Wonderful Weeknd

My mother's hometown, Baao, is a thirty-minute (forty-five when commuting) ride away from Pili town, where we reside. We visit my mother's siblings and my cousins whenever there's a special occasion to celebrate and during long weekends when we simply like to. We were just there on New Year's Eve to kickstart 2013 with some woohoo-ing together as relatives -- we didn't have horns to blow, just ooh's and aah's as on the midnight sky we viewed the nice fireworks displays that moneyed local folks spent on some of their fortune, or, but I hope not, they had on credit.

We came back after more than a week for my aunt's birthday.

Kalamay-yum!

I will one day be good in taking photos of food

Slept at my Tita's bedroom.

To-read before bedtime

Good morning!

It never feels old to be in some place that's serene and green. 

A Thank You Note and more

I don't like saying this phrase 

but I'm gonna this time: Amazeballs last night!! 

Salamat kay Papa God, 

sa aming mga inspiring and ever-dedicated community nanays, 

sa mga cool brand ambassadors, 

sa mga sumoporta (e.g. sponsors) 

-- at sa magiging supporters na rin, 

kay Gang Badoy (shet, she's so astig) who hosted the event-gathering, 

at sa mga so-wonderful volunteers. 

Bonggang bambam na Salamat! 

Dios Mabalos!

I'm very grateful that I've become part of the Mr. Kengkoy endeavor. 

Good job to the core team! 

Let's don't forget to give ourselves a well-deserved pat on the back.

Photo not mine

Let's do more! So, what's next? :))

Who is Alia Wang?

I have a tumblr I named "Badingger-Z Files," where I basically post random interesting (at least for me) stuff.

Lately, I can't help but notice the swell of hearts and reblogs of a photo of the adorable Alia, who happens to be designer Alexander Wang's niece, I posted last September.

1,124 Notes and counting: Alia Wang in her version of her uncle's quintessential downtown NYC look

I want chic child of mine now!

Two this-very-early-2013 thoughts

Firstly: Happy New Year! Happy 2013!

Hey, 2013 is so here. Hey, now here's some concerns:

• Don't say "2013, please be good to me/us" (What the heck has 2013 already done to you?),  say "2013, I'll be good with you." (Referring 2013 as a person now, eh?)

• People should stop -- please, stat! -- being anxious (also see: O-A) that they had a lamon (eating in the context of Man Vs. Food) marathon during the holidays. Some of us are lucky enough that eating (or not eating) is still a choice, as for others, eating is barely an option.

Kthanks. Belated cheers to a refreshed us!

What's your Christmas tradition?

One of mine has become eating lasagna like I haven't all-year-round.

Not food photography-worthy

P.S. May you be surrounded by laughter and God's love this Christmas. I wish you all a very Merry-gayang Pasko! ☺

So, I'm alive! (Also: guilty pleasures post)

(Yes, I am still existing!) The world would end, a friend told me last night while we were having coffee, at 11 AM (London time), and when he looked at his phone's clock, London time was already around 30 minutes past 11 AM (London time.) The world didn't end. 

There is more to life.

The Mayans-predicted Apocalypse just became a good excuse to dress-up (I wore my new fave blazer to work and a striped t-shirt a former supervisor gave me-- and pants, of course), and to party-- in the office, we had a superhero-movie screening doomsday binge (we chomped junk food-- guilty!) /snacking party. 

What bade farewell though is my still-fave (judge me, now) Gossip Girl. Spoiler Alert: Gossip Girl is Dan Humphrey! I will miss/get nightmare of(guess which of which applies) Nate's handsomeness (and mascara-ed lashes), Chuck's DOM voice, Dan's annoying post-high school hair styles, Michelle Trachtenberg as Georgina Sparks (I love the first name, I will name my IVF, or adopted, baby either that or Georgiana), Serena's golden girl-worthy wardrobe, Blake Lively's scoff-and-roll-eyes -worthy Serena acting, Blair's witty punchlines, etc. Because the show has become a part my kidult-formative years. Seriously, judge me now! But that's why there is this thing we call guilty pleasure, right? 

I must say this: thank you, "greatest show of our time."

Xoxo

Wish List December Holidaze 2012

We all have our wants and needs and what-have-we. In my quite many failed blogs, I used to make wish lists but they do not come true -- heck! And yet I feel like it's obligatory to still make one; I do like list-making.

With 13 days to go till Christmas Day, I have randomly come up with 13 bullets of wants/wishes. Here they are:

1. My to-be-actually-tech-savvy list is here.

The traditional ones:

2. An analog note-taking device would always be appreciated.

3. Books!

• If you love witty women (like I do platonically). Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) - Mindy Kaling

• To gain insights from the depths of the heart of the U.S. Vogue. Grace: A Memoir - Grace Coddington (Creative Director, Vogue U.S.)

• Relive the teenage dreams and be nostalgic, or just be the kids-at-heart that we are with Rookie Yearbook One - Edited by Tavi Gevinson

• For the fashion fan with an interest in stylish imagery, Vogue: The Editor's eye is a coffee-table book must-have. It's full of fashion history!

If only my ~trust fund~ or what remains in it can foot the books bill. All above are available in leading book stores, i.e. National BookStore.

Other books I won't mind getting:

Phaidon's The Art Book: The New Edition to compliment my newfound interest in art history.

Ivy Style, Alexander McQueen (The Life and The Legacy), Empress pf Fashion: The Life of Diana Vreeland, Stylists, the list goes on..

I know, I know, Nanay Socorro Ramos would be a lovely godmother to have.

4.  Okay.. National BookStore gift certificates.

For my worldly sense and sensibilities: 5. Monocle subscription. Because tt's majhalajay!

6. An H&M store in the Philippines. Please, Mr. Henry Sy or Don Jaime Zobel!

7.Some pieces in Opening Ceremony's Yoko Ono: Fashions for Men are haunting me.

Especially the trousers!

8. This should be more of a goal: find a more meaningful -- and better-paying -- job. My year 1 in insurance-financial services is fast approaching and I'm not 100% sure yet if I'd extend my work.

9. Success for all of my endeavors. For those of my kapamilyas as well.

10. A good watch: one oversized from Swatch, please.

11. Nothing beats getting handwritten letters from friends and family.

12. Looking forward to having some great food and bottles of good/bad alcohol on that special day.

13. Noche Buena groceries for our weaving community nanays.


Hear me out, Santa -- and generous citizens of the world!

My gratitude in advance!