ndp

frozen

2013-10-30T01:04:00.000+08:00

That morning was absolutely freezing! At theTsukiji fish market struggling to keep warm.

(btw, later that day I had to buy a goose down jacket. it. was. cold!)

jeans and striped turtleneck: H&M; pullover & scarf: borrowed; kicks: Nike; gloves: Asos;

will post about my Japan trip soon!!!

autumn chill

2013-10-29T19:37:00.000+08:00

sweater & skort: Zara; thermal knit tights: Uniqlo;
loafers: Sperry; fingerless gloves: Asos; scarf: thrifted; bag: Coach

Sorry for the lack of posts guys, Been so busy with work and opening of our Coast Thru Life store (drop by if you can!). But most of all, I've been busy traveling! Yes, was out and about in Tokyo for 9 days and I can't wait to share the craziest and funnest (and funniest) stories from my trip.

The photo above is of me, getting my first taste of autumn chill and semi-freezing in front of our awesome home in Tokyo, Nui | Hostel Bar x Lounge.

Watch out for my blog post about The Great Sushi Trip! Coming soon!

surf shack

2013-10-03T11:48:00.002+08:00

I apologize for my lack of posts, my life has quite been uninteresting lately with a lot of work and deadlines and more work, only with the occasional midweek glass of wine or glass of beer. You can follow me on instagram and see how I try capture a wee bit of "intersting-ness" in these mundane moments. Such is an architect's life. But don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! However, photos and stories of blueprints and tile sourcing are not very blog worthy I think.

Anyway, I came across this article thru my friend Kiddo and I wanted to share it with you. And I think...I think I found my dream house. Moreover, it combines two of the things I like most -- cozy, pretty homes and one of my ultimate surf idols, Kassia Meador. (If you don't know how much I love her, please click here and here)

When I was younger (and jaded?) and was a student of architecture, I would dream big and hope to design mansions and buildings and the like, and of course, my dream home was a huge house made of glass and steel overlooking the city with fancy cars in the garage. But as I got old(er) and especially when I became a surfer, my view of the perfect home changed. I now long for a seaside home, not big, but not tiny, just cozy. Wooden floors, with the morning and afternoon sun shining thru big windows, a surf rack, and bikes in the garage. Ok, maybe a Range Rover in the garage wouldn't hurt. *wink*

In this article from Indoek.com, Kassia talks about her home in Sta. Monica and how she loves having space for her dog Iruka, and being able to walk to anywhere she wants to go. It's basically my dream house, in reality. Everything about it is perfection -- the colored stucco walls, the potted cacti, the hammock, the old school range. I would love to live in a very similar shack next door. Of course being Kassia's neighbor wouldn't hurt. :)

all photos from Indoek.com

cat eye

2013-09-24T11:56:00.000+08:00

i love myself some classic winged liner. I found these tutorials from one of the blogs I follow, cocorosa :)

This one is my favorite and instantly became my everyday go-to eye look.

here are a few others i liked...

don't you think this look is sooo chic??

unfinished

2013-09-09T21:41:00.000+08:00

I am pretty much in love with this space.

there's something about a raw look added with dainty little details that combines masculinity and femininity and makes it so cool.

from garance dore.

#TheTravelingJournalProject

2013-09-05T18:41:00.004+08:00

For those of you following my blog, you would know that I don't only share my surf adventures. I also love to travel. And I travel not only to surf or to shop, but to really see and experience the places I go to. It need not be a first world country, nor do I need a fancy hotel. I feel a sense of fulfillment both at the sight of a nice iconic building and just seeing some local kids running around with their traditional garb and toys.

And travelling doesn't mean only going to a different country. Personally, it means (for me) going someplace I've never been before or seeing/experiencing a place through new eyes. You can go seaside, go to a big city, a quiet little farmhouse, go boating on a lake, hike up a mountain...

My friend Kenneth Surat has the same travel bug. I think he got bit by the bug even more than me! He's the same friend who sent me a wonderful handmade leather bound journal for this very purpose -- to keep tales of my adventures around the world.

Recently, he started this thing called the "The Travelling Journal Project". It's basically bringing a journal with you when you travel--write in it, doodle in it, whatnot --and when you return, you pass it on to someone who's off to somewhere for him or her to do the same. And then he or she does the same when she returns. The project's tagline is "let's travel the world together." #Genius

photo from kennethsurat.com

My only regret is that I didn't hear about this before the bff Nina left for France. That would have been one awesome first two entries. From my crazy surf, meeting my surf idols, getting addicted to Teh Botol in Bali to her prancing around in her ballet flats at Le Jardin de Luxembourg and eating macarons in Le Paris.

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."

- Saint Augustine

* read more about #TheTravellingJournalProject here *

follow Surat Journals on twitter, facebook & instagram
to be inspired and get your own leather bound handmade little blank book!

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Faith in Humanity Restored!

2013-08-23T22:09:00.002+08:00

Here's a story that will truly make your day!

So, the boyfriend Buji is in California, right? One day, I receive an email in our work account with the subject "lost wallet". At first I dismissed it since I didnt know the sender, thinking it was one of those email scams asking for money. Then my email window showed a preview of the message and i saw Buji's name in the letter. So I opened the email.

It read,

"I found a wallet for Gian Carlo B Libarnes outside a goodwill on Saratoga. This is the only contact info I could find in the wallet so let me know if you have his phone number. My number is 4----99--0. It has $283 in it and as I am homeless I would like to use some to buy gas and cigarettes, hope that is ok."

So I immediately called Buji to ask him if he did lose his wallet. He actually didn't realize It wasn't in his pocket anymore and was thankful that the guy who found it was a kind hearted soul. Imagine? A homeless guy not taking that cash?! Hey, 283 dollars is a lot of money! Anyway, Buji did call the guy and everything worked out. He got his tank full of gas, a pack of smokes, and Buji threw in a box of polvoron for good measure. Hahaha such a noyps.

Awesome, right? Right?!?! But wait there's more.

Two days later, I again receive an email from him and it read,

"Glad it worked out! Sorry I took some cash, I was totally stranded!

I'll pay you back once I get a job :) Cheers"

YOU. ARE. AN ANGEL. Of course Buji told him to not worry about it, and the world needs more people like him.

I literally had tears in my eyes. #truestory

PS. In case your all "If he's homeless how could he have sent an email?", some friend from California said they've seen homeless people with Macbooks and phones and all. They hang out in the library for free wifi (and books).

PPS. So what if all he wanted were some smokes and some gas?

Here are the screen caps of his email from my phone.

my girls

2013-08-12T21:49:00.000+08:00

"You know when I feel inwardly beautiful? When I am with my girlfriends and we are having a 'goddess circle'."

- Jennifer Aniston

just because im being emo and thankful for the gift of girl friends ;)

my college peeps (l-r: a blurry Katsy, le me, Sui pea, Gel and Bop)

my Cathy

the wahines! (l-r: Cesca, Kim, Amy, Kagey, le me, Tin, Nina, Jam)

Cesca, Tin, Nina, Mia, Kim & Miguela

Tin & Lorraine

me, tin, ces, Nica, & Lor

Surf Kalikasan

2013-07-25T20:42:00.000+08:00

If you're a surfer, you know this problem... you're at the mercy of mother nature. Both in the sense that She may give you massive waves or teeny tiny ripples. This is what happened to us last July 20-21 in La Union. The Manila Surfers' Association together with Maui & Sons organized a southswell surf comp. But, again, if you're a surfer from the Philippines, you know how unpredictable south swells are in Luzon.

True enough, the surf forecast said we would be getting 4-5 foot swells that weekend, so therefore MSA said the contest is a go! But wait! when we got to La Union... It. Was. (almost) Flat. Horror.

But being true blue troopers, the MSA crew made the most out of what waves God gave us and we all had a pretty good time. :)

see? TINY.

(photo from My Life on Board)

with the shortboard invitational finalist Thereze Lumdang & Champ Tin-tastic!!

And thanks to my ever trusty LOG, i was able to catch some good ones during that almost flat spell... i got a new board! Thanks MSA & Maui!

For more photos, check these links out!

Manila Surfers' Association - Maui & Sons Surf Kalikasan Project 2013

My Life on Board - SurfKalikasan Competition

Sports Unlimited - SurfKalikasan 2013

magenta

2013-07-23T13:21:00.001+08:00

Sitting in the line up, my friend Kim and I could not believe that we were seeing one of the moset awesome sunsets ever, we just HAD to run back to shore, drop our longboards, kim got her phone and snapped this photo, then we ran as quickly back to the line up and caught a few more small peelers as the sun continued to give us this light show.

photo by Kim Jones

small

2013-07-15T14:36:00.000+08:00

Most of my posts are either about surf or beach trips, summer and summer fashion, but I'm also a city girl! I also (kind of) love the hustle and bustle of a city as much as I love the serenity and calmness of the oceanside. Almost.

And being in the city means not having beachfront vastness, or a huge piece of land to build a nice beach house with awesome views on. As a designer, this poses as a challenge for us to create a comfortable, efficient, functioning and beautiful home in a small space -- which most of the time is the only size a city has to offer.

This New York City apartment is my absolute favorite inspiration when it comes to small spaces. It is so modern and functional yet still feels homey.

It's genius how each nook and cranny of the house is used as storage. No corner has gone to waste!

These 3D models show how small the space really is and how the designer made the best out of it.

Definitely inspiring! Imagination is everything!

from here.

print, texture and shapes

2013-07-11T18:52:00.001+08:00

Top and shorts: Zara; sandals: Payless; bag: Chloe

bali bits

2013-07-04T11:42:00.002+08:00

It's been a month since my last day in Bali and I'm missing it so much! Everything about that trip was just perfect -- the place, the company, the surf...

Reminiscing, here are some photos of us, out and about in Bali.

(all photos by Charlie Gomez)

tunic: vintage; cargo shorts: Coast Thru Life

mismatched bikini: Victoria's Secret

bikini top: Victoria's Secret; shorts: Billabong

tunic: thrifted in Seminyak; sunnies: Vans -- (see Kim's look here!)

maxi dress: thrifted in Seminyak

top & shorts: F21

bikini bottom: VS; purple board: McTavish (unintentionally matching my bikini bottoms!)

visitors

2013-06-29T12:06:00.000+08:00

A gloomy day at the construction site made brighter by these two little cuties! They made me miss my Skip! Maybe next time I'll bring my dog to keep me company at work...

art gallery

2013-06-18T12:49:00.000+08:00

dress: Topshop

One of the events in Bali last June was an art show and a film showing. Unintentionally, my dress sort of reflected the randomness of the plethora of art pieces from photos to traditional Balinese figurines, juxtaposed with different people and surf films/clips. Even the racerback cutout is unusual!

#obviouslyStillMissingBali

(all photos by Charlie Gomez)

THE jacket

2013-06-16T19:03:00.001+08:00

BCBG Max Azria Runway Novak Jacket

yes. i'm in love.

from here.

pink

2013-06-14T19:11:00.000+08:00

top & shorts: Zara

yep. this is me giving up on trying NOT to eat dessert. Two words: dessert buffet. At Cafe Marco, Marco Polo Plaza Hotel, Cebu City.

framed

2013-06-10T19:38:00.000+08:00

top: vintage; cargo shorts: Coast Thru Life; bag: gifted

Framed by a typical Balinese doorway. That craftsmanship.

(photo by Charlie Gomez)

Terimah Kasi!

2013-06-09T14:51:00.002+08:00

Went on a surf trip with my best buddies last week and we spent 8 days in beautiful Bali. We stayed in the quiet town of Canggu, rode around town in our rented scooters, surfed, surfed with our idols (kassia, dane peterson, etc, etc), had nasi goreng, watched and experienced the Deus surf event, oggled the surf stars of the said event, shopped, had bintang, and laughed, laughed, laughed.

This trip couldn't have been better except if we had 8 days more. :) Here are photos from my instagram feed, but these don't even describe half of the fun we had.

Terimah Kassi Indonesia! See you next year! :)

{all photos from my instagram feed: @nikkidelapaz)

inspirations

2013-06-06T10:52:00.002+08:00

As 2012 ended, I looked back on that year and was quite thankful for the travel and adventure it gave me. And I dared 2013 to do the same.

So far not much has happened on the travel department but I was blessed with not only a lot of work but also with the opportunity to be able to surf with two of my ultimate surf idols within the last 2 months -- Belinda Baggs and Kassia Meador.

So thanks 2013! So far you've proven awesome. :)

with Bindy in Baler, Philippines

with Kassia in Bali, Indonesia

chillin' like villains

2013-05-27T19:53:00.002+08:00

after a college-like hell week full of submissions and deadlines, errands and more errands, I flew to Cebu for some r & r with the family (missing one brother though!). It is always a fun time when I'm with these crazy cats, from road trips to swimming in the ocean, to swimming in the hotel sheets, to drinking mochaccinos from plastic cups (reused of course), to lunch buffets, to DESSERT BUFFETS, ordering sisig pizza, fighting over the hotel room temperature from normal to antarctica, and to 5 days of waking up with a beautiful view of Cebu City.

What a perfect pre-Bali holiday! Now I will start packing and bubble wrapping my board, for tomorrow, I'm heading to Canggu.

white + gold

2013-05-18T19:53:00.000+08:00

flowy top (semi seen), Topshop; glittered high waisted shorts, F21; shoes, Payless

A warm night in hot and humid manila calls for comfy clothes, yet still quite dressy / presentable. Opted for a classic white and gold combo for friend's baby shower.

#thatbalerweekend

2013-05-12T18:52:00.003+08:00

photos from that baler weekend where we surfed with the most graceful lady slider i have ever seen - bindy.

(photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

jeff g (photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

my buj (photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

bindy (photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

(photo from instagram.com/coastthrulife)

overalls

2013-05-01T20:24:00.004+08:00

From my post (here), you'll see that i recently got my old slouchy Volcom overalls out for a spin. I was actually thinking of disposing of it or cutting it up or something, but good thing i didn't! Browsing through my favorite blogs, I see that the jumper is making quite a comeback lately. Now, to find my own fitted version.

from thesartorialist.com

from garancedore.fr/en

from leblogdebetty.com

waveless

2013-04-25T14:01:00.000+08:00

Born with naturally curly (sometimes wavy, sometimes frizzy) hair, and not really being anal about hair care, rare are the times that i take the time to straighten my locks. So it was quite a surprise that I got the urge to do it twice in a week! Headed to the salon last week for a wedding I attended and two days after, did it at home with my mom's help for a friend's baby shower.

I do love my curly locks, but what do you think about my waveless hair?

Zara shift dress, borrowed clutch, Steve Madden pumps

with the lovely Kim Jones

color coordinated with these lovely ladies

Forever 21 shorts; Topshop camisole; Chloe Marcie mini shoulder bag; Payless ballet flats