Day dreamer and Believer

It's been raining beautiful weddings and couples lately. I recently attended a beautiful wedding in Tagaytay during the last week of May and I took part in the entourage as the only bridesmaid. The theme was champagne and it was so elegant. I loved the little details of the gown of the bride (my ninang) and bridesmaid (me) and the suit of the groom and groomsmen. Speaking of wedding attires, I've been currently looking at allaboutsuit website and found a wide variety of men's formal clothes for all occasions.

For weddings, they have almost all the colors of wedding suits and tuxedos-- you name it. They even have summer suits for beach weddings and casual blazers and jackets perfect for wedding guests. Here are some samples from their site.

Speaking of wide variety of clothes to choose from they also have a section for prom suit. I visited the section and found a lot of patterned tuxedos in different styles, textures and fabrics. If you're up for something unique and different from the rest you should check this out!

Don't forget to leave a comment on your favorite picks from their site. Hoping to see you in your Allaboutsuit outfit soon!

xoxo,

It's freaking S-U-M-M-E-R already guys!!! It's our second year of being in summer quarantine and I'm really wishing that we could spend our longer days travelling and going to different places we saved up for. I'm currently dreaming of Tokyo and I'm crossing my fingers to travel to that place first when international travels are back again. As of now, since we now have a beach house in my grandparents' hometown, I'm now living by the beach and really crossing my fingers to bring as much friends as I could while it's still hot and ideal for sun bathing! If only I could invite everyone I definitely would!!

Since it's summer and we're in the middle of a hot and even humid weather condition there's something that we all should be keeping in mind to-- STAY HYDRATED & DRINK MORE WATER. I know some of you are already travelling to different places whether out of country or town-- going on trekking, hiking, glamping and adventures. One thing I would suggest is to never forget to bring your water bottles with you.

Water bottle is an essential part of our everyday lives now. Even if I am just inside our house I carry my own water bottle with me just so I will be reminded to drink and stay hydrated from time to time. Whenever I eat outside in restaurants or go to a friend's place I always carry my own water bottle with me. I became very conscious since this pandemic started and decided to have my own go- to utensils every time I eat outside (including the bottle I drink) just to prevent sharing of personal belongings and the transmission of viruses. I know some of you can relate to it. Lastly I always bring a water bottle with me especially on long drives since I drink water a lot and I couldn't stand not drinking in an hour.

Speaking of water bottles I'm currently obsessing on Amazon's ombre water bottle!!! Let me tell you the 5 reasons why I love this KEEPTO water bottle:

First, I fell in love with its color the first time I saw it. Ombre is just so in this summer and I wouldn't mind bringing it with me anytime and anywhere. I love how stylish it is!

Second, I love the unique motivational prints that they put in there. Even if you're not a religious water drinker you will feel motivated to finish a whole bottle.

Third, it has a silicone straw which allows you to enjoy a spill proof sipping. It makes it very convenient especially during long drives and road trips.

Fourth, I love that it comes in different sizes-- 32 oz, 64 oz and 128 oz and is still portable and easy to carry even if it can contain up to 128 oz because of its multiway carrying design.

Fifth, It looks really cute and aesthetically pleasing that you wouldn't mind carrying this water bottle anywhere you go!

If you wish to purchase this Keepto water bottle you may find this at Amazon's website and score it for as low as $16.99.

Don't forget to stay hyrdated and drink lots of water!!! See you in my next posts!

xoxo,

Heeyyyy MAYYY! Sorry for being MIA again as festivities and celebrations occupied my days during the past weeks. I know I promised this blog post last month but because it turned out to be a backlog I decided to publish it instead on a perfect timing such as Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful moms out there. :) This post is dedicated to the woman I look up to and I am most proud of, to the woman I love and care for the most-- my mama.

First of all, Congratulations Mama! I am proud of you everyday-- from your small achievements to big ones. I am really thankful because you raised me in to a woman I am most thankful now. You never hindered me in achieving my big big dreams and instead supported me in every step to reach it even if it almost left you nothing. You are an all-in mom and words cannot express how thankful I am to be the first child to give you the priceless smile when I came out of this world. Being a mom to 3 children was never easy when all you thought of was the best for us three-- to live a happy and comfortable life. I know your dreams went on hold while fulfilling and working for ours. Being the eldest among the 3, now it's my turn to help you build your dreams and make them come in to reality.

This is the facade of my mom's beach house in the little town of Pagkilatan. This is her dream, her ultimate dream actually. It is still raw and unfinished but this view brings the biggest smile to her face ever since it was built. My mom's dream is to have a house of her own in a beautiful place where she can live comfortably and peacefully as she gets older. She would always tell me even if I was still a kid back then, "Gusto ko na ng sariling bahay. Hindi counted ang apartment ha.". Growing up it became my goal as well. I will help my mom as soon as I finish college in building her dream house. Graduation came but pandemic as well. I thought I will be able to save up for that house already but plans went a little messed up. I was really tested but God has never forsaken me. He lifted me up and showed me the path. He lead me to Shai Bakes. As a way of taking advantage of this waiting game I'm working my ass off to be of help to my mom's expenses in our house. Little by little, day by day I know we're getting there.

Our beach house is designed by my cousin, Architect Arlyssa Bustillo. She's really good and I highly recommend her. :)

This is the only picture that I have now of our room. It wasn't painted yet here but the 2 rooms downstairs are almost fully done now. We have a total of 4 rooms for each one of us. I want to give you room tours soon but our rooms are still empty! Hahaha. We only have one bed for each 2 rooms in the first floor and that's it. I'll saved up for the furniture probably after I helped with the continuous construction of the second floor.

I decided to put this world map photo wall from Sweden on the first room aka Aerolle's room. I love that it's overlooking from the street view.

Here's the floor detail of our 2 bathrooms in the 1st floor. Isn't it really cute? I picked our tiles!

Excuse my morning face hahaha! This house is where I feel relaxed the most. I forget all the stress from baking. I am able to complete 8-10 hours of sleep and I never skipped a meal here. Ang sarap gumising dito everyday promise.

This is the view from the balcony on the second floor-- Sikar Beach, Isla Verde & the wide seaside view of Pagkilatan

It is in our mini kitchen where I spend most of my time when we are there. I love cooking so much and I love organizing our kitchen utensils and mini pantry too. We still don't have storage area for these but I'm already saving up for it.

I also picked the counter tiles to match our house's interior. Isn't the print so cute?? :)

We added some accent floor tiles too on our living area. I don't know what's the real theme of this house but we're slowly transforming it into a half modern mediterranean half morrocan inspired home.

Hi neighbor! We're located next to Sikar Beach Resort!

See, I just love taking selfies and spending my quiet and stress free weekends here. Haha! I hope I can invite you soon when this pandemic is all over.

Meet our 2 months old baby Houston. He's half spitz half siberian husky. How I wish he looks as calm and relaxed as in the pictures. He tends to be wild at times.

These are the only pictures that I can show you for now. Some parts of our house are still under construction while some parts that I wasn't able to update here were already done. I'll post an update here once we start with our room's interior and once our stairs are done. I can't wait for you to see it! :)

Congratulations mama! I always got your back! Through thick and thin, I'm always here. I love you & Happy Mother's Day!

UPDATE

Beach View

Our dining area

Fully painted rooms on the first floor

xoxo,

The entertainment quotient of Dubai is no less than the much-talked-about luxury. Its grandeur, architectural excellence, beautiful skyline, breathtaking adventures, mammoth amusement parks and world-class cuisine will have you spoiled by choices. People arrive in millions every year to witness the marvels of the city up close and personal. Moreover, it is fascinating to see how the city balances its modern lifestyle and ancient Arabian culture.

Here we have handpicked the best tourist places in the city:

• Burj Khalifa

Dominating the skyline of Dubai, Burj Khalifa is not just the tallest building in the country, but the entire world. Soaring at a height of 828 metres, the building is home to two observation decks, lounges with view, restaurants, residences and more. Visit the 148th floor and you will witness the staggering bird-eye view of the city, like never before. Book the deck during the sunset, catch the spectacular panorama, and sip tea in the fancy lounge.

• Dubai Mall

Dubai Mall will keep you on your toes with its heap of activities in and around the premise. Give your arms a workout carrying those shopping bags through sections of fashion, electronics, furnishing, beauty and a lot more. The mall is the epicentre of entertainment which has VR Park, Dubai Ice Rink, horror room, multiplex, hundreds of restaurants and cafes. You can casually hang out, read a boor or do window shopping.

• Dubai Frame

World's largest picture frame, Dubai Frame stands tall at 150 metres. From Old Dubai in the North to the modern Dubai in the South, the Dubai Frame offers a 36o-degree view from the 93-meter-long viewing bridge. It is one of the eye-catching projects where you will enter the neon vortex tunnel and find an interactive exhibition on both the history and future of the city. You can pre-book such tours once you get your Dubai Visa.

• Dubai Fountain

Located on the 12 hectares of manmade Burj Lake, Dubai Fountain is one of the largest choreographed fountain systems. It sprouts water at over 900 ft height and throws 1000 water expressions on the best music, including Michael Jackson's Thriller, Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman's Time to Say Goodbye, and Power by Korean pop band. The visual spectrum could be seen from the nearby Boardwalk and podiums. If you want to revel in the splash of the fountain, choose the Burj boat ride.

• Ski Dubai

Highly rated tourist attraction, Ski Dubai is the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East. Beat the heat in this snow wonderland, which is nestled inside the Mall of the Emirates. It features a snow park and slope where you can ski and learn to ski on the five runs of varying difficulty and length from 60 to 400 metres. There is a variety of polar activities, such as snowboarding, chair lift, snow bullet, zip line and toboggan runs. Kids will enjoy the endearing moments with the snow penguins.

• Desert Safari Dubai

Beyond the glitzy skyscrapers, the golden desert in Dubai harks back to the days of nomads. It is a huge playground for adventure enthusiasts and a perfect site for campers. Right from the spine-chilling dune bashing in a monstrous SUV to enjoying a Tanoura show in the campsite by the bonfire, desert safari Dubai is a complete package. Ride the camels, surf the sand, fly in a hot air balloon ride, get your hands designed and savour a mouth-watering buffet.

• Jumeirah Mosque

Be captivated by the Islamic culture, tradition and rituals in the 75-minute guided tour to Jumeirah Mosque. Built in 1979, it is a public mosque that invites visitors of all faiths. It is one of the Instragrammable mosques that is inspired by the Fatimid style. The mosque sits as an example of a spellbinding architectural style with elegant minarets, a giant dome, and a white stone facade. In such a welcoming environment, you can even try traditional Arabic snacks including coffee, dates and other varieties of food

• Dubai Museum

Enhance your understanding of Arabs with a visit to the Dubai Museum. Placed in the oldest fort, the museum houses exemplary artefacts, life-size dioramas, and multi-themed exhibits. You can uncover the rich history and get a sneak peek of everyday life before the discovery of oil. On the way to the Museum, you can hop on the Abra and witness the landmarks of Old Dubai.

• Dubai Miracle Garden

An irresistible garden made out of 150 million flowers, Dubai Miracle Garden is a fairytale. From the Guinness World Record winner Emirates A380 to the most photographed heart passage, the colourful blooms are arranged in jaw-dropping arches, patterns and forms. Open from mid-November to mid-May, it is a celebration of love, peace and joy. Explore Lake Park, Sunflower Field, live shows, and great food.

Conclusion

Dubai will sweep you off your feet with its range of attractions, from land to air and sea to sand. In a treasure trove of experiences, tick off these trending places and you will have the innumerable moments to share back home.

** Don't forget to subscribe to these two youtube channels. I will link it down below.

Simply Mamang // Shaira Manalo

See you in my next post! Beach house tour next!! :)

xoxo,