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)

on aimee: white lace-up top – thrifted | blue vest – thrifted | grey denim shorts – thrifted | black flip-flops – havaianas | white braided belt – sm dept store | dog tag necklaces – custom-made

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


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on the first day in bangkok, i shopped…

our hotel is luckily situated beside pratunam, the wholesale shopping haven in bangkok. all kinds of vendors are selling at the side of the streets too so you can imagine my amazement at seeing all the shopping possibilities. 
the striped briefcase bag, regardless of how cute i find it to be, i am selling because i realized i no longer work in a corporate office and will not be bringing papers anytime soon. i would love to put my laptop in it but i have yet to purchase my own laptop too…haha! i guess you could say this was an impulse buy which i’m very glad to share with all of you.
*shipping fee not included in the price so if you’re interested, e-mail me your location and we can discuss your shipping fee. for local readers, payment is accepted through paypal and gcash
*for international readers, standard shipping fee to U.S. and Canada is $15. payment is accepted through paypal only.
more items for sale will be posted soon. so if you want the bag, maybe you’ll find something to match it with. *wink*

oh and before i forget, Fashionista Fortune Cookie is giving away Ichigo Oxford Shoes that are just to die for! Check it out!


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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


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Incorporating Hats in Your Wardrobe

Hats have been used for centuries first as mere protection for the head to soon becoming a fashion staple and an expression of art. The attention of the onlookers is easily caught because of how hats are worn on top of the body. This has caused hats to be a necessary accessory for most people. Most people include me. I have always had a fascination with hats as a kid. I’ve found movie characters wearing hats to be interesting and was then always on the hunt of hats in thrift shops and vintage stores. I have recently revived this hobby after stopping when we moved twice in the last 7 years.

Fall is nearing in other countries and while they are enjoying the cool breeze and the picturesque colors of the autumn leaves, there are people like me in tropical countries who have the sun all year-round. Panama Hats and light Fedora Hats were created for this reason. These hats are breezy and breathable so the head still gets protected and looks fashionable even without breaking a faucet of sweat. Our trip to Bangkok most especially needed light and breezy hats in the outfits as the sun was always out and it was humid all day. For a bohemian girl like me, here are different ways to incorporate these hats into an outfit:




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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


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Save The Best For Last.. NOT.

Well, NOT REALLY. The first three guest bloggers are making me run for my life! Haha! You guys did an amazing job and all I wanna do now is pass up on this chance and wait for Gizelle to make an appearance tomorrow. You all are making me nervous! Haha!
Anyhoo, I’m Toni of Perfumed Red Shoes and I’d like to share with you a little sumpthin, sumpthin I onced blogged over at PRS. Although its the same concept, I did make an effort this afternoon to re-do the whole thing in less than 15 minutes so I wouldn’t have to re-copy and re-paste my pictures. haha. But first, I’d like to apologize for my lack of creativeness in this particular post; things have been a little difficult these past couple of days hence the apparent dehydration of my brain cells. Creative juices no more. boohoo.
OKAY. nuf said. Let’s get down and dirty with business.
How To Do: Flower Nail Art
First, base color should be completely dry before making 3 blobs of lacquer on each of your nails using the ball end of a safety pin
Using the sharp end of the pin, run it across the blob in one swift motion to make them look like petals.
well, sort of 🙂
Using a pointed object (the nearest one I can find is a coloring pencil) dip it in lacquer and apply a small amount on the center of the petals

Finish off with a layer or two of clear or glitter top coat and…

TADA! I hope I did not disappoint. gaah. *spazzes out*

And since a fashion blog wouldn’t be complete without an outfit post, here’s me wearing…

bought online sweatheart dress. Sinulid cardigan. SM Dept store braided belt.
One Cebu Expo earrings. Mossimo Velika Lace-ups.

MY WARMEST THANKS to Gizelle for choosing me as one of the guest bloggers for her precious blog. I hope (again) that I did not disappoint! AND I am sooo looking forward to reading your future posts from BANGKOK! Thanks again, Gizelle!

much love,
Toni

DIY the Blonds

Hello there Vanilla Ice Cream readers, I’m Philip of Fashion Toy Gun. I guess you already know why I’m here. Before going-on to the real topic of this post. I would like to say thank you to Gizelle for trusting and choosing me as a substitute blogger. (Take care wherever you are, Gizelle! <3)

(NOTE: I’m not a really good writer. Sometimes, I construct sentences with a wrong thought or grammar. So in this case, I want you to just be cool with anything that you’re  going to read.)

Now back to business…

 
I’m so happy to share this with you. Another DIY project that I made. The Blonds ala Samantha Jones on SATC 2, Rihanna, and Kristin Cavallari. Check out The Blonds’ site here.  I did this one for one night only and slept on 4 am in the morning. I missed all my classes the next day because I couldn’t get up for sleeping late. But hey, it turned out really good. This is just an outfit post. So If you want to see how I made the project. I’m going to write a post about it some time this week in my blog. (I don’t know what happened to the memory card of my camera. It won’t sync in the computer.)
 A closer look. Studs, rhinestones?, chains, and screws. LOL
 DIY the Blonds coat, Polo from Mint, Black Skinny jeans from Jag, Black dress shoes from Steve Madden, Spiked Cuffs, man-clutch from thrift shop
❤ Philip.

gatecrash 101


08.21.2010


Hey everyone, my name is Lyka. A big thank you to Gizelle for choosing me as one of her guest post. Aaahhh this is making me nervous eerrr. Kathi, u did a great job! 

This maybe a li’l different since i seldom do outfit post and I have been MIA for weeks in crazy/beautiful (follow me!). Im a photography hobbyist and here’s the latest shoot I had with a couple who’s getting married next month. The love birds asked me to do their prenup and iimmediately said yes. I know it’ll be fun working with them since they’re my good friends. Oh btw, a big thank you to cian — my assistant, my driver and my boif(*kisses*). Chuky, my model-programmer friend for assistingand for bringing the basket(hehe) and Maurice for the hair & MUA. Went to SRP for our first location, I didn’t have a permit so my “charm” does all the work.yey! haha Thank you SRP guards! *wink*  I wanted my photos to look like we’re in a  different place so i tried to get the best angle . Let me know your thoughts :












Here’s a freebie, I know i said that it’ll be different.. anyways, an outfit post! weeehhh

on my way to work. 



these lovely rings are from sweet and lee. 



top leopard print – a giveaway from Sweet of pensandlens
cardigan – bugis, singapore
bottom skirt – thrifted
belt – genevieve gozum
black shoes – leaveland
ray ban – a gift from a friend
camera ring – a giveaway from Sweet of pensandlens
vintage ring – a giveaway from Lee of spunkandglam


P.S. I joined the Black+White Studio Shoot Yourself! Photo Contest on facebook. Please vote for my dog. Here’s the link :  JUST SHOOT ME – Chubby

intruder alert

Hello, readers of this blog. My name is Kathi Eric.

Gizelle is indisposed, so I’ll be your substitute blogger for today. Please don’t throw tomatoes or soda cans at me. Cans are metallic and I don’t have a hockey helmet on. More importantly, I went college-kid grunge today, and orange tomato paste on my clothes would just make me look like I have poor hygiene and not grungy on purpose.

So anyway. Today I’m gonna show you how to make your own DIY popcorn. You’re going to need these:

  • a bag of unpopped popcorn seeds 
  • a microwave

 Now here’s what you do:

  1. Place the bag of popcorn seeds in the microwave.
  2. Set the timer to two minutes and five seconds.
  3. Wait for the ping indicating the two minutes, five seconds are up. 
  4. Take out the bag, and VOILÀ! Your very own DIY popcorn!

And that’s my time, everybody. Hope y’all found that useful.

My heartfelt thanks to Gizelle Faye for allowing me this opportunity to share what I know to her readers. And for giving me so many writing topics to choose from, like outfit, photography, fashion . . . DIY . . .

Wait a minute. Did she say “fashion or DIY”? Or just “fashion DIY”? Oops.

(If you want to thank me for teaching you how to make your own popcorn and for changing your life, do visit me and shower me with praises. If you want to throw tomatoes at me, I’m not home.)

red slouchy beanie: F21
gray tank top: thrifted
stonewashed jeans: thrifted
red skinny belt: Charlotte Russe
brown-and-white striped cardigan: thrifted
moccasins: thrifted


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melancholic excitement

ever since our family went on a hongkong trip last year, we’ve decided to take family trips outside the country at least once a year. since both my mom and dad are almost retiring from their jobs and all of us siblings have graduated college and are all working, we thought we deserve a break every year. this year’s trip is to Bangkok, Thailand. our local airlines Cebu Pacific, despite some people’s bad experience with it, has regular seat sales and luckily, we were all able to avail of the sale having our round trip tickets at half the price! so we booked our flights months ahead and have been counting down to the day of our trip — which is tomorrow. 
ironically though, i am both utterly excited and sad to leave because for one, our grandma passed away last week in Texas and will be brought to Cebu this week when we’re not here and secondly, Harry is still in the hospital and will still be by the time i leave for Bangkok tomorrow. i am very much worried for him as his fever has been going up and down for the past 4 days. he’s had a diagnosis of two bacterial infections and  might have another diagnosis of dengue fever. i badly wish that i can cut my body in half and enjoy in Bangkok with family and take care of Harry too.
on a brighter note, that ring on my ring finger was given to me by marianne for my birthday. it is an owl’s head and it has wings on the side. i know didn’t do the ring justice with the photos i took. my sisters even thought it’s a frog. nevertheless, i love it! it has so much character and that’s exactly what i want to exude. thanks yannie for the gift!
also, a surprise awaits you my readers this coming august 20-23. make sure to check out my blog on those times!
blue plaid dress – thrifted (mink)
grey gladiator flats – parisian, sm dept store
owl ring – gifted from marianne
rectangle stone ring – props
layers of gun-metal bangles – props
gun-metal reindeer necklace – bubble bee tea house
dogtag necklace – custom-made
work watch – swatch


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photo possibilities + body clock change

i meant to do a post last night but i had to watch and take care of Harry at the hospital — he got admitted for a bacterial infection and has had a fever on and off. he’s doing a bit well now, if you should ask. he still has a slight fever but he’s no longer having chills.
the photos here were taken at one part of the office area. the place is teeming with possibilities and i can’t wait to shoot in all areas possible. the office is located in an advent center which looks like a really big house and our room is on the first door. aside from the interesting areas to shoot outside, the building has a terrace with talisay trees in the background and white wooden panels on the walls. on the way up to the second floor is a wooden staircase, some antique stuff like old radios, typewriter and antique sofas. the the center is on a compound which also has an italian restaurant — haven’t eaten there thought as they say it’s quite expensive. good thing the aroma of the italian food doesn’t reach the office because one thing i have discovered on a ‘day’ job is that it definitely has heightened up my appetite. if you’ve notice, i’ve gained weight in these photos. 
i think i’ve gained about 5 lbs. i just can’t stop eating! i think i get hungry every 3-4 hours which is not good for me because i easily gain weight. although i am not on a strict diet as i eat whatever i want like sinful desserts and all the meat i can eat, i try though to choose food items that are healthier like brown rice, whole wheat bread, lean meat or char-grilled all-meat burgers instead of the ones found in fast food chains with meat extenders in the form of eggplants that easily absorb oil. shifting to a day job has certainly shifted my hormones and body clock too and so far, i am still adjusting. hope this adjustment transitions faster because i might no longer fit into my clothes! (or the denim levi’s high-waist cut-offs i thrifted last month which i have yet to wear! buhu…)
okay, so the following photos below are a result of a gay friend who has worked for Drawingboard for more than a year but was only encouraged to be gayer because i started working their too. we decided to wear heels this day and maybe on all other days in the office. you might find his face to be familiar to you — meet Armand Alforque in black booties:
striped oversized cardigan – thrifted
white tank top – thrifted
grey skinny jeans – thrifted
black peep-toe booties – celine (gifted from harry)
pink suede belt – big sister’s closet
robot necklace – downtown find
rings: black rectangle stone + white round stone – props
work watch – swatch

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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


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