a little sacrifice goes a long way

next on the queue of my posts is Harry and mine's February Boracay honeymoon - vacation but since we should all be in a somber mood for the Holy Week, i figured i should post them starting Easter. here's a regular daily outfit post, after one of our Cuckoo meetings. this was taken last January, when we spent the whole afternoon discussing our business plans for the rest of the year. 

working freelance was something both April and i decided to do in October when we launched Cuckoo Cloud Concepts and definitely, one of the major advantages is flexibility and being able to manage our own time without being strapped to corporate necessities. nevertheless, freelancing is hard and certainly has a few downs as well. since we're a start-up company, we have to let go of personal wants to allocate funds for materials, fare to and fro supply stores and our workplace and we have to accommodate long working hours. it's hard not to be able to expect a certain amount of earning every month for the bills and we've had to depend on our super-supportive hubbies to get through. 

they say though, and this has been a tried and tested testament, that a little sacrifice goes a long way. we're lucky enough to have such supportive people in our lives to cushion our sacrifices but we know that when we work hard with what we're passionate about, we will surely get there. security and stability will come. for now, we just have to work our asses off. 

 

black safari top - thrifted | printed leggings - props | chain backpack - thrifted | silver ballet flats - rubi shoes, cotton on | gun-metal silver necklace - downtown find | claw cuff - bangkok find | beaded bracelets - downtown finds, braids & bonds | rings - downtown and bangko finds | black watch - gifted by sister | oversized sunnies - urban outfitters 

run with horses

our visit to Gaite Ranch last February all the more confirmed my love for animals. we visited the ranch in Toledo for yet another ocular for Cuckoo Cloud Concepts and fell in love at first sight not just with the animals but the place as well. the venue had such a homey yet international feel to it that it was easy to just spend the afternoon relaxing. their free wifi in their lobby and restaurant was a plus too. 

there's really something about animals and their unspoken affection for humans that tugs at my heart. the place was packed with horses and if only i can, i would have loved to run with them. while on our way to the aviary, we also met Trager, the ranch's resident bulldog who was very sweet despite his tough exterior. Trager loves to have pictures taken, as long as he is sitting on a chair. i wish i had a bag big enough to fit Trager in. ♥

 

floral tunic - thrifted | denim cut-offs - thrifted | brown boots - props | oversized sunnies - urban outfitters | braided tan belt - props

unplanned trips make the best adventures

one of the challenges of ensuring a good photo shoot session is finding a good location. i have been finding myself craning my neck during road trips or even short trips to visit a place to look for a good spot to do a photo shoot. i usually sleep during trips as i find being in a vehicle lulling. however, Cebu City is really small and with soon-to-be married couples now investing more on a great engagement sessions, it has become difficult not to have the same location as the other. depending on the skill of the photographer, some common locations can still become different. nevertheless, finding new ones is still part of the highs of a stylist's job. 

last February, in an effort to find new scenery and to cheer up our beach-loving pregnant friend, Mildred -- who is incidentally the wife of Marlon Capuyan, one of the highly talented photographers that Cuckoo Cloud Concepts have frequently collaborated with, we went on an unplanned southern road trip. just a simple text, "let's go to the beach" (cue Nikki Minaj) and an "okay, I'll tell Harry. see you 8:00 AM tomorrow," we were off! certainly, unplanned trips make the best adventures. no expectations, just enjoying things as they come. 

do keep your eyes open for the editorial that we have been working on for the top wedding blog in the country. *palpitations* our hearts and souls have certainly been poured into this endeavor. 

polka dot maillot - cotton on | high-waisted cut-offs - thrifted | knit cover-up - thrifted | black turban - bangkok find | tan fringed bag - urban originals | oversized sunnies - urban outfitters, gifted by sister | bangles - downtown finds | elephant tusk necklace - bangkok find | multi-colored braided belt - borrowed from sister

p.s. my flip-flops is one of those, "omigad, i can't believe i bought this. it looked good with one outfit  but i can't wear it again." and i wore these because the trip was very much unplanned and we literally had ourselves running out the door early in the morning. 

nostalgic for summers spent with watercolor and acrylic

here's a continuation of our little mission to rediscover our city. this time we visited the San Pedro Calungsod Chapel, which i wasn't able to fully see on our last trip and dropped by Fort San Pedro as well. 

the newly erected San Pedro Calungsod is as magnificent inside as it is on the outside. the interior is very zen and the decor is minimial but it gives you a different sense of serenity when you're in it. i think the chapel being right by the sea adds to its charm. Fort San Pedro, on the other hand, has been standing on the island of Cebu for more than a century and is still one of the amazing structures in the city. i cannot believe that the stones on its walls were actually constructed using egg yolks and were done by hand. walking around the Fort made my sister and I nostalgic for the summer we had studying art and we spent 2 weekends hanging out by the park near the Fort, painting with oil and watercolor. 

white tank top - thrifted | teal palazzos - props | knit cardigan - thrifted | animal-printed flats - props | animal-printed belt - props | brown hat - metro dept store | tan fringe bag - urban originals | black watch - gifted by sister | rings - downtown finds | bracelets - braids and bonds | downtown finds | elephant tusk necklace - bangkok find

p.s. please don't mind the heavy eyebags -- i am still recovering from night shift syndrome and have not managed to flip back my sleeping pattern. not to mention that the females in my family suffer from insomnia. *sigh*

what we take for granted could surprise us

it's funny and sad how by looking ahead, we take for granted what we have near us. it took a visit from one of my sister's classmates in Uni in Sydney for us to get the chance to explore the city and re-learn our history. it was an afternoon city tour, visiting local tourist spots like the Heritage site, Metropolitan Cathedral, Magellan's Cross, Sto. Niño and Taoist Temple. these sites were the usual spots we visited back when we had elementary field trips but it's been awhile since we've been here and actually absorbed the history. 

Aqui, her husband, Manij and her mom visited my sister, Aimee last January. although Aqui is from Pangasinan, another province in the Philippines, it was her first time here in Cebu. they met in school and became fast friends. for the people who took my sister in and took care of her while she's miles away from her family, we made sure their first trip to our city was worthwhile, no matter how short it was. 

white button-down - props | denim cut-offs - tommy hilfiger | tan fringed leather bag - urban originals | turquoise flats - solemate, sm dept store | braided tan belt - props | black wide-brimmed hat - cotton on | geometric earrings - lovechic.ph | rings and bracelets - combined braids and bonds, downtown finds and gifts

breakfast road trip

one of the things Harry and i promised to do this year was take on more adventures and travel more. we didn't get to do as much last year or even in the later part of 2011 because we were dead serious in saving money for our wedding. we decided that 2013 will be the year for adventures, even if it's just an out-of-the blue road trip to south reclamation area to visit the Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod. we drove there really early in the morning and by early, we meant the sun-was-still-rising early. it was refreshing to be up when every one else were still sleeping and having the road to ourselves. it felt infinite, like everything was alright in the world. 

the place was still closed though, which we didn't consider when we left home. so we just strolled around the place and reveled in the amazing structure which is said to be made of a hundred walls. the walls created these beautiful shadows at different angles, it was also a little eerie. after saying a quick prayer, we headed back to the city to have breakfast and start the week right. 

lace boho top - thrifted | pale lilac jersey maxi skirt - props | double braided belt - props | grey cotton flats - solemate, gifted by sister | black studded chain backpack - thrifted | coin necklace - pink pvssy bangkok | claw cuff bracelet - borrowed from mom | rings: wasp - downtown find, owl - gifted by a friend, gecko - pink pvssy bangkok, butterfly - accessorize, gifted by a friend

hale manna part 3: mornings by the beach

we did take a dip when the tide rolled in the night before so our time at the beach wasn't wasted at all. tired from the late swim, we slept early and woke up early enough to enjoy the cold morning breeze. the tide was mid-level and we were able to kayak safely over to the hut on a raft in the middle of the sea and swim with the fishes. the water was so clear, you don't need a snorkel to see the corals and colorful creatures below it. okay, okay, so i am a good swimmer but i cannot snorkel for the life of me. i don't know, i've tried it several times but end up getting water up my nose. sue me! LOL. 

after the swim and before our sumptuous lunch, we spent the great part of our morning lounging, the best way we know how. 

printed monokini - bangkok find | denim cut-offs - tommy hilfiger | pink flip-flops - havaianas | oversized sunniess - urban outfitters, gifted by sis | black wide-brimmed hat - cotton on

we went home around 3PM, hearts a little heavy and promising to come back soon. my sister will be leaving for Sydney in a few days and we had other duties to attend to but our stay in Hale Manna will always be something we will remember. 

we couldn't pass up the chance to grab yummy dessert on the way back to the city and dropped by the milk station in Barili. a cup of homemade ice cream (okay, i got 3 cups, shared with Harry since i couldn't decide on flavor) and locally made barquillos completed our weekend vacation.