charmed life♥

It's been almost month since I came back from my fifteen day US trip.  Yes, I am back! ...to normal... to reality and of course back to work. There are a lot of firsts in this trip: 1.) first travel to the US, 2) first travel after the pandemic, 3) first time to travel alone in a long haul flight... When my visa was approved last year:  my plan really is to travel to the US in May.  Spring season in the US, I love Spring weather - not too cold, not hot - it's just right.  I really saved for this trip : waited for PAL seat sale to avail of cheaper air fare.  It's my personal choice to fly with Philippine Airlines because it's a direct flight:  from Manila to LAX and vice versa. I booked my ticket through PAL website last December 2023.  The total amount I paid inclusive of Travel tax of P1,620.00 ($29.29) and PAL seat select ($50.00 x 2: Mnl - LAX/LAX - Mnl) is P63,489.43 ($1,102.29).  Then I purchased my travel insurance from China Bank at P3...

When this bag was released by Marc Jacobs last year : I immediately fell in love with it!  But when I went to the Marc Jacobs boutique here in the Philippines only the black is available.  I asked my friend in the US to check this bag for me, but unfortunately it was already sold out.  (hu hu)  Fast forward to April 2024, when I checked their website it was available again and  they added a small size (10" x 5" x 8").  In 2023 they only released 2 sizes : Medium (13' x 6"x 10") and Large (16" x 7" x 13").  I contemplated on what size to get, I was opting for the medium size (when it was first released) because I can use it two ways: via top handle and crossbody (it comes with adjustable strap).  Now the dilemma started when they added a small size.  After weighing the pros and cons of Small and Medium - I finally decided to go for the Medium size which is my original choice.  I felt that the size is appropriate for me because I do carr...

Still organizing my thoughts, which of my US trip experience will I share first... Since this is the one I truly look forward to when I was a kid then, here it is : My Most Magical Experience at Disneyland Resort.  It's been a childhood dream to be able to go to Disney land.  Who would have thought that at this age (my golden age) that dream would become a reality (Thanks to my beshie Aya - for making this possible).   Last month, I had a chance to travel to America... and when my friend Aya asked me what places do I want to go:  Of course Disneyland tops the list.  Honestly, Disneyland tickets are quite pricey but it was a wonderful experience. When you enter the theme park the first thing you need to do is to buy a Mickey ears head piece.  I remember when I was 5 years old I have a Mickey ears hat in red.  Got it for Christmas... now Mickey ears comes in different variety.  I bought the Princess Ariel variant... I was supposed to get the Ci...

It's always the best time to share an amazing meal with the family. My cousin and her children (from Sydney) are currently here in Manila. Last weekend we had lunch at Steak and Frice in Central Square Mall Bonifacio High Street. For those who know me, I am not familiar with places in BGC and I don't go there often. You need to drag me to make me go there (honestly it's because of the traffic at C5). To make the long story short, I stepped out of my comfort zone - and went to BGC to have lunch with my relatives. Wasn't able to take photos of the resto but the interior is sophisticated and has an elegant ambiance.  This is not your usual old fashion steakhouse, it's modern and loving because it's well-lit.  The steakhouse is owned by Amado Forés son of the famous Margarita Forés (who owns Cibo).   Salad and appetizer: we ordered their famous Onion flower and Bacon steak Caesar Salad. The Onion flower is served with "Dad's Basketball Sauce" is so yum...

Accessorizing our bags might be one of the most fun things to do, because it gives our bag it's own uniqueness and personality.  Bag charm trend is back this year: and take note the trend does not mean adorning our bags with one bag charm... Saw this trend at Miu Miu's Spring 2024 runway fashion show. Aside from the usual bag charms or key rings this year's version of bag accessorizing includes hanging baubles, plushies, beads, and all the cute things to your purse.  It's like wearing your personality on your arm or shoulders. 1. Bag on Bag charm plus extra additional charms source: Harper's Bazaar 2. Keys, padlocks and chains  source: Highsnobiety 3. Oversized keychains  source: Refinery29 3. Plushies, sunnies, paracord and etc. It's a whole new level of bag accessorizing, right?!  What do you think about this?  Would you go for this trend?   If you ask me I find this really cute... and I might try this trend but will go for things light and thos...

source: Freepik We all know menopause is inevitable.   Skin changes are one of the side effects of it. The drop of estrogen during menopause causes dry skin and acne.   I started protecting my skin at 35, so I felt I had prepped my skin for menopause. Of course I thank my parents for good genes.   Last month, I started experiencing dry and flaky skin: around my mouth and the lower part of my cheeks.  Since I just started using a new product (that time)  sun block and makeup primer in one, I thought it was the cause of the dryness.  So I decided to stop using it, but my face remained dry and flaky (even though I still use my favorite skincare). I was planning to visit my dermatologist, but I thought of trying Clinique moisturizer again (if it does not work - it's derma time). I stopped using it - let's admit it's a bit pricey I have no choice because I know it's one of the best moisturizers in the market. Instead of using my usual facial wash,...

A shiny and shimmering statement piece is coming this Spring and Summer of 2024.  A soft launch of metallic bags was seen on the last part of 2023.  So expect more : Metallic Silver, Gold and Rosy Golds ... I'm excited. Preppy outfit + Metallic bag --- I love it!♥ Here are some of Metallic bags from high end luxury to budget friendly.  My fashion mantra is always - Style or Fashion need not be expensive... You can innovate or make an extra effort to search for affordable fashion finds. source: Chanel This Mini flap bag with star coin purse is one of my favorites, well as we all know Chanel doesn't come cheap.  This comes in two variants - Light Gold and  Light Purple.  Dimension : 7.8 x 5.85 x 2.54  inches.  There is also a slightly smaller version of this mini flap that measures 7.4 x 4.9 x 2 inches comes in 3 colors: Metal Pink, Metal Purple and Light Gold. This is the larger version of the Chanel mini flap that only comes in Metallic Silver and...