The Red Booth

Hey there! It’s been a while since I last updated my visual diary. I’m busy joggling work & business on the side, plus the fact that I’m putting on a lot of weight that I’m no longer decent on my photos, kiddin’ haha. But seriously, I need to shed some pounds or else I can no longer wear my closet.

My event styling and candy buffet business exhausted all my creative juices and I can’t think of anything to write about. So I’d like to share these 20 random things you might not know about me J

1. I’d rather hold a cockroach than enter a butterfly garden.
2. I can last with no deodorant for 48 hours without smelling stinky (I’m blessed of having a not so sweaty underarms).
3. I can stand sleeping for 30 hours with no food and water intake (probably 2 bio breaks in between).
4. I’m a super duper mega fan of Jennylyn Mercado and Regine Velasquez (I watch online shows, stalk their social networking accounts and even volunteer father the baby of Jennylyn during her break-up with Patrick Garcia).
5. I spent 15 thousand pesos at Topman trying to prove that I can spend my half-month salary without worrying for the coming days.
6. Up to now, Superman is my favorite childhood character but I’ve never seen his films/series/cartoons or read comics until the last installment.
7. I drink 600 MG of antibiotics whenever my tonsil is acting-up (without doctor’s prescription).
8. I’m a frustrated singer. I already planned own concert at the Araneta Coliseum.
9. I want to get married in Spain ala San Tsai and Dao Min Shi.
10. I love fancy Iced Tea especially the ones from Banapple, Wendy’s and Bon Chon.
11. I’m a fan of birthday surprises, cakes, balloons, gifts. I pretend that I don’t like it, but deep inside, I’m giggling what to expect with the surprise.
12. Red is my favorite color but you’ll rarely see me wear Red and have anything Red on my things.
13. I’m a shoe-aholic. I have more than 50 pairs of branded shoes. Not to be so defensive, I’m flat-footed so I need quality and really comfortable shoes to stand my daily activities.
14. I dreamt of being a professional pop dancer. It’s one of the things I regret not pursuing.
15. I wear clothes without ironing them (even for business attires). I normal buy wrinkle free clothes or cover them-up with blazers.
16. I buy things then store them in my locker or pedestal because my partner will scold me for buying another pair of shoes or set of clothes.
17. I always buy a bucket of Potato Corner fries whenever I’m in Greenhills. It was said in the movie that French fries are potatoes, potatoes are vegetables. Vegetables are healthy, therefore, fries are good for the body because it’s healthy 
18. I’m a stress eater and people at work knows this. It’s their queue not to bug me or I might throw my monitor at them.
19. I joined a modeling contest for teens, and won. But was disqualified due to my age. Nevertheless, they gave me lots of shirts in return (not bad!)
20. I collect Starbucks tumbler & snow globe of places/countries i’ve been to.

The cold never bothered me anyway!

It was 14 deg Celsius when we arrived in Macau. 1st stop, Senado Square ~ a famous tourist spot that leads the ruins of St.Paul.

Officially enlisted as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macao, the Ruins of St. Paul’s is a 16th-century complex of what was originally St. Paul’s College and the Cathedral of St. Paul.

On the way to the sanctuary is a street full of Chinese stores that offer free taste of authentic Chinese and Portuguese delicacies. Just bring rice and you’ll be good for the day.

Since we need to go back to HongKong before sunset, we only get the chance to visit The Venetian Macao. We capped off the tour with a gondola ride (a replica from the famous tourist spot in Venice).

OOTD:

Button-down ~ Forever 21
Pull-over with knit details ~ Forever 21
Chinos ~ Uniqlo
Brogues ~ Bench

Summer Forever

Boracay is on top of my to go beach destinations in the Philippines. This is where beach life, perfect sunset, adventure & night life are rolled into 1. My recent trip was extra special because it’s my sister’s first time in ‘Bora’ (she’s a Filo-Aussie and I only get to see her every 2 years).

The best way to welcome her? A night-out at Epic Bar! Not only we get to have the best shooters and cocktails that Boracay have to offer, we get to dance ’til dawn, meet new folks, and get a free hangover! Yes, a terribly baddest hang-over that my sister woke-up 4pm the next day! Haha

A series of FIRST. Not only that its my sister’s first time in Boracay, we also tried ‘Fly Fish’. It’s super extreme version of banana boat. Though sadly, the odds are not in my favor as I was thrown in the open sea twice from that physically exhausting water adventure!

Up, up and away. We tried parasailing for the first time. While up there, you get to see Boracay’s skyline. Experience is fun, but if you into adventure, this is not for you. Though this is perfect for couples or a good idea for an engagement proposal *wink*, I kind find the activity boring after my Fly Fish experience.

Of course, I wouldn’t miss to take this chance to do my Summer OOTD. This Forever 21 combination is a runaway winner perfect for summer. The cool tropical prints perfectly layers the plain board shorts.

Making life’s precious moments extra special with Instax. Capture celebrations and have it printed right then and there with this Polaroid inspired camera.

I’ve been to Bora every now and then but this is by far the BEST stay ever. Not only I get to try new stuffs, but spending it with my best friend and sister whom I seldom see makes this trip super extra special. I love you, twin!!!

TEST SHOT

Over the weekend, I styled my friend Andiy for her a friend birthday photo-shoot. While waiting for her to be made-up, I was asked to do test shots by the photographer (well, I actually insisted haha). After seeing the photos, it made me realized how my style evolved over the year.

Style is my way of life. The beauty of style is not about what you wear, but how you carry yourself with it. Let your style have a voice by switching from basics to express yourself prints like this floral short-sleeved button down. Prints are not only stylish, it gives a leaner look on your body frame.

Who says floral and prints are for girls? Don’t blend into the background. Discover the soul of your personal style. Inspiration and imitation are two different things. Forget the rules, if you like it, wear it.

Life is like a photograph. All you need is confidence, a stroke of luck and a perfect pair of jeans and shoes. To finish this look, I cuffed the jeans off to highlight the boots and show-off the socks

PHOTOGRAPHY: Francis Magpili
LOCATION: Greenbelt Residences

OOTD:

Button-down ~ Bazaar
Jeans ~ Zara
Desert Boots ~ Cotton-On
Socks ~ The Ramp, Crossings

All photos here are raw and unedited 🙂

Friday the 13th (Random Thoughts)

I always see the good in people. Learning to see the good side of things is challenging. But I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so you can learn to let go. Things go wrong so you can appreciate them when they are right. And sometimes, good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

We don’t need to hide our problems behind smile. Be happy and look beyond where life is taking you. Understand what you should be, know how valuable you are and know how you can become relevant with the things you do

Like an arrow, it can only be shot by pulling it backward. So when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it’s synonymous to launching something great. A negative mind will never give you a positive life. As they say, life is short so live fully, love a lot and laugh often. We only get one shot in life, so make the most out of it 🙂

OOTD:

Shirt ~ SM Youth
Carrot Jeans ~ Oxygen
Snap-back ~ Forever 21
Sneakers and Accessories ~ SM Accessories

Photography: Lyra Bartolome

Asian Invasion with PALTY

The Asian invasion continues with Palty!

Japanese and Korean beauty products and apparels are aggressively dominating Philippine market. Cheers! As Palty is now available in the Philippines and is part of SM North Edsa’s recently concluded Pastel Hair Fair last november.

Palty is a Japanese hair dye specifically made to lighten Asian hair. Their newest break-through is this easy to use Wax Type Permanent Hair Color that caters to on-the-go teens and yuppies. Have a new look this season in as easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Mix and shake the contents on the provided canister
2. Apply on hair like wax (hand-gloves were provided)
3. Rinse after 30 to 45 minutes (or after desired color was achieved)

My hair is always in jet black and I’m not a fan of hair-coloring products. What made me decide to try Palty is the fact that it’s easy to use and there’s no need to stay at salon for hours as you can do it on your own. The price of Platy is relatively higher than of the regular hair dye, but it offers unique colors and low ammonia content which damages the hair.

Holiday parties are right around the corner. Thanks to Palty for giving me an edgier look to compliment my style this season.

OOTD:

Denim Jacket ~ Forever 21
White V-Neck Shirt ~ Bench
Jeans ~ Oxygen
Sneakers ~ Comme Des Garcons

PHOTOGRAPHY: Lyra Bartolome

YOLO

Perception (n) the way you think about or understand something ~ Merriam Webster Dictionary

The ugly truth is, humans, like all things, are subject to interpretation. We see what we want to see. And what we see and hear depend on where we are standing. That’s what makes us unique as humans ~ personality, individuality and differences.

We cannot dictate what others might think of us, nor force others to believe who we think we are. If we want change, we need to change our own perceptions. Fact is, we co-exist. In this modern and trying times, what the world thinks of us is none of our business and vice-versa. I’ve learned to accept that people will judge us whether we do good or bad. At the end of day, the ball is on us to prove them wrong or just live with it. After all, no one else can feel the way we live our lives except ourselves.

Y.O.L.O. You Only Live Once! So live a little, laugh a lot, and love always.

OOTD:

Vintage Shirt ~ Team Manila
Chinos ~ Bench
Loafers ~ Vans
Flash Sunnies ~ Sky Top Clothing (IG Account: skytopclothing)

“A negative mind will never give you a positive life”

WORDPRESS

Whether in words or actions, I was never a fan of any form of stupidity. In my current role as Team Leader, it is a basic expectation to think logically, strategically and rationally. But at one point, we will all encounter trashy colleagues that will really get into our nerves. So here’s a guide I made to be successful Leaders/Managers.

10 Things Team Leaders Shouldn’t Do

1. Sleep while everyone is working hard to meet daily goals
2. Update personal stuffs within the first 3 hours of your shift. Whether it’s your personal phone or your blog, office is never the avenue for that
3. Sugar Coat. Sorry, I meant manipulation of data. Show your associates’ real numbers so it wont create any false expectations
4. Team Leaders shouldn’t forward feedback directly to associates and have them reply on your behalf. Know the art of coaching ~ POCDAC (Prepare, Open, Clarify, Develop, Action, Close)
5. Enforcing authority to gain respect
6. Judge and create assumptions
7. Stop learning
8. Take sides
9. Don’t be subjective. Never use personal vendetta especially on email, it looks funny though 🙂
10. Send an email without proof-reading. Minor grammatical mishaps are acceptable but carabao english through direct translation of thoughts is definitely a no-no!

10 Tips To Be Successful Team Leader

1. Get to know your team. Do daily spot-checks at the start of your day. It our most important task
2. Promote transparency and accountability in everything you do
3. Listen, team members might even have better ideas than us
4. Know the difference between coaching and mentoring. Even high-performing associates need coaching
5. Synergy. Empower your team by making them feel relevant to achieve high performance
6. Be honest. Nothing beats integrity as virtue to gain your associates’ buy-ins
7. Live through these guiding principles: Educate,Enhance, Enrich
8. Raise standard. Even the simplest job requires no sense of mediocrity. Always be the better best version of you
9. Study. Evaluate processes and get the habit to always learn something new
10. Love what you do

I never claim to be a perfect leader, but I have the balls to say I’m better 🙂

OOTD

On a more lighter note, Sunday means casual day. This is what I wore for our volleyball event. Boat shoes are already off-season and so 2012. Casual basic sneakers are back on trend up to the last part of 2013.

I’ve recently discovered an online seller with stylish yet affordable clothes that are of quality ~ PUSH THRU. I love their jersey shorts which are very comfy and the shirt is 100% Cotton. The print is rubberized which makes it washing machine friendly. Their products have value for money. Like them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pushthruinc and follow them on Instagram @Push_Thru

Shirt ~ Push Thru
Jersey Aztec Shorts ~ Push Thru
Sneakers ~ SM Department Store
Sunnies ~ Spy
Accessory ~ G-Shock

Photography: Lyra Bartolome
Venue: Assumption College Gymnasium

Off Duty

“Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing at all”

With my regular office work, event styling/candy buffet business, fashion blogging and extra-curricular activities, people ask me how I squeeze in all of those in my schedule.
I, myself even wonder where in earth I’m getting the energy to survive my work week that seemed to be jam-packed daily.

THE KEY: Passion ~ Always put your heart in everything you do. I am my biggest competitor, I always challenge myself to be better. When the road seems tough, I buckle-up. Failure doesn’t hinder me to keep going. Instead, It makes me look back, evaluate and learn from my mistakes.

At the end of day, just the taught of me inspiring other people and putting smiles on their faces is very fulfilling. Life has taught me these 3 guiding principles ~ DESIRE to know what you want, DEVOTION to act on goals based on values and DISCIPLINE when you are on top. You will never get tired when you love what you are doing 🙂

OOTD:

Button-up ~ Uniqlo
Chinos ~ Bench
Shoes ~ Cotton-On
Socks ~ Aldo
Accessories ~ SM Accessories

Photography and Post-Editing: Francis Magpili and Kathrina Dimacale

Bed Weather

Fashion knows no boundaries. I’m now gearing away to the usual button-down and desert shoes combination. The recent weather condition inspired me to wear my ‘bed weather’ look ~ this is when sporty meets street style. This printed pull-over paired with skin jeans and cool sneaks is an instant stand-out.

Rainy Day Style Tips:
1. Use easy to wear and comfortable clothes
2. Wear light and pastel colored clothes to contrast the gloomy weather
3. Prints are in this season. Make sure to accentuate your style with a printed top or colored jeans/chinos.

OOTD:
Pull-over ~ Forever 21
Skin Jeans ~ Oxygen
Sneaks ~ Topman
Accessories ~ G-Shock

Photography: Kathrina Dimacale