heading towards a tropical christmas and nye

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Jhewel Shop PH tropical print dress via Shopee PH, Ekkoganic long-handle fruit/produces mesh/net bag via Shopee PH, Zalora heels (old)

....or I hope it is going to be a tropical Christmas and NYE, anyway. I'm going to be away from here (the Philippines in general) from November 8 onwards. I have no idea when I'll be back here yet from wherever I'll be going. I'm also not revealing where I'm going on that date until later. Haha. So y'all will have to tune into this space for that or my stan/fangirling twitter, @kg_0917. You can also follow my whereabouts on instagram at @kristagraces_17 even when I very rarely update this one.

Anyway... So, hi! It's been a while! Long time no almost everyday outfit post! I never have been that consistent at it since I started this blog after migrating from LiveJournal either anyway. I'll probably try to make more of these kinds of posts? Maybe? I don't know yet. We'll see. This week, I'm, my family as a whole will be busy with some things. There are some guests of my dad's (some members of his family from abroad, the US) we have to entertain around here, our city, this week.

Oh and of course, I took this batch of photos last week so this is basically a VERY late post of it. Haha.

Before I reveal where I bought this dress, I'll just say that lately, I've been shopping various things at Shopee PH. I also window shop there so you can just imagine I have so many things in my cart yet until now. They will be checked out every now and then, of course. I'm just waiting on some things to sort themselves out one day soon. I also use Shopee PH checkout for buying stuff off of buy & sell twitter and instagram. That is, if GoGo Express option isn't available or offered by sellers there. Shopee PH has both J&T Express and GoGo Express as their couriers so there's no need for people, sellers, especially, to lug their packages over to LBC and other such shipping companies to ship them off one by one. I think that with Shopee PH, these two couriers will be the ones to come pick up your packages to be shipped to buyers everywhere in the Philippines so it's really convenient among sellers to connect with them when they peddle their wares in SNS. As everything is on Shopee PH, too, (well, some others are in Lazada PH but that's another discussion for another day...) buying stuff everywhere, on SNS and on Shopee PH's site/app is easier, more convenient!

Confession: I used to be uncomfortable with shopping at Shopee PH way back when but I'm just so much more confident now especially that I can use different options to pay for the stuff I get from there. I usually do COD now. COD - Cash on Delivery. I can control my impulsive buying better this way.

I have heard of couriers like J&T Express being bad at handling packages they ship of everywhere but so far, I haven't had experiences of packages being lost or damaged from them. This is a good thing, of course. It's just that J&T Express is international and covers a lot of South East Asia so I prefer GoGo Express for local or domestic shipping. Gotta support local. The latter is also a good partner courier for independent sellers around the Philippines, I believe. I have the app but I have yet to try this one as I haven't really been going back to selling stuff yet on instagram and beyond (twitter, I don't have facebook). I'll test this one out next time soon.

Okay, so where was I? Let's go back to the topic at hand. One thing I like about Shopee PH is that...I think and believe that it is a good app and online site to look for, buy from, and support local or domestic small businesses. I'm very much into supporting these types of businesses---you'll know if you've followed this blog and even my old (and still alive but hardly updated) LiveJournal blog---since time immemorial. I'm discovering a lot of local shops there lately that I want to support so yay! Oh and I will be sharing those local finds here so yes, definitely watch out for those posts to come!

Alright, so this dress... I found this in Jhewel Shop PH on Shopee PH which is pretty local or domestic. They ship nationwide like most shops on Shopee PH. I think their dresses are from Thailand...I'm not entirely sure... They're not and nor do they seem fully local but they are of good quality. I find them easy to wear anywhere and everywhere except maybe at work and some offices here and there. And by work, I mean work in a school I hopefully will find myself teaching Special Education students in soon. Next year, maybe? I don't know. No one knows yet. I still work from home most days rn so I can still wear this dress anytime, anywhere, and everywhere. It's just so easy to wear, it's stretchy, it's very, very comfortable for whatever activity y'all may have in mind with this on. How much does this dress cost? It's only 58 Php. 58 Philippine Pesos should be 1 USD rn with the value of the Philippine pesos increasing vs the US dollars thanks to inflation (and an incompetent current admin ruling over the Philippines like royalty rn). It's THAT dirt cheap so of course, I hoarded this in different colors and different prints!

I'm currently into tropical prints thanks to some characters' wardrobes in NCIS: Hawa'i and NCIS: Los Angeles. Haha. So it's timely that I hoarded dresses like this in different colors and prints some three or so weeks ago, maybe around a month ago, to be exact. 

You'll probably see the other dresses from this batch of Jhewel Shop PH on Shopee PH purchases/hoarded wares over the coming days or so on this blog. I'll space the dates I'll be posting me in these dresses so you (and I) don't get overwhelmed here easily.

The produce net/mesh bag is from Ekkoganic on Shopee PH. I got three of these. The bag is probably not locally or domestically manufactured and produced, too, but I've long wanted one of these since they became a thing or a trend on instagram and even on some blogs like Un-Fancy not that long ago... Hmn...maybe around last year...? Or worse, 2 or 3 years ago? So yep, I thought, why not hop into the trend now, too? But of course, way later in Crysta-fashion, as usual. Just the usual Filipino time...even in following trends. Lol. I do see some women still use this bag in some instagram posts here and there today so it's not like it's completely untrendy now. Haha.

Ekkorganic on Shopee PH also carry other things and offer other services like personalizing some products they sell like the wooden hair brush! I got one of these to always have in my bag along with the long-handle mesh/net bags, one of which I am using in the photos here. If you're out of ideas regarding Christmas gifts to give to people, you can get personalized wooden, pocket-sized, very handy brushes to give to people from Ekkorganic on Shopee PH instead! You can choose to buy these wooden brushes in their respective linen or cheesecloth pouches so you don't need to buy wrappers for these to wrap them in when giving them out to people on Christmas. They have different fonts for the engraving or personalizing of the brushes you can choose from. Aside from the mesh/net bags and the personalized hair brushes with pouch, Ekkorganic on Shopee Ph offers other sustainable products that can help you live a more environmentally friendly life.

For the second part of the Chingkeetea series of blog posts, the second one will be coming out perhaps, in the next few days, if I can get started on it ASAP. Definitely wait and watch out for more posts on my very random Shopee PH finds. By this time, you'll find I've posted one more Shopee PH find on Instagram. Haha. I posted one there first before posting them here.

I'm, of course, very late on a lot of blog posts here and on Instagram and beyond (Twitter, mostly, as I don't have Facebook). I'll try my best to catch up to these! I still have so many things on my phone that should be posted here, too, soon. I'll also be working on those in the coming weeks, mostly on weekends so expect a blog post here at least every week from now on if I'm not too preoccupied with a whole lot of other things leading to November.

psychedelic florals and soft denim

 

forever21 dress & sunglasses (gifts from an aunt and the bff, respectively); thrifted (from a long time ago in Dumaguete City) softest and thinnest denim jacket; from Japan, gifted by dad cutie bag; primadonna via zalora heels

I'm losing my a-game in the fashion or style posts contents here. I can't seen to even pose right for the camera and tripod anymore now. I'm getting rusty? I can hardly even post on my instagram now for some reason. Laziness? Procrastination? I don't know, really.

I'm still alive though. Hi!

Summer is here and it's been very hot in the afternoons. Kids are out of school, too. It's why last June 4---I know...this is a very late post, yes, but most my posts here are late rn---the bff from college, Michi/JM and I went out to try some cafes and restaurants we've never been to in uptown, Cagayan de Oro City. I'll post about soonish. Within this week.

I'm wearing everything gifted here. Lol. And at least 1, the pair of Primadonna shoes I have on, I bought some one or two years ago. The softest and thinnest, perfect for the summer heat and humidity here 24/7 I thrifted in Dumaguete City some years back. I don't think there's anything new here but yep, I'll try my best to post more daily-ish/weekly-ish outfit photos here and then make it spill over my instagram again, among other things. Let's make both this blog and that instagram account livelier this time of the year moving forward.

I still have a lot of other catch-up posts on backlog. Some are in my drafts. Haha. Life's been busy lately mostly with family things and especially now that life's back on track after the Philippines' national elections last May 9. 

Is it just me or is Flickr going the Photobucket way? I'm out of options where to host photos at the moment. I'm not keen on maintaining a pro, paid account on Flickr...yet...anyway, so... I'm sad now.

 

off duty is when all the hardware come out

bag, gifted by an aunt; top, something borrowed via zalora (old); bandage skirt, thrifted forever21; heels, zalora; bangles, a mix of random buys, etched forever21 and souvenir shop finds; socks, burlington; leaves necklace, forever21; multi-colored, beaded choker - aeropostale, gifted by aunt; earrings - random online buy from ig; vest - thrifted/vintage

You know you're slumming it when you get a random f21 item at the thrift store like this gray bandage skirt worn here. I picked this up when, randomly wandering around a row of current favorite thrift store haunts, in search of other bottoms to add to the number of those I have on rotation. I was getting tired of those in the closet and I only ever use about five or so from mondays-fridays and some saturdays and sundays. I rarely thrift nowadays but I might have to do more one day because of, well, stuff.

The vest is an old thing from eons ago, also nabbed from thrifting around the city. I don't exactly remember when. I decided to take this out, thinking it'd go well with the outfit on here. And also because it reminds me of Kate Moss' tiny vest style from around early 2000s? I don't really have a lot of vests actually. I only have this and one in denim, an ancient Old Navy piece. I was on the lookout for a few others back in Dumaguete City but when I'd found a bunch, I thought they were too big for me hence I never got any from those. Also, other than that, I felt I just had to take this one out because yesterday, I stumbled upon a Kate Moss Style instagram account and found her vest game is so on and cool there that well...as a HUMONGOUS fan of Kate Moss' effortless style, I just really had to. Some examples of how she rocks the tiny vests on here:

(photos from vogue via google)

Bantayan Island for next week is tabled for some other time. Sadly. Because none of my closest friends can make it and if I were to go, I'd be on my own and it'd then be the second solo-trip for me after last year, October's Taipei trip for Pentagon's concert.

Slightly off tangent but I'm planning to make a separate music blog and I currently have quite a lot of backlog for it in terms of East Asian (mostly South Korean music or kpop and Japanese music, Jpop) music...what do you think? Should I? 

to come on treasure chest of sorts and what went down on a pretty Saturday afternoon

photos by @michi.dums on instagram

wearing @treasure_chest_of_sorts, red ninewest clutch, secondhand gucci backpack, zalora ph heels (black) - from last year, so fab! via zalora ph modern heels - from last year

The BFF and I shot a storm of stuff yesterday afternoon for the shop and others...well, this blog. It was a random bite of the creative bug, I suppose, for both of us. I was there mostly just for photos of items I am putting up on the store here: @treasure_chest_of_sorts. 

Yes, I'm uploading clothing items for sale on that instagram shop account soon so watch out for it! The soonest is this coming week.

Kind of can't wait for another shoot up next week. I'll have to probably add more clothes to the fray soon. Yep, soon. I have other summer-friendly stuff in mind I'm adding to it, of course, yes...among other things. I intend to make @treasure_chest_of_sorts not only a local beauty and skin care as well as all things eco-friendly store but also a shopping destination for all things fun to wear over the sunny summer season to answer the beach wardrobe needs of most people! So yes, feel free to visit it from time to time and shop! I am always available for direct messaging on the said site! 

Photo of my shoes I wear to events and more on rotation reminds me I need new stuff soon. I'm, admittedly, a shoe addict. It's where most of my budget for clothes go... yep.

Until the next post, then!

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~

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.

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.