playing sarah bailey the natural born witch for halloween 2018

white t, h&m. vest, vintage. skirt, mixed berry in dumaguete city (old). random knee highs from 2016-2017 trip to California, USA. heels, zalora (sold out on the site, unfortunately). backpack, seocndhand gucci from dumaguete city.

It's been a very long time since I posted a random slew of self-taken photos for this personal space of mine. I miss it so. Anyway, yes! Halloween!!! It's my favorite time of the year. Christmas feels like such a draining season for me. It drains one of money (because it's gifting season, yeah...) and well...energy. I do like the celebrations that come with Christmas but they wreck a ton of things so...I'm NOT at all that fond of this time of the year, to be really honest. At the back of my mind, I'm aware that I really do hate the Christmas season but I'm becoming more aware of how much I really do so now.

Sarah Bailey from the Craft will always be my aesthetic for Halloween. Classic American school girl looks like hers and Serena van der Woodsen's on Gossip Girl season 1 are those I have been fixating on for a while now. The Craft is a cult classic witch movie of the 90s and I'm not kidding when I say I still remember every scene of it in my head. My favorite is when the four went on an excursion to the fields to cast spells and of course, the last part, Nancy vs. Sarah. Sarah...I've always loved her effortless style and her natural-ness as a witch the same way I love Serena Van Der Woodsen on Gossip Girl season 1 for her carefree character so...well...that figures a lot of things that's me and about me. Also, for reference on where I got the idea to dress up as Sarah as, there is this photo below of the 4 on The Craft:

photo taken from here

I think Sarah is the easiest to dress up as on Halloween. All you really need is a skirt that's pleated---it can be a plaid skirt or a plain one will do as well---and heaps of necklaces of different sizes (I am admittedly a huge stan of layering one necklace after another) and a vest and you're done! Knee high socks are, of course, mandatory as well. And the wedges...well, they were scored from Zalora Philippines on one of their sales.
And speaking of Zalora Philippines and sales, I currently am waiting for their 11.11 sale for something I've been keeping my my on, on for a while now.

Anyway, yes, Halloween. What did I do last night's All Souls' Day night and last weekend? Last weekend, I went out with 2 girl pals to Lifestyle District. It's where the workplace, that I currently work at, is located. The place has a lot of bars, restaurants and cafes and it's, probably like, one of the best places to be in the city during Halloween. There's always something going on there like the Halloween Costume Party we originally planned to join when we passed by the notices for it. It's only because their registration for the contest ended early that we didn't make it into the contest. Memorable part of the night is Jigsaw from a movie franchise, Saw, I following us around and my friend hugging him not once or twice but thrice. For the record, I am never a fan of Saw and the rest of its movies and I do not plan on touching this one either...in this lifetime. I like really horror movies with ghosts and maybe some monsters of the South East Asian and Asian Lore in general. I'm not a huge fan of gore movies that to me, are pointless anyway. I would watch 90s trashy slasher films, however. Those are my thing as the amount of blood there isn't as much as when you compare it to Saw movies and even, maybe, hmn..., say Texas Chainsaw Massacre. 
At the end of the night of fun, I've decided that as Lifestyle District is such a good, good place to eat and drink in, I would say 31st Bistro's hot chocolate is high up there among drinks and food I've tried. I would go and visit 31st Bistro again probably on another weekend after work if only to get their hot chocolate again. The pina colada at this other bar closest to the office building is...well...err, their tequila sunrise is better. The alcohol content on the pina colada was just too high. I haven't been much of a drinker since long ago, in the dim dark past as a Master's degree student and even in undergraduate college. I am, however, happy to report that after one glass of that awful pina colada, I still had the tolerance to liquor in me that keeps myself from getting too drunk towards the middle of the night. I now know what to avoid on their cocktails menu. All in all, October 27 was a fun night with the two gal pals.

Last night, as I was alone and still am alone and being my hermit self at home, I had the South Korean cable channel, TVN on, on TV while I watched about two episodes of The Guest, a kdrama recommendation for the Halloween I found on a Soompi article I stumbled on early this week. I fell asleep in the middle of the third episode so I was never able to finish the thing but it sure is an interesting watch. It's about evil spirit possession and the tag team of a lady police officer, a rebel-y shaman and a very serious exorcist priest makes it all the more interesting. I wonder how it's going to play out in the end...? It has 15 episodes and I'm down to finishing the whole thing this weekend along with other creepy, Halloween appropriate tv shows and films I like to watch this time of the year. Yes, I watched it while I was alone at home with just 8 to 9 dogs outside and an indoor pet cat. The mum is in Jasaan, at the grandparents with the cousin; the dad, with his high school friend, is in Zamboanga City until Sunday since around Thursday this week; and the sister-figure went home to Medina for stuff... I survived a night of fright as I always, regularly do. I'm someone who can handle scary stuff well even at night but I'd probably freak out in a haunted house attraction in amusement parks... Hmn... Well, we'll see...
By the way, The Guest is an OCN drama and OCN never really disappoints me with their thriller, action police dramas so it's worth the watch for mystery lovers like myself. The supernatural twist is just as good, I guess. I don't mind it and I like supernatural twists anyway. Or this could just really be me. Haha.

Anyway, music recommendation because I kind of miss doing so lately:

I'm still waiting for Pentagon mini album to arrive... I'm getting kind of tired of waiting but I'm keeping the patience in. I think I ordered it about a month ago or so...
Yes, I'm stuck on both songs and especially on Just Do It Yo that I have on repeat with this one:

I'm currently conflicted with whether I'm getting Golden Child's Wish mini album or Infinite's Kim Sunggyu's Shine live album he released, as a farewell gift to fans, before enlisting in the military. I'll probably not get Golden Child's album yet and will stick to Sunggyu's granted I've been falling in deeper with him sine stumbling upon The Genius season 1 where he displayed his savageness and top notch strategist skills in. 
At first, I found it difficult to get into Golden Child's Genie because it felt not as bop-y as their Let Me that they released before this. But this impression was probably because I was listening to it without the headphones or earphones. It became a quality bop, characteristic of every Golden Child release so far since their debut, when I ended up playing it on eternal repeat with the headphones and/or earphones on. Yep. Never really shoot down a track as boring and bland before getting a closer look at it using the appropriate audio tools---lesson learned at that time. 
Also, Produce 48's I*Zone's La Vie En Rose is the best debut so far among all three Produce 101 franchise groups (including season 1 and 2). If you haven't gotten into it yet, now's the best time to get into it so GO! But yes, I'm still not much a fan of female groups...so...yeah.

Bonus, two things I find useful nowadays that they hardly live my bag now:

Australian make-up brand is climbing up the top of my favorite make-up brands list with these two lip liners. I don't really use the cream lipstick and other lipstick variants as much these days so I'm living with lip liners and tinted lip balms and cheek and lips stuff lately. I find them the most convenient to use in the office and out.
I got these when with the 1000 Php gift checks I got from SM Supermalls' 60th anniversary twitter contest a while back so, like, double yay! I didn't spend as much on make-up among others then. 

Ah yes, until the next post then and in which case, I don't know when that will be but hopefully soon. In the meantime, you can follow me on instagram for some timely updates here and there. I'm not a very consistent instagrammer either.

blue is my favorite color: oct 7 in mantigue island, camiguin island

top, something borrowed via zalora (old). shorts, target (mossimo, I think...). bracelet, my favorite random accessories-selling store around here in Cagayan de Oro City...

ph by cousin

Way back October 7, I was a hermit Camiguin Island. Or a pseudo-island hermit because I was with the family and some others. It's the one place here that just never really grows old. There's always something to explore in that island. Of course, a trip to Mantigue Island IS A MUST. I have always been more a fan of Mantigue Island than White Island anyway. Yes, so this is where these photos were taken. Blue and white and the sun and sea and sand are always favorites in my book as a wannabe, still practicing beach bum and tropical islander girl. A lot of swimming was had in this island because we came in early with just a few people and the water was so pristine and clear it made swimming and just beach bumming and relaxing soooo...much fun.

During this trip, food was quite an experience when it usually never was way back when. Luna Ristorante's pizza is pretty heavenly and although not that vegetarian or vegan friendly---I just took out the ham and all on the Hawaiian pizza variant among others---well, it's still worth the try. For those who have eliminated pork in their diet like myself, their chicken pasta dishes are alright. The canneloni to name one, is highly recommended. Another new discovery on this trip is Beehive Bistro. The view there is just soooo...good despite the beach front being rocky when the tide is low. The bohemian aesthetic is just relaxing. It's like travelling back in the older times when there as they have a ton of old things on display. Their drinks are to die for---coffee, tea, fruit smoothies---and ice cream. They have dragon fruit ice cream which I got to try. Definitely worth going back there should I find myself in Camiguin Island again soon...ish.  

I have another post coming up which delves more on the Halloween fun I had last night and over the last weekend with a co-worker and a bff turned co-worker... So yes, life is as eventful as always as it is busy with work on most days of the week.

It's a long weekend since yesterday so I'm, as always, playing hermit at home. I'm on my own at home with TVN blaring on the TVN right now and I'm enjoying time off from life, being the hermit that I usually am so...yeah...yay! I miss this so much. Of course, Halloween has been eventful, as always~

July 27-28's island living

(photos by @michisings)

top, bench. shorts, vintage/thrifted.  

Sometime between July 28 and 29. I know...a very, very, veeeerrryyy late post. But this is because my computer is acting up and I cannot borrow anything from anyone so my only course at the moment is to save up for a new one. I'll try my best to keep this space alive as much as my powers allow.

Yes, beach makes me happy. Beach is LIFE. Beach is EVERYTHING and I miss it. This was Agutayan Island off of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental's coastline. A super raaaddd place. There were three of us that went there with two other groups through Sophie Red, a hotel that looks quite tacky by the way thanks to the name and color combination (tooooo red...not that good to loo at...). We ended up paying only the 50 Php (1 USD) fee a piece or per person because the bigger group has paid for the ride which should cost about 1200 Php so...yay~ Lucky~ 10 to 1, it's a 10 and so worth going to and probably is the highlight of our Jasaan overnight stay that weekend after the pool dip the night before that ended only at 9 in the evening because...you know...hotel management sucked and limited swimming at the pool to only 9 in the evening. 

Next beach trip will be...hopefully on the 21st as it's a holiday here. Also, I would, I so would travel to San Isidro, Initao for this. Cagayan de Oro is surrounded by awesome beaches I could never get tired of this place. 

....and as for today, which is a Saturday...I was busy running errands and stuff for...well...real life stuff. Also, I found a mini supermarket-type South Korean store close to home. I ended up buying 2 kinds of seafood ramen and a pack of nuts. My next target? A box of their brown rice green tea and maybe a card case I may need and a passport holder if I can't get the other one from Human Heart Nature's Mori Notes partner seller. Hmn...I have some decisions to make...somehow.

Terranova here in Cagayan de Oro's Limketkai Mall went on sale. Hopefully it still continues after work's payday because I have a few things I'd like to look into there though buying anything for myself is a bit iffy because I feel like I hardly really need anything yet outside of white shirts and tanks at this point. I'm yet surviving with my bunch of clothes to use for work (we have a loose clothing policy, yay~) and a few others. If you're anywhere in my city for this one, DO GO NOW. I went yesterday, Friday and there weren't a lot of people compared to the last few days or when the sale started, I guess so I was able to take a good look around it while shopping for some gifts four two cousins who are celebrating their consecutive birthdays from August 17 to today, August 18. 

Note that I hardly shop for anything because I want to stay minimal when it comes to dressing up and fashion and style in general. Also, really cozy and comfortable so yeah, this was a once in a lifetime thing. After the next payday, I'm only spending sparingly for things and saving as much as I can for other things. I notice that nowadays, I take a super easy going and chill approach to shopping especially sales. It's an improvement from my shopaholic self from years and years ago. 

And this is it for me. Until the next post...whenever that may be... 

sid and aya

reversible top, emoda (Japan). hoodie, slipdress and bag, all vintage. ankle boots, something borrowed via zalora (similar). ribbon choker, verano via zalora.

What I wore to today's movie date with the cousin who's starting college now in the home city. We watched the local film, Sid and Aya with Anne Curtis-Smith and it was uh...mazing. I mean, it was amazing. It speaks to me a lot, especially Anne's character, Aya. If you have yet to see it, go and do see it! The local SM cinema we went to has subtitles for it in English for those who cannot understand films in the local Filipino language. Sid and Aya has been nominated in the New York Asian Film Festival along with another movie from Anne that's about to drop later as well so it's worth the watch. This was a 390 Php well-spent for me since I treated my cousin to it (195 Php a movie ticket per person).

Dropping by the newly opened Chingkeetea---Kagay-anons' favorite hang out for milk tea everything---branch in Gaerlan-Velez Sts. was also mandatory. The place was crowded when we got there but we got seated somewhere cool so it was okay. The white background where we were allowed us to do selfies and the likes which was the funnest way to end the day...well...night as reason being we got home around 7 in the evening just in time for a quick dinner. Apart from the awesome movie I got to see, I discovered a new favorite milk tea drink from Chinkeetea: Classic Thai. I usually prefer their classic milk tea with 50% sweetness but Classic Thai, pictured here, is just another kind of awesome I'm elevating to addiction status. Will definitely go back there and hang out more with the cousin and a few other people.

In case y'guys are wondering what I have been up to lately because of the lack of posts...it's mostly work. I've just started one and well, I won't divulge much details about it because it's just a daily boring kind of work in line with my original profession. Well, it is a tad bit fun for me, though. At times, anyway. Also, I seriously need a new laptop or computer (as well as a better quality camera...err...yes...), too, hence this job is something that might help me with that. 

Highlight's Plz. Don't Be Sad and Can Be Better are currently helping me get through everyday at work so I'm all good...so far. Also, a lot of Pentagon's music. Yep, I'm settled...I think. I'll continue to post here as much as possible however...yes. I'll try my best to keep this one alive somehow.

chilling poolside on a sunday

top, ebay. bottom, something borrowed via zalora PH (similar).

This was 3 sundays ago, in Stargate Resort that's just close to home and with the best girl friend and another friend of hers. 11 out 10, I'd go back there in a heartbeat. For one, it's close to home. Two, it has a really good view of the city from where it is situation (uphill, yes...). Three, it's not too crowded, I guess, like the other resort close to it, Ultrawinds. Fourth and last, the entrance fee is just 50 Php and the swimming fee or pool use fee is 150 Php. It's quite affordable, really and especially if you're just there for a quick dip to ward away the summer heat. Believe me, it is super, super hot...indian summer hot this time of the year that beach trips and pool dips are a regular must. It would be good to go swimming once every week when here...in this heat.

white in the summer heat

dress, zalora (similar). boots, something borrowed via zalora.

There's something dreamy and utterly comfortable hanging around the grandparents' or any other rooftop for that matter, in this dress and I'm coming to like the boots so far though I have my eye on others now from Zalora I'm planning to get next time. As to when that next time is, I'm not sure. Well, this dress...I'm aware it's deadly hot outside and even inside nowadays here in the Philippines because it's summer but the fabric this is made of is pretty light though it looks heavy here so it's ideal to wear even then. Or you know, sometime when the sun is about to set and when it has. It might be cooler in this by then. I think this is just perfect for dinner dates for one.

1 week spent at the grandparents outside of the city of Cagayan de Oro felt too short for me. I should spend more time there somehow some other time. There's so much to do there, especially help around the house as they have yet to find their own house help plus there are also other places there to frequent like the park/plaza in the upper part of said town, Jasaan. Other than that, I'd really like to go to a beach or two from there even if it means just having to commute. The island of Camiguin is very accessible from there as the port of Balingoan is just so, so close. So much to be had there, I suppose. The town, Jasaan, is just never boring though it's been such a long while since I get to go home there and spend so much more than a weekend there. I'd also like to re-visit Southern Leyte where most of my grandmother's family are. The beaches there are majestic and I say this in a non-kidding way. I guess these places marked me as a beach lover since young as these are where I grew around in other than this city I'm currently in that's so close to the sea, too. 

Anyway, yes. Next time.

It's Saturday night tonight so here's one of many I'm currently listening to and unwinding with, tonight:

Yet, another version or performance of Shine from Pentagon bbies. I mean babies but I find spelling the word as bbies just more convenient plus I usually call "my" 'baes' as bs anyway for convenience's sake and because I never liked following anything, especially fandom trends on how to call these men I fangirl/stan on a daily basis. Yeah, I call them biases but I only use this one fangirling term/vocab once in a while or so, so... Anyway, back to this one from KCon Japan earlier this week which was held in Chiba Prefecture's Makuhari Messe...what matters here is the fanchant. THE FANCHANT! They're big in Japan apparently but I'd like say it's not because they frequently are there, they're not. They reportedly have high physical CD sales there with them topping Tower Records' chart and the Oricon daily (or is it the weekly? I'm not sure...it could be both...). 

I just cannot deal with people on youtube saying their popularity is because they go there every month or so when the reality and thing is, they do not. Their primary target is still their own South Korea considering 8/10th of the members are born and raised South Koreans. The 6 SK mini-album releases are proof enough their focus is SK much more than Japan (although I wish they would focus a bit on Japan as well because my Pentagon bias is Yuto...and I'm known for loving Japan unconditionally somehow...I can just wish though...). Anyway, so those 6 mini-albums come with showcases before their records' dates of official release and they've held more concerts in South Korea than they've ever done so in Japan (and anywhere else for that matter). People who say their Japan popularity is because they are there every month is...quite farcical I can't with idiots claiming this one to be fact. They're being extra stans. Pentagon's 'underrated-ness' in South Korea can be attributed to a lot of things but primarily because the SK pop music scene as of this time is overly saturated with girl groups and pop groups that release good pop music on a monthly basis or so. It's easy to overlook a group like Pentagon there that offers so much more than what meets the eye when there's SM Ent's NCT, Woollim Ent's Golden Child, and others like KNK, Astro, SF9 etc. I even admit to liking Golden Child/Golcha aside from Pentagon. Thing is, I like the way Pentagon starts at the bottom and casually, steadily rises to the top at their own slow and sure way. I think their rise to the top will be faster than BtoB's when this one released Missing You on their 6/7th year of being an active male idol group. I'm hoping it'll be as fast as Beast, now Highlight's meteoric rise to the top during Fiction and Fact (Fiction era) but I'm not all too sure either considering there's too much competition (Astro seems to be that one group that debuted the same year Pentagon and SF9 did that is reaching the top faster than the others...) yet. But all I can do is monitor every promotion they do anyway. I'm sure they'll be quite popular in SK in time to time. 

Some fangirls/fanboys are just so extra sometimes, making them difficult to deal with and especially get along with. Ah well, fandom life...rather, life of a fangirl and music enthusiast.

Also, I just read on twitter that Avicii just recently passed away, at 28 years old too young. May he rest in peace. I enjoyed his 2013 full album release, True, and it still remains my favorite work of his to date. Wake Me Up is still a work of art for me until now.

rooftop hangs

t, secondhand/thrifted. shorts/cut-offs, gap. boots, something borrowed via zalora. bag, giani bernini via macy's.

I should hang around the grandparents' roof top/deck more. It's such a good place to be in when hermiting? And yes, that's a solar panel you see there...they have those in the grandparent's home to help keep from overspending on electricity. The view is good here, anyway, especially around the time the sun rises and sets.

T and shorts was the uniform the whole week I'd stayed at the grandparents'. If it's not the trusty ts then it's the tank/s.

catching up and with a good music recommendation to boot!

t, sm savemore. shorts, secondhand lowry's farm. boots, something borrowed via zalora. bracelet, lc by lauren conrad.

Lot's of catching up to do on here. I just came from a week stay at a small town my grandparents' home is in and it was relaxing in some way. I was there with the cousin and playing house hermit most of the week, from Sunday until just last Saturday. Other than hermit-ing, I also had a couple of halo-halos, the second one being from a well-known restaurant in the area, Carloise Restaurant. Everything there, in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental, is walking distance so it was a welcome change of pace and environment being there. It has definitely been a good rest from the city that is, Cagayan de Oro that's just 30-45 minutes away by car/vehicle or public transport. I love being there and would spend another week with cousins and the grandparents again soon.

Yes, more outfit and random photos post coming from this point on granted I also had a pool trip with the best girl friend yesterday to somewhere nearby and cool. Yay~ As to said pool trip...I'd go back there in a heartbeat. Yes!

And here's what my currently listening to mood says:

It's a recent release from this group, Pentagon that's been active since October 2016. I got into them thanks to clips of Pentagon Maker on youtube. Before, I had been thinking I'd slowly get myself more to know Woollim Entertainment's Golden Child since I enjoyed their 2 mini albums so much and would put some of the tracks on repeat on my mobile phone's music player but then I came across a Pentagon Maker clip---probably of Yuto's since Yuto is my main Pentagon bias---and the rest, as people say, was history. Plus, I checked out all of Pentagon's music releases and yes, I drowned some more into their music and now I'm an official Pentagon fangirl. Part-timing Universe seeing as I'm also a part time-light and a full-time a-i for Da-iCE. I know, I fawn over more South Korean and Japanese boygroups now, right? Yes. My fangirl twitter account is testament to that and it's now quite a mess in there. Haha. Well, it's just full of Pentagon, Highlight and Da-iCE retweets with a bit of AAA, SOLIDEMO, lol and Flowback in between as well as some E-girls here and there since I love my LDH girls too especially when they release really good bops.

I haven't updated on a lot of house music and some western indie and some non-indie pop music yet since kpop especially is keeping me busier these days. And yes, if anyone is asking, every Pentagon mini-album release, since their debut in October 2016 are worth having including the newest one from them, Positive, released just this month. 

Anyway, Monday. I have a few things to do. Pentagon music has been great help for me keeping my head above the gutter...

slightly cropped and suede on a wednesday

top, forever21. skirt, vintage. boots, something borrowed via zalora ph. bag, giani bernini via macy's. 

What I reached for today and also my "I want to go out and get ice cream" look. I've been craving for ice cream for a while now, since after Yuzuru and Shoma took first and second in the Winter Olympics Men's Figure Skating event or maybe it's been so since before. I'll likely get one tomorrow or something.

The skirt is definitely going up favorite staples status. I like how convenient this is to wear without anything and just the ankle boots or heeled sandals or with tights. It looks good wither way. The color is also versatile, olive green, enough to fit with anything to pair with on top.

Anyway, I have been busy reviving my ebay among other things today. The auctions will go live around Friday, hopefully. I've also put up an instagram shop, treasurechestvintage17, however it has yet to carry stuff for sale...something I'm working on the rest of this week as well. Yes, plenty of things to look forward to for my fellow local Philippine denizens/countrywomen. Other than that, I'll be working on other real life stuff this week on wards so it is quite a busy two weeks for me and hopefully it'll go on for a while. 

Hmn...I haven't even checked out Yang Yoseob's new release. The lead track's MV is already out too. I'll do this some time soon, I guess. Not much on the fangirling front either...yet anyway. Just the same old, same old Da-iCE and Highlight stanning. Haha.

tropical layering

top, emoda. cami and skirt, vintage. boots, rubi by cotton on via zalora ph (similar non-heeled). clutch, from a bag from aunt (possibly kohl's). bracelets/bangles, forever21.

Who says you can't layer in the tropics? When done right, like how I did here with a vintage cami and a reversible, flowy, dreamy top...it works fine. Yes. Yay! I'm finally learning how to layer? Yeah, I'm not so sure either. I still have a very long ways to go and a whole lot of things to learn where this goes.

For layering and everything else, a reversible top is always useful to have in the wardrobe such as this one from Emoda in Japan. It's a relatively old purchase but a goodie classic. It goes so well with a lot of those I own I also consider classics such as these ankle boots. The clutch back is currently showing a bit of wear here and there after I'd used it so much since around early 2016, I acquired it Christmas of 2015, and I like it that things like this get a lot of use before they have to be disposed in time to come.

....and the next two weeks will be busy for me. Well, just real life stuff I have to deal with. I probably won't be online a lot outside of browsing twitter at times through the fangirling twitter here an some instagramming here and there (yes, it's a verb now that we're in the era of everything sns/social networking sites...) so in short, I'm on very rare mushroom/pokemon mode from this point on. 

Anyway, yes! Hanyu Yuzuru and Uno Shoma placed first and second respectively at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics' figure skating individual men's event! I am so, so happy for them especially Shoma as I'm a huge fan and he deserves this. Yuzuru, too, since this is his first skate after being out of figure skating for about 3 months thanks to injury he had to and still has to recover from. Well, did you keep tabs of the Winter Olympics this year too? Are you still following it and how is it for you?

I'll...uhmn...post music some other time. Just not now. I can't think of a good one...yet. Although Highlight's Yang Yoseob's new record just came out today and he's been busy promoting it everywhere in South Korea since. I admit I haven't checked it out yet nor do I feel like doing so. It might be because I'm still high on Winter Olympics 2018 figure skating men's euphoria...or I'm just feeling lazy or I'm not really just up for anything ballad-y...I don't really know. I'll likely post about this one next time.

blood red, cherry red

slipdress and blazer, vintage. clutch, ninewest. boots, rubi by cotton on via zalora (similar). ribbon tri-strand choker, verano ph via zalora (similar).

Happy hearts day, y'all! 

I'm settling down to music videos and stage performances by my favorite men/boys tonight. It's uhmn...well, more than my traditional Valentines' day tradition along with watching Da-iCE concert/s here and there to name one (or catching up to Kamen Rider Build as I left it off at episode 13 or so a couple nights ago...), it's an every night sort of thing since the MVs and stage performances are in a playlist on my windows media player. LOL. Anyway, I think this is the best way to cap the Hearts' day celebration with. I'm just missing organic/healthy dark chocolate eating somehow. The sad thing is that I don't have any of these at hand. Hmn...a strawberry zinfandel would be nice to have tonight, though, while on this MVs and stage performances marathon watching. I'm pretty sure I'll move on in a bit and play catch up with Kamen Rider Build and the kdrama, Radio Romance anyway. I've only finished 2 episodes of the latter. The reason I picked up said kdrama is thanks to Yoon Doo Joon from Highlight but that could have easily been very predictable as Highlight is my favorite kpop boygroup after Da-iCE from Japan.

For tonight, I have two tracks I love that are more about self-love and freedom than they are about dreamy romantic love:

I think these are perfect for winding down, chilling to tonight, especially when one has been out say, working or attending classes. AAA's MisaChia's MV for Jewel is cut short at 4 minutes or so but the whole track is beautiful on the Way of Glory album. It is, no doubt, my favorite so far from AAA after years of them volleying from multi-genre-d AAA to purely EDM AAA and back to being multi-genre. 

I love, love, loooovee really positive, cheerful songs (Jpop has a lot of these but Kpop is catching up as well) and those especially about self-love. Really freeing bops are also my thing so Faky's Somewhere We'll Know is an eternal favorite where that goes. I'd also add E-girls' Kitakaze to Taiyou (The North Wind and the Sun) here but I sort of remember posting that one just a few days or a week ago or so, so I'm going to leave that out in this one this time. Such songs help keep my head above the water, cheer me up some and help me fake it when I feel like needing to fake it. I guess there's nothing like girl power where pop music goes. I'm usually more into the male idol group side of things: Da-iCE, Magic Prince, PrizmaX, Choutokkyuu/Bullettrain, Flowback, Infinite, Highlight and Golden Child but tonight I will let those men/boys rest and go with the girls since it's hearts' night anyway and I need a friendly reminder that I love myself more than I love those males in the idol groups I mentioned. Haha. Oh, and even music. Though usually it's music first for me over self. They can co-exist well together in my book though,if you catch my drift here. That's the beauty of the self and music. 

sweater weather and messy hair

sweater, forever21. slipdress, urbanoutfitters. boots, rubi by cotton on via zalora (similar). clutch, diy from a bag gifted by aunt.

Typhoon Basyang (local Philippine name thanks to PAG-ASA), please go away. I'm not exactly the biggest fan of sweater weather but it's here, we're here, at least until the typhoon goes away, that is. Needless to say, I spent it drinking a large mug of milk tea and some iced (decaf is usually all I can manage) coffee.

Today's music:

Something sunny to ward the gloominess of the day/night away. Golden Child has released two of the most solid mini-albums in the kpop industry so far. I'd recommend getting it if you can. Everything in the two mini-albums, from the bops to the mid-tempo tracks to the ballads are superb and flows so well from one track to another they're both just a treat to the ears. I've been playing both mini-albums on itunes on repeat as of late. 

slick in all black

top, something borrowed via zalora ph (similar in the lightest of pink). quilted leather skirt, vintage. boots, rubi by cotton via zalora ph (similar). clutch, from a bag from an aunt...most likely a kohl's find. 

The last time I brought out this leather skirt that's a vintage find, to wear out was when? Exactly. I don't remember either. Setting that one aside, I love how slick this one looks sans the dainty cute top from Something Borrowed. 

I was out for half a day today for stuff including a trip to the dentist. ....and I'm not really a huge fan of dentists, to be honest.

Music of the day today, rather night since it's night time here already...:

I'm not a hero but I suppose we all could be, at some point. Tove Lo is love and with Alesso...enough said. I'm good. This is an oldie but a goodie and I go back to this from time to time whenever I feel like listening to a lot of western pop/dance music. 

4-5 days until Valentines' Day, what do you guys have planned? Me? I'll be waiting for the 19th. Highlight's Yang Yoseob is releasing a mini-album/solo work by then. *insert all the hearts in the emoji keyboard here...*

what i'd go for, for valentines' day

zalora tank dress with twist front. topshop knot front mini dress. elli germany single cuff earrings. elli germany ball basic 925 silver rose gold plated choker necklace. public desire bedlam bow detail wrap around heels. benefit high beam liquid highlighter.

What I'm currently thinking of for Valentines' day dates which I'm not having any of anyway. My hearts' month is already full enough with favorite male idols' music releases and the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics and the men's volleyball event of UAAP's 80th season so I'm pretty relieved nothing's planned for me on the 14th. I'll likely be chilling to my favorite male (idol) groups from Japan and South Korea, Da-iCE and Highlight respectively, on that day and until night time and doing, well, whatever...or nothing at all. A bit of a look back: last year, I'd spent the 14th of February re-watching the Valentines' day case of Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo then followed by a recent Da-iCE concert. How about you? What do you have planned on the 14th? It's only 6 days away or so now, Philippines' time...

It looks like another thing to look out for has just been added for me for this month: Infinite's Kim Sunggyu is releasing something towards the end of February, too. Hmn...this really seems to be such a busy, busy, chaotic month for me where fandom is concerned. It's the life of a typical male (and in the case of lol, AAA and a-X's, co-ed---girls and boys) idol otaku (geek) or fangirl. Sigh. I didn't ask to be like this, it just happened I'd ended up like this when I started knowing boy groups through Boyzone, Westlife, the Backstreet Boys and N'SYNC back in the middle of primary/elementary school... It's been the point of no return since then.

And I leave you with this tonight:

It's a pretty freeing song. 

red for the month of hearts

top, mixed berry dumaguete city. skirt, vintage/thrifted. boots, something borrowed via zalora ph. bag, giani bernini via macy's.

A lot of red is coming out so you could say I'm in the mood for the month of hearts. February 14 is Valentines' day. The irony is, I don't really care for that much commercialized day although I like the idea of the Japanese and South Korean females giving their fellow female and male friends and significant others chocolates on that said day. Valentines' day is only really fun for me when I read about it in manga (Japanese comics) and watch it on high school-themed jdramas and animes. Otherwise, it's really just a normal day for me.

What do you have planned for this month of hearts? I have a ton. 1: Pyeongchang Winter Olympics is here and everyone's arriving at the Olympics' venue and I just saw clip earlier on Twitter that my favorite male figure skater from Japan, Uno Shoma, has just made it to South Korea. Yay! Go Japan for figure skating, males! 2: Highlight's Yang Yoseob is releasing a solo mini album this month...sometime the middle of this month. I. AM. ECSTATIC. Just like your regular music otaku (music geek but I'm really more of a pop music trash especially in the East Asian region so it goes wherever...) and male idol groups otaku...er...fangirl...well, let's just say this excitement is quite normal in my case, especially. 3: it's the Chinese New Year next week, I'm wishing we'd had moon cake or some other at home. We're not really full Chinese, however. Just a very, very small part Chinese. Lastly, 4: Men's volleyball tourney is ongoing on UAAP season 80 as of this time and I'm looking forward to how my school/university's team, Ateneo de Manila men's volleyball team will fare there. I'd like for them to make it to the finals and win it all again this UAAP sporting season. I have a pretty full February 2018 that I'm currently looking forward to I don't really have any need for someone to go on a date with on the 14th. Yang Yoseob will be the stand in for that for me although I'm not much a fan of ballads from him and winter (a lot of his photos for the mini album are winter-themed so I suppose all of it will be about winter...ugh). Doesn't matter, we'll be getting good music from him anyway. And of course, his adorable, rather adorkable self on everywhere. I'm looking forward to how he will fare in the music shows and their accompanying music charts more, to be quite honest. I hope he does well.

Today's music is:

Have I shared this on here yet? No? Was it just the same group's Sea I did so? Right? Okay, then. Golden Child. Golden Child. Golden Child. They're also known as GNCD or my favorite, GolCha/Gol-Cha. I'm currently very much loving every mini album that comes from them. They've just released two since they debuted late last year-ish but those two mini-albums are quite solid and consistent to their own style of easy going tropical/chill deep house-backed pop music bops and really solid, still groovy mid-tempo and ballad tracks. Needless to say, both mini-albums from these very young baby boys (in kpop idol and kpop music fandom, to me, because I'm waaayyy older than these boys/men are...) are worth checking out. Very worth checking out. I was able to read a tweet in passing they had reached the top of the chart/s of Tower Records in Japan and it's, in my opinion, an honor they so deserve for releasing such good pop music. The thing is, about Golden Child, they have yet to debut in Japan. Should they debut there soon this year, I'm sure they'll be quite popular considering their the feel and uber good contents of their first mini-album, Gol-Cha! and second mini-album, Miracle.