TRAVEL + FASHION: Santa Monica, California

Last March, I was very privileged to be given the chance to spend four days in Santa Monica, California, sponsored by K-Swiss International. The K-Swiss brand originally came from Santa Monica. And so, armed with my K-Swiss Sneakers, I explored Santa Monica!

Since I was given 4 days in Santa Monica, I decided to go on and spend an entire month in the USA. Of course, after my stay for K-Swiss at the Fairmont Hotel, I would be on my own for a whole month. I knew this meant that I could not pack all my fashionista outfits with me. Preparing for one month meant super light packing which I really dreaded and thought would be impossible for me to achieve! So, because I had to pack lightly, I decided to pack a lot of blacks and dark colors and just play it up with scarves, jewelry, sunglasses, etc. to be able to change looks. I'll be posting most of my US outfits so I could show you how I played up my very scarce wardrobe during my one month stay. Believe me, living out of a suitcase and having limited outfits was sheer torture for me and I'm just glad I survived an entire month!

The Fairmont Hotel was indeed an awesome choice by K-Swiss. I loved the amenities and most of all the beautiful beach front view!

The weather was definitely too cold for me. I was surprised to see that most locals would be in their swimwear and sunbathing at the beach. I was too used to Manila OVEN-STYLE weather so the cold took a bit of getting used to. I headed to the beach pier in my all black and double layer outfit while most girls were frolicking in the beach in their bikinis. As much as I wanted to wear the bikini I brought with me, I had no choice or I'd freeze to death!

To add a bit of color to my all black outfit, I accessorized with my pink K-Swiss Sneakers, My purple shades and silver ring. Despite the simplicity of my outfit, I loved how my reddish dark blonde hair color stood out against the all black. It took me awhile to adjust dressing in layers since my Manila outfits consisted mostly of short shorts, dresses and tube tops. Layered dressing certainly wasn't my forte but I knew I needed to make it work for my one month stay!

at the Fair on the Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica was a lot of fun. So many tourist spots, nature and street art that I couldn't resist taking photos of. During our free days we, explored the place by just walking around and getting lost a lot. Doj (my boyfriend) and I enjoy the getting lost part of our travels! Despite the frustration of not knowing where to go, it is kind of fun when we have no idea where we are and we just end up laughing at ourselves and taking endless photos. I remember our first HongKong trip a few years back and how we got so lost after partying until 2am. We had no idea how to get back to our hotel and ended up asking for help from a policeman who didn't speak any english! How we managed to get back to our hotel was a long story! Getting lost in Santa Monica was a bit easier because we didn't have to put up with the language barrier. And because of the cool weather, we didn't sweat at all even if we knew we had been walking really far already. 

After my daytime adventures of this day, Iwent to meet up with my long time bestfriend, Apple, from New York. She came all the way to see me in Santa Monica because it's been 6 years since we last saw each other in Manila. I was also due to travel to New York in 2 weeks but I guess we were too excited to see each other already. Apple went to my hotel with her friend Kourtney and they took us to our first fine dining experience of this trip.

My bestfriend, Apple. Isn't she super sexy???

And because I traveled light, rather than changing into a whole new outfit, I just changed up my accessories to convert my outfit for night. I changed my K-Swiss Sneakers to my Nine West boots and replaced my shades with a scarf. Yep, black is the easiest outfit to accessorize and will save you the hassle of thinking what to wear next when traveling. I really didn't want to stress myself figuring out my outfit combinations. Of course in the back of my mind, I knew dressing for my New York trip in the next two weeks would be more than my all black outfits. I'll figure it out then. =)

THOUGHTS: On Being A Mom

Mother's Day just passed and like every year, I can say that it really is one of my favorite occasions. With the amount of greetings that I got, I sort of felt that it was like my birthday! On that day, I didn't go online for just a couple of hours and was overwhelmed to come back with 185 notifications on my Facebook profile. It really is a great feeling to be recognized for your greatest accomplishment in life... being a mom.

I must admit, being a mom at a young age was never easy. Yes, I was 18. But despite all the trials that comes with being a young mom, I have absolutely no regrets because it has made me what I am. Nico inspired me to work hard and be what I am today. I guess he was God's way of giving me that push that I needed in my life. I was able to put up my jewelry business before finishing college and was able to finish college with honors. All because of my little boy, my inspiration. I know I wouldn't have all my accomplishments if not for him.

Throwback: Speaking during my college graduation and receiving my Cum Laude award with my parents and my then three year old baby boy

Of course, I also owe a lot to my own mom. I know I wasn't always the good girl she hoped to have. But I never heard her complain. Despite my trying times, she never left my side and was always my bestfriend. Yes, she's my super idol. I wish I could be even half the mom that she is.



 

with my son, my brother and my beautiful mom

On a lighter note, I would also like to share some of the Mother's Day features that I was part of for this year. I was one of the "GlamMoms" for Star World's Mother's Day commercial. It felt great to be in line with such beautiful and awesome mothers from Star World's shows.

 

This commercial is also to promote Star World's Contest on Instagram. Are you a GLAM MOM? Follow @starworld_ph on Instagram Post your photo and hashtag: #selfie #ootd #glammoms @starworld_ph. Star World is giving out fabulous premiums! Who knows, you might just win! =)

A couple days before Mother's Day, I was also featured (together with actress and image specialist, Ana Roces) in GMA News Online's Lifestyle Section for the article "Sexy Moms Speak: It's In Our Attitude - And Our Choices" written by fashion and political personality, China Jocson.

As China interviewed me about  how I maintain being a sexy mom... I couldn't help but think to myself that being a sexy mom isn't about curves or washboard abs, it really is about how you carry yourself. It really is about a SEXY ATTITUDE! Being a mom is no reason for us to get "Losyang". No matter what we weigh, or how many stretch marks we get after pregnancy, we should always remember that these are our battle scars... it is what makes us the strong persons that we are. Being a sexy mom is also never about skimpy clothes, it's about wearing classy and age appropriate outfits. It's about being able to run a household even if  you're on a tight budget. It's about being able to spend time with your children despite your busy schedule. It's about looking good and feeling good.

The full article can be read on this link:
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/307213/lifestyle/design/sexy-moms-speak-it-s-in-our-attitude-and-our-choices

I also took screen shots of the article as a remembrance, so if you'd like to read on, here it is:

SHOPPING: 1,000.00 Peso Challenge for May 2013

Every month, I challenge myself to a shopping spree worth P1,000.00. It's a chance for me to add new stuff to my wardrobe without spending too much. P1,000.00 usually isn't much when you're going on a shopping spree. But as a mom, I have to always be on a budget because my son's needs are priority. Of course, even if I am on a budget, I will never allow myself  to be out of style. Mommies, it is possible! You don't have to splurge on expensive stuff to look good, you just have to know where to look. I imposed some rules for myself for my monthly challenge, so here they are:
1. I can go a little bit over the P1,000.00 ($25.00). Like P1,120.00 is ok. But I'm not allowed to reach P1,500.00!
2. I have to be able to buy 3 or more items. So 1-2 is a fail!

One of my favorite places to go to for inexpensive but stylish clothing is The Landmark. This department store has so many choices! They have such a wide variety for different personal styles. Sometimes you won't immediately find something for you. Of course, you have to be patient enough to search the racks for the items with the right fit and style for you.

Here are my buys for the month:

 

These two sheer tops are light enough to put over a dress or tank top and shorts. They cost P159.75 (around $4) each only and they are perfect for summer! They can even be worn over a bikini on your beach trips for the summer. They come in a variety of colors but I chose these two so that they would be easy to match with my other clothes.

Here's another sheer top that I got. I'm wearing it over a black tank top and shorts. I really like this for my casual days because of the light fabric and it's loose without looking frumpy plus, it costed only P289.75. (around $7)

To finish my shopping spree, I opted for this one shoulder dress for a party or gathering I might go to. I absolutely love this piece! The fit is perfect and the design is quite simple but very stylish. And for only P339.75 (around $9), who could go wrong?

Here is the summary and total of my purchases:

P159.75 - blue sheer top
P159.75 - white sheer top
P289.75 - black top with shoulder cut outs
P339.75 - one shoulder striped top

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P949.00 GRAND TOTAL (around $24)

I didn't even go over P1,000.00! Woohoo! Giving myself a pat on the back and heading home with a smile. =)