Good Stuff

New additions to my growing collection! I got good stuff to add to my shoe, accessories, bags and lippies family.

I have bombarded my Instagram with these finds I truly heart. I love them even better because I got them for such a low price and some were just given to me by my ever supportive Mom and Dad. They are all kikay, they really define me.

Flat shoes.

I love colors, I love shoes. My savings always go down because of shoes. And when my eyes find a good pair, believe me, I won't sleep peacefully or I will dream about it constantly until I get my hands (and feet) on it and call them MINE. It may sound selfish but I bet a lot of girls can totally relate. It works with everything, not just on shoes alone. But in my case, it happens most of the time only with shoes. And last week, I got these red, yellow and blue Solemate flats! Exclusively available at SM Department Stores nationwide, these babies are sold for only Php 299. I got five colors now and I can't wait to have pairs in black, pink, green and brown!

Accessories.

My Mom surprised me with an overload of earrings, necklaces and bracelets last Friday night. She was planning to give it to me on a Saturday but since I got home earlier than the usual on a weekend, she rewarded the good girl in me. No sibling rivalry here, my Ate is not into girly stuff and my youngest sis has skin asthma, she's only allowed to use pure golds and silvers. And Mom knows me too much she knows how to spoil me! She has an eye for fashion! Check out her choices above: elephants, owls, and studs. Truly, mommies know best! 

 Bags.

If there's something cool from Mom, then there must be something cute from Dad. My Dad and I always enjoy grocery shopping and when I'm with him, I check out stuff for little girls. I don't know why but it has become a habit (I think it's clearly because I'm a forever daddy's girl, I always feel I'm just a 7-year old when I'm with him ♥). We check out Hello Kitty, Disney Princesses and Barbie, like, all the time! And these bags caught my attention on the day I forgot to bring my wallet to the mall... OK, I did not bring my wallet because I didn't want to spend a single centavo on that very same day and I know I'm financially safe because I'm with my Daddy! Hahahaha! So yes, he bought those two bags (the third bag was given to me by Dad last Christmas) of the same design but of different styles. My father has the sweetest heart!

 Lip balms.

Matryoshka dolls, Kimi dolls, Barbie dolls, I like dolls! But these dolls hurt our pockets like yeah. But what are you going to do if you see these pretties above? And what would your reaction be knowing that these are not just "dolls" but these dolls are lip balms and these lip balms are sold for only Php 35 each? I almost freaked out and instantly haggled for a lower price (insert a big hehe here). Bulk buying is cheaper and I wanted to take them all home. The seller is too kind to give it to me for only Php 25 each. I have no plans of using them because I have extra sensitive lips but I love seeing them now in my lipstick case. Oh tiangges, what am I gonna do without you? :)

My new stuff occupied another space in the room. Good thing I had a general cleaning last week and gave away clothes, shoes and other things I no longer use to those in need. For whichever taken away from you or for anything you have given away wholeheartedly, come blessings with a greater value on the time you least expect!

♥,

Marianne

Happy Birthday, Superloved!

My blog just turned a year older yesterday. I did not throw a special bash nor a giveaway. Well, I actually thought of that but I guess, now is not the right time. However, I'm still happy that Superloved is still on its secret world and yet, it is reached by an appreciative audience. Being able to write the what's-ups of my life with photos and "quotable quotes" despite my super busy schedule is more than enough. Writing has always been therapeutic for me. I don't blog to boast, to impress or to make readers envious of such things. I write because I want to. Just like a chef saying cooking is his passion and a policeman devoting himself to serve and protect lives, writing will forever be my first love.

A single post garnering at least 10 Facebook “likes” is one of the many small things I am thankful for. I do not want the whole world to read anything I post, I may be judged according to the words I use or by the grammatical errors I commit. But yeah, I want to inspire my readers in my own little ways. I write mostly about my life as a whole, not fashion, travel, food, makeups and all. Writing these things keep my feet on the ground. I don’t have Hermes bags, Louboutin shoes and yet, I try to write the best stories to tell.  

To make this special day a bit more special and out of the ordinary, I would like to share you the most read blog posts for my first year here in Blogger. I don’t want to use the term “the best of 2011” because it sounds like a year-end post. I think I should turn this one as a basis of what my readers expect from me. Let’s see! :)

1. Celebrity Fashion Styling WithAlyanna Martinez, 602 pageviews. 

2. Royal Kouture’s A RoyaltyAffair, 547 pageviews.

3. This Is Philippines, 470 pageviews.

4. Iloilo and Guimaras 2011, 289 pageviews.

5. The Night I Turned 23, 283 pageviews.

Based on my little study, my posts will be read more if it involves fashion, travels and parties. My other entries Fashion + Travel + History = Jose Rizal, First Day At Bo-Rock-Ay!, It’sA Thing Called Love, Royal Kouture – April Collection, and Shoppergasm also ranked!

Thank you! Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for spending your time with me. I won’t promise to give you updates 24/7 but I promise to share you the things worth imparting. Most of all, thank you for the support you have given me and Superloved. This year will be better! 

♥,

Marianne

Superloved Is Turning One!

My blog is turning one tomorrow! I have decided not to throw an anniversary giveaway but who knows, there might be surprises coming our way. As many bloggers say, quality over quantity is one of the main rules of blogging. Sorry for the blog hiatus, I promise to give new updates after settling some major things. :)

Thank you for loving my blog the way you love me! I'm really Superloved! ♥

Patti David super loves me too! Thanks Patootie for this!

♥,

Hey Soul Purple!

Fashion, music, lifestyle, culture, art. Put them all together you will define Soul Purple.

Soul Purple is, according to its website, a lifestyle clothing brand that steers its focus towards individuality and freedom. It also houses and showcases the work of new breed artists, designers and retailers.

I'm very appreciative of what the fashion industry in the country has brought us. People of all ages are now dressed accordingly to what they believe in and to what they feel comfortable with the right expression of freedom and openness. There is no rule when it comes to fashion now. Gone were the days when you will get an awful stare from strangers when you pile up on accessories, wear unusual shoes and flaunt the not-so-typical clothes. Everyone's their own artist now.

Soul Purple's branding is illustrated so well. Let your imagination wander.

They have a collection for both men and women.

 

This Harlowe Kimono  is one of their many good pieces which caught my attention. Available in two colors (red and aqua), Php 1,250.

 

This Michelle top, which can be also used as a dress, in missoni print is also a sight, Php 1,150. 

 This Julia romper is the perfect outfit when you feel lazy to doll up a bit. Worn alone or mixed with other pieces, this is surely a hit! Available in three prints, Php 800.

Whiskey Hill and THE Clothing are both in consignment with Soul Purple. Gotta get 'em, men!

For orders, details and other information, email soulpurple11@yahoo.com. You can also follow @SoulPurpleMNL or like them on Facebook. Want more? Visit them on Tumblr too! Live your passion and be free!

♥,

Drink-y Winky

Holla, Superlovers! First of all, sorry for the blog hiatus. I've been very busy with work and other matters like looking for a place to stay in for my first trip this year. I've got lot of things in mind to blog about but I never found the time to do so. January is one of a hectic month, believe me! But yeah, I'm enjoying every minute of it and I'm dealing with things better than ever!

Now on to the very purpose of this entry--

If we're Foursquare buddies, then you will know that the top places I check-in to are milk tea shops and coffee shops. These include Chatime in SM North (the closest to my place), Cha Dao Tea Place in Visayas Avenue and UP Village, Starbucks and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Therefore, drinking is my new hobby!

The year has just begun and I think I tried more than ten different drinks from different shops. Now I know why I keep on growing bigger. But anyway, here are my newest favorite drinks and shops:

1. Jamba Juice. Yay it's official! I have finally tried Jamba Juice for the very first time yesterday. After two consecutive meetings with the TV5 bosses yesterday, I rewarded myself a Coldbuster smoothie. The best thing about Jamba Juice is that they use nothing but fruits and other natural ingredients. All its drinks has zero grams trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup, no artificial flavors and preservatives. Add-on are also available like a scoop of protein, vitamins A, C, E and immunity booster. I can't wait to try them all! If only I live near the High Street. Follow @JambaJuicePH.

 

2. Chatime. I thank SM North for bringing Chatime closer to home. I always drop by here before I go home from work. I guess I've tried almost 75% of their offered drinks from Mellow Milk Tea, Energetic Healthy Juice, QQ Jelly to Smoothie Series but my super favorite is Chatime's Red Bean Smoothie (normal sugar and extra pearl). Follow @ChatimePH!

3. Cha Dao Tea Place.  Like Chatime, I tried all of its drinks but I'm on 95% now. Paolo's sister Patricia loves Cha Dao so much she gets her milk tea fix delivered anytime! The best buys are its Yakult Blends + Popping Bobba sinkers (strawberry flavor) and I recommend Peach Mango and Sour Apple Yakult Blends. I also give Cha Dao's store ambiance because it's not too crowded unlike the other milk tea shops. Very quiet and relaxing yet many customers come from time to time. Follow @ChaDaoTeaPlace. 

 4. Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Milk tea places are so in demand these days but coffee shops are still the perfect place-to-be when you want something refreshing, if you want to kill time or whatever. Last week, my good friend from the 90s came home from Kuwait so we scheduled a date with her together with our other friends from grade school. Zarah lives somewhere in Cubao so the best place to simply hangout is CBTL (since Chatime is crowded). I tried its newest offering, the Red Velvet Ice-Blended drink and it's so yummy but a bit pricey compared to milk teas. I tell you, it doesn't taste like a cupcake blended. The mysterious red velvet taste can be now sipped but is still topped with whipped cream! Follow @cbtlph.

5. Moon Leaf Tea Shop. Definitely the most successful milk tea shop now with more than ten stores nationwide. They offer the best Wintermelon milk tea in town. I have to thank my good friend Mika for introducing this to us. Moon Leaf also ousted Starbucks Coffee from its claim to fame annual planner by creating its own. They are also active in relief drives (like Sendong donations operation). Clearly, the marketing group of Moon Leaf deserve a high five! Follow @moonleafteashop.

If you're too busy to go out and try these or if these places are not accessible from where you are, I also recommend buying bottled drinks from the nearest convenient stores. Smart C in pomelo and grapefruit flavor, Noyu in lychee and oolong tea flavor and Yakult! And if you're lucky enough to convince someone you know who lives in Singapore, ask them to send you flavored Yakults in grapes, green apple and orange. Very addicting!

How about you, what's your favorite drink place? :)

♥,

More Fun In The Philippines

Last Friday, the Department of Tourism launched its newest campaign, "It's More Fun In The Philippines". Filipinos all over the world have fun in sharing their own versions of "more fun" by creating personal posters with witty descriptions on why it's more fun here.

I'm really grateful that our people embraced and supported this campaign despite the accusations that the idea was stolen from a Swiss tourism campaign. In all honesty, I think that this is just a pure coincidence because the word "fun" rhymes with "Switzerland" and the phrase "it's more fun in *blank*" is an ordinary phrase. It can be heard from everyone... everywhere, everyday. And "It's More Fun In The Philippines" in Tagalog is "(Sa 'Pinas) Mas Mas Masaya" just like here at TV5! Mas masaya naman kasi talaga. And take note, my boss retweeted this! 

Going back, I wouldn't let this moment slip. We're currently on a high sharing what we've got! I made my own versions, too!

Sam, Marga and Reesha in Baguio City.

With Paolo, Boracay Island.

Corregidor Island

The Magic Stays With You! At Enchanted Kingdom.

A certified only in the Philippines: dirty ice cream!

A lovely sarong. Pagudpud Beach.

Main reason why I wanna go back to Laoag. Paoay Church is a little piece of heaven in the Philippines.

Body massage by the bay? Yes. At Puerto Galera.

I ran out of witty descriptions but I swear, making these "more fun" posters alone is really fun! Please find time to make your own too. All you need is Adobe Photoshop and get the vector and raster template here or get instructions from Jayvee Fernandez or download the Harabara font for free! If you would like to share your photos, you can add them on InterAksyon.com Gallery or email MoreFun@InterAksyon.com. And lastly, like "More Fun In The Philippines" on Facebook and follow @MoreFunInThePHL and @DOTPhilippines.

Show your photos, show your support!

♥,

12 Things To Cross Out This 2012

We're now on the first week of 2012 and I must say that some of the things I planned to do every day of the entire year is successful. Care to know what are these?

1. I must be up before 6:30 AM strikes.
2. I must leave for work by 7:55 AM to make it to the shuttle and arrive at TV5 on time.
3. I must avoid taking a taxi cab going to North Avenue when I'm bound to The Fort. 

Check, check, check. Yay! :)

I know it's such a pain to live by these everyday simple rules but I'm slowly working on it. I am motivated by the fact that if I'm able to take the free shuttle provided by our company, I'll save up to P150/week (P30 per way going to Novaliches from North Avenue) or P600/month or P7200 in one year! Whoop, imagine that!

But of course there are other things I need to cross out on my checklist this year. I admit, some can be achieved with a wink of an eye or with a snap of my fingers. All I need to do is to make time for this and be surrounded by people who support me (financially and morally). Ready?

1. Get a driver's license. This is on the top of my list. I need this in my life. I want other valid identification cards aside from my passport and company ID. I also want to take the car out and drive myself to places I'm going to without bugging, pleasing and convincing someone to go with me. Plus, it feels legal. And more matured.

2. Save money. I'm employed for almost three years now and haven't saved enough money for my future. I spend endlessly on things I don't really need (makeups I don't use often, shoes I don't wear, milk teas, coffees, junk foods). I'm targeting a certain amount of money for myself this year. Sad to say, expect less travels from me this year for a more bonggacious travel in years to come. I'm also avoiding Topshop, Aldo, Forever 21 and other favorite brands this year but more thrift shops and vintage finds will rule my closet.

3. Buy a bigger closet. Now that I mentioned my closet, I believe it's time for me to upgrade my existing storage. Some of my clothes are hung on my bed pole, in my parents' closet, in my sister's.. they are piled up all over our place. Hence, a bigger space won't hurt and will actually give all those concerned a space to breathe.

4. Go to Little Tokyo. Paolo and I, as well as my friends from the Monthly Period, have been planning this for so long but did not ever find the time to go here. See? To think that this little Japanese cuisine paradise is located in Makati... Oh well, I promise to visit this place on or before I turn a year older. Mark that!

5. Enroll in a school. Be it a short course for fashion styling (again), makeup, cooking, dressmaking, writing or anything that interests me, I'd love to learn new things and improve what I already know. I also want to take the opportunity to start on my Masters this year, now that my youngest sister is finishing college this summer. Time is gold!

6. Practice my writing. I know I'm not a pro but writing is and will always be my first love. I did not take any academic course or whatever to be called a writer and I don't want to label myself as a known blogger, too. But even without titles like these, I want to, like to, need to and love to write.

7. Read more books and magazines. I want to put the blame on books and magazines for losing a perfect eye vision but every time I think of all the ideas, things and stories I read back in the days, I forget how unclear my sight is. I am beyond thankful that I spent sleepless nights finishing an R. L. Stine or a Francine Pascal book, or ditched an Uno game with my sisters just to read a dictionary or an encyclopedia. Books, like shoes, take us to good places, and I want to go places one page at a time. 

8. Live healthy. I always make sure to get at least an 8-hour sleep at night, I try my best to drink glasses of water, I take Berocca, eat fruits and vegetables but these aren't enough. I still get sick. I also stopped smoking (I consumed five sticks of cigarettes the entire 2011, sorry) and now an occasional drinker (I used to drink almost everyday when I was working in Makati). And the worst case of my eating habits--putting a spoonful of patis on my rice--is now brought to an end. Alright, I'm trying. It's really hard for me to eat without patis but I'm staying away from it now. I swear. And lastly, exercise. I possess a lazy a$$.

9. Take more, and better photos of myself. Admit it. Choosing a profile picture on Facebook is quite stressful especially if we do not have good ones to show our friends and strangers. I envy those who can strike a pose in public places and those who are brave enough to bring out their cameras in a crowded place. And one more thing, photos aren't for kikay girls alone! Someday, we'll look back at our old selves. Photos are the best memory keepers!

10. Watch Gossip Girl, Seasons 1-5. Reading this from Blair Waldorf's number one fan, it's hard to believe that I haven't seen even a single episode of season 5. I did not even manage to finish season 4 and missed a number of episodes of season 3. I want to devote a weekend doing nothing except for a Gossip Girl marathon... and Twitter. Now, where can I download these five seasons? Or please be kind enough to give me a copy of your copies if you have one. Thank you!

11. Discover new places to eat and new foods to eat. This may oppose items 2 and 8 but hell yeah, next to fashion, makeup and traveling is food. I don't care if it's a street food or a chef's compliment, homemade or delivered. Trying out a newly-opened restaurant or a carinderia  popularized by word of mouth won't hurt.

12. Do things I never thought I'd be doing. Surprise, surprise! Who knows? :)

Now I have a year-round to do this. One item per month, maybe? Let's see! I still have other things in mind but they pop out like yeah when I'm in the shower or when I'm doing anything else.

Have a great Friday night, you all! It's the first weekend of the year. Have a blast! :)

♥,