Freebies Galore

They say that the best things in life are free. Well here are a few material things I've picked up for free these past few days. Mostly just feel good everyday stuff.

one. LG SUNBLOCK.

This I picked up from the LG Pavilion. I didn't know that LG made anything else but electronics but apparently they did. They had cosmetics and even building materials. I think I'll go research more into their production and products as they had an impressive display at the Expo.

LG Sunblock. I haven't tried it out though.

two. BANILA CO. SAMPLES AND BEACH TOWEL.

Banila Co. is this Korean cosmetics and skincare company that Anna and I tried out while we were there. The BB Cream looks absolutely great on her and they give out these free samples which made me buy their sorbet-like make-up remover and cleanser, Clean It Zero, in a larger size. My Mother asked me though how I'm going to repurchase the tub once it runs out but that's food for thought later. I haven't even opened it yet or used up the free samples (I have three). I'm all for soap and water actually. I did pick up a few other essentials (namely, brushes) that made them give me a larger freebie in the form of a cute pink summer beach towel.

Clean it Zero. Tried it once and felt nice enough to warrant a full size.

Cute packaging.

Nice shade of pink. Reminds me of Anna's luggage.

three. HED KANDI DISCO HEAVEN STEREO HEADPHONES.

Yes, Digital Walker at Trinoma is having a buy one take one sale on their earphones, headphones (Hed Kandi amongst other brands) and even Canon digital cameras. Head on over if you're buying anyway as the buy one take one thing is a pretty sweet deal. I got my sister the black one for her birthday while I get to keep the pink and blue one. Which may or may not clash with the rest of my gadgets. Thankfully I'm all for black nylon bags in terms of utility. Plus I really don't believe in matching everything. I appreciate a good contrast and advocate eccentricity.

Great sounds. Not that I'm one to accurately judge. I love them though. :-)

four. PANCAKE HOUSE BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE GURTS.

Thanks to my first job's free lunch. I just had to have dessert.

Just look at that. MAJOR YUM.

I really, really love yogurt. I always have to have stock at home.

five. HAPPY LEMON.

Finally met up with Cla and got to use the free Happy Lemon GCs I got a while back. Alex and I have been raring to use them but every time we get to Trinoma I always forget to bring them along. Now they're in my wallet and Cla and I have used up two. I don't know how many are left though but I'm pretty sure I still have more than two for Alex. 

Happy Lemon. Rock. Salt. Cheese. (Wait I think that's wrong?! Haha. Lex, correct me!!)

Pointing, Shooting, and Everything in Between

A few months back, I was seriously contemplating getting an Olympus Pen Mini in White. I almost convinced myself that I was going to study photography and went as far as reading about the different lenses of the micro-four thirds kind and comparing prices. At the end of the day though, budget won over the desire to get into photography. Turns out that was one of my best purchase decisions ever!

I rediscovered how utterly impatient I am from the moment we set foot at the airport with Ron giving Anna a crash course on their matching Pentax DSLRs - I immediately tuned them out because 1.) I couldn't understand a thing and 2.) I was quite silently thankful for not having to carry the big camera bags they had. I had my iPad filling up my bag quite enough already. I focused instead on tinkering with the iPad and contemplating how sad it was that we didn't have free wifi at the airport still.

Anyway, I went for the point and shoot kind - waterproof, shockproof, and PINK! Which reflects me quite nicely - completely functional and full-featured, effortless, practical while being impractical at the same time, and fun. That is, if you know how to get through to the filters. I love the fact that it's waterproof - there was a slight drizzle one day and both Anna and Ron were clamoring for their DSLRs to be protected while I just waltzed through and walked in the rain. I love how I never read the manual but still got to use it quite easily. I still have to test it under water though.

Meet my Olympus Tough TG-620.

Pink.

Accessories - iPad camera connector and free pouch

I found out though that the battery doesn't last an entire day of pointing and shooting even without flash. I may need to buy an extra battery or two. I bought the iPad camera connector kit just before our trip instead of an additional SD card. I liked having my photos immediately backed up on the iPad. (And yes, the iCloud.) Plus, seeing the pictures in a larger screen is really nice instead of just viewing them on the little camera display.

Anyway, I keep it simple when taking pictures and just follow these 5 simple rules:

one. POINT.

If I see something I like to document, I just point and capture. No framing, no composition - just pure instinct. Sometimes not thinking works. (But honestly, not most of the time. Just sometimes.)

Airport - passing through.

two. VERTICAL LINES SHOULD BE VERTICAL.

As much as I promote my diagonal shots, there are instances when the vertical lines just have to be vertical. 

Display - I forgot which country though

three. TRY AND TRY AGAIN.
If at first you get a blurred photo, it's okay to take another one. Just don't take too long especially if there are people waiting to take a picture at the exact same spot you're shooting.

Blurred.

I think I have to soft press my camera button first for auto-focus.

four. FILTER AWAY.

When I'm feeling really, really lazy in taking pictures, I switch to the Magic Filters mode of my Olympus Tough and click away. Instant anti-boredom.

Fish eye gelato

Anna and Ron - Punk

five. SHOOT.

Just enjoy. Cameras are really useful things to document the experience and details of every moment. I am yet to discover my eidetic memory so in the meantime, I'll be using my TG-620 to remind me.

Samsung pavilion - waited for 4 hours standing in line, in the heat of the midday sun

#PhFashionWeek Holiday 2012

This is a waaaaay delayed post. But yes, I was crazy for Philippine Fashion Week. If you follow me on Twitter, you'd know exactly how much. Well, not much much.... But pretty much. *big grin*

Big rounds of applause for the entire Philippine Fashion Week team and thank you to all those who gave me invites to watch the shows: Tina Herrera, Veejay Floresca, Emi Alexander Englis (through my cousin's gf), Unica Hija, Penshoppe. I am really grateful and hope to see you all and more next season coming this October! :) Special thanks to Cla for standing in line (and waiting for me as I was late...) at Penshoppe and getting me the dark gray skinny jeans I wanted albeit one size too small (I am not that thin anymore haha) and the perfect statement shirts. Much love.

I don't have decent pictures as I still didn't have a camera then except for these ones taken from my Ipad. While waiting for Penshoppe's Impact Fashion Show... I went to Veejay Floresca's show in the next hall. *big grin* #multi-tasker

Waiting for IMPACT and Leighton Meester!

Playing around with Photo Booth - Kaleidoscope

I'm only posting this outfit shot to thank my sponsors :) - my dearest Aunts who love dressing me up like I'm a paper doll (or clothes hanger more like) LOL. I have plenty of party dresses in the closet from their visit last Feb that I still have to find somewhere to wear.

After!

One of my BFFs - Clarisse or better known as Twinkle to most :)

Got to take a picture with designer Veejay Floresca. I will have a dress designed by you one day!

View from afar.

And from my trusty E72.

Mondrian.

Curtain call.

Arm Candy

I lost my Lola's silver bracelet on site last Sunday and I haven't had the chance to go back and post a "Missing Bracelet" poster since then. I was able to take pictures of it though probably just minutes before I lost it as I'm pretty sure it fell off my wrist without me noticing due to the strap of my camera.. But I really need to find that bracelet... We searched all over the site but someone might have picked it up. I pray that it comes back to me somehow.

And yes, I now have a camera! Finally!
But I haven't really had the chance to use it much. Yet.

Anyway, on to the pictures I took using my Olympus TG-620 on Macro setting featuring the first watch I bought on my own. Proud moment! This will be the watch that started it all... And my first official addition to my existing watch collection. I now have 4 active pieces in current rotation and I haven't really counted the watches whose batteries need changing.

Swatch Gent in Golden Rebel

I find that I'm drawn to larger faced watches lately even if my wrist is really thin.

My Lola's Silver Bracelet, The Bead Shop Bracelets

Got The Bead Shop bracelets on Day 3 of my Trinoma Green Light Sale Spree (The Sale was for four days and I was there 3 out of 4. But mostly for work and not for personal shopping.) These two bracelets were practically the only ones that fit me hence the "I'm a Little Rascal" that my sister encouraged me to get.

Read continuously - "I'm a Little Rascal Blogger."

Which is probably a sign that I should blog more often. I really hope to as long as my schedule permits. I am only able to update now because I'm waiting for my printer's driver download. Hopefully more later as I have tons of blog entry backlog. This is supposed to be a daily dose of katsy after all.

One Off The Bucket

I tweeted this the day it came out: Before breaking the rules, master them.

Surreal. I even took a photo inside the van to document the moment that for many others may be common.

I never thought I'd get to see my name in print with something I wrote. I saw the article online first then finally in print at the Jollibee where we ate for breakfast so early in the morning for my architecture work. Yes, I do actually work as an architect even if the design tag in this blog remains to be used. I've thought of the perfect ice breaker for that tag though, let me just look for my college design manifesto. A trip down memory lane in terms of design outlook may be fitting at this point. In the meantime, here are the other (few) photos I took with my trusty E72 (that I used to take notes during the event, very handy!) at the Style Forum at the Style Souk, Style Origins 2012 at MarQuee Mall.

The stage is set..

The pretty Luanne Dy hosted - her outfit perfectly reflected what the Forum had to say.

Industry experts - Alyanna Martinez, Ann Jacobe, Lourd Ramos

A closer look; as close as what my E72 can offer ;)

Make Your Own Havaianas 2012

One of my best female friends got me to tag along with her last Wednesday for a special preview day of the Make Your Own Havaianas 2012 at the Rockwell Tent. MYOH is currently ongoing till May 14 so there's still time for all you Havaianas fanatics. Custom Havaianas, actually, custom anything is one of the best expressions ever of one's self. Design is love.

the "menu"

the venue

choices

2012 MYOH pins

my choice: Estampas in Slim with Pumpkin straps

i had to have my straps changed to a smaller size

that nifty contraption they use to put on the straps

all done! right.

plenty!

colorful Havaianas flowers outside

guests showing some Havaianas love

50 years!

 tried taking macro shots from my phone. "K" and Happiness pins.

yes, I still don't have a camera. "BrasiliPinas" pin.

left

my custom Havaianas. 2012.