Shoe-crazy at SM Makati

Aside from books, movies, and concerts, shoes are my favorite indulgence. Real-life Carrie Bradshaw said it best:

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets several times yesterday as we were given a tour of the newly opened Shoe Department of the SM Store in Makati for the SM Makati Media Shoe Shopping Party! Understandably so as the fourth level, all 5,500 square meters of it, houses more than 25,000 pairs of shoes! With those statistics, it easily contains the largest selection of shoes in Metro Manila. There are shoes for literally everyone!

After a brief program and a quick tour around the whole floor, we were given the chance to go around the store by ourselves and shop. Shopping for shoes is srs bznz, you guys. There are so many choices available that even the pickiest person would definitely find something for him/ her!

You can choose among SM's stylish house brands like

Milanos and Salvatore Mann for men, or go sporty and active with

Nike, Adidas, Merrell, Converse, Skechers, Reebok, New Balance, Saucony, Puma, Fila, Accel, And1, Vans, and Sperry. Those who prefer casually cool looks can take their pick among the many choices available in Crocs, Havaianas, and Sanuk.

When shopping for children, check out

Sugar Kids and Tough Kids.

The SM Store has also brought global brands like Badgley Mischka, L.A.M.B., Jeffrey Campbell, Joe's Jeans, Nina, Adrianna Papell, and Marie Claire.

Those gold glittery pumps though... *swoon* The new shoe department also showcases trendy and proudly Filipino brands like Figlia, Figliarina, Gibi, Rusty Lopez, Janilyn, Janeo, Mario D'Boro, Chelsea, and many more.

I also really like Parisian's new designs. Comfy, pretty, and very affordable!

I was overwhelmed with all the choices available and feared I would spend hours inside the SM Store, so it was good that I was able to reel myself in again. My brand of choice? Parisian!

It was also nice to see Miss Na'omi who I met during the Parisian Bloggers Party last year. To this day, even with all the events I have attended and mounted through my job, that shoot still remains one of my ultimate faves! :)

We were given GCs to shop, and would you like to know what I got? Here's a peek:

I got six pairs of shoes, three of which I will give to my friends as Christmas presents. Thank you so much, SM Shoes! I'm so excited to share with you the ones I got through future outfit posts hee.

The Shoe Department is located at SM Store Makati's Fourth Level. Come, visit, and find a pair (or two or three or more!) perfect for you. ♥ 

A suckerpunch to the heart

My favorite book is a collection of short stories by Raymond Carver called What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, and in the closing lines of the title book Carver says, “I could hear my heart beating. I could hear everyone’s heart. I could hear the human noise we sat there making. Not one of us moving. Not even when the room went dark.” And I think that that's what writing is: it's listening for that beating heart. And when we hear it, it's our job to decipher it to the best of our abilities.

— Greg Kinnear as William Borgens in Stuck in Love

This movie is a suckerpunch to the heart. It may or may not have made me cry at least three times tonight. I realize I am particularly biased towards books, movies, and TV shows that reference other works of fiction and those that feature writers, and I won't make any apologies about it.

Stuck in Love is a funny movie with a fair share of heavy drama, that watching it made me feel like I was wringing my heart dry. It's no Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (my ultimate favorite movie!) but what it lacks, it more than makes up for in its cast. Greg Kinnear *swoon* and Jennifer Connelly were great as a divorced couple struggling to find a healthy balance between distancing themselves from one another and being there for their kids, but the real superstars of the film are Lily Collins, Logan Lerman, Liana Liberato (I seriously thought she was the girl from Flipped!), and Nat Wolff. They were all very compelling and likable and convincing, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in the future.

I really enjoyed this film, but it's riddled with implausibilities. I can understand waiting for someone for six months, I can even understand waiting for three years. I can understand trust issues and feeling abandoned. I can understand reeking of romance and good intentions. I can understand the process one must go through in order to be able to write well. I can understand all these things, but for the love of God can someone help me understand how a 19 year old Fiction Writing student was able to have her book (that she wrote in a month!!!) published without riding on her dad's coattails? And how she was able to have a direct connection with Stephen King, much less have him help publish her brother's work? Oh well, I guess that's what suspension of disbelief is for.

Despite the loopholes, I really liked Stuck in Love and would probably sporadically use some of the quotes from the movie.

"I remember that it hurt. Looking at her hurt."

Oh man, I miss being in love.

See you tomorrow at BU6!

Are you ready?

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Because I think I am not!

I spent the whole day panicking because aside from posting the official press release of the event, I haven't done anything in preparation for the sixth installment of the Bloggers United Bazaar! Yep, we have been doing this twice a year for the third year now but I never learn. ミ●﹏☉ミ

I sped home the minute I got off work, which was still a lot later than usual because Friday traffic whattup. You should've seen me flailing around like a headless chicken earlier. My room looks like a tornado passed through it but it's okay because I can organize it again tomorrow. Now, everything I will sell has been packed in my tiny trolley. Talk about hustlin'. (」゜ロ゜)」

You were supposed to be seeing a preview of the stuff I will be selling here, but I have the sniffles so I figured I should just rest so that I will feel better tomorrow. Why why why do I have to get sick every time Bloggers United season comes around? Tsk. ლ(´﹏`ლ)

Anyway, hoping to feel a lot more energetic tomorrow. I look forward to seeing you guys! Please come early because I'd have to leave by 6PM to go to a Christmas party with my friends.

Take your pick among the clothes and accessories I will sell. J&C Super Clean Solutions will also be sold at a special price of P299 yay! See ya at World Trade Center tomorrow! Kisses! ( ˘ ³˘)♥

BMS presents: Roux 28

If there is something from foreign romantic comedies that I would want to experience in real life aside from conflicts that can be resolved easily and happily ever after, head over heels kind of love, it would be those drive-in movies in open fields. Watching a movie under the stars with that special guy beside you? That's a movie scene moment right there. ;)

Guess what? You can have this movie scene moment by going to Roux 28 happening at Circuit, Makati tomorrow! See details below.

Craving for something new and exciting? Something fresh and something that has never been done all in one night? Drive with us on the fast lane as De La Salle University’s Business Management Society proudly present to you their 28th year anniversary celebration, Roux 28, happening tomorrow at Circuit, Makati! Join us as the organization brings you a drive-in movie, food fest, and party all together in one night!

You will not only get to witness the ultimate social spectrum that it promises, but you will also get to extend a helping hand to others by joining this all-in-one event. The proceeds of this activity will be given to Jaime Hilario Integrated School (JHIS), Mano Amiga Academy Inc., and the victims of Yolanda. 

Spend your Friday night while catching up with your barkada, squeezing in a date with your special someone, or trying to make up quality time with your family! Everyone is invited to join us as BMS Presents: Roux 28 – An ultimate social spectrum! A night you will never forget! 

Don’t forget to unleash the hipster in you by wearing your most hippie outfit as you take part in a night of FOOD, PARTY, and a DRIVE-IN MOVIE! See you all on December 6 at Circuit Makati!

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#IAmBeautiful

In a recent study commissioned by Dove that gathered women from Southeast Asia concentrating in the Philippines to uncover The Real Truth About Beauty, they found out that “only seven percent of Filipina women regard themselves as actually being beautiful.” The findings show a common thread: an enlivened perspective and an attuned sense of self-awareness. The results proved refreshingly positive with healthy valuations when it came to beauty, but this particular figure stumped them. How can only seven percent out of an entire nation of genuine beauties regard themselves as beautiful?

When I was in my teens, I used to be very insecure of the way I looked. I hated that I have to wear eyeglasses all the time, I hated my thick and unmanageable hair, I hated that I was too skinny, and I hated my braces as I imagined it made me look like Betty Suarez, only skinnier!

Photo from 2006

I loved  my clear skin, dimples, eyebrows, tiny waist, long lashes, and the fact I can eat a lot without gaining weight. Also, even though my hair is unmanageable, I love that it's so thick and lush. I am actually tempted to grow it out again. What do you think?

Hello, I didn't mean to interrupt your scrolling. I just wanted to say that you're beautiful.

I used to collect a lot of fashion magazines filled with unhealthy depictions of what society deems as beautiful, ergo what the society expects us to look like - but I am smart enough to know that it's all smoke and mirrors. My self-esteem is strong enough to withstand all these tall, gorgeous, glowing women on the magazine covers. ;)

As I got older, I became more comfortable in my own skin and learned to appreciate what I have. I identified the features I liked and highlighted them even more. At the same time, I pursued my passions and started on a more holistic approach to self-improvement.

I am part of the 7%. In the words of Dove, "I am beautiful, I deserve only the best products, and I can reach my full beauty potential by genuinely caring for myself. I do not need to live up to any standard because I am beautiful in my own right, lovely in my uniqueness, and captivating in my strength."

Stop beating yourself up with doubts and criticisms. Be counted among the Filipinas who appreciate their own brand of beauty and let the #IAmBeautiful Movement be your voice in proclaiming this fresh perspective of loving, living, and being beautiful. Be part of the movement and take a stand for real beauty!

Tell the world about your new lease on beauty by liking Dove on Facebook. Then, change your profile pic with the "I am Beautiful" image. Finally, upload a photo on any of your social media accounts holding an #IAmBeautiful sign with the same hashtag on the caption. Spread the word, share the love, acknowledge the beauty in others, and more importantly, believe that you are beautiful yourself.

Let's realign our perspective and change the way us women see beauty. I wish I can talk to my teenage self and tell her she doesn't have anything to be insecure about, but since that is not possible I'll just make sure I won't slip and doubt myself in the future in the same way I did before. There will be "ugly days", of course, especially when I am PMS-ing. But then again, there is nothing that a swipe of lipstick can't fix.

Hi. I hope you feel beautiful today, every day. ♥(ˆ⌣ˆԅ)