxed so I went for shorts today. This one's got a seersucker feel to it (although you probably can't see much of the detail in the photo) and it came with a belt. Nice, right? I originally wanted a white shirt to go with it but what's left in the closet weren't the ones I had in mind. I think what I was looking for was in the laundry. So I settled for a pullover. Pullover (Arrow); shorts and belt (Uniqlo); loafers (Zara).

[Daily Doodle] June 18, 2011

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Angelina Jolie for Louis Vuitton

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I was happy to learn that my (and My Bibe's) favorite Angelina Jolie is doing a campaign for Louis Vuitton. It's the latest installment in the luxury brand's Core Values Campaign where the likes of Sean Connery, Mikhael Gorbachev, Keith Richards, and a slew of other personalities have already been featured. The campaign was introduced in 2007 as a balance to LV's high fashion-driven marketing, focusing more on its travel roots. The visuals were shot by another favorite, Annie Leibovitz, in Cambodia, a country very close to Jolie's heart. She first came in 2000 to do Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and returned many times over after that for various humanitarian and charity work (primarily for the United Nations as a Goodwill Ambassador). Needless to say, she later adopted son Maddox from a Cambodian orphanage. As expected, Jolie's fees will go to charity. And this is just one of the reasons why My Bibe and I love her beyond her stunning looks and talent. Geez, s

[Project Look Book] Friday, June 17, 2011

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The other night I read a post from Ivy Style , one of the blogs I follow on bloglovin , about how Lacoste came to be the preppy polo of choice (you can read the full article here ). It was a well-written and interesting article about the brand's origins, the story behind the croc logo, the brand's heyday in the 70's, how competitor Ralph Lauren shook its dominance, and its recent resurgence in the fashion world. As expected, it also decried how today's polos are in no way near what the brand used to make back in the day. After reading that informative article, I thought I'd wear a Lacoste polo today. I agree with some readers's comments on Lacoste's quality today. I do find the fabric on the flimsy side but who would want to wear something so thick in this tropical climate? So it's really not an issue with me. Instead, my main issue is the brand's price point. And the peso's weak purchasing power sure doesn't help. On the othe

[Daily Doodle] June 17, 2011

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Inside our room at Hotel Icon

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Our recent Hong Kong trip was devoid of any pressure. There were no itineraries to follow, no checklists of sights to visit, no nothing. Well, except maybe Horizon Plaza in Ap Lei Chau, but more on that in another post. It may sound strange to some but My Bibe and I spent a considerable amount of time just locked up in our hotel room. Heck, we even slept till two in the afternoon on our first night! But could you blame us when this is what you see from our room: My Bibe and I aren't necessarily the high-brow type who fly first class or stay at five-star hotels (although I wish we were). Well, we do check in at such hotels in Makati on occasion but that's about it. For this trip, we decided on new kid on the block Hotel Icon because they had an offer that was simply too good to pass up: stay two nights and get the third night free. We booked a Harbour View room that cost us a little over HK$ 4,000 all in all. A bit steep for us but we never regretted our decision. Af

[Project Look Book] Thursday, June 16, 2011

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My mind is so slow right now, I can't wait for Saturday to come. Never mind Friday because it's still officially a workday for me. I just feel so sleepy that coffee does nothing to help. I went for something a bit preppy today, donning this vest I picked up at SM Department Store maybe two years ago. And underneath it is a little secret I'm now telling everyone: the white shirt wasn't completely ironed. I mean, I only ironed the sleeves, the collar, and a small area right beneath it. So I felt lazy again last night but hey, what's the point when everything else is hidden from view? Shirt (Memo); vest (Attitudes at SM Department Store); pants (Topman); shoes (Aldo); watch (Kenneth Cole Reaction).

[Daily Doodle] June 16, 2011

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