Monday, May 20, 2013

MUSIC MONDAY: I Am Beautiful - Candice Glover



♫♪ It don’t matter that I’m not perfect ♪♪
♪ I am beautiful ♫♫
♫ I’m not alone ♪♫
♪ And in His eyes I’m so worth it ♪♪
♫ I’m worth every tear ♫♪♪
♫♪ And every scar ♪♫


What a lovely, uplifting song! 

Though I only watch the auditions and the finale episode of American Idol, I would like to congratulate Candice Glover for winning the competition. I heard this is her third time to audition and I can tell how sweet this victory is.  Keep on making beautiful music! (Sorry for overusing "beautiful" today!)

Thursday, May 2, 2013

SALE ALERT: 50% Off on Erzullie's Pop Shop on May 18, 2013

Guess what? Erzullie will be holding a pop shop on May 18, 2013, Saturday (6:00-9:00pm) at the Caffeccino Function Room, Caffeccino, Eastwood City, Quezon City! Unlike their First Look events, interested parties need not to register anymore.  We can just show up in the venue on the mentioned date and shop away! Plus, 1.) shoppers will get to enjoy 50% off on selected items! But, wait! There's more! 2.) There'll be FREE personal shopper to assist us choose and fit the fab items and - here's my favorite part - 3.) we'll get the chance to chat with the designers Aries and Berna (naks, first-name basis!) and meet other heavenly bodies in our growing plus size community! Astounding, right?

What's a pop shop, you ask? It's my first time to encounter this term, too, so let me copy-paste the official definition. Here we go:

A pop shop is a temporary store open to the public by which a designer/brand invites customers at a specific place and range of time to meet up. It's a very limited engagement which gives the customers a chance to fit and purchase a designer/brand's clothing line. It's like a bazaar only with one brand showing! (In this case, it's Erzullie!)


You ARE cordially invited to Erzullie's Pop Shop!


Now in case this is your first time to hear about the brand, let me tell you I'm a fan of their line. Not only their sizes range from 1L (my size) to 4L, they offer a wide range of designs that any working woman, travel junkie and party-goer can truly relate to. The best part? The designers listen to our suggestions. I asked for vibrant colors during the last First Look event and they came up with this printed dress for Resort 2013 collection! And this is NOT a paid advertisement. =P


My crushes from their past, latest and future collections


I'm super excited for this event. Kita kits!

Friday, April 5, 2013

WORLD PREMIERE: That Silk Dress / Pinay Curvies Took The Quiz Night Challenge!

As if this long-lasting puta red lipstick and a bundle of moron from Leyte were not enough pasalubong, my balikbayan friend Vannie even gifted me with this little black dress. I find it lovely and seductive...and something NOT safe to wear for work. In fact, I reserved this number for a pyjama par-tey that unfortunately didn't happen. Until I found myself staring at this dress while I was rummaging my closet recently and I re-assessed if it's really inappropriate in the workplace. 

Up until the day before the quiz night,  I was thinking of packing this dress as my post-shift outfit. The morning after, I changed my mind. I realized how wrinkled this pretty dress will be even before I get to wear it. In case our guards refuse to let me enter the premises, I packed an extra clothing. Sigurista! And in case you're wondering, no, it didn't happen. Phew!

Looks one size bigger but I like it! Thanks, Vannie! <3

Flower Power!

To my surprise, Mitch was also wearing something floral that evening. Flower power!

Outfit of The Day:
Silk dress from Vannie
Blue bangle from souvenir shop in Zamboanga
Mum's sandals
High bun by Tracee

***

I've always been intrigued and eager to experience quiz night with good friends.  So Mitch and I agreed to fulfill this long overdue fantasy as our follow-up event to the swap meet and greetRemember this invitation to the plus size community last month?

Unfortunately, the others who confirmed can't make it. Loren was suffering from fever that time, thanks to our bipolar weather. And so was Jane. Get well soon, ladies! My fellow boarders Joy and Jinky had last-minute concerns to take care of. Ayzee, on the other hand, almost made it but she and her car got stuck somewhere. So it was just Mitch and I (and our combined stock knowledge) against the real geeks (or nerds, whatever the right term is). Challenge accepted!

May tama tayo, Mitch!

The quiz started with General Trivia. From this category, we were able to make right guesses. When asked about a certain athlete (didn't catch her name) who was proven to be a transvestite after her death, Mitch made a daunting guess. TRUE was correct! When asked which has more protein between egg and chicken, I wrote EGG. Another point! When asked if Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, wants a baby boy or baby girl, I opted for BOY. Again, correct! Then, we were asked to choose what's the fastest among falcon, bangaw (forgot the technical word for it) and jaguar (if my memory serves me right). Mitch mentioned cheetahs run faster than any other land animal. But we got confused as it's not included in the options. So we went for the fowl and we got another point! Yay!

Here's my favorite part: the answer that I was so sure of yet I failed to encircle to get double points! Question: From your entrance in the comfort room, what's the cleanest cubicle, according to research? I was very sure that it's the nearest cubicle from the door as, per the documentary I've watched, most people assume that the everyone goes there. Hence, the farthest cubicle is the dirtiest. Oha

Then we moved on to Dance category. We got three points for naming this certain prima ballerina (Lisa Macuja-Elizarde), providing another term for pirouette (whirl or twirl) and the type of dance that makes use of shoes to create sounds (tap dancing). We were clueless what type of dance toprock is (breakdance) and others. 

Other questions include what's the smell of the moon, according to the Apollo 11 astronauts, what does HTML stand for (Google it!), which drink has the least amount of caffeine among green tea, espresso and black tea, what country has the most number of overweight citizens based on BMI (it's Kuwait), how many times was Julius Ceasar stabbed (23 times), which locally available fruit is a distant relative of poison ivy (mango), among others. 

Wait, I might have confused these questions from other categories. There were about 10 questions per category and it can get overwhelming. And it doesn't help that I have poor memory. Anyway, other categories included science, pirates/piracy, Steven Sodenbergh, vintage cars, geography, women and...and...I'll get back to you on that.

We were THIS close to the right answer!!!

Have you ever wondered how long is the shortest scheduled flight ever? We guessed 20 minutes. To our dismay, it was just 2 minutes! We were THIS close for one point! Can you feel our frustration?

Did I just hear you ask if we cheated? Well, I think I did. For the question which country is closest to North America, I recall being convinced Canada is the answer. Then the quiz master provided a clue that it's NOT in North America as well. I was about to write down Mexico in our whiteboard when somebody from the next table gave away his answer with much conviction. So we - I mean, I urged Mitch - to write down RUSSIA instead. 


Category: vintage cars

Among the categories, I'd say vintage cars was the most difficult. See, cars don't like me back. I just permitted Mitch to make guesses on all images they flashed on TV. For that category, we got zilch. 

But I won't conclude this entry without bragging about our glorious moment. For the Pirates/Piracy, category, we got 2 points for guessing the golden age of pirates/piracy (1717-1720, thanks to multiple choice) and naming the act that prevents the pirates or their enemies from catching up (we didn't  know the right word for it so we wrote down "water hosing").  The quiz master accepted our answer since pirates make use of water jets to slow their enemies down. And guess what? The other teams bowed down to admit their defeat. Ok, I'm exaggerating. Most of them actually gave us slow claps to show their appreciation. And we were so ready to bill out. Hahaha!

My favorite moment!

Biggest losers of the night!

And we survived 10 rounds of brain exercise. However, we ended up as the "biggest losers" of the night! There's a reason why there's a quotation mark right there. While the team with highest scores takes home a gift certificate amounting to P1,000, the losing team gets to have free booze. To my surprise, they gave us my all-time favorite! Unfortunately, Mitch was advised by her doctor to refrain from alcoholic drinks; this should help with her plan to conceive. (Can't wait to organize a curvy baby shower!) So I downed both tequila shots even before Mitch can conclude her apology. Ahlaveet!

I know 8 heads are better than 2, but I truly enjoyed this experience. In fact, I'd like to try this again! Just let me know if you'd like to join me. Aja!

Check out our photos here

Monday, April 1, 2013

WORLD PREMIERE: That Pastel Pink Pants / Color Blocking

Being unable to climb back to the Prayer Mountain for the Holy Week just like I did last year, I committed to serve during the Resurrection Sunday instead. I assumed the organizers would ask us, volunteer ushers/usherettes, to wear something preppy or formal, just like last year. Imagine my shock when they announced that females should wear colored denim pants. Something summer-y and casual. Wow!

Of course I panicked. It's my first time to serve and I refuse to disappoint the elders and my small group leader. I'm more of a skirt girl and I only have 2 pairs of denim pants rotting inside my closet. The first thing that crossed my mind was to raid my mum's closet, as always. But I found my tired feet take me to an ukay ukay shop near my parents' home in Bacoor. (I was wearing this when it happened, by the way.) I typically go the distance whenever I go secondhand shopping (ex. Kamias, Ortigas, Cubao Makati. Las Piñas City would have to be the closest). 

Guess what I found in this small ukay ukay shop in City of Bacoor (yep, Mayor Strike Revilla wants it City of Bacoor vs. Bacoor City)? A pair of pastel pink sort-of slacks! I call it "sort-of slacks" since it kinda looks deceivingly formal but it's actually cottony and comfy. It's not denim, as required, but this pair sure looks casual enough. It must be the bitin look, I guess.

So I have found my pants. What else to wear? I immediately thought of my overused purple flats (you first met 'em here) in my mind and racked my brains for the fitting top to wear. Out of nowhere, the concept of color blocking came to mind.


So I paired my pastel pink pants with blue top and purple flats...

In the informal survey (naks!) I conducted via BBM, this combination was just the runner-up choice and most respondents prefer this top instead.  But I found it too long; it will make me look shorter. If you wanna see the other options (Exhibits A-E), I can send it via BBM. Ha!

For the first time, I didn't take off my ID for yesterday's photo opps. So, how do you find this outfit?
What my ID says...

Guide to Color Blocking


Outfit of the Day:

Blue v-neck top with loose sleeve from Landmark
Pastel pink pants from ukay ukay shop
Purple flats from Sassy Girl 
Cultured pearl earrings from Zamboanga

Monday, March 25, 2013

Bloggers Do Black + White Stripes Better

When I first heard of the Bloggers Do Black + White Stripes Better challenge, I immediately felt disqualified to join. I have this red + white stripes dress I can't wait to bring to the beach this summer and a pale pink + grey striped shirt I was wearing when I read the news and I'm daydreaming of this striped dress, but I have no black + white stripes! It was a sad realization as I patiently waited for the follow-up challenge after this.

When I went home to my parents' place last weekend, I was delighted to see a mountain of hand-me-downs in my closet. Either that or Mama needed a bigger space for her clothes. To my surprise, I found a long-sleeved top that would serve as my ticket for the abovementioned challenge. Yippee! Yahoo! Yehey!

Manila has been experiencing bipolar weather lately; humid mornings that give way to rainy afternoons/evenings. I didn't mind wearing this long-sleeved top under the sun as I expected heavy rains later that day. Hot, sweaty mornings I can tolerate. But gloomy, freezing evenings? Hardly. 

As you probably know by now, I'm your typical casual chick. And when it rains, I get extra lazy. Yesterday was no exception. So I mixed my mum's striped top with my harlem pants and overused purple flats. Nothing bold, nothing special. I'd rather don something "safe" in terms of the predictably moody weather.


The big picture

Did I mention it's hooded?

Wait. I feel the need to interrupt the parade of photos to say that it doesn't feel as warm as it looks. The fabric felt kinda light against the sun yet it never failed to protect me from the usual chills inside an airconditioned room. Lovin' the fact that it has hood, too. Even if I find my umbrella more reliable. 

Oooh! Somebody else has earned her stripes! 

Now you see the harlem pattern...

...now you don't!

And the sun stayed with us after the morning service, after lunch and after our Church-related meeting. I was expecting to see rain showers after the last activity, but I managed to travel to my high school friend's home without getting soaked. But I noticed the threatening dark clouds during my commute.

Eventually, it rained cats and dogs. Thankfully, I made it home before it happened. 

And I have this poorly-lit photo to prove it!

You'll have to look closely to see how drenched my flats were. But if you're still not convinced how extreme the weather can get here as of late, I'll show you photos of  a flooded venue where I would like my clone to go that evening, given the chance. I truly miss watching football matches live! When's the last time again?

Flooded pitch! 
The Philippines vs. Cambodia match had to be temporarily suspended due to heavy rains!
Photo lifted from my crushie Neil Etheridge's Instagram post

Check out the precipitation!
Photo from this article


Check out how other bloggers interpreted this summer/spring trend here. Enjoy!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Body Jam + Zumba in The Workplace / WORLD PREMIERE: That Pinoy Pride Tee

What took me sooo long to world premiere The Belated Bloomer's Pinoy pride tee from the swap meet in January, you ask? Well, I was supposed to wear this perfectly loose tee on my next CrossFit class in February but...things happened. Unavoidable things like monthly period, additional workload as well as stupid things like slight intimidation and other excuses I do not wish to elaborate. 

When I heard the impressive line-up of events and talks for the Kapamilya Health and Wellness Fair (my first!), I was quick to sign up for the FREE zumba class. Luckily, my teammates were equally interested. And we all made it to the limited slots! Hurrah!

World premiering The Belated Bloomer's tee
And we made it to the news!

I've mentioned this in prior posts, but I really prefer the yoga mat, swimming pool or dance floor over the gym. I admit CrossFit is the ultimate challenge for long-time desk jockeys like me. But me and my weak knees could use a slow transition before we reach for that summit. And we shall face the Latin music for now. Zumba today, CrossFit tomorrow! 

Theena Mondonedo from 360 Fitness Club was a fun instructor. We spent the half hour doing body jam and the next doing zumba. It was more challenging than I imagined! I could see myself smile in my reflection in the mirror, but I felt every muscle stretch out, every joints creak and my heart pump like crazy. Not that I'm complaining. It was a delightful pain!

Dancing our way to fitness
Photos from Ryan Ramos (Corp Communications)

Looking back, I pray this will be a permanent employee perk. We'll definitely find time if there are FREE classes in the same building. *crosses fingers*


Outfit of the Day
Pinoy pride tee
Mum's leggings

Sunday, March 17, 2013

WORLD PREMIERE: That Peplum Skirt from Ward88

I know it's been months, probably a year now, since I started yakking about wanting my own peplum, but I haven't really actioned about this desire yet. I guess the idea that a peplum dress requires a pair of pumps to go with it made me take this fashion fantasy into the backseat. Yeah, I'm still in love with flats. 

To my surprise, Lyn of ward88 pinged me recently to offer her peplum skirt as a present. It was my first time to experience this and I admit it took me a while to say yes. We were supposed to meet during the swap meet (she was unable to attend, though) and now I have another reason to find a way to smother her with thankful besos in person. And to think we're both residing in Cavite! I'll keep you posted when it finally happens.

Upon receipt of this sweet gift, I felt my gratitude immediately turn into worry. I just threw away my pink flats (you've seen 'em here) and I can't think of any fitting footwear for this skirt. Sure, I was tempted to bring out my black wedges (you've met 'em here) but I'm too lazy to wear heels to work. What to wear, what to wear?

In spite of this little concern, I decided to world premiere it right away! I won passes to my favorite noontime show, It's Showtime, and I felt it was the best time to wear it. I was in the mood to reunite with old friends Brady and Nonoy and make new friends, hence this call out for extra seksi fans to join me as a studio audience. Sorry if I didn't make that announcement here as, you can probably tell, I dislike making too short blog entries. To cut the long story short, Plus Size Closet Prinkles can't make it due to conjunctivitis and Brady asked his friends to take her place. 

On to the show!

The stage and the audience from our vantage point
Photo by Mark Chu

My peplum skirt from ward88
Taken in the studio

Pink skirt calls for pink necklace!
This is a freebie for purchasing a CD released by our Church

Like or dislike?

Enough with the details, on to the whole picture! 
Taken in the office

There goes my very casual take of the peplum. I bet you'd say it'll look better if I wore black pumps or anything with heels. Haha! Anyway, let's hear it from my friends. Score mo, show mo!

My biased friends Raz and Brady give me a perfect 10! Woohoo!
Photo by Brady

My newfound friends Mark and Wilrose give me 9! Not bad!
Photo by Wilrose Puray

Before I conclude this entry, I shall leave you with the link to that episode when we joined the unkabogable barkada do Abba songs and Harlem shake, among others. Look for us!



Outfit of the Day:
Black top
Pink necklace
Peplum skirt from ward88
Mum's sandals