Fall Shopping

We're on the last weekend of summer before Labor Day—then it'll officially be fall. Le sigh.

On the bright side, holiday weekend sales are happening and aplenty!

These caught my fancy over at Rebecca Minkoff:

1) The Maria

I instantly thought of my niece, Maria (who's no longer so little) and sent the link promptly to her mom. :) I love the punchy color combination, the envelope design, and the pleats. And it seems roomy enough to stash essentials and more.

2) The Coco Clutch

I would love this for myself, but alas, I rarely ever go out for cocktails or events these days. (Maybe if I start blogging more I can revive my editorial life, haha.) But then again, I think this can work at the office—I always carry a second, roomier bag anyway (e.g. my reusable Trader Joe's shopping tote).

3) M.A.C. Clutch

It's white! It's laser-cut! It's adorable! This reminds me of an old pair of pointy slingback flats I had a long time ago...

New York Summer Streets

Bikers on Park Avenue.

"Summer Streets is an annual celebration of New York City’s most valuable public space—our streets. On three consecutive Saturdays in the summer, nearly seven miles of NYC’s streets are opened for people to play, walk, bike, and breathe... On August 3, 10 & 17, from 7am to 1pm, nearly seven miles of New York City’s streets are opened up for everyone to play, run, walk and bike." Source: NYC.gov

Here are pics from yesterday's lovely walk down Park Avenue from 42nd St. by Grand Central, down to the Flat Iron District in the 20s. Summer Streets goes the full stretch from East 72nd St., all the way downtown at Brooklyn Bridge. Here's the route from the website:

Summer Streets route, including rest stops.

Park Avenue tunnel closed to traffic from 7am to 1pm.

Sharing the streets.

Bikers, rollerbladers (even skateboarders and unicyclers) all welcome!

It looks like they added more Citibikes for rent for this event.

A Gotham-y shot near 23rd St.

Summer Highlights

One of the challenges I find with blogging these days is the "real-time-ness" of posts—chronicling notable and bloggable events on the same day. I'm constantly playing catch-up...or going completely M.I.A., as you can tell with my complete lack of posts for the month of July. Sigh.

But, moving along. I have been meaning to write about season's highlights. I'm a summer girl at heart. Summer is my favorite season, summer is when I feel the most nourished, summer is when I get an ample dose of Vitamin D, and summer is also when I can get dressed in five minutes flat (I'm a matchy-matchy kind of person so you can just imagine the agony of putting together layers in the winter time).

Without further ado, highlights from the last couple of weeks (which, in the blogging world, is eons!):

1) Summer Beauty
Well, it was still technically spring when I purchased these two lip treats from Sephora: Bite Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencil in Pomegranate and YSL Volupté Sheer Candy Glossy Balm Crystal Color in Succulent Pomegranate. The former does say 'matte' but it goes on soft and creamy, leaving a rich hue on lips, while the latter is indeed a colored gel-balm that leaves a nice hint of sheer cherry. YSL's packaging is absolutely adorable and I certainly got it for prettiness.

A couple of weeks back, before it got really hot, I got a tube of Brazilian True Tan to kickstart my summer sun-kissed skin. I'd originally planned on purchasing something from St. Tropez, but, after reading the ingredients and giving it a whiff, I went for the former. Brazilian True Tan's formula is supposedly infused with AHA, so you don't have to exfoliate before applying. The color you get is very subtle, hence the claim "non-streak" on the packaging, because you can build on color, instead of slathering it on in one dark dollop. As with any self-tanner, you still have to watch it when it comes to elbows, ankles, and knees—wipe off any excess on these areas.

Okay, it's the weekend—I'm a beauty copywriter by day so writing about beauty on my day off feels like a bus driver's holiday—so I'm moving on to the next summer highlight...

2) Summer Solstice!

Next to Christmas, this is my favorite time of the year. It is the longest day where we get the most sunlight. Fortunately, my husband spotted the invite in the mail to sign up for the yearly Solstice In Times Square event. It was so surreal doing yoga right there, that I kept on peeking during Savasana to look at the buildings towering above me.

Bright and early!

I believe Vasisthasana (Side Plank) was the peak pose for that morning's session. That's me on the left, in the rainbow pink top. I'm quite proud of my Vasisthasana, simply because I could barely do one only a few years ago. Next stop: the full expression of the pose (yogi toe lock, leg extended at a 45-degree angle).

Fun and surreal doing yoga in Times Square!

3) Hova brought sexy back.

We got to see Jay Z and Justin Timberlake in concert at Yankee Stadium! :) The Legends of Summer tour paired the two music heavyweights, resulting in a concert experience to remember! Happy Summer days indeed.

Last Call for Summer

Pink ribbed tank, Uniqlo; pink and purple printed
shorts, Target; old gold and white bead necklace,
made by a former editor turned accessories designer;
cuff, Happy David; bangles, "secret" accessories

store in NY

Summer in the city is my absolute favorite season of the year for the simple reason that I'm not freezing and I can get dressed in five minutes flat. Bright and airy fabrics, vibrant prints, and happy florals make up my warm-weather wardrobe. But alas—come September first, summer would be "officially" over. There's that no-white-pants-after-Labor-Day "rule" (why not???) and already, sweaters and boots filling up store shelves. So what's a busy New York bee to do? Blog! …About the fun and fab summer clothes that I'll definitely still be wearing next summer. They're a mix of old and new pieces, high and low finds (or more like "medium" and low) and accessories culled over time.

Cheers to a summer well-enjoyed!

Calypso for Target mixed-bead, multi-layer necklace.

Very, very old Gap tank from my mom;
Topshop shorts circa Summit days;
same accessories as opening photo.

LOVE this dotted, bright melon ball skirt from Zango!
Wooden bead necklace, an old gift from Kat;
bronze Havaianas sandals; Fossil watch from my husband.

Street Shopping

DAY 20

of the 30-Day Blog Challenge, 2011

Stop, look, and shop.

Among my favorite things about New York City are the street markets that prop up on weekends in certain parts of town. It's a joy to alight from the subway stop and be greeted by an unexpected road bazaar that stretches out over blocks and blocks of concrete.

More than the merchandise, it's the food that beckons: warm chicken and lamb gyros, freshly-squeezed lemonade, juicy slices of watermelon, barbecued corn, and more.

If it's the shopping you're after, you'll find all sorts of trinkets and colorful items—from pashmina scarves, mobile accessories, jewelry, nail polish, fragrance, and silk socks; to home accoutrements including large area rugs and decorative items.

Going back to the food, I recommend the following street market game plan if you're looking to check out any of the upcoming ones around town:

First, have at least $20 to $40 cash on hand. I believe some of the merchants take credit cards (like the carpet dealers) but for everything else, you'll need cash.

Second, start walking with an empty stomach, and head to the first gyro or falafel stand you spot; there are several of them. Sling your camera on your wrist or neck, and hook your bag on your shoulder. You'll need both hands if you're ordering the larger-than-life pita concoction. Don't worry, you can eat it with a fork, hence, "I have two hands."

Sweet street food.

Third, when the gyro whittles down to a much more manageable size that it looks like a sandwich and can be eaten as such, you can ditch the fork and walk towards a lemonade stand. Fish out a dollar and resist the urge to order the bubble tea (unfortunately, the street market version isn't very good, plus, it's ridiculously expensive). Dessert can be the uniformly cut hunks of watermelon, or, if you walk a few steps down, a banana nutella crepe. Yum.

If, at this point, you need to go to the bathroom, you'll most likely be in front of a Starbucks café or a Marriott Hotel. After using the facilities and freshening up, you can commence on shopping for things that you don't exactly need but are oh so cute and/or covetable. In my case, I spotted the purple Justin Bieber version of Beats by Dr. Dre Solo headphones. Adorable ube shade at $160—about 30% off the regular retail price. However, I ended up going to Best Buy and spending almost an hour perusing on-ear units, ultimately emerging with new Klipsch noise-isolating headphones. And that's for another post.

Corn sweet corn. A larger-than-life gyro.

Cool Change

Haier, Haier... :)

I started my day today with, of all things, laundry. What usually happens is I load clothes in the washer, and I head out the laundromat and walk around my neighborhood. Then, I run the dryer and head home and make breakfast. (Yes, like many NY transplants, I aspire to have my own washer and dryer inside my apartment one day.)

One can find all sorts of things where I live. At least two stores carry clear blue garbage bags (to indulge my home-recycling-sorting OCD), and there's a fish store, a vegetable mini-market, grocery store, shoe repair shop, and many more. Earlier I walked into the furniture store that's closing soon and spotted an airconditioner for sale. Now, summer in New York is very much like our weather in Manila: hot and humid. I survived summer last year without an AC because I was moving apartments, and by the time I'd settled in, it was only a month or two before fall. Besides, I'm pretty good with the heat, given that I grew up in a tropical country. And, given a choice between having hot water for bathing and sleeping in a cold, air-conditioned room, I'd pick the former.

Supercool.

So anyway, I ended up going back to the store later in the afternoon with my airport rolling duffel to buy the unit. I've done this before, a few years ago, back at my old place in Queens—albeit under different circumstances. Back then, I couldn't afford the delivery fee, and that's how I ended up walking about five blocks from the store and up to my room (wheeling the box in a large rolling duffel). Fortunately, I lived in an elevator building, and it was an adventure for me to experience this.

Today, I could've paid for delivery, but didn't want to wait around for the box to arrive. Plus, I was somewhat excited to do the whole thing all over again just for the sake of it, and to see if I could still install an AC unit by myself. And, I'm happy to say that it took me 37 minutes to put it up the window, and not manage to drop it down five flights…which would have been so not cool.

Fired Up

Let the sunshine through. Summer Solstice is the day of the year
with the longest period of daylight. (Wikipedia)  

Walking to yoga class earlier, I caught a glimpse of my old office building down the road—a beaming tower of modern glass where I worked during my early days in New York. It occurred to me how the tower became the springboard for all the things that have happened, career-wise, from that time onward.

The thought passed and I arrived in class, not having any expectations other than the usual anticipation of an extra intense session, given that it was a Tuesday and that the teacher on that day always knew how to make everybody/every body sweat buckets.

When I got to the studio, students were quickly filling in and there were two bongo players in the room. It turns out, tonight was a celebration of Summer Solstice—the longest day of the year. It's when the sun reaches its highest point in the atmosphere, if I understood correctly (with the opposite being Winter Solstice). The teacher explained that Summer Solstice is the time we can harness the energy of the sun on this special day to initiate change/s in our life. And, if I go over the last 24 hours, I could very well say and point out special and amazing things that have happened; changes and happy occurrences, which, of course I ultimately attribute to God (because God made the sun, and the universe…).

While laying on the mat, I got to thinking about the words 'fired' and 'fired-up.' The former is a word that many prefer not to discuss, with 'layoff' being the more digestible and acceptable term. I thought, what if we started thinking about the word 'fired' in a way that it signified 'fired-up'…as in that springboard I mentioned earlier. We "fire up" to the next challenge. We "fire up" to the next job. We "fire up" to the next step.

Happy Summer, everyone!

Summer Minute Now

A sunny spring day at Union Square in early May.

Summertime is when I have a more profound appreciation for New York.

In a city whose inhabitants find themselves walking on the street at any given moment; a city whose dwellers randomly stop by at parks or benches in the middle of intersections for a quick meal, to read any of the two free daily newspapers (or something a little bit more involved, such as The New York Times), or both, the warm weather heightens the propensity to scatter about and linger on the streets even more so. And, given that one only needs to slip on a single layer of clothing, getting ready and being out and about is only a matter of a few quick New York minutes.

That goes to say that I truly love this season. So much so it compels me to address the blog backlog and put these warm-weather thoughts in writing. Another reason why summer in the city calls out to me particularly is because this is when the Big Apple feels very much like my hometown of Manila—hot as an oven, yet, exhilarating and teeming with promise…maybe of something fun and awe-inspiring right around the corner (I know this may sound shallow and pretentious, but Serendra comes to mind. If it helps, Cubao as well.)

True, I may need to get an AC, ASAP. But, every bead of sweat further solidifies my conviction to choose to live here. And, when the temperature dips once again to a dreadful low come autumn, and  then wintertime, the promise of yet another beautiful, colorful, balmy summer will keep me sticking to and sticking up for this place I now call home.

MIA/NAIA

Hi, friends!

I've spent the last seven days in and out of airports and de-jetlagging out of town—that's why I've been M.I.A. over here at NyMinuteNow.com. I just wanted to give everybody a heads up that I'm still blogging, and that I'm just warming up for the next round of entries. (And my sleeping patterns are still somewhat strange despite the R&R!) So stay tuned and thank you as always for dropping by here!

Officially beached and sunkissed,
Mariel

Shopping for Pashminas

I still dream of owning an Hermès scarf, or something as fabulous from Pucci. But frankly, my current favorite cozy shawl is a jewel-toned aqua pashmina scarf bought on the street in New York for $10—or even less. I doubt the quality of the fabric, but having laundered it many times this past year has rendered it soft and plush to the touch. It's true what they say, sometimes, ignorance is bliss. (But when it comes to high-thread-count bedsheets, there is no turning back.)

If you are scoping the web for high-end, good-quality pashmina shawls, I suggest dropping by UniquePashminas.com (they've been around since 2000). I'm quite happy with my meager collection of comfortable cover-ups, but if I were to add to what's in my closet, I would probably go for the Blue/Orange Jewel Tone Pashmina Shawl or the Cranberry/Gold Pashmina Throw Blanket—I can imagine the latter lazily thrown over the couch or at the edge of the bed.

And then there are silk scarves I am always likely to impulse-buy: I have two favorite ones from Van Heusen and H&M that I love wearing as hairbands during the summer, or simply decorate random things with.

How about you? What's your shopping weakness (shoes are a given, but what else)? What unleashes your impulse-buying streak?

Offshore

Listening to "Offshore" by Chicane—the really long ambient version—brings me back to those early days at Seventeen...like a delightful, wonderful, and soothing time capsule. I actually met Nick Bracegirdle (head of the group) and asked what he thought of the song. Here's what he said:

"You know that feeling when your vacation is about to end? That's how I felt when I wrote Offshore." And it's true: If you listen to the song, you get this beachy, melancholic feeling. It's truly amazing how music can translate emotions so eloquently and vividly.

	Chicane - Off Shore [Ambient Mix]
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

New York, Baby

My friend Lille introduced me to Leona Naess's music a couple of years ago. Her songs are mainstays on my iTunes playlist: Sunny Sunday, I Tried To Rock You But You Only Roll, and of course—Charm Attack ("Oh with your gorgeous grin/ You have the world sucked in/ Believing in everything you saaaayy.../ Watch out, he'll charm you." That was probably my 2003 anthem!).

Earlier she shared a Blip.fm link to New York Baby that somehow got lost in my music library; it's the first time I've heard it again in years. Only now, its lyrics hit so close to home and it's painful to listen to:

Well the heat has fallen down
All across this desolate town
And the concrete jungle is dead
As I lie here in my bed
And I'll stand here till the fall
And ignore the summer's call

You know what they say

New York, baby is no place to be
When you're standing alone
I'm no one's baby, I'm no one's girl
Come home, baby come home

Well the city she throws and throws
While the restless collect sand through their toes
And you try to get from A to B
Spend your weekends by the sea
But I'm just waiting for you
Yeah, I'm just waiting for you

You know what they say

New York, baby is no place to be
When you're standing alone
I'm no one's baby, I'm no one's girl
Come home, baby come home

New York, baby
They all landing, by the sun
Step in oh God, everyone
All I'm trying is waiting for you
Yeah, I'm just waiting for you

New York, baby is no place to be
When you're standing alone
I'm no one's baby, I'm no one's girl
Come home, baby come home

New York, baby
New York, baby
New York, baby

I'm coming home, someday
I'm coming home, someday
I'm coming home

So THAT my friends, is why I'm still dragging my feet and buying time in a sunnier place away from the city.

To listen to the song, click here.

(Photo courtesy of Yahoo! Music. © EMI BLACKWOOD MUSIC INC. © MESSY NAESS PUBLISHING. Lyrics provided by Gracenote)

Haute Summer!

I'm excited for all outfits nautical and blue. And these three pieces are kick-starting my summer love affair part two (part one, already languidly spent in Manila!).

There's a classic white top that's stretchy and comfy—perfect with a bright scarf or statement necklace.

The striped collared shirt features tiny embossed gold buttons that add a classy touch to an otherwise ordinary top. (The buttons were actually the main reason why I ended up buying the shirt).

I thought twice about getting the French-print sheer cotton caftan, for a number of reasons. But just looking at it already got me imagining wearing my swimsuit underneath and lounging by a pool on a hot day.

Brazil, Brazil

At Strip, waxing technicians never “double-dip.”

THERE IS NOTHING DELIGHTFUL about the manmade—South American, if you will—torture device otherwise known as Brazilian wax.

Being slathered with a hot, glue-like substance is one thing, and poked at in one’s nether regions and places where “the sun doesn’t shine” by a complete stranger, another. But having body hair uprooted by the hundreds in one swift sweep is the epitome of what suffering for beauty (and fashion) truly means.

read the rest of the article...

My Manila

"Who are we, really? Increasingly, wherever our hearts are."
—Anthony Bourdain, "No Reservations"

I don't know why I ended up getting teary-eyed over this video. Lately I've been watching Happy Slip videos on YouTube. I first came across Christine Gambito's channel over a year ago, and recently picked it up again during a family trip out of town. Her skits are just hilarious, and they are such a straightforward portrayal of the comedic qualities that make Filipino families (especially those who have migrated to the United States) unique, and a source of easy laughter and happy banter.

This video was taken on Gambito's first trip back to the Philippines since her first one as a toddler. It's actually a very basic montage of what and how the country is. But I like how it conveys a simple peek into a multi-textured destination, and is shot from the point of view of someone just about to experience a world of interesting and lovable facts about her homeland.

But I must also admit, that as much as I love love love Manila and consider myself nationalistic, the many things I enjoy and can't live without on a day-to-day basis are actually no longer uniquely Filipino (e.g. Ziploc bags, Clorox/Lysol Wipes, Santi's Delicatessen). Nevertheless, home is where the heart is—which poses some sort of dilemma for me because I am trying to steer my career and tailor my life in such a way I could simultaneously call three places home: Manila, New York, and Denver. And down the line, include London in this list. (Goodluck!) Anyhow, I think little by little, I'm saddened by the prospect of having to leave again :(

On another note, all this sunshine is seriously making me want to consider doing an ocular/stopover in Los Angeles and Miami! Thoughts???

Summer beats

What happened between Rihanna and Chris Brown is really none of my business. Although I may be a little intrigued by the recent scoop of the latter pleading 'not guilty' to charges of assaulting and threatening the former on the night of this year's Grammy's. I can imagine the drama, the ire of the women's movement, the Rihanna backlash (if she testifies and denies the allegations) and so forth.



But can I just say that, I really, really like Brown's song, "Forever?" Not only because of its chart-topping melody, but also because of the lovely New York summer memories it evokes: a last-minute road trip to Rockland wherein the song kept playing in the car and we couldn't figure out the title and lyrics ("Willow? Is he saying Willow?"), happy bonding times with friends (imagining anecdotes from the small town they grew up in), and that carefree feeling of all being well (because I was practically fired two weeks after that drive). By the time we'd reluctantly embraced the chill of autumn and braved the cold winter season, unforgettable lessons had been learned, and indelible memories, formed.

That said, I truly am curious about people's personal anthems. Other than "Forever," I have quite a few on my iTunes playlist (yes, Fade). But how about you guys? What makes you stand up and move to the beat? What makes you belt out tunes, from Sinatra to Britney (you know you love her)? As you can tell, I am eager to beef up my MP3 directory.

Hotspots

Lately I've made it a point to find a spot outside the house to work on my writing and editing deadlines. I find that when I am indoors, I am more inclined to procrastinate, sleep (or both), or tinker about and nitpick a la Martha Stewart.

Since I'm on deadline and strapped for a more eloquent blog post, I'll let these pictures do the talking. I must say my four-year-old Sony Cybershot is still mighty dandy when it comes to lovely snaps of this wonderful working vacation.

As you can see, I've finally retired (sort of) my almost-seven-year-old iBook (sniff!). It still works, but can no longer be toted around because the batteries (main one and internal) are dead. I'm quite happy with my new Acer Aspire One netbook. The 8.9 screen is a little modest and not the best thing for navigating huge Excel documents, but the 160gb hard drive, three USB ports, card slots, and all that technical garble make it absolutely delightful. And the best part is, it's the size of a clutch and fits perfectly inside my roomy bag.

I recently had lunch with family in Balducci at The Fort, and it was delightful! So scrumptious it was that I went back for dinner there with my dear friend, Frances. Try the salmon and caviar pizza with mascarpone cheese (pictured), tuna carpaccio with lemon, olive oil and capers, and creamy ravioli stuffed with white cheese and spinach. These all have Italian names on the menu but I don't remember any of them.

That's Frances at dinner before the Kérastase Nuit event in Serendra. Check out her lovely outfit! And you should have seen her shoes. Before the event, we went around High Street to look at some heels and sandals at Charles & Keith and Nine West. I must say I've been good lately: I've gone back and forth to several shoe stores (mostly different branches of Charles & Keith) but haven't bought anything so far :) I am eyeing these bejeweled gold sandals and a lovely pair of brown booties—the latter being quite a steal considering there's no winter here.

Speaking of Serendra and Bonifacio High Street, lately I've been a frequent turista of the area. I love how one can walk around and window-shop while soaking up the heat, wind, and humidity—made bearable and enjoyable by regular and frequent bursts of finely-misted water from gigantic fans outside the air-conditioned stores.

Now, if it gets way too hot, this huge rock installation—that doubles as a water fountain—may be an open invitation to shower in public :D

I've also been dealing with a serious craving for Pasta a la Carlo from Figaro. My former boss, Maya, is actually friends with the dish's namesake. I am this close to begging for the recipe. Ordering it three days in a row is not good for the wallet.

I am pretty sure this dish has the following: olive oil, garlic, capers, olives, tomatoes, tuna (or anchovies), parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. But I am also quite certain I've missed a key ingredient—or maybe more. Carlo Tanseco: You don't know me but if you are reading this, I hope you could share the recipe. I promise I won't profit from it, just my kitchen and hungry belly :)

Last but not the least, I've been spa-ing and salon-ing at the rate of a true blue beauty bee. In my line of work, it's sometimes a challenge distinguishing a deadline-related errand, or shameless, honest-to-goodness pampering on my end. So I've been hitting two birds with one stone and erring on the safe (and paranoid) side by cruising anonymously in beauty hotspots, asking questions like a typical nosy client, paying at the counter, and leaving with a polite, chirpy, 'Thank you,' all the while forming some sort of critique in my head. Whether it's a massage, facial, lash extensions, haircut, I've been finding this nondescript road-testing and quiet traipsing-around-town the perfect strategy for enjoying my stay while actually getting some work done.

Write Right

Breakfast al fresco: seedless orange slices, molasses toast with cheese,
mustard, and black pepper.

I woke up today a little starved, and perhaps subconsciously perplexed because I still have to figure out how I'm going to finish all the deadlines I've brought upon myself, and at the same time, have the vacation I came here for.

A few years ago, I'd promised I would never turn down writing and hair and makeup gigs, for fear of seeming ungrateful (and also of incurring the wrath of my grandmotherly-nice landlady). This resolution also included giving up my then-daily Starbucks habit, as a young editor zipping about town going from shoot to shoot, event to event. (The transition to green tea worked, by the way: I'd lost about 12 pounds in the course of a year.)

Anyway, I can't make this entry too long now because I have to get to work... so I also don't end up feeling guilty and ethically unreliable by the time my beach plans come to fruition. I still have yet to blog about our FANTABULOUS family reunion/Lola's 85th birthday celebration; lots of cool pics from there.

Meanwhile, check out this yummy yummy treat I had the other day called Anmitsu, from Kozui—a green tea cafe along Tomas Morato in Quezon City. It's like Japanese halo-halo (our local shaved-ice dessert), served in a huge bowl with chewy Dango balls, green tea jelly, red bean, taro, and delicious green tea soft-serve ice cream.

Bowl of love: the Anmitsu from Kozui.