Beat the Heat

So last May, I was feeling a bit like I was out of the game when it came to my photography. I admit it's been awhile since I last had a photo shoot [And work was definitely stressing me out at that time]. Hence, I was really really itching for a shoot. It's a good thing though that a friend of mine had organized an open shoot and I was able to join them. 

It was called Beat the Heat. It was outdoors which is awesome cause I still didn't have a good enough flash diffuser then yet. We had five models as subjects and these are my best shots from the different sets I had: 

I had a lot of fun and got to meet a bunch of people that share the same passion for the viewfinder: 

I hope to be able to do this again pretty soon. I miss taking my camera out for a spin. As soon as this forced vacation is over I think I would be able to. 

By the way, you guys can check out more of the set by clicking on Deviations on the navigation bar up top. 

Flying South

I've been feeling a bit guilty about taking more photos using my phone than with Dimitri. So let me share our last big adventure: Cagayan de Oro, the City of Golden Friendship

Last month, I was sent to Cagayan de Oro on a four day business trip. Though, I really didn't get a chance to go around, it's a new place and I made sure I took lots of pictures. After all, I was seeing this place for the first time. [Majority of the time, we were tasting it. :P]

CDO is in Mindanao and this is the furthest south that I've been in my country. It was definitely something.

Day 0.5:

Our suite

We got there via Philippine Airlines and checked in at The Mallberry Suites. So this day was short, we got lost looking for dinner and it just didn't end on a high note. Though the hotel was pretty okay. The room was clean and so was the restroom. Hot and cold water in the shower and a stocked personal fridge. Though I think they need to upgrade their air-conditioning units, it took quite a long time for our room to cool down. Hence, we decided to keep the unit running for the remainder of our stay just to maintain the temperature we wanted. Breakfast buffet for the four day stay was the same selection. In the least, I fell in love with their scrambled eggs.

Day 1:

It was the first day of work in CDO, so at the end of the day we needed to have a meeting and strategize our the rest of our stay. We had that meeting in Big Flat Bread. It's an awesome pizza place close to the hotel. We had 30 inch pizza with two of their best selling flavors and all the pasta on the menu. Perfect joint to check out. It's not too pricey at around Php 300-450 a person including drinks.

Since I hadn't had my coffee for the entire day, Paul, Jhe and I capped the night off with a frappes from Starbucks CDO. Let me just say they get plus points for the free internet.

Paul's Awesome Mix

Day 2:

We finally got the rhythm going at work and we didn't feel as tired at the end of the day. Since, there was a night market near Xavier University we decided to check it out. Though, that was after dinner at Butcher's Best Barbeque which is know for it's awesome and affordable meat. :P Let me just say that I personally thing I was experiencing a spike in my blood pressure but the food was just so good. It's a definite must visit and plus is that the place has awesome value for money. I think you're safe with just Php 200 per person including drinks. 

 
The night market we visited only runs on Fridays and they don't stay out very late as well. This is one treasure cove. I was able to find an awesome pair of pumps, a skirt and shades for just Php 500.00. We capped the night off at the hotel's bar with a bottle each. [Just a bottle cause we were all sleepy already.]

Loot

Day 3: 

So on our last day, we had an awesome dinner at Bigby's where the food was just divine. I definitely also loved the atmosphere of the place. There were a lot of knick knacks and awesome design elements. My favorite was the ceiling installations. The food was definitely worth the Php 400-500 each we probably forked over. Then we headed to Missy Bon Bon for pasalubong shopping. Pastel is apparently the local pastry of choice. I like their gellatos though especially the mint chocolate one.

Since none of us had work the next day, we went drinking. :P

Day 3.5:

Color coded get ups with my roomie :D

So, Paul, my roomie, and I decided to shop til we drop and make the most of our last day in CDO while we waited for our flight. We hung out at the Park Cafe waiting for The Sweet Shop to open cause I wanted to bring home Cookie Monster cookies.

After which, it was a pleasant flight home with my turn to seat on the window side. It was raining when we left. I think CDO was sad we were going.

Did some major cloud shooting

This place is definitely on my to visit again list. I know there are a lot more things to discover than just great places to eat. 'Til next time CDO.

Before I leave you guys,  I capped the night off at Eastwood for dinner with my housemates and unpacking. :P

My loot.

Missed these peeps. Happy Birthday, K'ya!

Dimitri, let's go on another adventure soon. 

Holy Week Staycation = Instagr.am

So I can't seem to fall asleep. Though when I told myself last night that I'd take a nap, I slept until the next day. Yes, my body clock is screwing me over.

Anyway, I'd like to explain the title. Holy Week is an awaited part of the year for every Filipino [whether you're a catholic or not]. Mainly due to the fact that you're given nearly a week off from work/school. It's traditional for families to journey and spend this time together, giving thanks or just basically having a short vacation. Everyone seems too be on the road back to the province or to some getaway touristy location. 

Well, everyone except me and a couple of people I know. I do not choose to travel during this time, cause I don't like crowds. [One of my biggest pet peeves when travelling is the noisy call center agent group that won't let other people sleep as they loudly flaunt some of the English that they have. This is usually a group of girls trying to get the attention of some foreigner in the same vehicle and....*forcefully ends rant*] I am the type of traveler that likes getting lost and being immersed in my destination. So, off peak travelling is more of my thing. Oh another thing is that since everyone is travelling, everything is booked, there's traffic everywhere and everything is a hassle. So during this time I stay in and have myself a staycation (stay-in vacation). 

During this year's Holy Week Staycation, I was able to do the following things: 

1. Teach! Chemistry moreover. Since, I had no work to attend to and my former student needed help with some homework and her regular tutor was out. I was more than happy to take the job. As weird as it is, I loved the 6 hours we spent researching and answering Chemistry problems [I hate Chemistry btw.]. I also loved the chance to catch up. She's definitely grown but I'm really glad she's a happy kiddo now. Let me just say that I miss being a student[and a tutor]!

Me And Brina

2. Midnight Coffee Bonding. One night, Arck and I got stuck in a deserted Eastwood City. Good thing Aya was there too so we had a nice midnight gab session. I like Manila when it's quiet. Arck and I hung out a lot over the weekend. Since, we had opposite work hours we haven't spent as much time together. So here's a snippet of what we did: 

 

When you find someone that doesn't mind your weirdness and you guys can be weird together then there's definitely some love there.

3. Ninang Bonding. I also got to visit my best friend, Mai, and her twins. We had a lot of catching up to do and I missed her little girls. I wanted to get her some Gong Cha before I got to their place but the establishment was out for the entire weekend. I ended up bringing pizza instead. 

Me and Leigh

4. Hacking: An Old Habit. As a child I liked tinkering with things. Sooner or later this tinkering moved into the nitty-gritty workings of computers and electronics. I have never tried hacking a phone before but once I heard that Instagr.am was released in Google Play, I had to have it. So I read around and initially bricked my phone but I was able to fix it and upgrade it to a compatible Android version. So the pictures below are ones I've taken with Instagr.am of our Holy Weekend:

   

 

And I've been active ever since. As much as I want to bring my DSLR everyday, it's not really allowed at work. I appreciate Instagr.am cause I finally found an avenue for my everyday mundane documentations. It's turned into a look book of what I'm wearing, what I find funny, what I'm reading and an avenue for me to practice my photography in terms of composition. So if you guys are interested, you can follow me on Instagr.am. I am @xylith. Here are some other pics from my mesh of material there. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My current read.

Not too bad with the post processing effects that Instagr.am has already incorporated but I use another app for post processing on my phone. That's Photoshop Express and Photoshake if you guys are wondering. 

So I'm going to crawl back into bed and try to fall asleep again. Wish me luck.  

My ZALORA Wishlist

Arckham and I just reached our 4th year together last April 23 2012. I am of course super happy that we have come this far. [I love you, Arck!] 

Anyway, we haven't quite celebrated yet. Mainly due to the fact that we are both working and we have other responsibilities [money wise that is], moreover our shifts are in opposite hours. That's right, he works at night and I work in the day time. You now probably have an idea of how little time we spend together. We have a joke about this saying that we barely see each other... at the same time. ;P This is since he sees me when I'm asleep which would be at night and I see him when he's asleep which would be during the day. 

Basically, we wouldn't last this long if we didn't put time and effort into our relationship. Hence, we figured that the best time for us to bond would be when I get home from work and right before he starts his shift at night. Which is why our dates as of late have been slotted for dinner. Arckham and I are rarely picky about the food as long as it's good and affordable and we're together then we're both happy and so are our tummies.  

Though, I wanted to do something special seeing that we've reached a milestone in our relationship. Nothing too fancy, just a nice dinner where were both dressed up nicely in a nice place. That's why I was really excited when Nuffnang and ZALORA started the My ZALORA Wishlist Campaign and is giving me a chance to make a part of my dream anniversary celebration come true. I'm an avid online shopper[I mean with a schedule like mine definitely a big help not having to walk around all the time just to shop.] so I signed up for ZALORA and checked out their awesome pieces where I made a wishlist. 

I picked out these pieces not just for me but also for my boyfriend as well [They have a great selection for men]. The key thing that I paid attention to is that pieces should be something I can wear from work and straight into a date and in his case from a date and straight into the office. It's casual but chic and classy. 

So here are the things I would love to have for our 4th Anniversary Dinner: 

1.  This Gibi H2082 for Arckham. I took into consideration how it looks with slacks and the comfort that he would also be needing since he'll still be spending a full shift after our dinner.

2.  This nice Jacket by Merger. It's called a Zipper Hidden Flap Pocket since there are 2 Zipper Pockets and 2 Flap pockets on the chest area. I like the style and the details of this item. It's casual without being overly so.  It's also very functional since I know that he would be needing a jacket to stay warm in a 16degree environment at the office.
3. This perfect pair of Button Toe Heels by Everbest. Since, I can sport it at work and it's comfy enough to be moving around in the office for 8 hours before our dinner. Plus its simple elegance is what really draws it to me.
4.  This AMY Empire Pleatted Dress by Nana G which can be both fun and business casual at the same time. It also matches Arck's Merger jacket since the skirt is not too casual but still quaint.
5.  I chose this shoulder bag by The Little Things She Needs since it would be able to pull the entire outfit together. It's also big enough for me to carry my DSLR for me to take photographs during our anniversary dinner. Plus it also matches the shoes. :D

I really want all these pieces together so that Arckham and I would just need to worry about where and what to eat. I would really like to make this dinner special by not worrying what we're going to wear and just focus on each other. I really want these pieces to complete our evening and make it something awesome. 

And if you're looking for a great place to shop, check out ZALORA where all the above pieces came from 

[credits to ZALORA for the photographs as well]. They have a great selection and awesome payment plans. [I totally love the COD and 3 Hour Delivery feature.] Click on their badge below and create your own wishlist: 

Oh and just a quick note before I got cross my fingers for this one: when you sign up for ZALORA's newsletter you get a PHP 250.00 rebate on your next purchase. Awesome isn't it?