rooftop dreams

first everything

2012-01-21T23:38:00.000-08:00

happy 1st loves ❤

Time flew by fast.

I love you guys, you bring immeasurable happiness in my life.

To more years of sojus, kimchis and of course kpop! ^_~

Traipsing Taipei

2011-12-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

Taipei is a small city filled with genuinely kind people. It's been over a year since I last visited the city and this time around I got to explore it more from underground malls to shrimp fishing (yes, it does sound boring but for us it was the highlight of our trip). Endless bubble tea shops and street food stalls never get our stomachs empty. If only the shops sells spring/summer clothes then the trip would've been perfect. But no complains here, getting this 5-day vacation is perfection enough. :)

all set ✈

two of my fave persons in the world

Taipei at 3am

breezy

As always, we have no itinerary planned before hand, though for me the best trips are of those with spontaneous decisions. Memories created in between the "where to go and what to do next?" will always be priceless. ❤

does Taipei ever have sunny days? ☂

damp steps ☂

Chang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

changing of guards

BJ and I with Pier (the best tour guide)

ready to shop

❤

at Ximending (the Myeongdong of Taipei lol)

if only I wasn't busy chewing the tapioca bubbles of the bubble tea

I was most excited about going to the zoo since the last time I went there it was already closed. Taipei Zoo is the largest zoo in asia that houses almost all kinds of animals. Too bad we didn't get to see each one, we were running out of time and we need to travel back to meet our friend/ tour guide.

flamingoes

pretty butterflies

a butterfly suddenly landed on BJ's jacket!

I forgot what they're called, but I love their fur!

the cutest animal ever!

white rhinos!

pandas are so chill

What I love about Taipei is their murky weather. Lugging an umbrella all day might be a pain in the ass but at the very least it's breezy. And the reason why I love to travel is to visit other countries that has cold seasons. I mean seriously, why travel to a place that's hotter than where you're living? but that's just me ;)

shrimp fishing

too happy with the live shrimp

ready to cook

best ramen to date

the exterior is faithfully traditional, while the interior is modernized

teppanyaki taipei style

words are not enough.

kyu is that you? the hallyu airport way

taoyuan airport's highlight: the vertical garded

happy couple

hoard loot ✔

(photos taken from my iPhone and BJ's camera)

spontaneous saturdays

2011-11-24T05:22:00.001-08:00

Best in late post. Better late than never, right? ;)

Visit Peacocks at SM Southmall

Peacocks- a retail brand from London offers updated trendy fashion that ranges from clothes, shoes, PJs, and accessories for men and women with incredibly low prices.

Last November 19, we we're invited to style their store mannequins for a week long display. We're not really stylists per se, but our love for fashion and own styles does justice. At least I think so. ☀

it's so fun dressing up mannequins

Hoarding possible outfits from the whole store is like a dream come true! It's like a big big closet full of clothes and I was overwhelmed (haha!). It took me almost 2 hours to finally decide what I wanted my mannequin to wear. While childhood memories flashes back when I was yet playing dress up with my barbies, then I realized it's easier to dress them than life-size mannequins. -_-

at last.

with Peacock's brand manager, Ms. Rochelle Chun

Thanks again for having us! The experience was fun especially being with Z & Mark :)

Be sure to check out Peacocks when you're in the area!

Michael Antonio

2011-11-24T04:15:00.000-08:00

You're definitely living in a nutshell if you haven't heard about Michael Antonio. Especially if you're a fashion enthusiast or just a shoe lover you have to have heard of the brand Michael Antonio. In my case, I'm both so imagine my excitement when my partner & I got tapped to design their new store in Trinoma. It's our first retail project that we will be handling from design phase to completion, and we can't wait to unveil it this December :)

Our proposed perspective:

Our first concept was a Manhattan style inspired apartment but after a couple of revisions (with the considerations of the quantity of shoes to be displayed, the limited space, and long term design) it was best to go linear but with a twist (ALWAYS).

I'm most excited about the ceiling and the center display boxes. The contractor is seriously having a headache with our multi-leveled ceiling- no level should be the same height! Hahahaha!

I'll post completed project ASAP! We go live on December! Be sure to check it out!

Michael Antonio

Level M3 Trinoma, Quezon CIty

STATUS X 7 For All Mankind

2011-11-23T05:52:00.001-08:00

So last Sept I was chosen to be one of the 'style influencers' for Status x 7 For All Mankind. Together with Fashion Designer Ziggy Savella, Fashion Blogger Dominique Tiu, Model Robbie Becroft, and the Perfect Pair Winners Alyssa Lapid and Justin Borja, we each showcased the brand's Fall 2012 collection.

our stylist Mara Reyes' "cheat" wall

makeup artist Angelique Dinglasan of Shu Uemura dolled me up perfectly :)

Z testing his lens

waiting for our turn. that's me camwhoring.

And the released November issue (grabbed from Status facebook page):

Justin & Alyssa

Me & Ziggy

Robbie & Dominique

Produced by Dan Buenaventura
Videography by Aljan Lorenzo & Win Gonzales
Photography by Kai Huang
Art Direction by Patrick Jamora
Styling by Mara Reyes
Hair by Leslie Salalila and Ana Pena of Jing Monis Salon
Makeup by Angelique Dinglasan of Shu Uemura
Assisted by Kenneth Lim

Be sure to grab a copy of the November issue of STATUS Magazine with Kreayshawn on the cover! Super thanks to the STATUS and 7 FOR ALL MANKIND team! I had a blast at the shoot!

Hair Story: REVLON

2011-09-20T01:36:00.000-07:00

I want to change the color of my hair to blonde since the beginning of this year but God knows I'll never hear the end of it from my grandparents. I always ask my "stylist" to dye it lighter every time I visit the salon but of course bleached blonde is still different from the lightest brown. My trip to Hong Kong last June, I found a blonde dye and decided to give it a try (it's still not blonde but the outcome is perfect). I've been using it ever since. ❤

Last saturday I got free treatment from Revlon Professional PH (yay!). I feel bad to only get color treatment cause I just had my hair colored the day before, boo. I should've gotten highlights.

So I opted for scalp treatment instead of a haircut, I'm growing my hair 'cause holidays are around the corner already.☃ Anyway, the stylist recommended color treatment to make my hair color lighter and shinier (and I'm sold once I heard "lighter") since he said my scalp has no problem.

I'm not even kidding how soft my hair got after they were done with me and not to mention lighter! I rarely go to salons unless I need to retouch my roots but now I think I'll visit more often. :) I love love love my soft and even lighter hair now! (And I need to get highlights before the year end).

freebies!!!

Leave it to me to always forget to bring cameras every event. ☠

Big big big thanks again to Revlon! ❤

lather up

2011-09-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

There's always a part of a house that will be a favorite space, the bedroom or bathroom, even a study room, to relax and call a sanctuary. Mine, unexpectedly and oddly enough is a laundry room. yes, you've read right haha! I don't know why, but it gives me a feeling of comfort and certain peace when I hear the sound of the machine tumbling and frothing bubbles.

It started two years ago, when I was living in New York and the thought of doing laundry and cooking meals stresses me out. I still can't prepare an edible meal, except that time when I made sandwiches from BJ's ref which consists of ham, bolognese, cheese, and whatever I find that can be eaten which pretty much satisfied our appetite for 3 days straight ^^. Laundry on the other hand, I find exciting, the thought of smelling detergents brings smile to my face already. I learned how to operate the machines rather quickly and next thing I knew I'm looking forward to doing laundry on weekends ☀

I want to have my own space (read: condo) just so I can have a quaint laundry room. Crazy, I know. ❤

color goes a long way
cr: Elle Decor

very stepford wives club. the cute tin tubs & detergent jars are hard to resist though
cr:here

clean & fresh (I don't think I can keep it that way for long though)
cr:here

I already have a design in mind though, maybe I'll render if I have free time and share it here. Until then ❤

subspace: a fangirl's haven

2011-08-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

Since this isn't tumblr and i'm lazy to even steal pictures. here's the link to mark's blog entry about it. hahaha :)

quirky furniture + kpop inspired space = perfect haven for cheska nolasco. haha ^^

I'm not a coffee person, caffeine makes me palpitate like crazy. But this new coffee shop in ortigas makes me want to teach my system to gulp a cup everyday. And with the range of new concoctions of coffees, I'm sure every you don't even have to be a K-pop fan to appreciate the flavors :)

Maybe it was because the weather that time we visited was perfect to sip on a cup of their hot purple potato latte, or maybe it's the fan-girl inside me that fell in love with the k-pop filled space (they were playing the Super Show 1 DVD on the projector screen *squee*), whatever it is, all I can say is that the owners (Wilmer Lopez & Thor Balanon, they are behind Space Encounters too) made this coffee shop truly a slice of Seoul in Manila ❤

speaking of, a few more hours til September 1, sigh, I dread the day where my fan girl life minimizes to just listening to songs and watching old videos of heechul. but that's another story.

sole adventure

2011-08-29T04:33:00.000-07:00

if there's one thing i'd splurge on, there's no doubt i'd do it on shoes (and travel) but mostly shoes ^^ I rarely shop but once I do I hoard like crazy. Be it shoes, clothes, bags, whatever, I can't shop on a couple of pieces. Yeah it frustrates me and my credit card too.

I can't wait to get my hands on my new babies since I ordered them weeks ago! Sigh, to wait for almost a month is nerve racking, but for sure it's gonna be worth the wait ^^

jeffrey campbell's benched

Yeah, this looks uncomfortable, but reviews says otherwise. I'll know once I get mine, or else this will be money down the drain.

jeffrey cambell's night walk

jeffrey campbell's night walk (side view)

Okay, who started the heel-less shoes again? Was it Noritaka Tatehana or Antonio Beradi? Anyway, I believe the starting price for them designers- a whopping $6000. I'm not Lady Gaga or Victoria Beckham to spend that ridiculously. To have a pair or two in somewhat similar style (for a reasonable price) is more than enough for me.

I ordered them online from Solestruck, they ship for free worldwide if your order amounted above $199. Hopefully I get them this week 'so I can wear them to upcoming events this September!

XOs ❤

love at first sight

2011-08-27T23:07:00.000-07:00

since I rarely post interior related stuffs, I wanna share how my heart skipped a thousand beats when I laid my eyes on this.

order here

this is definitely going in my vision board. oh I can't wait to get my own space, to put this in a corner with the city lights as the background, I wanna cry just imagining. ❤

4 in 1

2011-08-25T01:13:00.000-07:00

oh em. Four months of blog hiatus (proves my life doesn't revolve in the web, lol). I try. But work is just packed 24/7, I'm beat by the time I get home. The last 4 months was wild though, let's see what I can share (will backtrack some photos).

April to May was vague...

June started with lots of travel abroad:

HK with the family

The weather was hot, but that's not gonna stop us from shopping ;) Too bad for our dad he has 5 daughters, that's the quickest way to an empty pocket. lol!

We ferried to Macau and stayed overnight at the Venetian where our uncle & aunt is staying.

the first Cirque I watched, I was mind-blown

all photos from HK & Macau trip are by Nikki Nolasco

Then I turned a year wiser *wink*

photo cr: Ziggy Savella

After my birthday weekend I flew to Singapore with one of my best friends, Jam ❤ It would've been more fun if all my girls were together, schedule conflicts will ruin our friendship. haha! I kid :) It was my first time (I'm not really a big fan of humid countries) but the trip was fun & made us realize our goals in life (quarter life crisis is a b*tch).

photo cr: Jam Chan

When I cam back from my trips, pile of work was already overdue, needless to say I ended June and started July with (what else) work and stress- tons of it.

dinner with my lovely ladies

at our cousin's 7th birthday

Tof's surprise birthday (aka one of Btribe's "hang outs")

I flew to Hong Kong again mid July with my partner to buy doorknobs, drawer handles, wallpapers and accessories for the client's condominium unit. We stayed at the Mira Hotel at Tsim Sha Tsui, I must say the hotel is beautiful. And I will never forget the scent of their lobby, you can smell their signature scent 3m away from the entrance door! oh love ❤

This is getting long, must make a new entry for other stuffs. 'til then ❤

pre-weekend lust

2011-04-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

Love Song- Big Bang

(from YouTube)

I am IN-LOVE with this song!!!!! I have the single since its released but I forgot about it and stumbled upon it yesterday morning when I opened my iTunes- I haven't stopped playing it since! And this morning they released the MV! *fan-girling mode*

Oh, I just realized, this is the 2nd video of Big Bang I posted in my blog. Ooops, I hafta post more SJ videos soon hehe ^^

The Young & the Restless (Garage Magazine Feb-Mar'11)

2011-03-08T07:20:00.000-08:00

If you still don't have a copy of Garage Magazine Feb-Mar '11 issue, please grab one now.

with Ivan Dorschner, Steven Silva, AJ Perez, & Enrique Gil on the cover

The Young & the Restless for 2011
(I personally don't know the others that's featured) Here's a glimpse of the two to watch out for this 2011.

BJ Pascual

He may be young, but that's not gonna stop this most sought after fashion photographer anytime soon. Month after month his works are seen on every pages of glossy magazines, you're sure living in another dimension if you haven't heard about BJ PASCUAL. Yes, he's restless and above anything, he's just warming up.

Pauline Prieto

This girl is making waves since 2010, I wouldn't be surprised if she makes it big this 2011. She's tagged as one of the 'IT' girls of the new generation but what I love most about this girl is she stays on the ground, not a hint of arrogance, like her fame haven't caught up with her yet :D

And yours truly,

...

I don't know why I'm here, but I'm MORE than flattered to be picked & featured to be lined with them. (*humble humble*) But I'm ready to conquer 2011, ever since the year started I've been determined to turn this year MY year, nothing can stop me. All I can say is, "bring it on!"

Photographed by: Cyrus Panganiban
Special thanks to the Garage team: Rey Ilagan, Adrianne Conception, & Edlene Cabral :)

ingenious boredom

2011-03-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

this is sooooooooooooooo adorable!!!!

My Milk Toof

I have to say, Lardee became my instant favorite! Not because it's pudgy, but it's clever in it's own ways, I just can't stop reading about it!!! :) I wonder where I can get a copy... guess I have to wait until I fly back to New York.

It's so inspiring to read about other people's success from following what they love doing the most and getting recognized from it. More power to the author! :)

Seoul-mates (part 2)

2011-03-05T21:56:00.000-08:00

Oh, I'm not gonna post more Seoul photos, I can't bring myself to filter through it without missing the cold weather once again. But the first part is more than enough anyways :)

Our video perhaps?

Credit: Ziggy Savella

Video by Rey Ilagan (effort!!!!) :)

And can I just share the MV that's currently on my repeat?

Tonight - Big Bang

(I'm not gonna start spazzing on GD.. he's HOT, end of story)

And yes, I changed my background to a simple white, I seriously get sleepy with the black + grey + deep purple theme.

Delicate Affairs

2011-03-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

I have to say this is one of the most challenging project I have gotten. It was exciting and nerve-racking at the same time, my client and I have gone through a lot of bumps throughout the whole project, nonetheless it turned out the way we wanted it (well 90% of it). It was my first nail spa project and after hours of conceptualizing with the client, we knew this has to happen.

Imagine a nest where the interiors that surround you are as delicate and fine as you are, a sanctuary to get lost for an hour or so and get pampered amidst your busiest days.

(again, I suck at photography, this is the best I can produce, haha)

trompe l'oeil wall was made by young artist fresh from UP Soleil Ignacio and Kris Abrigo

"Step into Fingernails for an extraordinary experience in nail care and transport yourself to a fantastic wonderland of personal care"- Fingernails Nail Salon

the chain divider for the salon area

They hosts spa parties for that much needed all-girl bonding nights :)

For lists of services, please follow the link below:

Fingernails Nail Salon
Unit 6 G/F Grand Soho Makati
H.V. Dela Costa St., Salcedo Village,
Makati City
310.5342

Seoul-mates (part 1)

2010-11-07T01:22:00.000-07:00

I will be doing an installment on uploading our Seoul trip. There's just too many pictures, and I mean 30GB worth of many. If only I don't have work to care about I might be able to upload faster, hahaha!

A glimpse of Seoul as we've traipsed the beautiful city for 6 days (yes, 6 days is just not enough!). It has developed extremely since I visited 10 years ago and I can appreciate it more this time with more knowledge and independence. And yes, I have developed a ~~tolerance~~ love for spicy food since the last time I was here and now I can't stop eating kimchi.

our morning energizer

my roomies ;p

Myeongdong <3

the girls

i love the blur of this pic

subway editorial

fall is LOVE

N tower

Nichkhun <3 Victoria WGM padlock *squeeeee*

lovers padlock

Seoul-mates!

with Ziggy Savella singing "S.E.O.U.L"

ingenious

cute phone booths

All photos that have watermarks are mine, other photos (I've edited) belong to Bradley Chong. I haven't sifted to EVERY photo yet. I just randomly picked a few out of the Seoul folders, this WILL take some time. Until the next installment. :)

MEGA October 2010 Issue

2010-11-07T00:22:00.000-07:00

OMG, it's been more than a month since I last updated my blog! October has been HECTIC! I've been busy with meetings, site visits, supplier wars, etc. that I'm burned out once I get home. On a lighter note, October's MEGA issue came out which featured me in their stylephile section. Check out the scanned version below:

A very very special thank to Angela Alarcon for the write-up

to BJ Pascual for the photos and to Eldzs Mejia for making possible

It was such an honor to be featured in MEGA!!!!

I honestly can't believe it when I got my copy of the issue! One word: KABOG! hahahahaha! I'm just speechless, the feature says it all.

warm relations

2010-09-16T04:50:00.000-07:00

This was a project I did last year but I only got to take pictures for my portfolio a month ago. I'm not the best photographer I know, I tried, I even borrowed wide lens to aid my impossible attempts. Next time I shall hire a professional (of course if budget permits) but for now this is the best I can come up with.

An almost 10 years old house screaming for renovation, I gladly took the project. The client wanted everything from scratch even the furniture and I was happy that I can start from a blank canvas. They asked for modern (read Bo Concept) design with clean lines, very minimal, and easy maintenance so my brain instinctively headed to that direction.

Originally my design was neutral tones with grey as the main color then white and black accents (Yes, that's my "signature" color scheme. LOL) but I should have known the Chinese taboos with the color black and the design turned a 180. We maintained the minimal, clean lines, but changed the color scheme to browns and here's the completed project:

living area

designer wall clock from Rustan's home

I literally screamed in excitement when I saw this wall clock and told my client she NEEDS this piece in their living room. Fortunately, she agreed when she saw it too and bought it as it was the last one. (they only had 2 of this and the other was sold already) It can be hanged vertically or horizontally.

silver coral bowl from Abundance, Rustan's

kitchen & dining

The refrigerator, unfortunately, was the only thing the client wanted to keep and it was supposed to be in the kitchen but they wanted it to be near the dining table (form of habit I guess). I can't move it when I was shooting for my portfolio haha! The kitchen overlooks a small garden with skylight above and beside the dining area.

dining

bubble drop light from Alton Lights

Personally, this look isn't my forte. I'm more of the eclectic kind- details and patterns and distinctive finds. Nonetheless, this project was a challenge and a fulfilled outcome.

Net-A-Porter sure knows how to make a girl cry

2010-09-16T00:46:00.000-07:00

I was browsing my iPad today and I almost forgot I have a copy of Net-A-Porter magazine version for iPad, and as I opened the pages I instantly remembered why I forgot about it in the first place. The temptation of its content is too painful to look at. There's too much stuff I like but can only drool over for now. Here are some I print screened, I'm sure you'd feel the same.

If I can own ALL of these (and more) I'd be the happiest girl in the world!

Louboutin & Valentino never fails me. Balmain is full of surprises. Chloe is always fun. And Givenchy, (sigh) I really believe we've met before haha!

I personally like the Donna Karan cuff and Aurelie Bidermann lace cuff

closer look at the Donna Karan cuff

Seriously what kind of girl wouldn't want these arm candies?

Sooo, can you blame me?

I dream of 4 seasons

2010-09-12T02:50:00.000-07:00

view of the City skyline (taken over a year ago)

And by that I only have one place in mind: New York.

I badly miss the City! I miss the people, places, food, fashion, and weather. I really detest the weather here in Manila, it's supposed to be chilly already considering it's September but I still find myself dripping in sweat even after a shower (that's only expected in summer right?). It's frustrating for someone who loves the cold to be living in such a hot country.

I can't wait for our Korea trip next month, with temperature dropping to 6 degrees it's the perfect time for layers, coats, and BOOTS! I can't even begin how much I'm madly in love with boots, let's save that for another entry. Anyways, I'm psyched to be going to back to Seoul twice this year, in October with friends and December with the family. I miss Korea (I'm really kinda bias with 4 seasonal countries haha) I'm excited to see how it has been developed since we went there 10 years ago. Fur, leather, suedes- it's time to take you out of the closet! Oh! I still haven't bought a puffer vest, guess I've to buy that one when I get to Seoul.

And now back to dreaming, I WILL move to a place with 4 seasons one day. 'til that day I've to deal with the Manila heat.