A New Set of Eyes

I want to travel. I mean, who doesn't? If I were to chart where my salary goes to, I would probably say that a good portion of it goes to travel. I would happily burn my cash if it's for travel. Besides I always learn something new, not necessarily a good thing (fine mostly, I discover even more negative aspects), about myself in each new place that I stay in for a couple of days. Well anyway. There are plenty of countries that I'd want to visit. Probably once would be enough. I just have to see them for myself. And then there are those which I would want to repeatedly go to just because they've slowly felt like home. Such has been the case with Hong Kong. 

Sweater top: Ralph Lauren | Pants: Old Navy | Cardigan and flats: H&M | Bag: Michael Kors | Sunnies: Oakley

In 2016 alone, I went to Hong Kong thrice. In each time, I've went to a different place that I haven't been to previously. This set of photos were taken in February 2016 at Tai O Fishing Village, located in Lantau Island. 

Disclaimer: This is purely a word vomit blog. I can't write a good travel post to save my life so I apologize in advance if this won't be in any way helpful to whoever will chance upon this post, in hopes of reading reviews about Tai O. In my case, that's what I normally do when preparing the itinerary. I read reviews found online first to gauge if the destination would be worth the trip. Especially if it'll take hours just to reach the destination. Another disclaimer: it was my friend who wrote our itinerary at that time so it was really her who researched about Tai O.

Prior to this trip, I've been going to HK for just a quick breather. Granted that I love going to cold places, I mostly used to go to HK only during the month of December, when the temperature is around 15 - 20C. A quick 3-day trip used to be enough for me to enjoy the cool climate and eat a good roast goose or duck. And go to Disneyland, of course. And to some other tourist-filled place. Yup, I've never set food outside of the usual HK-tour that my conservative parents highly approve of! So in a way, this trip to Tai O has been a good start to discover more of my beloved HK. Of course, we still had goose. As a matter of fact, we didn't have just any goose; we patiently waited until a table clears out so we could have roast goose in the Michelin-starred restaurant Yat Lok. 

I am at a point where I'm stuck at my comfort zone that's why I feel like I'm not going anywhere. So to divert the direction where I'm headed to, a big change has to step in. Where does one get the courage to act on what she thinks would work despite all evidences at hand that contradict her conviction? How does one keep her one foot in the safe side while the other wants to jump into the Great Perhaps? I used to think I'm good at making calculated risks but now, I'm seriously considering doing something different with nothing but gut feel to rely on.

High School Forever

Oh would you look at that! It seems that I owe myself a couple of posts since I have pretty much been quiet here since 2016 began. Let me post two successive entries (the first is this and the next one will be in a couple of days!)

I figured, I've left the blog untouched since my last birthday post so why not continue with another birthday post! These photos were taken last 16 January when I held an overnight celebration with some of my favorites from High School.

6 years after graduating from High School and everyone's still as indecisive, impulsive, ignorant, shallow, and boisterous as when we left the halls of our beloved High School Alma Mater.

Once I was Twenty Years Old, My Story Got Told

Oh my goodness, time! I know I have so little regard of you but must you really fly before my eyes so quickly? I'm still reeling in from my birthday celebrations last January and here we are, almost at the open of May. Give me some leeway here; everyone knows how self-centered and self-serving my January posts have always been owing to it being my birthmonth Hahahaha

Dress: Topshop | Bag: Michael Kors | Watch: Tag Heuer | Shoes: Zara| Laurel headband: from China Town in Malaysia

I celebrated my birthday with my family, friends, and officemates separately. I'll begin with posting my celebration with my family. Since I was, yet again, the center of the night at that time, I got to choose where I wanted to eat. For my special day, we ate at Cafe Ilang Ilang in Manila Hotel.

Once I was seven years old
My Mommy told me that if I do my best and study hard, I would succeed in life. Back then, to succeed in life meant to get a new Barbie or Polly Pocket or another Sylvanian. That's why I studied hard, ate the vegetables on my plate, and obeyed everything that my parents asked of me. 

Once I was eleven years old
I think it was around that time when my Mommy had to explain to me how there are people who would always fare better than I do just as there will be a select few whom I'll end up besting out. It's not that I failed to give my best. It's just that, their best is better than my best. Then again, I didn't fully understand it. Because when you live in a world where everyone around you, from the Grandmothers to our beloved angels (most notably my beloved Ate Lea whom all of my friends from grade school until college know of), tells you that you are the best, you somehow end up believing in them. 

Once I was twenty years old
As far as I remember, the only time I dedicated my focus on studying was when I was in Nursery and in 1st grade. That's it. I never experienced the hardships of studying in college because I'm probably among the laziest and "chill" student there ever was. College life has been very kind to me. Even my thesis let me have a good time save for that 1 week of writing and revising. So now's really the first time I exerted this much effort. Perhaps the reason I'm having a difficult time coping with my demanding day job, attention-seeking side jobs, and equally time-consuming personal activities is the fact that I've never been prepared for this kind of burden. I'm too young to be burned out and I'm definitely not complaining about all the things that are genuinely keeping me busy for months now. It's just that, my 2016 is proving to be a good yet taxing year. It's making me think back to those times when I'm supposed to have learned how to budget my time and work on as many things in my life simultaneously as I possibly could. It's too late for regrets though. All in all, I still consider myself lucky for what the universe is throwing at my way. Never mind the thousands of regrets that I have, I am yet to redeem myself in the future.

I do not fear the future in general especially since I have high hopes for a good one. But I greatly fear having life pass me by. I fear passing on from opportunities just because I didn't have the guts to leave my comfort zone. I fear entering the late part of my life knowing that I do not have any fruits to reap. I'm most afraid of retiring without having anything to secure the 'things that I'm trying to build now'. I've never been the type who has written her Life Plan but I've always been the girl who, like so many others, wants to leave a mark. 

Sometimes there are songs so nicely written that they seem like they're a piece of poetry. My friend and I have been singing this song plenty of times just to remind us why we can't stop.

Title's from Lukas Graham's 7 Years

Pink Ears Rider

It's funny how I only see some of my closest HS friends when someone is either having her baby christened or throwing a birthday party for her child. We're really growing old!


Top: H&M | Skirt: Topshop | Shoes: BCGB | Bag: Michael Kors

Last 8th May, I attended my 4th goddaughter Cheska's baptism. No kidding, 4 people have already asked me to "bless their daughter's life with my presence". It's flattering, beyond flattering even, but it's an undertaking I'm unfortunately unable of seeing through consistently. It saddens me, truly and really, that although I would've wanted to devote my time to becoming a regular fixture in my beloved goddaughters' lives, I do not have the luxury of time. I'm on the cusp of making sacrifices to be the person I've always felt I have to become that somehow, all I know these days is to hustle. I arrive at work at 7 in the morning and leaves 11 hours later in the evening every weekdays then attend my French classes every Saturdays. I've to hustle to catch up with all of my shortcomings in college, remember? See how many issues I have? Kidding aside, I just happen to like what I do that I no longer dread the early morning start I avoided as best as I could before.


2 of my favorites from HS, Cha Valeriano and Jeanne dela Rosa who's carrying the cutiepie Cheska.


Since I did not have the time to look for a worthy gift to my cutie inaanak, I volunteered to be responsible for the cake.


with our Filipino teacher who happened to be our 3rd year HS adviser

Maybe I can only count off on my fingers friends whose principles in life still mirror mine one way or another. My sentiments are redundant but what can I do, I'm still trying hard to find the point where I can meet in the middle with people whom I wish I can still associate with. It's difficult to let go of certain relationships inwhich thousands of shared memories are invested especially when there hasn't been any strong reason for a fall out. Then again I guess it's part of growing up. As we grow older, we change. And as we change, we become different persons who expect different things and can no longer find the point of compromise.


Because I don't have my own car yet, I've no choice but to take the cab every single day. Thank God for the existence of companies like GrabTaxi and Uber whose services lessen my fear of commuting. When this pink car arrived in front of our door, I was so shocked and excited that I called for someone to take a photo of me with it. It's too cute, right?

The Two Constants

Because of my usual lazy state, I've practiced not to post photos and stories that only chronicle my activities with friends that do not have anything to do with any outfit shots. But since I've posted about Lina and I's swimming activity before, I'll just post about our recent swimming date again. This time, my best friend Karen and Lina's sister Laura joined us. See, Lina and Karen are my life's two constant. I seldom see anyone else aside from them but it doesn't really matter since their company more than makes up for the lack of quantity.















Swimsuit: River Island

We stayed in Sofitel courtesy of Lina's mom. I rarely swim because as I've said plenty of times, I don't know how to aside from I dislike the inconvenience of waiting turns before I can change into dry clothes once more. But if the place is as inviting and luxurious as Sofitel, let my preferences be damned. Haha! We lounged around the lawn facing the Manila Bay in which our photos were beautifully illuminated by the sunset. Right after, we slipped into our onesies and roamed around the hotel like "furry animals in the wild", as Laura described us. I'll be posting photos of our next hotel destination!