Saturday Scout Troopers

My Saturday started out with a photo shoot for PULP Magazine. I was informed about the shoot just the night before so I didn't even expect that it was going to push through. Riz and I didn't have time to coordinate regarding our outfits/props so we just met up at around 10 AM. 

The first two floors at the office were under renovation and we were greeted with stacks of their previous issues by the entrance...

We went up to the 3rd and 4th floors and had fun shooting around their colorful office in all angles.

The photographer (Mark Sy) didn't know anything about our music so he went through our Facebook page quickly. He was surprised that we were only two in the band and even more surprised to find out that we were sisters (we actually get that reaction a lot). Our group photos were taken while singing our version of Thinkin Bout You with Riz playing the ukelele-- it went by really fast. 

We then had our headshots taken. It was a simple set-up inside the recording studio but I loved the lighting which made even the raw files look good. 

These BTS shots make us look so serious but we were really laughing the whole time. Mark's engaged to a Cebuana so he kept throwing these Cebuano words at us. I dont know why, but everything sounds lighter/funnier in Bisaya. 

More Instagramming ensued after the shoot. 

We left PULP and I decided to pick up my dry cleaning at Rockwell before proceeding to Aracama for  the STATUS Scout Trooper  party (Au Beau Blanc cleaners are really good, btw. I trust them with all of my coats/suits!). 

STATUS parties are always so cool. I love the crowd they draw at their events since they're a mix of people from different industries. Failed to take more photos with people since I'm currently trying out this thing wherein I set aside my phone/camera during social gatherings so I can converse with people more. Trust me, mobiles really restrict you from socializing!

Locally made Don Papa Rum... Tastes good on the rocks and I'm loving the bottle + label! 

We were asked to wear camo/utilitarian outfits for the event. Being the lazy dresser that I am, I decided to throw on a grey & black camo print cardigan since I knew I was going to end up at the [cold] studio that night. I couldn't find any of my military green tops for some reason... Which reminds me that I have to check out the closets at my old house. Gotta unearth all the unused clothes for the next Bloggers United bazaar!

I initially wore my mid-length heeled boots to the STATUS party...

then changed into these thigh-high boots from Janylin before we had dinner at Wildflour since I didn't want to record wearing platforms. They are extremely comfortable but I constantly have to pull them up since they're too loose for my legs. I have to remedy this because I'm planning on abusing these babies for more trips to come. If you're interested in the heeled version of these thigh-highs, they carry those, too. It'll cost you about Php 2,500+ or a little over $60. 

Riz and I went to Makati after dinner and I sang over some tracks for Marcus at his studio in Makati. Hope I can post the song here soon. It's really different from what Riz and I are used to- it's a dance track and it even has a bit of dubstep after the chorus. So cool!  

Hope your Saturday went well. Announcing the winner for my blog giveaway soon!

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Cebu (Nov. 2-3)

I guess my dad found it funny to leave more than 20 photos of me just floating like an otter on my camera & iPhone... Ridiculous.

The best Japanese food at Fiji 

Thanks to my sister Riz for taking the last few photos from the resort.

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Right after the Halloween festivities I had to prepare my things for a shoot in Cebu. Sam was kind enough to lend me some dresses as I had no time to shop, plus Mia agreed to lend me one of her kaftans for the group photo. I was on the brink of having a panic attack since I didn't own any white outfit/dress! Aside from a few pairs of heels I just stashed all the items from my closet that I thought could pass as resort wear. Because of the hastened packing I forgot to bring normal-day clothes and a swim suit! Right after this trip I promised myself never to pack on the last minute since it sucks having to avoid people & places just cos of my outfits (yes, that bad).

The first few photos were taken at the Cebu Yacht Club last Nov. 2 while we were shooting for a spread for Zee Lifestyle. I can't disclose any details about it yet, but it was loads of fun despite having to endure shooting for hours under the sun. It felt like one of the hottest days ever and I really pitied our photographer because unlike us, he couldn't take breaks. We even transformed Mia's car into our holding area since the place where we had our hair & makeup done was an open-air dining area without any electricity. I'm only realizing how hard the set-up was as I'm writing this down! I guess none of us complained since we spent hours having fun talking to one another, plus Mikey kept making us sing so he could record it. Can't wait for the feature to come out this December- the photos are so nice and it made the entire day of sweating [and praying we don't get heat strokes] all worth it. 

Vito invited us to his new pad that night for some drinks. He designed the interiors  including the furniture and I just love it! He's leasing it out starting next year since he's moving to another country. The photos don't do it any justice because I took them at night under low-light conditions with the awful zoom/kit lens (primes are the way to go). I already envy whoever's going to live there. It's a 2-bedroom flat with a great kitchen, plus I love the photographs & decor. 

For the rest of my stay my mum decided to take us to Plantation Bay. Back in high school my friends and I would frequent this resort just so we could use the game room, swim, bike around or wall climb. This time I just wanted to tan, veg out by the porch and swim. Love that the lagoon was a mere 10 steps from my bed- yes, our porch had stairs leading straight to the water! I can't really choose which resort in Cebu's my favorite because each one has something I really get attached to. For Plantation Bay, it's got to be the easy access to the swimming area and the best Japanese food at Fiji . 

I can't wait to visit Cebu again! Will definitely bring along some friends so we can all beach-hop or island-hop. It's always nice to take a break from all the cooking and cleaning (almost unbelievable how I'm not used to having household help available 24/7 anymore). Plus I already miss my mum's cooking- nothing will ever beat that.

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BTS- Mia Arcenas shoot

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Was in Cebu last Sunday for a photo shoot with Mia. She's launching her website again really soon and is revealing her spring/summer line apart from new kaftans (which she's known for).

We were driving around Busay and shooting at different locations Mia chose the day before, only to realize how dangerously steep some of them were! I guess she underestimated the slopes when she was focusing on the sites. Good thing we were still able to haul all of the things up... It was quite a challenging shoot because of the time constraint-- I was flying back to Manila at 9 PM and I shot my last frame at exactly 8 PM! Good thing everything's 15 minutes away in Cebu and thank God for the clear business class counter and friendly attendants! I was able to get my bags checked in at 8:30 when the plane was boarding. For some reason everyone at the airport was extremely slow and the lines were craaaaaazy long at check-in because everyone was cheering for the basketball game. Am I the only Filipino who's not into basketball? Was looking like a total rebel dressed in black and being the only one facing against the TV at the check-in area. I rarely complain and I'm so used to how the airport becomes a circus on most days but it was a marketplace that night. I guess it was a good game?

Judging from this post, I'm sure you all understand that my day was pretty uneventful apart from having to work with a great team. Jonii didn't need much direction and our makeup artist worked really fast.

Thank you to Mia for giving me a good reason to fly back & visit my home for a day! Can't wait to show you guys the photos! 

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