Orly matte nail polish in Solid Gold

I did some Christmas shopping yesterday and finally got my hands (and nails) on the Orly matte nail polish in Solid Gold. I have been eyeing this for the whole Christmas season, and I am so happy to have bought it. The color and texture are just perfect for my taste. Plus, it's DBP, Formaldehyde and Toluene free.

2 coats

The only downside to this product is that it chips off easily, maybe because it's free of chemicals or maybe because my nails are just not very healthy. Either way, the color and texture makes up for that and I am still in love with it.

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆

Annie Hall

I got bored this afternoon and decided to have a movie marathon and I chose to see Annie Hall first.

First of all, I think Annie Hall is intellectually appealing and witty, and I really enjoyed watching it, although I found it quite hard to keep up with a couple of lines because several terms were actually intended to be understood only by intellectuals (and adults).

The plot was fine, though. It was a typical American falling in love-breaking up movie but packed with lots of wit - and talking, at that. I was actually surprised to see Diane Keaton and Woody Allen looking very charming during their younger days.

This movie is altogether good, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to see something both intellectual and funny.

Several of my favorite lines from the movie:

"You always only saw the worst in people. You never could get along with anyone in school. You were always out of step with the world. Even when you got famous, you still distrusted the world." -Alvy's mom to Alvy

*I like this line because I can relate to it - except for the famous part because I'm actually not famous HAHAHA

"That's one thing about intellectuals: They proved you can be brilliant and have no idea what's going on." -Alvy

"Annie, there's a big lobster behind the refrigerator. I can't get it out...Maybe if I put a little dish of butter sauce here with a nutcracker, it will run out the other side?" -Alvy

"You know how you're always trying to get things to come out perfect in art because it's real difficult in life." -Alvy

Alvy: What's with all these awards? They're always giving out awards. Best Fascist Dictator: Adolf Hitler.

Annie: It's so clean out here. 

Alvy: That's because they don't throw their garbage away, they turn it into television shows. 

Duane: Can I confess something? I tell you this as an artist, I think you'll understand. Sometimes when I'm driving... on the road at night... I see two headlights coming toward me. Fast. I have this sudden impulse to turn the wheel quickly, head-on into the oncoming car. I can anticipate the explosion. The sound of shattering glass. The... flames rising out of the flowing gasoline. 

Alvy: Right. Well, I have to - I have to go now, Duane, because I, I'm due back on the planet Earth. 

Overall Rating: ★★★★

My Name Is Khan

I went over to my friend, Camille's house yesterday to watch a movie my other friend, Katrina suggested we watch. The movie was entitled My Name Is Khan (fiction).

I have watched several movies with plots similar to this and yet it still moved and inspired me. At some point in the movie, it made me want to just be like Khan, even with his condition. I found his character deeply influential because of his open-mindedness and effortless kind hearted intentions for everyone.

What's brilliant about this movie is that it was able to portray the realities of life - family, friends, religion and race. It showed that the difference in those individual aspects are not a hindrance to living the life one wishes to have, and that goodness will always be the answer to every human downfall. This movie for me, is the epitome of true love - not just any other love, but the unconditional love and devotion to family, friends, religion and race.

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

World Vision PH

I received in the mail just this morning the profile of the child I am sponsoring through World Vision PH. I got so excited when I saw it because I have been waiting for 3 months already to receive the child's profile.

The long wait is over!! Meet Dhanreeve! :-D He is the child who I will be sponsoring until he graduates middle school.

TOP 10: Gorillaz

Recently, during our PEM class, our professor showed us the story board of Gorillaz's Dirty Harry music video, and it made me miss listening to the Gorillaz! - Dirty Harry was totally nostalgic in itself, because during my early teenage years, my dad would play their albums (esp. the Demon Days album) in the car every time we go on roadtrips. And lo and behold, my all-time favorite Gorillaz songs (in no particular order)!

Kids With Guns

Demon Days

Rock the House
Gorillaz

My Christmas Wish List PART II

1. Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

2. The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides

Revlon Matte Nail Polish in Emerald City

I usually only purchase nail polish in neutral to red shades and dark ones. But this time, I have tried using other shades such as green. A few months ago, I researched on different shades of nail polish since I got kind of bored with neutrals and reds and dark shades on my nails. And so, I came across the Zoya matte nail polish in Veruschka and instantly fell in love with its color. It was the perfect shade of green for me. It was not over the top nor too dull, and it was matte! Sadly, it was not readily available to most malls (there are several online stores who pre-sell Zoya nail polishes but none of those sell this kind. It can however be purchased on amazon.com - that is if I were that desperate to get one... Though I was THIS close to purchasing it hehe). So I have decided to research further on the possible alternatives. Lo and behold, I found the Revlon matte nail polish in Emerald City. I bought it for P225 and it was worth it. Its shade was close enough to Zoya Veruschka and the better news is that Revlon nail polishes are toluene, phtalate and formaldehyde free just like Zoya. So, enough with the chit chat and on with the swatches :-)

2 coats
applies on smoothly

Overall Rating: ★★★★★!

Poem List 2

Perhaps not to be is to be without your being by Pablo Neruda

Perhaps not to be is to be without your being,

without your going, that cuts noon light

like a blue flower, without your passing

later through fog and stones,

without the torch you lift in your hand

that others may not see as golden,

that perhaps no one believed blossomed

the glowing origin of the rose,

without, in the end, your being, your coming

suddenly, inspiringly, to know my life,

blaze of the rose-tree, wheat of the breeze:

and it follows that I am, because you are:

it follows from ‘you are’, that I am, and we:

and, because of love, you will, I will,

We will, come to be.

Etude House matte nail polish #01 in Ceylon Tea Beige

I have been meaning to try matte nail polish for about a year now, but all the brands I researched were a bit too expensive for my budget, so I researched further and came across the recently released matte nail polish collection from Etude House. I then immediately went to the nearest Etude House branch here in Quezon City and bought the Ceylon Tea Beige matte nail polish, which, by the way only costs P98.

As soon as I arrived home, I gave it a try and, voila!

first application, 3 coats
pardon the messy application :p

a whole day of wear made it lose (just) a little of its "matte-ness"

Overall Rating: ★★★

TOP 10: Belle and Sebastian

My top 10 Belle and Sebastian feel good songs ♥
(in no praticular order)

Asleep On A Sunbeam

Dear Catastrophe Waitress

Dress Up In You
The Life Pursuit

First Day and Bookstores

I was not at all giddy waking up for my fashion design class this morning simply because I was groggy, having had ruined my body clock over the semestral break. Nevertheless, I managed to attend this only class for the day.

Our professor gave the subject syllabus and our first homework and dismissed us quite earlier than I expected. The syllabus she gave us was interesting: We are to design 5 casual,cocktail,evening and sports wear each for men and women where each is to be presented every meeting. Plus! We will be learning about make-up application, hair styling and other fashion related things.Our final plate is to draw a hundred designs for haute couture, sun dresses and corporate wear altogether.
A hundred designs isn't just a hundred designs. It is a major head ache and a total challenge for a fine arts major. I am going to need two hundred times the reference than the needed number of designs, which gives me the perfect excuse of buying pricey big ass fashion books. HIHIHI

I really am looking forward to this subject especially to the hundred-design final plate. This subject is a big opportunity for me as an aspiring fashion designer. I have to seriously work hard on and for this.

Right after dismissal, I went to the classroom next to ours to see how my other block mates were doing in their chosen elective. It turned out that their professor did not show up, so I stayed with them until noon. We had lunch at McDonald's and some of them headed home right after eating. I then hung out for a while with my block mates, Bade and Edgar.

A little while later, I asked my friend Yani if she wanted to come with me to the mall after her class, to pass time, and she agreed to come. We then left school and headed for the mall.

Our first destination was Powerbooks.

Segue: I enjoy hanging around bookstores even if I do not purchase anything. I do not know why, but it just makes me happy to see shelves of books (esp. art books) and racks of magazines and colorful whatnots (e.g. notebooks,pens,etc.). I usually just do this by myself, but I never thought that it would be this fun with a friend! :D

So anyway, we went around admiring and looking at book covers, reading plots, criticizing this, insulting that HAHAHA. It was fun. And we did that for two of the other bookstores (National Bookstore & Fully Booked) we went to. After which, we ate at Taco Bell, where they have an insanely sweet Strawberry Margarita Slush, by the way, which made my head ache! Aaaaand had Dairy Queen ice cream for dessert.

We walked around the mall thereafter and ended up at Saizen where we found loads of funny,unique,interesting,over the top and somewhat weird Japanese stuff. I was even almost tempted to buy the Shin Chan lemon flavored carbonated drink. HAHAHA

At around 6pm, we called it a day and decided to head home.
It had been a happy and lovely day and I hope to do this again soon :)

My Christmas Wish List PART I

I normally do not make Christmas wish lists simply because I am too lazy to make one and I am really not that materialistic. I'll make this year an exception though. So aside from inner peace, here are some of the material things I want.

1. Any Spanish learning book with audio cd

2. A pair of Cathy Clubmaster Ray Bans specifically with dark lenses and frames of neutrals and reds

photo from RayBan.com

TOP 10: Demi Lovato

I have always liked Demi Lovato's music. Between Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato, I think Demi's music has more "soul" in it, so I picked my top 10 favorite songs by her (in no particular order).

My Love's Like A Star

Unbroken

Everytime You Lie

Here We Go Again

Philippine Fashion Week, Vans Fashion Show

It was my first time to attend a Philippine Fashion Week event last October 29, 2011 at the SMX Convention Center and Mall of Asia.

I went with Kat and her sister Kayzzle because they had an extra ticket for two of the fashion shows, The Ramp and Vans. We did not make it to the The Ramp fashion show because we ran late. We however still made it to the Vans show shortly thereafter.

The Vans fashion show was okay - nothing spectacular, but it was an altogether good show. The stage and runway set up, by the way, was awesome.

It was a tiring first time experience for me, having to walk around the Mall of Asia in 5-inch heels. Hassle! It was fun though.

me
polo & pants | Mango
bag | Liz Claiborne
shoes | Charles and Keith
necklace | Nordstrom

This is because I adore stormtroopers now!

my current laptop wallpaper

Poem List 1

I have always adored poems and sonnets. They are, to me, a graceful combination of songs and stories that picture human passions through words that fill the heart with intimacy and longing.
But above all, I adore poets, for they are able to speak a language of pure emotion and intention.

I hope to write beautiful poems like these as well.
These, by the way, are some of my favorite poems by several poets. I wish for you to enjoy reading them as much as I did. Hihi :-)

Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe - MY ALL TIME FAVORITE!

It was many and many a year ago,

In a kingdom by the sea,

That a maiden there lived whom you may know

By the name of ANNABEL LEE;

And this maiden she lived with no other thought

Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,

In this kingdom by the sea;

But we loved with a love that was more than love-

I and my Annabel Lee;

With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven

Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,

In this kingdom by the sea,

A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling

My beautiful Annabel Lee;

So that her highborn kinsman came

And bore her away from me,

To shut her up in a sepulchre

In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,

Went envying her and me-

Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,

In this kingdom by the sea)

That the wind came out of the cloud by night,

Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love

Of those who were older than we-

Of many far wiser than we-

And neither the angels in heaven above,

Nor the demons down under the sea,

Can ever dissever my soul from the soul

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side

Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,

In the sepulchre there by the sea,

In her tomb by the sounding sea.

TOP 5: Audrey Hepburn Films

Breakfast at Tiffany's
based on the novel by Truman Capote
1961
Audrey Hepburn with George Peppard

My Fair Lady
1964
Audrey Hepburn with Rex Harrison

Hitchcock & S. Coppola

The Virgin Suicides
based on the book written by Jeffrey Eugenides
1999
James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett
Directed and written by Sofia Coppola

Rear Window
1954
James Stewart and Grace Kelly
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

On The Virgin Suicides:

This movie adaptation is nearly good enough and I found it very intriguing. I hope to read the book soon.

Overall Rating: ★★★

On Rear Window:

I literally almost fell off my seat with this one. It is just as good as his (Alfred Hitchcock) other masterpieces (e.g. Dial M for Murder). Full of suspense and heart stopping scenes that will keep you guessing.
Overall Rating: ★★★★

Grade Review: 3rd year, 1st semester

ADVERTISING PRACTICE IS HEAVEN'S GREATEST GIFT TO MY GRADES, I TELL YOU. A WHOPPING 1.75 FOR 3 SEMESTERS STRAIGHT SINCE ADPRAC2!! I love you, ADPRAC!! I hope to not break the streak next semester!

How I Met Your Mother Season 7!

Episode 1: The Best Man

Episode 2: The Naked Truth

Favorite parts/quotes:

EP01

Robin: Let it go. There is no chemistry left between me and Barney. We're done.

Lily: Oh really? Prove it. Go tell him

Robin: Why would I go tell him that?

Lily: Because deep down even if he's not aware of it himself, Barney wants to be with you. And if it's not gonna happen, he deserves to know.

-------

Barney: Oh my God it's Nora. Nora's finally calling back!

Robin: You said you never called her.

Barney: I lied, I called her like 5 times. Wait, wait! You, of all people know how much I suck at these things. You gotta help me. Please? For once I just want to know what it feels like to not screw things up.

Robin: Yeah, mhm.

Barney: Hey, Nora. Thanks for calling me back. Um. The reason that I called is...

Robin: To tell you how I feel about you.

Barney: To tell you how I feel about you.

Robin: I know we didn't work out the first time.

Barney: I know we didn't work out the first time.

Robin: And I know it doesn't make any sense

Barney: And I know it doesn't make any sense

Robin: But I can't shake this feeling that we belong together

Barney: But I can't shake this feeling that we belong together

Robin: Is there any part of you that wants to try again?

Barney: Is there any part of you that wants to try again?

-------

Ted: I stopped believing. Not in some, depressed-I-wanna-cry-during-my-toast way. Not in a way I even noticed until tonight. It's just everyday I believe a little less and a little less and a little less and that sucks. What do I do about that, Scherbatsky?

Robin: You're Ted Mosby. You start believing again.

Ted: In what? Destiny?

Robin: Chemistry. If you have chemistry, you only need one other thing

Ted: What is it?

Robin: Timing. But timing's a bitch...

Ted: Hey, we still have our 40 deal, right? When we're both still single at 40...

Robin: I'm all yours. Haha!

EP02

You can't talk yourself into falling in love. It doesn't take days of deliberation. When it's real, you know pretty quickly and with absolute certainty. I had forgotten that. -Ted

I love How I Met Your Mother so much ♥

Singapore 2011

My mom, my brother and I, went to Singapore last May 1. We stayed there for three nights and four days.

This trip is actually my 18th birthday gift, since I really wasn't interested in throwing a party (and traveling is pretty much more worth it). Daddy couldn't afford the Europe trip yet so I asked him if I could get a travel + shopping "package". I picked Singapore and he agreed.

DAY 1

arrival @ Changi airport • strolled @ Orchard Road

authentic Chinese cuisine for lunch

DAY 2

China Town

DAY 3

Universal Studios

The day before my actual birthday

Since Kim slept over, Nixie decided to come over our house to hang out with us for the day (yesterday, March 31, 2011). We painted stuff on our hands using nail polish and did some artwork on my sketchpad's pages :D

After lunch, Renard and Matmat came over and we ate pancakes for merienda. Afterwards, Kim and Nixie harassed (HAHAHAHAHHAHA!) Matmat to do a cover =)))))

my workplace

Kim's painting

Nixie's painting

my painting :)

Matmat doing a Two Is Better Than One cover

Pre-birthday dinner

@ Café Breton and dessert @ Amici, Tomas Morato last night (March 30, 2011) with Nixie, Yani, KatGar, Roque, Kim, Panjee, Dianne & Denise :-) we hung out at our house later that evening and had a few drinks then Kim slept over.
Thank you for an awesome night! :D I ♥ you guys forever :">

@ Café Breton

@ Amici. Had gelato for dessert ♥

@ my house