Sunday, July 31, 2011

and in this moment I am happy..

#fangirl
JULY 28, 2011 - INCUBUS Live in Manila. Before I died of extreme happiness that night, here are two outfit shots taken by my sister Ela, moments before leaving home.

**WARNING- This is a photo+text heavy post chronicling fan girl moments. If you drown in words and photographs as you read along, don't say I never warned you. 
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Top from Pull & Bear // Skirt from Cotton On // Chelsea ballet flats from Roxy // Leopard satchel from Impulse Co.

Before anything else, apologies to the people in the Patron Seating section row C and beyond, if I obstructed your view during the entire concert. YES I was the girl in white shirt who couldn't sit still and insisted on dancing, jumping and singing at the aisle the entire time! I did not get the aisle seat for nothing. I didn't even know I had rhythm until last Thursday night. To my close friends and dear orgmates who are following me on twitter, forgive me for my still-can't-get-over Incubus tweets.
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He-ey MEGAN-lomaniac! 

My sister borrowed my limited edition Megalomaniac lyric tee that my organization (UPLB Jocks represent!) sold, circa 2008. This has been my favorite since then. The Incubus concert fever seriously got into me, that at one point, I wanted to change my twitter user name to @MEGANlomaniac or @AnaMolly. #fangirl Megan was my alter ego on air back in college, by the way. 

We got to Araneta Coliseum at around half past 7 and being the punctual freak that I am, I literally ran to my seat. Kiara and I got lost and ended up entering the backstage but we were ushered out immediately. Sayang! I took a moment to absorb and gush about everything, especially the close proximity to the stage.

Franco opened for Incubus and it was the perfect way to set the mood. Have I mentioned I've never been to a real concert before? I vowed Incubus' would be the first concert that I'm going to see. I can't even begin to explain how I was feeling the moment Franco wrapped up their last number. I was already standing, eager to see my ultimate favorite band grace the stage. The stage set-up took a while, nonetheless, it was definitely worth the wait! The lights were dimmed and the crowd burst in cheers. The moment the lights went on, there they were, Kilmore, Ben, Jose, Mike and Brandon.

Okay, I admit! I was the one shouting "wooo-hooo" , "I love you BRANDONNN"! and "OH MY GAAAHHD" -- if it wasn't too obvious :p
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They opened with Megalomaniac and I couldn't believe what I was seeing/hearing. Tens of thousands of fans who flocked to see the sold out concert was singing along with Brandon. I tried filming the band's entrance and opening number because I knew beforehand they were opening with Megalomaniac, I tried. Take note, try being the operative word because a few seconds into the instrumental part (which is one of my favorites!), my hand was super shaky so I gave it up, zipped my digital camera back to my bag and I started singing and dancing to the song and each one that followed! Poor Mikey, he threw his guitar backwards out of frustration because something went wrong, then he walked off stage. Good thing he was able to go back on stage in time for his solo. Impeccable timing! 
wish you were here
The world's a rollercoaster, and we are not strapped in
Maybe I should hold with care but my hands are busy in the air saying
I wish you were here..
Everyone raised their hands when Brandon sang those lines, as if we were all in a roller coaster ride. Wish you were here was the second song on the setlist. 
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You will be a HOT dancer
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The set list was the perfect mixture of old and new songs. I can't believe they played Glass which is one of my favorite songs from S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Around 3 songs into the concert, I still can't believe my most favorite band is right in front of me, giving out a performance which exceeded my expectations. It was more than what I could have hoped for. The audience would tame a bit when they would play unfamiliar tracks, while I on the other hand, was on my feet the entire time. I knew 98% of the songs they played, by heart. I'm one of the hardcore fans who really appreciate the evolution of their music.

Sorry to disappoint ladies, but Brandon kept his shirt on the entire time. Speaking of which, I noticed he wore the same top in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, BUT he wore it backwards this time. I don't know about you, but I find it cute. He usually takes his shirt off halfway through concerts so it was something female fans (myself included) would look forward to. He did tease everyone by pulling his top to his head for a few seconds which I captured on film! Lucky for us he was facing our side of the coliseum :)
We were only allowed digital cameras, supposedly, but I did see a couple of dlsrs. TSS. I didn't bother taking tons of photos and videos because as much as I'd love to capture every moment, I was more keen on enjoying every second of it. About 95% of the photos I took were blurry, so credits to Pat for taking some of the photos I posted above. Thank you Pat! Anyway, I was surprised to see this photo after uploading the photos to my computer. Presenting my most prized photo, boys and girls.. I was this close to the stage and I couldn't ask for anything more.
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Goodbye.. Nice to Know You

They wrapped up the concert with Nice to Know You which was the perfect encore, don't you think? Before the egress, Brandon went down on both knees and proposed to me. CHOS! He knelt down before the tens of thousands of people who came to see them perform. All 6 foot 2 of his glory, down on his knees, with his head bowed down and eyes closed in front of the entire Araneta crowd. It was a very humbling moment, and the most sincere thank you I've ever felt. Good thing I was able to record that in a video.
I lost count of the number of times he thanked the audience, to which I would always reply with no, thank YOU. I'm sure this won't be the last time I'll be seeing you guys. Thank you Incubus for one hell of a concert experience and for making beautiful music. I waited so long for this and now I can't wait for you guys to come back. Thank you NanayTatay, Isa & Ela. Thank you Pat. Thank you Danielle and Kiara :) and Thank you God for sculpting Brandon Boyd to quasi-perfection. I'm in love with him, his music, his art, his face, his body and of course, his band.
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Yeeeeaah, look on your face was PRICELESS!! 
Southern Girls. Post Incubus concert high, we have happiness written all over our faces. I seriously hate my face in this but I'm posting this for everyone to see how blissful I was. I'm so glad I got to share this moment with both my sisters. Even more, they enjoyed it as much as I did considering they aren't super fan girls like yours truly. Ooh Brandon, I can't believe you made me and my sisters cuss while singing along to your songs! (Glass and Megalomaniac both have the F word. HAHA And Oh, Southern Girl is one of my favorite tracks from the Crow album, Brandon wrote it for his ex)

"I've amazed myself everyday of how badly I play guitar but it's so much fun" - Brandon Boyd
Photo credits : Hub Pacheco & Godwin Nerona of Araneta Center
Talk about eye+ear candy!
Dream come true.
We only part to meet again

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Tomorrow's Food

This kind of weather lures me in to bed which I find conducive for blogging. Presenting my weekend photo diary (mainly consisting of foooood):
My favorite bacon next to Kirkland signature bacon - S&R's, cooked to salmonella-perfection as my mom would say it. This is how I cook my bacon, medium well and not the typical well-done crispy.
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..and for lunch,cheesy tuna panini and mom's home cooked pumpkin soup which I can probably eat for the rest of my life. I love it so much and it's perfect for the rainy day!
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Hot cocoa float in the afternoon.
From LemeLeme.
No, this is not a boulder of chocolate. This I believe is the chocolate counterpart of silvanas which is known otherwise as sambos. I've been quite addicted to this since I was tiny lass and I probably won't outgrow my liking for it. I like it better than silvanas because of its bittersweet chocolate shavings and mousse inside.

My two siblings had full social calendars. Meet my one and only brother Jose and my youngest sister Ela.
My not-so-little brother Jose attended his first high school dance last night. I'm not used to seeing him like this so I'm posting this photo here in my blog. 
Top and heart-shaped purse from Zoo // Headband and boots from Forever21

Ela attended her first coming out party this year. Happy Happy Birthday Pat :) I played stylist for her and it took a while before we were able to settle for an outfit. Theme/Motif was neon and good thing I remembered this top from Zoo Ela bought last year. Instead of pairing the top with tights or pants, I told her to wear a black skirt underneath so it would look like it's a peplum dress. I'm telling you, a black skirt works wonders!
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Are you in? My INCUBUS Concert post is coming right up! It's taking me forever to complete this particular entry because there's so much photos, videos and sentiments I want to share. It was the best DAY of my life even if they only played for 2 solid hours. Most of the captions and blog entry titles here are hailed from Incubus song titles and lines, if you haven't noticed yet. Blame it on Brandon freakin' Boyd for being such an amazing writer <3 *sighs* I will forever bask in the glory of his lyrical dexterity!
Photos from 160g

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Wild Trapeze

I spent my Sunday in Alabang Town Center (ATC) with my family. I was slightly caught off-guard with the spontaneous decision so I had to whip out an outfit in less than an hour. Here it is, my laid-back Sunday outfit:
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I just threw on a sheer trapeze cover-up from Topshop over a little black dress. I'm so guilty of impulsive shopping that I bought this dress without even thinking of how I can wear it. I'm glad I did though, because I love how flowy and breezy it feels when worn. (So breezy, it has that pang-pantyliner-commercial-outfit feel to it, maybe because of the color or the sheer fabric.) 
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This is how the back of the dress looks like. It has that low V-cut and a slit that runs to your hips so a decent dress underneath is an imperative! 
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The glittery gold dots on the fabric won me over, so off to the cash register it flew! To achieve the whole laid-back look, I just wore a pair of black sandals and toted the ever-trusty Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM that everyone seems to have. Mall trip is never complete without seeing someone with the same purse. 
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I finally had my hair colored 3 weeks ago, to which my friends would reply with "ah talaga?!" (really?!) whenever I'll mention it. I'm starting to embrace the natural waves of my [super thick] hair. I am proud to say, that I can now work the bun trick wherein you just tie your hair in a bun then release it to create instant loose curls. Magic!
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Lunch at Italianni's
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Meet my glam fam. HAHA
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Houndstooth whore. Introducing my new favorite print -- houndstooth! I absolutely adore how timeless and classy it looks. 

Only 3 more freakin' days to go before the Incubus concert!
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I'm telling you, I've been in love with Brandon Boyd and the boys since I was 14! To see him in person has always been a dream of mine. He is the quintessential delicious California boy with the surfing and perma-tan. Not to mention the long lean body and casual style; he's a really chill, laid back type o' guy. I've abandoned my hopes of meeting him in person for now, but to be able to gaze at him and hear him sing live, ARRRGGGHHHH!! Sorry, I can't put to words how excited I am. As a matter of fact, I'm already being robbed of sleeping hours out of excitement! 
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He designs his own tattoos! How sexy.

I recently chanced upon the blog of Brandon's girlfriend and found beautiful (but heartbreaking) photos of him. Lucky biatch.  If reblogging is allowable on tumblr, hope you guys don't mind me doing the same. Presenting my favorites: (photos from Baelyn's fashion blog)
Namatay na lang ako!
*gasps!!* OMG!! *passes out*
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See you real soon B. I love you so much! 


Kisses, 
A


** Photos of Brandon Boyd reblogged from Friends and Lovers

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Best Blog Award

Thanks to Mestizay & Yna for passing this award to my blog ;)

As part of the drill, I have to share 7 Random Facts about myself:

1) I hold a certain fascination with mysteries. Mostly circulating the death/disapearances of people: Jon Benet Ramsay, The Black Dahlia, Zodiac Killer, Natalie Holloway, Beaumont Children, Amelia and even the Bermuda Triangle!

2) I'd like to call myself a photosensitive sleeper. I can't siesta without my eye mask and I can only sleep when all the curtains in my room are closed. My room is painted hot pink and I asked my mom to buy silver/gray curtains for my room so it would be really dark inside, even at noon. 

3) You can't make me eat pasta for lunch. My appetite is on full blast during lunch time so I strongly prefer the consumption of Filipino or Spanish food because of RICE! To balance my diet, I usually eat cereals for breakfast and a lighter meal for dinner. 

4) I don't use swear/curse words. Unless, strictly speaking, provoked, I think I can make an exception!

5) I can't leave home without my toothbrush (apart from the basic essentials : wallet, cellphone & keys). My girlfriends and I even brought our toothbrushes during senior prom! 

6) One of my biggest pet peeves is chipped nail polish. No offense meant, I actually love having my fingernails painted, I just don't like them the moment, NO the second they chip off! Before my graduation last April, the last time I had my nails painted was way back in October 2009. I only use my forest green polish from Walgreens or my Dior Vernis 840 Rouge Paris in Risky Red so I can reapply when they start to chip off.

7) For my favorite TV series of all time, it's a tie between the Brady Bunch and That's So Raven. Yes, the original Brady Bunch. One cable channel had a rerun of the series which lasted for a few years until I reached high school. My favorite episode is their camping trip to Colorado and I've always thought Greg and Marcia look good together. I was also a huuuge fan of That's so Raven! I think I've seen all the episodes and I absolutely enjoyed every single one of them! I miss both shows.

..and my answers to the following questions:

Your favorite color - Gold or Hot Pink
Your favorite song - Echo (Incubus)
Favorite Dessert - Macarons de Paris, hands down!
What pisses you off - lack of sense of time
When you're upset, you - pray! Or sometimes talk to a friend, Tatay or Grandmum
Your favorite pet - I never had a pet because we're all asthmatic at home (animal fur = dust collector). 
                            Closest would be Vanilla Blonde, my cousin Alexa's dog! 
                            (and to think I don't like dogs that much..)
Biggest fear - Losing my loved ones
Best feature - Height or Thighs (just because they're quite slimmer than the average ; 
                     even smaller than my calves!!)
Everyday attitude - Optimistic
What is perfection - Per. Fec. Tion. It is merely a state of mind. 
                               It's that impossible concept most people strive to achieve.
Guilty Pleasure - Besides The Kardashians?Blogging about shopping. I feel quite apprehensive whenever I 
                          blog about shopping 
                          because I'm sure that would pass as showing off to some. I've said it before that this
                          is a highly self-indulgent blog. 
                          In the words of Sara Shepard, it's not bragging if it's true!

I now pass this award to:


Kisses,
A

Friday, July 8, 2011

Victor, Victrola

Bat your eyes girl
Be otherworldly
Count your blessings
Seduce a stranger
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I often fall into a trance of despondence triggered by various factors. Who do I run to, you ask? My family or sometimes my blog. Tatay would always remind me to Count your Blessings then suddenly, I feel loads better. I really am blessed with such an amazing family. 
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She woke in the morning
She knew that her life had passed her by,
She called out a warning,
Don't ever let life pass you by..

Cozying up in bed with my favorite lineup of shows Top Model Rewind - Pretty Little Liars - One Tree Hill on a rainy Friday evening :) Seeing the trailer of Harry Potter during commercial breaks brings me closer to tears :'( I can't believe it's the end of the epic journey. The photos were taken during my graduation pictorial last December. I had two concepts in mind for my creative shot and this is the second set. I just put different pieces together and it ended up having that Victorian feel, yes? I just adore how the thick make up wore off and how the curls loosened so I just had to be shot in a different outfit. I seriously wish I can recreate such curls on my own.

[Dress, borrowed from my sister - Coexist // Peep toe patent Olive oxfords from Janilyn // Lace parasol, borrowed from my sister- from China]
P.S. I got my title from an episode of Gossip Girl 

Happy weekend ;)
Kisses,
A

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Summer, kind of wonderful

My blog is celebrating its 12th month of existence in cyberspace this July. I started this blog with the intention of documenting my post-teenage life so one day I can look back and see how much I've grown into an entirely different (not to mention, mature) individual. My blog made itself very fashion-y, shaped of course by my strong interest in fashion. I just love to dress up, period. Also, I needed to exercise what's left of my rusty writing skill, if you can call it that.

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Look at this picture!
I discovered these photos while clearing up old files. These were taken taken last year, some pounds ago! I really miss my short hair (2nd photo). Sigh! Anyway, July is treating me a whole lot better :) It has always been my redemption month during those years that seem to be unpromising (this one, included). Thank you God for all the blessings! May I truly be guided for whatever it is that I deserve.