Boot Loot

This dress is crazy long for me even when I'm in heels. 

Being 5 feet and 3/4 of an inch tall is no fun.

Had to do a little nip/tuck of my own to avoid soiling the hem.

 F21 dress, vintage white blazer, random accessories

These H&M ankle boots look 90% like the Zara pair I wore in this post.

However, I gladly justified the purchase using the 10% difference = the block heel.

 Fun!

Crossings

D: Woke up bright and early last Saturday to shoot for Lola. Here are a few behind-the-scene shots!

Some of the stuff that will be sold on Saturday! Check out the pretty bags on the bottom left!

 

 I'll post the bazaar poster and the first teaser soon! 

Check out the rest here or here.

 FINDS AT CROSSINGS, SHANG

D: The Ramp at Crossings is one of my favorite places to shop in. A wide selection of brands all in the same space makes shopping so much easier. I love visiting their shoe section to check out the latest offerings of the local shoe brands! It's also a great bonus that P doesn't have to tail me since he's also preoccupied shopping.

P: It's nice to see a respectable amount of interesting men's clothes in a department store and Crossings doesn't disappoint. While about a third what's on offer is a bit too avant garde for my taste, it's still great that designers/labels get to show off their stuff here.

 

 

P: Nothing says grandpa vintage like shawl collars. I like this double-breasted number in navy but I'm not too sure about the short sleeves. It's a great twist on the classic cardigan though.

P: I like wearing shirts like this with a tie but unbuttoned at the top. It adds subtle flair to an otherwise regular piece.

 

P: Shoe finds at Zara. A couple of desert boot/chukka offerings. The first is obviously a throwback to the classic design from Clarks. I prefer the second one (though both are great) because of the dirty blue, worn leather and fold along the top. They're perfect for rugged urban schlepping.

Pretty platforms from their house brand

Tonic wedges that I really wanted to get!

Only P1,200+ and so comfortable. I love the taupe in the middle!

Criss-cross heels which I wish weren't peep-toes

Saddle shoes from Pill

Love the red in the middle!

Cute polka dress for only P299

In fact, everything on this rack was below P300!

Gingham polo from faith.hope.love.

This reminds me of Dorothy's costume from Wiz!

Yellow sundress with an adorable print also from faith.hope.love.

Lovely evening gowns

FASHION

BKK shirt and dept store shorts

P: I was really digging how much the Thais were playing with these abbreviated collars. It's like you can pop your collar without feeling like a douche. Thinking of having an oxford shirt made with the collar folding over just enough (sort of like a club collar but smaller and straighter).

Bkk top and sandals, thrifted shorts
D: Plain Jane on a relaxed Saturday.
Nothing intense because we went straight to Araneta to watch the game.
And what a game it turned out to be! Go Ateneo! Anyway...
I love the fit of this white top, very easy and comfy. Best thing to grab on lazy days.

36 and up

 FOOD

We had a cause for celebration last week so we had a mid-week semi-feast at Je Suis Gourmand at the Fort. I think it could rival Aubergine with its fine French cuisine at more affordable prices.

Complimentary bread basket

D: Your standard fare.

P: Nothing fancy here, just decent bread and butter. 

Dalandan juice

Iced tea

Perhaps they should look into innnovating their non-alcoholic drink options since these were kind of blah.

  

Gratinated French onion soup

 

 D: Yum, this was excellent (although it looks a bit like brains)! I especially loved the gloppy cheese bits. It was super rich and filling but the taste can get overwhelming. This serving is definitely for sharing.

P: The onions are caramelized so well that they're super sweet and soft. The flavors were so intense and complex for such a simple dish, a testament to the care taken in preparing it.

 Ravioli with feta cheese and lamb shank in putanesca sauce

D: This was... not what I expected it to be. I'm big on lamb (as you might've noticed) and this dish didn't quite cut it. It might be the feta or the capers that overpowered the lamb's flavor. Sorry to say, but this tasted more like fish, what with the sauce and all. Needless to say, I'm not getting this again.

 

Braised ox tongue and veal cheeks in bourguignon sauce (I think)

P: The ox tongue was awesome, just so soft and almost melt-in-your-mouth. The veal cheeks were a little less tender but not dry. The vegetables were a surprising treat as well. The rich and savory sauce tied it all together. 

 

Lava cake with blueberry preserve and vanilla ice cream on a filo pastry

D: I am such a dessert freak and this was right up my alley. The core of the lava was wonderful with the ice cream! Worth every peso.

P: I loved the combination of the warm cake and cold ice cream. Again, as with all the other dishes, attention to detail elevated this dessert.

FASHION

 

 Oxford shit from my tailor, 21Men knit tie, brown leather belt from Firenze, Zara trousers and brogues

 

 P: Once again, I'd like to commend my tailor. I love the fit of this shirt. It can get frustrating when the ratio of the shirt's components don't match your shape i.e. fit torso but narrow shoulders and tight collar. A tailor will remedy all these shirt issues. Oxfords and knits are made for each other.

 

 Topshop dress, Looking for Lola earrings, vintage belt and turquoise cuff, and these shoes

 

 D: Purple isn't really my color but I loved the fabric and cut of this dress. Wore it with a super old pair of platforms that needed to see the light of day (or night) again after an age hidden in the closet. I like to justify purchases using the cost-per-wear theory so these needed to come out of hiding.

Sorry about the fuzzy photos!

Chalk it up to harsh indoor lighting + lack of photography skills.

Maina and the Med

For our friend, Maina's birthday we met up at Podium for some dinner and drinks. 

She also sponsored our barkada screening of Going the Distance, the latest flick of Drew Barrymore and Justin Long. 

You just can't beat good entertainment, good food, and the best company!

Cafe Mediterranean as per Little Miss H's request

7-layer dip with chips
P: Very complex tastes with this one but predominantly eggplant. I liked the crispy filo chips as well. Solid choice of appetizer for a group.

Beef Gyro Plate
P: Was deciding between this and the moussaka but I was hankering for some meat. Although the beef was well-cooked and tender, there wasn't enough flavor. It was decent though when heaped with all the toppings (the Greek names of which escape me now haha).

D: The Lamb Gyro just wasn't doing it for me that day. I wasn't feeling the overall taste of it.

P: I finished the rest of this and it wasn't half bad with the offending onions taken out. There were just too many big, raw slices of onion.

Hanna's awesome-looking Moussaka
P: Tried this in a prior visit. I think it's one of the highlights of the menu and it's one of the cheaper items too. Ground beef and eggplant topped with creamy cheese and bechamel sauce, mmm!

To combat all the strong flavors, we grabbed a quick dessert in the form of Sebastian's Vanilla Truffleburger. Two chocolate chip cookies sandwiching vanilla ice cream with a fudge core. 

D: I enjoyed this immensely. I could have had three of this.
P: It's called a Truffleburger. You have to try it if just for the name haha. 

Post-movie drink at Borough, the latest hang-out in the Ortigas area. It's got a lovely, laid-back vibe supposedly inspired by Brooklyn. The menu is pretty extensive and offers a wide array of interesting dishes and freshly baked goodies. Too bad we had dinner already! We'll definitely come back to try some of the things that caught our eye (Chocolate Chicken Wings and Cola Glazed Porkloin)!

They serve really refreshing mojitos, one of the best we've ever tasted!

How cute is their version of milk and cookies?! You can pour their "house-blend" milk into two shot glasses and sample their oatmeal and rasin, gingersnaps, or peanut butter cookies! Yum!

Sim's Pulled Pork Sandwich in a homemade hoagie

I can't wait to try this! It looked super good!

Thanks for a great Saturday, guys! Had fun with our drink-naming game!

 FASHION

Bangkok shirt, navy carrot pants, and grey plimsolls
Got this shirt from the weekend market in Bangkok. I really like the mismatched pattern, a nice twist to the deluge of plaid nowadays. It sort of feels 1950s, like you should be driving a Buick or something haha.

parka from Betty and shoes from Parisian, Zara skirt, 

random burn-out tank, vintage patent box sling bag

Just got this parka recently and I'm digging how light the fabric is. It keeps you cozy and is substantial enough to keep the stray wind at bay but is also breezy enough for when the schizo weather turns humid. Used it to 'de-frillify' this skirt I bought on impulse.

Oh and meet two of the many creatures living harmoniously in my accessory station!