Parisian Summer 2012

Hi everyone! How have you all been getting by with the sweltering weather? I, for one, have been putting all my cut-offs and short skirts in heavy circulation. After trolling my blog roll, it seems like there's a consensus that pants are out of the question.The only places I don't wear them to are at work and Sunday mass (no matter how tempting)!

vintage printed top and belt, SM shorts and hat, Looking for Lola cuff, Dior sunglasses, Parisian wedges

The perfect thing to pair with these old shorts is this super thin and breathable top that I scored for a song during my last thrifting expedition. 

In other news, I'm sure you've all been seeing the SM Parisian Shoes and Bags campaign that some of your favorite bloggers participated in. I was fortunate enough to be invited to participate in the campaign but on the day itself, I ended up flaking because I was too sick to haul myself out of bed. It's a pity because I was super excited to check out the latest styles they had brought in!

Luckily, I managed to get a hold of some pairs from the summer collection (a big thank-you to Cristel and Rocio)! These wedges are quite possibly my most manageable pair of shoes with some height. I love the covered heel and the sunny yellow of course! I think I might even be able to wear this to work because of how comfy they are.

They go perfectly with the vibrant print of my vintage blouse too.

PARISIAN SUMMER GIVEAWAY!

Here's your chance to score something from the collection with just a few clicks!

I'm giving away these lovely travel-friendly flats for all your summer jaunts from the Parisian Comfy line (size 7), a shoe-themed eco bag, and a beautiful pair of oversized stud earrings from Looking for Lola! All you have to do is accomplish all the steps listed below:

1. Follow the blog on Bloglovin' or GFC.

2. Like SM Parisian and Looking for Lola on Facebook.

3. Email your name, contact number, and email address to shadychronicles@gmail.com.

You may email your entries until Sunday, April 29. Only one entry per person.

foldable flats with floral pompom detail in turquoise and Parisian shoe eco bag

Looking for Lola vintage earrings

I hope you can all take a minute to join the contest! Enjoy the rest of your week, everyone!

Spring Break Supplies

  D: Since spring break is actually about to end, this is yet another delayed post. Sorry folks. Been enjoying a nice holiday since school/work let out last March 29. Here's the reading material that's been keeping me occupied.

Preview's obviously a monthly staple though I've got to get around to buying a long-term subscription to save me the hassle of driving to the neighborhood grocery store.

 I haven't been a teen for a few years already but I'm just not ready to wean myself off of Teen Vogue. This is one subscription I'm not terminating any time soon. Maybe I'll graduate to (Mature) Vogue before I turn 30.

 This is the book I'm currently enjoying. I can't bring myself to watch the movie until I've finished this! Plus when I get through with it, P will have his turn reading this. We love dissecting books for hours on end but I refuse to purchase 2 copies. Til then, the film will just have to wait.

 Haven't started this one yet (my little brother has it on loan) but I certainly enjoyed Emma Donoghue's intense work, Room. If you haven't read it yet, you need to run to the nearest bookstore and pick it up. It's so good that I can't think of a better adjective than "good" to describe it. Just go see for yourself and you won't regret it.

 One of the perks of being a teacher is having access to free books at the library. The sight of shelf after shelf of books waiting to be devoured is one of the most exciting things to see. After a long day in the classroom, I hie off to the library to get lost among the stacks and to unearth hidden gems or crap, as the case may be. 

I have no expectations for the book above but the premise seems promising. It's a murder mystery piece about two teenagers searching for the truth about how their friend died.

 

 Like Jersey Shore and milk tea, chick lit will always be a guilty pleasure for me. Although, it feels much better when you're not shelling out for the books. I admit, I do end up getting 1 or 2 "fluffy mamon" books for when I'm trying to read to sleep. It's akin to the chapters we were forced to read in college that always helped with those sleepless nights. Don't get me wrong though, a lot of these teen romance books have me squealing with kilig,  no matter how formulaic they are!

P: Sadly, I don't have as much time to read books as I'd like. So I like to have magazines around when I don't have the time to invest in a good novel. GQ's a solid couple of hours' worth of leisure time plus it helps me find pegs for the tux I'll be wearing on the wedding day.

So while looking for DVDs in Metrowalk to assist in our state of vegetation, we stumbled upon this cool, little store selling imported items from Japan. Of course, we had to get some munchies for movie night.

We first set our sights on the brown sugar and red bean KitKats. We could only get two of these uniquely-flavored bars because they were selling for PHP60 a pop. These were a real treat though and we're definitely going back to try the dozen other flavors (i.e. Wasabi, Blueberry amd Strawberry Cheesecake, Almond Jelly, etc.)

We both love Meltykiss and green-tea flavored chocolate so we had to grab these sticks smothered in that winning combination. 

The sweet tooth was not disappointed with the brown sugar flavor. It tasted almost like the syrup in taho but not sickeningly so. Good choice to pair it with white chocolate too. 

It's really uncanny how these taste exactly how they say these will taste like. If you were eating this blindfolded, you would probably think it's bits of red bean mashed with chocolate. 

Hope you saw something interesting here or were inspired to grab a book or some sweets. Wherever they may be and whatever you may be doing, hope your holidays are a peaceful and enjoyable.

Sushi Fridays

FOOD

Dinners on Lent Fridays are obviously a tad bit trickier than on regular Fridays, given the seafood-only policy that we try our best to abide by. This year we found ourselves alternating between two restaurants.

We stumbled upon Asagao inside the Pearl Drive complex randomly. We went in without any background information on the place so our expectations were non-existent.

Their menu

It's a small place, usually with a handful of students occupying the tables. Because of its size, it can get reaaally noisy so if you're looking for a quiet place to chill then steer clear. The guy on the rightmost side of the photo is super nice and accommodating but the girl manning the till consistently treated us as though she had better things to do. We get that being a waitress must be exhausting, but being downright rude and haughty is unacceptable. Anyway!

The tempura was a little "bready" but not criminally so like in the cheaper places. It was nice, crisp and freshly cooked. They served the sauce warm and with a side of optional ginger. These were good touches that at least showed some effort. 

We don't usually go for Jap food when eating out but we've recently gone crazy over these Philly Rolls. The salmon and kani, together with the teriyaki-and-mayo sauce make a tasty combination.

Love the sauce! Make sure to ask for a little more teriyaki sauce on the side if you like the savory sweet taste.

FASHION

P: SM shirt, vintage suspenders, 21Men jeans, deck shoes

I needed a hipster outfit for a friend's themed birthday so the checkered shirt and suspenders were a good fit. It's cool for a regular night out too as long as you don't feel pretentious in it.

Yes, my hand did not leave my pocket for the entire shoot.

Snapped up this cool slap bracelet from Topman. They took a 90's staple and updated it with the summer-trending tribal pattern.

D: thrifted vintage tee, random tights, MonicaFig French Bulldog shoes, H&M sunglasses and cuff

I know, it's cop-out dressing, just an over-sized shirt and a lack of pants. I just love all the awesome details on the shirt that I didn't want to obscure it with other...stuff. 

This is the nth time I've worn these ankle boots but I guess that's the mark of a good shoe, right? And the fact that I'm currently under a self-imposed shoe shopping ban means that repetition is bound to happen.

Looking for Lola Summer 2012

Hi everyone! Looking for Lola has just realized a new collection of unique summer staples. Hope you can stop by and check it on our website!

We're uploading the items bit by bit so don't forget to check in every now and then. Limited pieces per design, most with only one in stock! Here are some BTS shots to give you an idea of what else we have in store for you.

 Photographer: Patty Mendoza

Models: Alexi Bautista and Bianca Locsin

Special thanks to Anjie Gogna, Mamp Grewal, Paolo Puno