the hanoi hangover: day 1

My apologies for starting this entry on a rant, but I just need to let this out first, and then we can proceed to the happy notes.

Months of planning for and excitement about our Hanoi trip, which was our 6oth birthday gift to our Mom, got dampened by a distressing incident upon landing at the Noi Bai airport in Hanoi. We took a red-eye flight, and we--my sister, her husband, my mom, Francis, and I-- touched down in Hanoi at about 12:45am (15 minutes delayed, but not really bad) only to line up at the conveyor belt and discover that our (mine and Francis') luggage was nowhere in sight. After filling out forms and being assured by the local airport personnel that they'll inform us as soon as our luggage turns up, we all shuffled to the hotel shuttle service so we can finally check in to our hotel. Poor driver, he had to wait for us for a couple of extra minutes because of that conundrum.

Long story short, Cebu Pacific responded to our complaint 24 hours after we sent our email. They confirmed that our luggage got left behind at NAIA. How and why, I have no idea, considering we checked in on time and our luggage had its proper label. So Francis and I had to endure about two and a half days without our essentials: clothes (I planned my OOTDs for each day only to have no clothes at all!), underwear, toiletries. Despite the distress (I cried myself to sleep that first night at our hotel), we still managed to make the most of our trip. Yes, we did have to buy new clothes and underwear, and I had to borrow a few pieces from my sister. 

Putting all that (and a few more glitches that I just want to forget so that I'd have good memories of that four-day trip), our Hanoi experience has been generally fun and wonderful. In fact, I enjoyed the city more than I did Ho Chi Minh. Hanoi has more flavors and colors, and there's always something that will catch your eye in every corner. Here are the daily highlights of our Hanoi experience in photos, starting with our first day in the city--left luggage not included. 

The very charming details in our hotel--Golden Sun Palace. This is the view from our T&B! I'd like to note that all the hotel staff had been very friendly and accommodating. They helped us follow up our missing luggage, and all were very patient with our requests.

First stop was the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which accepts visitors from 7am to 11am. There was nothing much to see except for the impressively well-preserved body of Vietnam's iconic hero. Cameras are not allowed inside, so we were only able to take photos once we were outside the building.

Every street is filled with souvenir shops that it's easy to be overwhelmed! These colorful, plush key chains are on display at Swan Embroidery. The place, in my opinion, carries merchandise of better quality compared with the others in Old Quarter. Of course, I didn't leave the store empty-handed. I bought a sling bag with pretty Hmong embroidery.

The amazing neo-gothic architecture of St. Joseph's Cathedral. The church sits gallantly amid the hustle and bustle of the Old Quarter district.

We explored the grounds of the church, and found equally interesting French-inspired architecture, showcasing the strong influence of the French colonization of Vietnam.

My family and I took a breather from all the walking here at the Hoan Kiem Lake, a famous historical landmark of Hanoi. That's my sis and her hubby (seated) and my svelte mom. I hope to be as fit as her when I turn 60!

The Turtle Tower on Hoan Kiem Lake

We all went back to our hotel to rest before heading out to dinner. Since there were a few more hours to spare before regrouping, Francis and I decided to check out Old Quarter some more. We also took this opportunity to buy new clothes while we still didn't have our luggage with us. Before heading back to our hotel, we made an impromptu stopover at Cong Caphe near St. Joseph's Cathedral. Here, we got our fill of delicious innovative coffee--one with yogurt and another with coconut milk. Later in the evening, we came back with the rest of our family in tow to cap off the night with more cups of coffee. It could have been a bad idea, downing caffeine before bedtime, but our tired bodies won, and we all slept like babies!

Our last agenda for the night: watch the Water Puppet. Though the play was in the vernacular language, we didn't have a hard time understanding the context of each act since it was written in the program handed out to us. Basically, each act features the traditions, customs, and legends of Vietnam, particularly Hanoi.

Of course, our first Hanoi experience (second for Francis) would not be complete without these motorbikes and scooters--the main mode of transportation in the country. The trick to not getting run over is to hold your breath and cross without hesitation. The motorists are used to crossing pedestrians that they'll be the ones to avoid running you over. Bravery is key!

Day 2 will soon be up!

oh, provençal!

I had a shoot last Saturday, and normally, working on a weekend would instantly bum me out, especially since I was just recuperating from a bad case of the sniffles. But the shoot proved to be a respite from the city stress. Plus, since Francis now has Saturday work again because of his new project, leaving the comforts of home on that day didn't seem to be a bad idea (versus being stuck at home, alone).

Arriving at the location meant instant stress-relief. Consider this view: 

I had this urge to just run up those hills and soak up the sun (this lass didn't have any basking-under-the-sun summer, so...). And the charm of the place is just so wonderful!  Francis and I could spend the weekend there, shut off from any social network connection, and everything will still be perfectly all right.

Apparently, I am already itching to get a break. That Hanoi trip can't come any sooner!

P.S.
A pleasant surprise after the shoot: a spur-of-the-moment date with le hubby, who drove all the way to Nuvali from work just to pick me up. *giggles*

after almost a five-month hiatus...

Wow. I had no idea until now that I haven't been updating this blog for almost five months! Tsk, tsk. Such a shame!

So, what have I been up to the past months that I've become such a lame blogger? Work, mostly.  It's been crazy-busy, but mostly fun. I am not complaining. In between the hectic work schedule, though, are pockets of glitter and joy.

Last February was our 5th wedding anniversary.  Francis planned a surprise dinner date for us. A full day of anticipation found me with my sweet hubby at La Cocina de Tita Moning. It was such a romantic dinner, and the food was really good! 

Pretty blooms from le hubby on our 5th anniversary

Then it was his birthday and mine. We spent Francis' hatch day with a brunch date at Rustic Mornings, then headed to Nuvali on a whim. Impromptu roadtrips rock, yes? Meanwhile, my big day was spent reviewing Philippine history and culture at the National Museum, and was concluded with a fantastic dinner at Harbor View Restaurant in Manila, where we basked in the marvelous sunset of Manila Bay. 

A lovely mid-morning at Rustic Mornings as hubby and I celebrated his birthday

On my 34th birthday, we got front-row seats to this magnificent view!

There's so much more to be excited about in the coming months. At the top of the list is an upcoming Hanoi trip with my family. It's going to be a belated celebration of my Mom's 60th birthday. Despite the different travel philosophy between me and my sister (haha!), I am very much stoked about this trip. It's been a while since Francis and I have flown out of the country, so this is a much-deserved break. Add to that the fact that this is the first time my family will be traveling to another country, so it's going to be a fun riot, for sure. I just pray that the weather here in the Philippines will be bright and sunny as we leave and come back from Vietnam (it's going to be summer there, so hurrah!). 

Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi. Image from meracushotels.com

Another wonderful thing that has happened is an unexpected collaboration with my fave sandal brand of the moment: Renegade Folk. I have written about it in my other blog a few month's back, and I've already purchased two pairs from this amazing local brand. Naturally, I have posted a few Instagram photos of me wearing my pairs. It's one thing to have them like those photos; and another to see them asking for my email address. I immediately replied, of course, and was a bit intrigued. Long story short, they asked me to do a collab project with them! It's so amazing and surreal, really. Aside from the obvious perks, what I love about this endeavor with them is that I get to be really creative and expressive using a medium I love: photography. Along the road, I hope to once again rekindle my passion with photography (my 400D misses me already!), and ultimately, inspire others to embrace their passion and celebrate their uniqueness. See more of this cool collab on my Instagram and on my VSCO Grid.

My third Renegade Folk pair, along with some of my arsenal for our Hanoi trip

And yes, I really, really will work harder in updating this blog more often. Definitely no months-long hiatus!

Have a wonderful weekend!

i'm on the VSCO Grid!

I just recently discovered how wonderful the VSCO Cam is. I've been seeing a handful of my Instagram contacts using that hashtag, and for a while, I didn't really pay attention to what it is. Good thing I did, and now I'm hooked!

The preset filters are really wonderful, though you can opt to buy a new set for as low as $99 cents. My fave is the T1--a moody and sort of dreamy filter that I really like (you'll see that my recent IG posts already sport that filter). 

Aside from the beautiful filters, VSCO also has the Grid that lets its users check out others' feeds. It's a very minimalistic layout, which is something I find attractive and sophisticated. Though it's not yet that interactive (right now, the website/app allows you to just follow other users--no feature yet for comments, likes, or reposts), but I really don't mind. (And, more importantly, I don't see that many selfies in the Grid. Hooray!)

So yes, VSCO Grid will be my repository for my mobile snapshots (but Flickr will still remain as my "serious" photography portfolio online). Follow me, and let's share more pretty photos with each other!

it was another roller coaster ride

January just breezed by! I'm not complaining, though, because the first month of this year proved to be a roller-coaster ride.

First, there was this confirmed trip to Hanoi. My sister and I will be treating Mom to her first out-of-the-country trip for her 60th birthday this April, but it's going to be a belated celebration. So when the tickets were finally booked, I felt so excited, of course! 

But the excitement gave way to worry when we learned that Mom had to undergo an angiogram to rule out any suspicion of serious heart problems. I was on edge, but something told me that I shouldn't worry. I couldn't help it, of course, and  I was somehow preparing to cancel that Hanoi trip in case the findings are not favorable. 

I was still at a shoot that day when Mom underwent the invasive procedure, which was two hours delayed. But when my sister texted to tell me Mom's clear, I was greatly relieved! Who wouldn't be? And because of that good news, I had reasons to believe that that "something" that told me not to worry too much was God--He was assuring me that everything will be fine, and that I only had to be still, as Psalm 46:10 says. 

So yes, Hanoi preparations will restart! Mom will finally be able to wear an ao dai, haha!

happy 2014!

Since last year is just a mere two weeks away, I guess this entry is still not too late. Like everyone else who felt compelled to look back at how last year had been, I, too, will jump into the year-ender tradition.

To sum it all up, 2013 was a wonderfully blessed year. 

1.

The first quarter of 2013 found me relishing in my new job as the managing editor of Real Living magazine. I had always wanted to be part of an editorial team. My prayers were finally answered. Now, I'm part of a hardworking team that churns out fantastic inspirations month after month. Plus, with the many home stores we feature, my own house gets all the perks with the home decor items I eventually buy, haha! And of course, the magazine also inspires me to take care of my own household and make it as inviting and pretty as the homes we feature.

2. 

Francis and I were able to bring home this baby last March. We christened it Midori, Francis' favorite character in the film adaptation of Murakami's Norwegian Wood. (Francis actually has a crush on the actress who played the character, haha!) This car has been such a great blessing. We are now able to unwind and go anywhere after a busy week at work. The only downside? We have been eating out more often lately, and we know we have to curb the bad habit because it's not practical!

3. 

My little sister got hitched to the love of her life! It was a bit stressful being the matron-of-honor, but all was well that ended well. It was a lovely night of music and mini-reunions, as with all weddings. Now that my sister is a Mrs. herself, I hope this new chapter in her life will bring us closer together. Do I smell frequent double dates?

4. 

I got to pick up my 400D and shoot food again! It's always a joy to take photographs of food. I always get a kick whenever I look at the shots--whether they're mine or my fave food photographers,  like Helene Dujardin.


Thanks to my friend Mems and her business partners, I got to shoot their food products. The brand is called Forklore Bites, and it has really yummy goodies! (I'll post about their products soon in my other blog.)

Unfortunately, while I was packing up after the shoot, my camera, with my 50mm still attached to it, fell on the floor. Ugh. It's a good thing the camera body is okay, but my beloved 50mm is now useless. I better get myself a new one in time for more photo shoots with Forklore Bites!

5.

Francis and I were finally able to get bedroom side tables! We were initially gunning for upcycled bespoke side tables from Resurection Furniture and Found Objects, but when I saw wood crates that were made into tables (like this one and this one), I was instantly enamored by the idea. And when I showed the photos to Francis, he got really excited that he wanted to buy crates pronto. 

I actually saw wood crates at Urban Abode, a new home store in CW Home Depot in Ortigas (I promise to writer about Urban Abode in my other blog soon). So the following day, I called the store to have four crates reserved. We picked them up once the weekend came. Francis stained them in mahogany, and ta-dah! Not your run-of-the-mill bedside tables!

Also, I promised Francis that this year, I'll start improving our unit, and the bedroom is the best place to start since we've neglected it for quite some time. As soon as I'm done with it, I will move on to our living area, which needs less tweaking compared with our bedroom. I hope that by the end of 2014, our tiny abode will be homier and cozier so we can have friends more frequently. We love entertaining, that's why Francis and I are hell-bent on keeping the place tidy (no more dust- and clutter-gathering corners!) and welcoming. 

So, it looks like 2013 was fantastic, and 2014 is looking equally promising. And despite the many trials our country had gone through last year, our resilience and faith will pull us through anything (but there's no harm in praying for a gentler new year, right?).

Have a wonderfully blessed new year, everyone!