Summer Lovin' Calaguas Islands

Summer has started in some parts of the globe. Here in the Philippines, summer is officially over and the rainy season has taken over. But before everything else turns gloomy and damp, I'd like to share my Summer Lovin' moment in Calaguas Islands.

Calaguas is a group of islands in the province of Camarines Norte under the jurisdiction of the town of Vinzons. It's a paradise consisting of fine white sand, crystal-clear waters, blue skies and green hills. The best thing about it is that unlike Boracay (the famous beach destination in the Visayas region which is marred with bars, restaurants, and hotels), Calaguas is an unspoiled beauty.

*all pictures taken by me


More posts to come!

On Friendship and Suppressed Feelings

It was your birthday and we all had a great time dancing and singing the night away. It was also the moment I decided that even though I like you, it's better to just keep it to myself and that I'd probably be happy if we remain just as we are...friends. 

After you drove me to my apartment (by the way thanks for driving all of us), I was convinced that it's better this way. You and me and this friendship. And I don't want to ruin it.

I always remind myself to stop liking you as someone special. I thought I was doing fine. But the more I convinced myself, the more my suppressed feelings are coming back to life. 

Last night was not an exception. 

This morning, I thought it was all gone and that I'm ready to go back in track. But the feelings are still there. If I were brave enough, I would definitely tell you all these random things: 

     I love...
            looking at your eyes
            how much taller you are compared to me
            sitting in the front seat of your car
            all those silly things you say to me and to other people
            the way you speak
            how kind you are
            that you are a family-oriented guy


But sadly, for now, they would have to sit here in my blog until I find the courage.


-DBC-

Saturday Shopping: Paperdolls, Max Factor, & Veet

Since I'll be attending a seminar next week, I decided to look for an outfit yesterday at SM City Calamba. I was thinking of wearing either a shift dress or slacks+blouse but I find it difficult and time consuming looking for and fitting slacks and blouses so I opted for the shift dress instead. It's much easier to fit dresses and it's pocket-friendly also compared to buying slacks and blouse since the two are different items with two different price tags. Hehe. Anyway, here's what I've got:

Paperdolls Checkered Dress
It's my first buy from the local brand Paperdolls. I love that it's a simple black and white dress and its checkered pattern brings out the mod style of the 1960's.

I also love that it has a small collar! And the back of the dress is all black (not pictured) which in a way balances the checkered front. And guess what? The dress is on sale (P1499.75 P799)! If you don't know my shopping capabilities, I have a somewhat good radar when it comes to on-sale items that fit my shopping standards.

Max Factor Colour Elixir Giant Pen Stick
I'm not a lipstick kind of girl (since I have dry and chappy lips, lipsticks always tend to have uneven smudges on my lips) but ,of course, I still want to have a touch of color in my lips. Thankfully, lip stains+lip balm combos are out in the market nowadays. I am particularly in favor of the lip crayons/giant pens. They are easy to apply. They add color as well as moisture to your lips, thus preventing the chapped look. I've been using the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (001 Honey Douce) for several months now and I love it. It has a rosy pink color. To add some variation, I wanted to try other shades (more natural looking on the slightly red or coral tones), which led me to try the Max Factor Colour Elixir stick in the shade of  Subtle Coral 20. I tested it and it looked and felt so natural. This is definitely going to be added in my day-to-day girly arsenal. By the way, I got it also on sale, P525 P425. Am I lucky or what? =)

Note: If you're going to use these products, after applying, you'll see that your lips are going to be somewhat shiny because of the lip balm. Just use a piece of tissue and slightly dab it on your lips to remove the shine.

Veet Hair Removal Cream
And lastly, I bought a hair removal cream (P265). I've never done shaving or waxing my legs because as what people say, once you started doing them, you have to maintain them. But the hair on my lower legs are quite obvious now, so for the first time in forever, I am going to try this hair removal cream. I bought Veet's cream for sensitive skin just to avoid some adverse effects. Hopefully, it will work out fine.

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Oh, the things that you buy as a girl! Haha!

Sweet Tooth Cravings: Felicia's

For my second Sweet Tooth Cravings post, I'd like to introduce you to Felicia's. It's another cake and pastry house that I tried while I was in Negros Occidental. After visiting different historical landmarks and having lunch in Manukan (filled my stomach with the tasty Bacolod chicken inasal), we went to Felicia's (Robinson's branch) for a dessert galore moment.

I was again surrounded by cakes, macarons, tarts, pies...you name it! I was like having a feast just by looking at all of them!

Here are some close-ups. (While writing this, I am in the you-wish-they-are-real-you-wanna-taste-them-at-this-very-moment. Haha!)

We ordered some pastries and slices of different cakes just to taste as many as we can. One thing that I love about the cakes and pastries in Bacolod is that they are not too sweet. And Felicia's live up to that. Even the chocolate is not that sweet! I love it!

P.S. This Sans Rival (pictured above) is heaven!

Balay Negrense

Balay Negrense, Hiligaynon for Negrense House, is located in the city of Silay, Negros Occidental built in 1897. Balay Negrense is the ancestral hoouse of Victor Fernandez Gaston, son of sugar baron Yves Leopold Germain Gaston (native of France) and Prudencia Fernandez. Today, it is listed as a heritage house and serves as a museum showing the lifestyle of a wealthy sugar planter in the 1900's.

The Fernandez Gaston Family Tree

Info Sources:
Balay Negrense Homepage
Wikipedia - Balay Negrense