adventure – Page 2 – Gizelle Faye Creative Studio

bangkok tales episode five: buddha maxi overload

due to the pressure of Thailand buddha temples’ dress codes, we had to overly prepare for this just to make sure we get to see all the temples planned for the day. the dress code says to not wear shorts or fitted jeans (it’s too humid to wear jeans anyway), no short skirts or mini-skirts, no sleeveless tops and no slip-ons for shoes. well, if we have to wear such conservative clothes then we might as well have to dress it up right? and dress up we did. this has got to be my most fave outfit during the trip — mainly because i did get to wear layers, accessories and a studded belt.

we had a super funny and green tour guide for the day. everyone called her ms. bangkok and we thought it was a joke until she introduced herself to be ms. bangkok 20 years ago. my favorite line from her right at the start of the trip? “if you have questions, you can ask me anything just not my body…” LOL.

i wanted to tell you about all the temples we visited but then i’ll just let the photos do the talking.

on aimee: black and white striped maxi dress – props | blue cardigan – pratunam find | white fedora – pratunam find | black faux leather bag – sm dept store | black sandals – night market find

final and huge shopping post tomorrow! check back for two items for sale and a giveaway!

bangkok tales episode four: chatuchak weekend market

entering the chatuchak weekend market is like entering a maze of goodness. the market has layers of lines of shops that go around a tower. once you enter the market and see something you want to buy, it is suggested that you buy it and not say you’ll get back to it because chances are, you will forget where the shop was or you won’t have time to go back once you’ve finished scouring the whole market. with that advice in mind, the 10 of us went off in pairs so we won’t have to wait for each other and scattered all over the market. we decided to meet at one spot, which at one point or another i thought it was impossible to go back. good thing my dad found a good landmark to guide our direction.

the market sells clothes, shoes, accessories, bags, lots of cool shirts, make-up, gift materials, fabric, food, housewares, native raw materials, cellphone and mp3 player accessories and even pet supplies (even pets — i saw a really cute beagle puppy!). i was just completely overwhelmed in chatuchak and my wallet got overwhelmed too. i left 1500 Baht lesser and my feet hurt like hell — as if my heels were about to explode. oh i wish i can go back.

printed cotton dress – thrifted

beige shorts underneath my dress – thrifted

blue espadrilles – carcar find

green wide-brimmed hat – khaosan road find

black bag – nine west

by the way, twisted halo is giving away a pair of camera necklaces that are just so adorable!

the giveaway is open to Philippine readers only though but nevertheless, check out her blog here.

bangkok tales episode three: a dream come true

when we were planning our trip to Bangkok 5 months prior, one of my wishes was to ride, hold and feed an elephant. it came true on our second day in Bangkok! right after the floating market, we visited a place where we can ride an elephant for 30-40 minutes for only 600 Baht. our elephant’s name was Nhuong Nuon and she’s 25 years old. she’s really sweet, kind and didn’t give a fuss at all. she made the ride worth while because she kept stopping to pull out grass to eat and had to poo-poo 3 times! LOL. our elephant driver was really kind too as he got off Nhuong Nuon and volunteered to take photos of us while Nhuong Nuon followed him. i had the time of my life on that 30-minute ride!

we also dropped by Samphram Zoo to watch an elephant show — which was equally fun as well as the elephants were sooo adorable! one young elephant wouldn’t stop dancing, bouncing his head and wagging his right leg every time there’s music. at the end of the show, the elephants lined up and we had the chance to feed them. of course, i immediately jumped at the chance too! other than the elephant show, we also fed a line (or bunch) of crocodiles with chicken meat and took a picture with two tigers! oh how i love animals!

the day ended with scrumptious and cheap thailand street food — coconut and corn fried dumplings, sesame pork (my fave!) and grilled pork & fish balls. we also hung out across the nearby 7 eleven for a bottle of drinks — bacardi for aimee and me and singha beer for the rest.

shopping post tomorrow — 3 items for sale so do check it out!

bangkok tales episode two: floating market

a kind note to all: this is going to be a picture-heavy post so you’re patience is greatly appreciated.

photos are a combination of my canon sx20 and armand’s nikon d5000.

the floating market is part one of the second day in bangkok.

i can’t believe that even in Bangkok, we practiced the so-called ‘Filipino’ time. Filipinos are notorious for being late and this day was not an exception. room 2042 woke up 30 minutes prior to the schedule meet-up because instead of pressing snooze on their alarms, they turned it off. so naturally, at 15 minutes late, we had to enter the van with embarrassed faces as our tour mates might have been slightly pissed off.

we were brought to the floating market by a long speed boat which passed by several houses by the river. it was interesting to note how the rivers has served as the community’s passage way and how their livelihood has adapted to their location. it was really surprising (well, shocking) to see one lady washing their dishes on the mossy river water. we all opted to think that the water is full of nutrients that it is actually healthy to wash their dishes, fruits and vegetables there. *crossing fingers*

the boat ride cost 100 Baht and it was basically just so we can experience riding in the long wooden boats that they use to travel through the market. old ladies who were surprisingly still strong were manning these boats, including our own boat. you can find anything there from noodle boats where you can actually eat the noodles they cook in the boats, boats with fruits, vegetables, flowers, accessories, hats and even house ornaments. the boats travel slowly through the market and even bumped into each, naturally as if they’re not afraid of it breaking. i have to say the floating market is one surreal and different experience.

on me: white boho top with lace detail – thrifted | black shorts – maldita | grey espadrilles – carcar find | straw hat – khaosan road find | black handbag – nine west (you might notice i am lacking my usual bangles and necklaces — i was expecting to be shopping accessories on the 1st day but they turned out to be more expensive than expected)

i wish i can tell you what kitoy and armand wore but sadly, i missed asking them outfit details.

bangkok tales episode one: khaosan road + tuktuk

before i start telling you about our first adventure in Bangkok, i have to say it is really really (i need to add one more) really humid here. stepping out of an air-conditioned building is such a surprise because your face gets easily warm and you’re just suddenly hit with this unexpected humidity. it is surprising though that despite the humidity and the infamous traffic, the place is not as polluted as the streets in Manila. my first impression? Bangkok is like downtown Cebu, only 3 times bigger with 6 lane roads and lots of flyovers and beautiful buildings.

the morning after arriving, we were lucky enough to get 3 Tuktuks who would take us to Khaosan road for only 30 Baht. the drivers were really friendly and even brought us to this Jewelry Factory and Gallery where we found gorgeous (and expensive) jewelry made of different gems found there. my favorites were the big cocktail rings that were formed into animals like tigers, owls and foxes made of gemstones. my mom bought herself earrings and dad bought her a ring made of her birthstone and even bought my sister, Charm earrings for her wedding this December. as it turns out, the side trip to the Gallery was necessary so the Tuktuk drivers can get vouchers for free gas. I wonder how much free gas they got considering we bought quite a number of items.

Khaosan road is filled with street stalls selling all kinds of items — clothes, t-shirts, handicrafts, hats, sandals and even bikinis. they even have food stalls that sell yummy fruit shakes, fresh spring rolls and pad thai noodles — yummmmm! the items for sale seem cheap but since my sister, Charm has been to Bangkok several times, as it turns out Khaosan prices are a little steep because most of the people who visit there are foreigners from Europe and U.S. nevertheless, i still bought a floppy hat and 2 pairs of sandals there. will post about shopped items on Day 1 tomorrow. *wink*

my outfit: peach lace boho top – thrifted | grey denim shorts – props | beige gladiator flats – parisian | brown sunnies – carbon find

aimee’s outfit – black layered lace top – props | red shorts – thrifted | black belt – props | toms-like shoes – carcar find

charm’s outfit – ripped cropped tee – DIY | black tank top – props | black tulip skirt – props | black sandals – so fab | oversized grey bag – sm dept store

Before the Adventure was the Airport

the nearing of the trip and even the journey to the destination is always exciting. despite being tired and bored at times, as the excitement builds up, nothing else really matters. our flight from Cebu to Manila was at 4:55 PM and our flight from Manila to Bangkok was at 8:05 PM. i don’t know for the life of me why we had to stop over Manila for the Bangkok flight when flights to Hong Kong or Singapore were straight from Cebu but we didn’t mind the wait this time. we hardly set foot in Manila anyway and the international airport was pretty cool to hang out in especially with the free wifi at the coffee spot. one thing i hate with 2 plane trips though is yes, the 2 plane trips as i am scared to death of heights and flying. i feel safer in water as i know the density of the water will catch the ship but with planes, there’s nothing at the bottom. maybe i’m just paranoid or maybe it’s because i watch too many movies. i was awake for the whole 3 hours to Bangkok until we arrived there at 12:05 AM (Bangkok time).

so we packed light to make room for all the clothes, shoes and bags we’ll be shopping in Bangkok. believe me when i say light, i mean my suitcase got slightly flattened and deformed when i picked it up from the baggage claim because of all the air inside it. i made sure to pack really light clothes — all made of cotton– just 2 pairs of shorts, a cotton maxi dress and light cardigan for the buddha tour, 2 pairs of toms-like espadrilles and 1 pair of gladiator flats. for the next few days, i will be alternatively posting outfit shots and the items i shopped in Bangkok. all i can say is, Bangkok surely is a shopping haven.

boho top – thrifted from manager’s garage sale
denim shorts – thrifted
white flip-flops – havaianas
black bag – nine west
zebra print fedora – sm dept store, men’s section

never much of a follower

it’s funny how i’ve only started wearing gladiator flats now when the craze over it had died and other fashion experts have actually said it ‘is’ dead. nah, the hell with trends, i never go along with most of them anyway and i love them now and that’s all that matters. come to think of it, i never did like going with the crowd too much. not that i do it on purpose but sometimes i just allow everything crazy to pass before i start looking at it and get interested in it like how i’ve only started reading the Harry Potter series right when everybody else was on Book 4. i started reading the series on semestral break 2002 and boy did i catch up with everyone then by reading all the first 3 books over the 2-week break. or like when a song is all everyone can talk (or sing) about and i only stop and listen to it when everyone else has moved on to the next. i guess the craze over something distracts me from the actual purpose or meaning of the thing or i guess this is just some crazy bullshit i have in me just because i grew up a weird middle child. LOL.

so anyway, my family and i had an early trip to Simala today so we can give our thanksgiving and also send our petitions to Mama Mary. i am spiritual at most but also religious on a few occasions. i’m not a perfect catholic but i do have a strong faith in something bigger than us. everything i do, i put 100% in and the rest i pray for. as the trip was due south, we couldn’t help but drop by the shoe capital of Cebu — Carcar and buy ourselves some shoes too. my mom and sisters bought themselves some ballet flats for only P300 ($6) and we all bought TOMs-like espadrilles from a local store there for only P300 ($6) too!

ps. thank you everyone for the love and encouragement on my last post! i did come up with a good column idea for Instyle Cebu so kristine and i are in the works on establishing it. i knew i can always count on you guys!

mix prints dress – thrifted

mustard green cardi – thrifted

taupe gladiator flats – parisian, sm dept store

owl necklace – carbon find

black wallet – xoxo

work watch – swatch

i love you like i love reese’s

after the crazy night we had, my sister and i unconsciously just decided to stay home all day friday and lock ourselves in our room. what with the really painful headache and hangover, we couldn’t really move around. so we spent the whole day watching How I Met Your Mother or taking turns using the computer. we did get bored by 7:00 PM and at one point decided to go to SM and go shopping but we were too lazy to take a shower and dress up. it wasn’t until 10:00 PM that we felt that we needed to go out and since watching How I Met Your Mother always makes me hungry, i convinced Aimee to grab some pizza and hot wings.

so we drove over to Banilad Town Center and visited Yellow Cab Pizza what we needed to cure our hangover was an oily and cheesy pizza and the super yummy Yellow Cab hot wings. and since we were already there, we had ourselves some frozen yogurt from Yo-Go Boy too. if you’re asking what those round toppings on the fro-yo are, those are the awesomely yummy reese’s puffs. the puff just melts in your mouth and the peanut butter and chocolate just explodes in your mouth! perfect combination to the blueberry and cashew nuts! the pig-out was definitely worth the 20 minute drive from our house!

white graphic tee – borrowed from boyfriend (props)

black leggings – random

black beaded sandals – people are people

bangles: gold and pink rhinestones – gifted from india | enamel bangles – HK find

fairy long necklace – props

black handbag – nine west

on aimee:

multi-colored top – marc jacobs (from my manager’s garage sale)

white shorts – props

white oversized bag – celine (gifted from her bf)

i’ve never..episode one: the broiled duck embryo

so my friends ‘attempted’ a belated surprise birthday for me until i ran into them on my way inside ayala and found them mulling over which cake to buy in vanille patisserie. i actually felt bad at first because i was supposed to meet karen there at 8:00 PM and she told me she would just text me when she’s on her way, only to find her with our other friends without texting me. it took me a minute to realize after seeing their shocked faces that it was a surprise for me. so i gave them time and told them i had an errand to run and will be back right after. but yes, even when i busted them planning my surprise, it was still pretty sweet. they had the waiter bring my birthday cake (the small balls on top are super yummy truffles) and my balloons. and guess what? they gave me a jane austen book too! yey!

anyway, so on to the much awaited balot challenge — one of the many challenges my friends and i are going to make over the next few weeks. we drove midtown and found a balot vendor by the city’s rotunda and each bought a 16-day old balot — one with a slightly formed duckling inside. with the help of the dark street, some vinegar and salt, suffice to say, it wasn’t much of an excruciating experience for me as it was for karen. she really had a hard time swallowing the duck embryo. here are some photos:

grey dress – props

leopard-print flats – parisian, sm dept store

bangles – gifted

rings: starfish and round white – props

necklaces: fairy – props | handbag – parkmall

ps. Join Fashionista Fortune Cookie’s First Ever Giveaway! She’s giving away 3 jackets!

volume one: i have never…

i mentioned on my previous post that my friend, Karen and I are planning to make our month-long work break more memorable by doing things we’ve never done before. here’s the first five things we are going to do:

EAT TUNA SASHIMI. i have never eaten raw tuna. although i do eat salmon but i have always found the darker meat color of the tuna revolting.
LEARN TO COOK A FILIPINO DISH. i do know how to cook as long as there is a recipe so i know how to cook italian or thai food but i have never learned how to cook a filipino dish. filipino food is the way to a man’s heart, is what they say.
PEEL AN ORANGE. yes, peeling an orange is the most normal thing in the world and it’s weird why i haven’t done so. well, try being a 6-year old who ate a dozen oranges with your cousin and ended up getting sick because of it. i mean, really really sick that every time you smell an orange, you feel nauseous.
GO KARTING. the kartzone race track has been in cebu for quite some time but i never got around to tryng it. now is the time!
EAT A BALUT. a balut is the infamous fertilized duck that is boiled and eaten in its shell. i have eaten balut before but only the young one, with the regular yolk and balut soup. the one i have yet to try is the 16-day old and above balut that already has formed duck embryo so you can see its bill, feet and some feathers. my sister aimee, believe it or not, loves this food and i am too chicken to eat it. haha! good luck!

day-end posts will be made right after we’ve undergone one adventure. we shall commence next week!

image credits: tuna sashimi – http://fotobank.ru/image/SF14-2902.html | pork sinigang – http://www.thephilippineisland.com/philippine-recipes/filipino-sinigang-na-baboy-sour-soup-pork-recipe.html | orange peel – http://www.ilivechocolate.com/only-5-pds-for-an-hour-of-zesting/ | karting – http://www.cebudirectories.com/kartzone | balut – http://jbw53191.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

in the land of mickey

felt like a kid again in disneyland! after watching all the amazing shows there, my sister and i had the urge to a have a disney princess movie marathon — beauty and the beast, cinderella, little mermaid…haha! we had to laught as we remembered my friend’s facebook status: “thank you disney for giving me high expectations for love…” so true!

scarf – macau street market

blazer – thrifted

white tank top – thrifted

grey knitted sweater – thrifted

black skirt – props

studded boots – ladies market – mongkok

chinese + portuguese

i didn’t mind walking around too much. the streets were clean. and everyone looked fabulous. went on a 1-hr ferry trip to macau and it was a lot colder than i expected. i always imagined macau to be sunny just like how i see it on tv. it was sunny alright but windy and lot more colder than hong kong. the streets were somewhat empty because of the grand prix. too many roads were closed. did some more shopping at the macau streets..as usual!

pashmina scarf – hongkok street

black blazer – thrifted

pinstripe shirt dress – thrifted

black tights | black belt – props

boots – janilyn

bag – maldita

glasses – thrifted