#LovEmSoMAS with UP Town Center

I can clearly recall how last year’s UP Town Center Style Origins fashion show went. We had an early call time for fitting and rehearsals. Had lunch with Niche and the gang at Recovery Food, and finally walked the runway as I represented Onitsuka Tiger. I actually kept the Snapchat videos I took there! It was such a fun event and I made sure not to miss this year’s leg.

Last July 24, all roads led to UP Town Center for the Music, Art and Style (Style Origins) event of Ayala Malls. Brands from my ultimate favorite mall showcased their latest collections. You’ll see more of them as you scroll! ;)

Deo and Miko - from dancers to bloggers! Who would’ve thought they’d get reunited in the digital space? Haha! I love these Hataw Boys!

As usual, the events of Style Origins are packed with booths for food and crafts - including this awesome GIF photo booth with LED for prettier selfies!

UPEEPZ on stage!

Check out these runway photos of UP Town Center’s jewels like Adidas, Ampersand, Call It Spring, Cath Kidson, Cotton On, Lacoste, and more! :)

Style inspirations whether you're into athletic ensembles, classy or everyday wear!

Combos I'd wear! I love these pieces!

Shoe and eyewear brands like Reebok and Eye Society were also present.

Part of the community models were students from Quezon City and universities around Katipunan (like UP, Ateneo and Miriam), and some cute kids just like them:

The most applauded model! Hahaha he was crying the entire time, but he conquered his stage fright. Such a cutie pie!

Sadly, I don't have decent photos of Matt Evans and Jay Contreras of Kamikazee, but feeding you with some Joseph Marco goodness just because. :p

Autotelic also served real good music during the event!

Huge love and thanks to Ayala Malls and UP Town Center for having us! ♥

Indian Cuisine at The Cafe, Hyatt City of Dreams Manila

While Deo and I are on a strict diet plan, we make sure to satisfy ourselves with real good food on our rare cheat days. We had our well-deserved lunch at The Cafe, HYATT City of Dreams two Sundays ago, and we devoured on their big feast of Indian cuisines.

The Cafe is the main dining space at Hyatt City of Dreams Manila. They can house up to 315 guests with a range of seating options, from cozy circular booths to private and semi-private rooms to standalone tables in the heart of all the action.

Guest Chef Ajith Kumar from Hyatt Regency Gurgaon, New Delhi joined the team at The Cafe, bearing spices and recipes for Indian favorites rich with aromas and complex tastes. So lucky we got to taste some Indian culinary gems such as Paneer makhani (cottage cheese simmered in tomato sauce spiked with fenugreek), Maas ke sooley (smoked lamb with raw papaya) and Kerala prawn masala (Tiger prawn with coconut curry leaves with ginger and chili).

Take a look at our gastronomic fete!

Imagine these on your dishes! So good!

To complete the buffet experience, we also got to try out other international grubs! Hoarded from the Japanese station, of course! My ultimate favorite!

Name it, they have it! Caviar, dimsum, cold cuts, cheese - The Cafe has complete counters for Italian, Grill and Griddle, Asian, Deli, Comfort Food and Favorites, and Pastry!

What sets The Cafe, Hyatt apart from others is that they have an interactive show-kitchen restaurant where experienced chefs perform live culinary theater at vibrant cooking and buffet stations, with hot dishes prepared on-the-spot to ensure freshness and optimum flavor! Totally love it!

The Cafe’s buffet rate starts at Php1,388 net for lunch and Php1,888 net for dinner. To reserve your table, call 6911234 local 1662 or book online here.

Thank you so much, City of Dreams Manila, for having us! Looking forward to the next one!

Always On The Bright Side

Life can really get hard and exhausting at times, but there’s no reason for you not to keep going. For someone who’s been through a lot, believe me, tough moments might make you lose hope. The hardships will eat you alive and giving up might be the easiest way out. But what I’ve realized from John Maxwell, in one of his books, is that your thoughts will determine what you become in life. To quote, “What occupies your mind and what you think means more than anything else in your life.”

On me: top courtesy of Style Flick | white high-waist shorts from Mango | Deo's SD cap | Adidas Superstars | phone case courtesy of Edge Grind (designed by Deo)

Since my dad got hospitalized, I’m left alone in our house everyday for over a month. And I’m never accustomed to that. Imagine waking up and going home to an empty space with deafening silence after long hours at work - you can’t blame me if I sulk as I sip my coffee and question about my existence in our dining area. It’s scary, to be honest, because swimming through negativity will only drown you. It won’t help anyone grow. Ever.

How timely because our company president shared with us some parts of John Maxwell’s book during our meeting last week. What struck me the most was this - “Be careful what you set your heart on, for you will surely get it. Be careful what occupies your mind, because it will greatly determine what you will become tomorrow.” It was the wake up call I needed to stop myself from sulking. Arns, you’re a ball of sunshine, remember?

To do this, change your thought process. Your life today is a result of your thinking yesterday. Your life tomorrow will be determined by what you think today. Always be on the bright side. You have it all in your hands.

Photos by Deo Montuerto

To better days! ♥