Metro Gaisano Finds

A few weeks ago, I finally had the chance to check out the newest department store in the South (or my probinsya as my friends living in Mordor North like to call it), Metro Gaisano. I was so happy when it opened because it's near home and it's a good source of very cheap finds if you just take the time to rummage around.

Metro Gaisano in Alabang Town Center is quite small and a bit bare in terms of stock on display compared to the bigger department stores in the area, but they do have a few specialty concessionaires and departments that I appreciated.  There's Carolina's, for one, which my sister was quite happy about. They have the usual ribbons, buttons, and sewing essentials and novelties, but they also have a sizeable inventory of fabric. They also have Diva Accessories, a bit redundant since there's already a Diva shop inside the mall. My favorite is the accessories department featuring Cebu designers and brands. I spotted Avatar and Mia Arcenas plus a couple of other designers on display.

The fashion department is quite small and needs beefing up, but I still managed to find a really great pair of black jeggings. I would never have tried it on if it wasn't for the recommendation of their saleslady. I'm glad I did. The fit is perfect!!! Plus the fabric is a bit thick, eliminating the unwanted bulges and lumps that often pop up when you slip into something so tight-fitting. 

Great fitting jeggings for P649.75 only! My friend said her cousin found a similar pair in the plus size section at an even lower price (around P400++). 

Other colors in stock. I'd probably give the white a try if I didn't already have a skinny white pair in my closet. 

I showed it to my friend M, who gave birth a few months ago and confided that her problem area is her butt and tummy area. She tried on the jeggings and she loved it as well! Nakakapayat talaga siya! So I'm happy to say it works on different body types. 

These jeggings hugged my friend's curves nicely. 

My other "winner" buy are these thick canvas placemats in classic patterns. Our old Divisoria-bought wooden stick placemats were already falling apart, and I have been on the lookout for nice ones, so I I'm quite happy I found these. I spotted a few packs bearing Ikea and Williams-Sonoma tags, so at P249.75 for a pack of four, they're really quite a steal. 

Throw pillows are surprisingly pricey but Gaisano has a few designs that are quite affordable. In fact, they had a bunch of one-off throw pillow covers at only P99 each! They had some pretty cute prints on the shelf too (think shabby chic florals, 70s graphics, and polka dots). Creative do-it-yourselfers would enjoy mixing and matching these. 

I loved these ikat printed throw covers at about P349++ each.

The furniture selection is limited but impressive from what I've seen. I read that they also have Cebu furniture makers on the floor so that explains why. The home decors are nice as well—I spotted cute ceramic owls and nice vases on display. 

So yay for Gaisano! Can't wait till they add more merchandise to the store. 

And if you're a Gaisano fan as well, I'd love to know more about your buys. Share them please!

Mia Arcenas Now Available in Zalora

I first met Mia Arcenas at a Hong Kong jewelry show last year where their company booth, Ferimar (of which she is creative director), caught my eye with their sophisticated take on indigenous Pinoy accessories. I saw chunky resin link bracelets that were probably designed for Marc Jacobs, woven clutches made sleek with metallic finishes and graphic mother-of-pearl and resin accents, and a whole slew of covetable accessories that I wanted to buy right off their shelves. It comes as no surprise that the products that caught my eye from the barrage of Zalora ads popping up on my screen every time I open my internet are fresh deliveries from Mia's namesake line. The statuesque Cebuana (she is a Bb. Pilipinas 2012 candidate) has designed pieces that are bold and striking, bound to be commented upon admiringly by your friends and family.

Here are a few of my favorite things from Mia Arcenas:

I want to buy this Silk Fringe necklace (P1500), but I don't know what color to get! Should I get this royal purple number, which would look great against whites and neutrals...

...or do I choose this divine white version? Kaya lang, I'm afraid it won't really stand out against my skin tone and the clothes I normally wear. I'm thinking it would only look really fab on black. What do you think???

I'm also loving Mia's take on the tusk pendant. Hers is suspended from twisted gold wires.  Wire tusk necklace, P2500.

I seriously need a classic black clutch, and this Shell Minaudiere (P6,500) has been tempting me. 

It's sleek and simple, the way a classic black clutch should be!

I know the items are pricier than the average accessory, but I don't mind shelling out a few hundred pesos more for an item that's Filipino designed and made. Given Mia's background, I'm pretty sure these items are export-quality as well. And, they won't be sold in every tiangge and boutique in the metro.

If you do decide to buy, you can get a 5% on Zalora purchases when you use my coupon code KatrinaDy12q (don't forget the caps!).

So wait, should I buy the white or purple fringe necklace? I need your opinions! :)

Fun Kitchen Gadgets from Wicked Matter

Before moving to New York, I didn't cook. The condo I was living in didn't even have a gas range, so the most I ever did for a meal was to make a sandwich or salad. In New York, however, I was forced to learn as it was the best way to eat well on a budget. Also, I couldn't help but be enthusiastic about cooking as I could easily buy ingredients. We were also living in an apartment that had a really nice electric range/oven—it made cooking surprisingly enjoyable. 

While I am still no Julia Child, I understand how the right gadgets can make kitchen time fun and easy. That's why I got really excited when I received a package of colourful silicone tools from Wicked Matter, a company that, in their own words, "aims to make simple everyday experiences special and extraordinary at a very reasonable price."

My Wicked Matter loot (from bottom left clockwise): ChillBall, Love Cooking Egg Ring, Love Cooking Pot Holders, Lemon Squeezer, and Gerbera Tea Infuser. 

I road tested a few of their products, starting with the Love Cooking Pot Holders, P370. These food grade silicone handles are sold as a pair, come in four fun colours, and give you a good grip on those hot-to-touch pots, pans, and trays. I really needed these since our cotton oven mitts ended up moldy (eeew, right?). A caveat: the pot holders can only withstand heat up to 300°C, so be careful not to use it on anything beyond this temperature. 

Bernadith, our helper, trying out the Pot Holders. 

Another cute product is the Love Cooking Egg Ring, P280, which is shaped like twin hearts. It's so cheesy, it's adorable! If you want to surprise your man (or woman) with breakfast in bed, a heart-shaped, sunny side-up egg on the plate is a surefire way to kick your "Ang sweet mo naman!" level up a few more notches. Simply put it in the pan, crack the egg/s inside it, and wait for the eggs to cook. Once done, you can easily remove the mold. 

Our oven stands on a slightly tilted angle, which is why the egg whites started flowing out of my mold, argh!

I told you I was no Julia Child. I'm quite embarrassed to have messed up a simple sunny side-up egg! I think I overcooked it on high heat.

The following day, Pat attempted another egg, which came out much better than mine!

I was most excited about the ChillBall, P1,100, manufactured by a company called Intelligent Ice. And it's a smart product indeed! ChillBalls are specially designed to maintain the temperature of a chilled glass of white or rosé wine, without having to use ice cubes, which dilute the taste of a drink when it melts.  Each pack comes with six re-freezable food-safe balls and clips that secure the Chill Ball to the wine glass so it stays put and doesn't move around when drinking from the glass. 

ChillBall comes in a handy container that you can take with you on out-of-town trips. 

The clips come in two different lengths that can accommodate standard wine glass sizes. 

I've tested Chill Balls on wine, coconut water and orange juice. The average chilling time is about 30 minutes, which is when the gel contained in the ball fully melts and loses its chilling effect. It doesn't seem like a long time, true, but it's enough to be able to finish a glass of wine, unless you're the type to nurse it for a long time. I'm guessing it also has something to do with our warmer temperature—things just melt faster! To ensure maximum "chilliness", make sure the balls are completely frozen, and once melted, freeze for a minimum of four hours in a freezer at -18 to -22 °C. If pouring another glass, use a new Chill Ball. 

The beauty of Wicked Matter products is that they're uncomplicated, easy-to-use, practical, and just plain delightful with their bright colours and playful designs. They also make for great host/hostess gifts and housewarming presents. They're quite affordable too!

If you want to see the actual products, they are sold in Hobbes and Landes stores in Fort, Greenbelt 5, and Powerplant Mall, Rockwell. You can also shop a wide range of their products over at Zalora. If you use my coupon code KatrinaDy12q (be sure to follow the caps), you'll even get 5% discount! 

Find out more about Wicked Matter on their Facebook page here. 

Daily Wear: The Scarf Print

This is the story of my surprising find, a scarf print tunic from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London that I scavenged from, of all places, an ukay-ukay in Boracay. 

I don't know if you've ever explored the back streets of Bora, but yes, there are a number of second-hand stalls to be found. I discovered one years before on the beachfront near Station 3. It's not there anymore, as beachfront properties on the island are, not surprisingly, prime real estate nowadays, but they're still there. Admittedly, they cater to the local residents, not to occasional, sun-seeking visitors like me, but on an unexpected vacay last year with the boyfriend, I set off by myself one morning to explore these ukay-ans. In one stall, a rack of bags suspended from plastic hangers revealed a sophisticated treasure in the form of a tan envelope clutch. A few doors down, I hit upon my version of Yamashita's treasure: a two-stall space that harbored quite a number of stylish finds. 

I must have spent over an hour in that stall, chatting up with the local tinderas who happily obliged my requests to bring down dusty dresses and jackets hanging from up high near the ceilings. I perused, and ransacked, and came out with three dresses, a light, olive green jacket, a brilliant satiny fuchsia top, and the said scarf-print tunic. I don't know what made me buy it. It was silk. It was from a London museum. And it had that perfectly vintage, my-sosyal-grandma-used-to-wear-this-a-lot look to it. So I bought it.

A few months later, I finally got around to wearing it. It didn't look quite right on its own, so I ended up wearing it like a jacket, paired with a simple ribbed tank, my beloved crochet shorts, and sexy black heels. The enormous clutch I'm holding is also another cheapo find, this time from a Japan Surplus store (oho, that's another cheap spot worth ransacking!). It's a Lancel clutch that's a bit worse for wear, but I like it when it looks a bit rough around the edges.

Tank, Topshop. Thrifted jacket/tunic, Victoria and Albert Museum London. Crocheted shorts, bought in New York. Heels, Charles and Keith. Thrifted clutch, Lancel. Necklace, stannard-inc, bought in Australia. Tassel necklace (worn as bracelet), gift from a former co-worker. 

Excuse the veiny hands and random hair tie. Here's a close up of the clutch, and my pretty friendship bracelet stacks from Martina-Martina.

That was last month, so imagine my delight when, upon arriving in London, I discover that all (and I am not exaggerating) the high street shops have their own take on the scarf print trend. Everyone from River Island, Dorothy Perkins, and Topshop, to Primark, Zara, Mango, and Next have some form of scarf-printed piece. Of course, it is a trend, so I'm not quite sure about it's longevity, but for now, I am predicting a few more months shelf life for this design. I find it sophisticated, different, and a fresh take on the print phenomenon happening this season—a respite from all the florals we've been seeing in the stores.

Before I sign off, here are some scarf-print high street picks:

Scarf print dress, Next

Printed top, Dorothy Perkins

Shorts, Zara

ShopSpotting: Christmas Shopping

Christmas is near! Well, it's 65 days away to be exact. And while that's technically more than two months away, I know we Pinoys are eager beavers when it comes to celebrating Pasko. My boyfriend can't get over the fact that the malls start playing Christmas carols even BEFORE Halloween comes around, haha! 

My first Christmas in New York was also my first time to have a real tree! It smelled heavenly. 

As early as now, I've started thinking about what presents I'll be giving to friends and family. I have a Christmas list in my planner where I write down the names on one column, and possible presents that I can give on another. Quite organized, right? Not really. I have to be honest, I almost always end up shopping at the very last minute. Either that or I keep changing my mind about what to give that I sometimes end up buying multiple presents for one person, and not having anything on hand for another. Or, I end up buying too many things for myself, which is even worse! 

For those who want to get started on their Christmas shopping, I've ShopSpotted a few affordable gift ideas for you:

For the stylish sister who likes to make a statement, gift her with Asian Vogue Shop's Piano bag. Reminiscent of the fun bag that was Kate Spade's "All Typed Up Clyde" typewriter tote. I find myself wishing I had splurged on that bag! 

Piano bag, P1,350.

The Kate Spade typewriter tote. Photo courtesy of Geek Sugar.

For the best friend who loves to travel, a journal confidant that can bear witness to her musings and adventures. Also comes with vintage-inspired stickers to personalize entries. 

Bon Voyage Journal and Diary (P175) from Kela's Kitchen and Keepers.

When my boyfriend is acting particularly silly, I always tell him, "You're a monkey!" in jest. We must make a fine pair of primates because he calls me "his" monkey as well. I'd put this USB in his stocking as a joke (a monkey for my monkey!)

Monkey 4GB USB (P450), from The Gadget Nook.

I have a few friends who are pregnant, and Cherub's Nest has a selection of baby essentials, baby wearing and nursing products that would make fine presents. My pick: Next9 Tushy Wushy Cloth Diapers (P1,000). These leak-proof cloth diapers come highly recommended by my friend Frances of Topaz Horizon. I like that they are not wasteful—adjustable buttons allow your diaper to grow with your baby, and the diapers and inserts are washable and reusable. 

The pack comes with three leak-proof cloth diapers and three inserts. 

Chocolates always make a good, albeit boring, present, but I'd rather have a present I can eat than something that'll just gather dust on my table. Affordable Clothes has a great selection of goodies that are shipped directly from the US.

Twix Fun Pack (P100). Arguably one of the best candy bars ever created!

Lindt Lindor Truffles White Chocolate (P530). These are delicious! I'd give this to a boss (or maybe keep them for myself heehee).

I even found something I can buy for myself, and my dad! As my close friends know, I'm a borderline narco—I can sleep anywhere and everywhere, even when I'm behind the wheel (I get it from my dad). So I'd probably buy this Nap Zapper for both of us. 

The Nap Zapper (P150) from Kela's Kitchen. "Nap Zapper is an innovative, potentially lifesaving anti-drowsiness alarm. It is worn over the ear and has an electronic position sensor. When your head nods forward, it sounds a loud alarm to instantly wake you and alert your passengers." 

Don't laugh. I'm seriously considering buying this!

For all those officemates that you don't really want to give presents to (but have to anyway, or otherwise you'll be forever branded as a Scrooge), Kela's Kitchen and Keepers has a ton of cheapo but nifty stuff. My favorites:

Super Sleek Multi-Purpose Pen (P55), a Swiss-knife type gadget that unfolds into a pen, knife, bottle and can opener. Pang Mac Gyver! A great present for the boys. 

Mini Envelope Note Pad (P50). Kraft paper pads that fold up into envelopes. A nice addition to any desk, and a fun way to say hi or thank you to friends and co-workers. 

Funky Metal Paper Clips (P60 for each pack of 12). Great for marking magazine and book pages, or sealing small packages. Comes in three designs: teddy bear, lightbulb, and camera.

Have you started Christmas shopping yet? Share your gift list with me!

Trippin': New Jersey Road Trip

For my boyfriend's birthday this year, I bought us $125 BuyWithMe coupons for tandem skydiving in New Jersey. I was pretty pleased with myself at scoring the package on the cheap. Until I told my friends, most of whom laughed at me since they couldn't quite believe I would entrust a death-defying experience to a company that would promote on a discount site! I had done my due research and the company seemed like a pretty solid one, but decided to do another background check after witnessing my friends' laughing disbelief. And that's when I realized that I was reading reviews on the wrong company, and the one that I actually bought tickets for seemed like a newbie as they barely had any reviews! Yikes!

Suiting up for the big jump.

We were made to watch this "informational" video that basically told us that if we die or get injured (even if it was due to company negligence), we could not sue the company. The guy on cam had this fantastic table-grazing beard, and our theory is, the beard is there to distract us, and make us forget we could actually die. 

Up in the air. Boy, we were cramped in this plane. Halos mag-tandayan na kami! The other guy is Pat's tandem partner. 

The view from 10,000 feet, the point where panic starts to slowly creep in.

The big jump!

AAAAGGGGGHHHH!!! The free fall is the scariest part—like 10 crazy roller coaster/octopus rides all together. Of course, the pull of gravity on your face is quite scary too (the horror of wrinkles!).  

Anyway, we were still pretty excited, so we decided to make a road trip out of it when it was finally time to claim our purchase. New Jersey's reputation has suffered adversely from the popularity of the trashy MTV show "Jersey Shore," but I was happy to discover that there is a whole other quaint side to this state that was begging to be explored. We decided to stay at a charming bed and breakfast called Widow McCrea in Frenchtown, which is near New Hope, Pennsylvania, and Lambertville, New Jersey—areas which are known for their delightful shops and charming communities. I was able to do a bit of thrift and vintage shopping during our trip, so I'm sharing a selection of my photos with all of you. 

We stayed at the Anne-James Suite, which was decorated with antiques and Victorian-style knick-knacks. Photo courtesy of Widow McCrea.

My favorite was the bathroom, which had a sunlit jacuzzi nook. Photo courtesy of Widow McCrea

.

I could have done without the creepy portraits scattered throughout the room. Afraid!

If you're lucky, your fellow b&b guests will be warm, interesting people. You're even luckier if your hosts are fantabulous cooks (Ours was. Just look at the delicious breakfast plate below). However, they lost points when they decided not to serve us breakfast the one morning we got up a bit late. Perpetually hungry me was miffed after that.

Oooh I miss strawberries!

If you decide to go to this area, you must visit the Golden Nugget Flea Market. It's open year round, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to their website, it is "a 40-year-old Lambertville institution...Started in 1967, the Golden Nugget is a 'gold mine' of an indoor/outdoor market specializing in antiques, collectibles, art and more. This is not your everyday flea market. We are the East Coast's premier market for vintage and retro items such as furniture & home decor, paintings, clothing, jewelry, Victorian collectibles, sports memorabilia, model trains, books, dolls, arts & crafts, toys & games, lamps, pottery, comic books, vinyl albums, clocks, watches, glass, china, porcelain, garden items, coins, stamps, art deco, hardware and everything else imaginable that is antique or collectible."

Whew, what a list! But they were right, I've never seen so many interesting/cool/kooky/fashionable things in one area. 

It's easy to spend hundreds of dollars in this place. 

Vintage typewriters. I'm unearthing our old elementary school-era clacker so I can use it as home decor!

Why anyone would want to buy creepy hairless doll faces is beyond me.

I would, however, buy these hilarious illustrations of fruit and vegetable citizens.

I lust for these rose gold ceiling lamps.

The $1 box where I scored a black and white vintage pin, and a slim Casio-esque gold digital watch for my friend.

I bought belts from this stall for $5 each!

I was happy to score the gold scale belt. I had a similar one before but the scales fell off. I also bought a black beaded belt that I can't find.

Even the boyfriend managed to find a vintage tennis rack for a bachelor party he was organizing. They were supposed to watch Wimbledon dressed as '70s tennis players, haha!

 I did some vintage shopping as well in the town of Lambertville. My boyfriend and I was just passing through in our car when I spotted a store that had a rack of clothes outside. After spending a couple of hours at the flea market, I was hesitant to ask my boyfriend to stop (he gets grumpy after too much shopping), but he must have seen the longing look in my eye because he decided to park so I could go have a peek. What a sweet man I have!

Good thing my eagle eye spotted Palette Vintage. Anything on a sale rack always catches my eye!

I scored this peachy printed shift for $20, more or less.

And this printed frock for the same price.

I almost didn't buy this, but the ladies at Palette convinced me to get it. I'm happy they did! It has become one of my favorite pieces.

Funny how I wore a mix of thrift and vintage finds to a thrift/vintage shopping expedition. Hat, Strawberry; dress,  St. Luke's Thrift Shop on Hudson Street, NY; belt, Baguio ukay find; bag, bought at FIT Thursday open market; shoes, Aerosoles; earrings, Funk Your Junk (Ottawa, Canada); bracelets, from H&M, muses and lovers, and bamboo bangles I bought in Florida.

 There are also a lot of vintage stores in New Hope. I didn't get to see all of them, but the one store that I did love was Cryer's.

Cryer's sells a lot of collectibles and antiques. 

But they are best known for their high end and remnant fabrics.

I would love to have cushions upholstered in this fabric!

And of course, there were noteworthy shops in Frenchtown (where we stayed) as well. We explored the area on the day we were headed back for New York, so we really didn't have much time to walk around. The most famous shop would have to be Two Buttons, "Eat, Pray, Love" author Elizabeth Gilbert's rambling warehouse of Southeast Asian "unnecessities" ranging from gigantic statues and wood-carved wall hangings, to semi-precious bead jewelry and silk scarves. It's really not a shop. I would imagine this is what a smuggler's den would look like, haha! I'm wondering how she managed to get all those monster stone statues into the country.

I wish I could have these glass lamps hanging in our garden.

"Eat, Pray, Love" translated in God knows how many foreign languages. Free to take home.

My super favorite store of this trip though is Modern Love. Occupying a bright, spacious spot on Race Street, Modern Love peddles the cutest stationary and knick knacks, as well as a fine selection of art and graphic books and magazines. They also sell accessories and clothing. I could have browsed this shop for hours!

Isn't it the cutest store? Photo courtesy of Modern Love.

I told you typewriters make good decor accents! Photo courtesy of Modern Love.

I got a Yoshitomo Nara postcard book.

And these pretty Cath Kidston mix and match stationary set. Powerbooks actually has these as well.

Of course, no trip would be complete without the requisite food tripping. 

We visited Bobolink Dairy Farms in Milford, NJ, where the owners, Nina and Jonathan White practice sustainable and humane farming. This means cows are grass fed and milked seasonally. New Yorkers, Bobolink sells at Farmer's Markets.  Check their schedule here.

I still have dreams about this smoked duck breast. One of the most delicious things I've ever tasted! 

Their artisanal cheeses are made from raw milk, cave-ripened, and aged 60 days or longer. Their rustic breads are baked in a wood-fired over. We bought a special one the day we went, I think it was a focaccia baked with herbs and duck fat. With the cheese, it was superb!

At the Station Pub in Lambertville Station Inn, our server made us a fruity prosecco drink that was not on the menu. 

The fruits soak up the bubbly so at the end of your drink, you have these delicious sinkers to look forward to (I know my boyfriend did!).

Birthday dinner was celebrated at the Milford Oyster House.  Of course the best oysters were the ones that came from Canada!

MOH is quite renowned as a seafood resto. No contest here. My Crab Norfolk (jumbo lump crab sauteed with lemon and black pepper) was simple yet mmm mmm good!

I always make it a point to visit ice cream parlors in small towns. This is Gerenser's Exotic Ice Cream on 22 Main Street, New Hope, PA. 

I like my ice cream chunky and creamy and the ones in these parlors almost always are.

Before heading home, we stopped by Clinton, NJ for lunch. Clinton is famous for its Red Mill, which I must say is quite picturesque. 

I forget where we ate but it was an Italian restaurant with a great view of the Red Mill. Food was ok, nothing spectacular but still good. 

I just don't like it when restos serve a dish swimming in sauce.

And that's the end of our trip! After such a quaint trip, this photo was a jolting reminder that we were back in the modern world again:

Kamusta naman ang Proactiv vending machine!

P.S.

Yes, we did survive the jump so thank you Skydive Jersey for getting us back to ground in one piece! And yes, I would definitely repeat the experience, especially since the second camera was broken, so I don't have photos of me in midair, poopie.