My mother once told me that my lucky element is water. Water brings me good luck and somehow, I just always end up living by the water. My first apartment in New York was by the Hudson and now my second apartment is by the East. Whenever I'm by the water, I just always feel happy so it is no surprise that my favorite day in Chicago involved going to the beach.
One of the best beaches in Chicago is the Oak Street Beach. It's right at the beginning of the North Side and is also steps away from the Magnificent Mile making it perfect if you forgot to bring a pair of bathing suit or sunglasses. As soon as we get there, I was giddy with joy. I just love the beach. I may not like swimming in it but I love everything else about it. The sun was shinning so bright but not too bright that it became too hot. In other words, it was perfect and it seemed like we were not the only ones who thought so because the beach became packed a few minutes after we got there.
After two hours of laying under the sun, you can pretty much guess I got toasted. In just two hours at the beach, I got darker than when I was in the beach in San Diego last March for three days. I'm not complaining though. Toasted and tan is exactly what I was going for. I could have spent the whole day just laying under the sun but like I said...I was going for toasted and not roasted. After the beach, my friend and I decided to have a Chicago staple - deep-dish pizza and I was glad we decided to eat this after the beach because I would not feel comfortable tanning after eating such a hearty meal.
Outfit Details: White Dress - Forever 21, Tan Sweater - Forever 21, Black Sandals - American Eagle Outfitters
Accessories Details: Gold Grandfather Watch - Michael Kors, Gold Bracelet - J. Crew
When the other day we went to the usual tourist spots, this time around we went to somewhere off the beaten path a.k.a Williamsburg of Chicago a.k.a Hispterville a.k.a. Lincoln Park/Wicker Park. As soon as you get there, you will see boutiques after boutiques of interesting clothes and records as well as all types of cafes and restaurants. Too bad we were still full from our lunch because I really wanted to try all the foods they had to offer.
P.S. Have you guys listened to Coldplay's new album? It's so beautiful both lyrically and musically. Here's my favorite song in the whole album. It tugs something in my heart that I almost forgot about.
In my last post, I mentioned how summer is just around the corner. I did not realize that the week after that was already Memorial Day weekend meaning summer was literally around the corner. For those who may not know, Memorial Day weekend in the US marks the official start of summer. To celebrate this, my friend and I had planned to go to Chicago and despite the rocky start (our flight was delayed by 2 hours and we had a problem with our housing situation), the weekend turned out really great - wonderful in fact.
On our first day in Chicago, my friend really wanted to do all the touristy stuff from visiting the Bean to walking along the Magnificent Mile. It was such a beautiful day that we did not really mind walking. Besides, I bought really comfortable shoes for this trip.
Accessories Details: Lavender Oxfords - Cole Haan, Gold Grandfather Watch - Michael Kors, Gold Bracelet - J. Crew
These shoes are from Cole Haan and it felt like I was walking on clouds. They were so light and comfortable making them perfect for traveling.
Outfit Details: High Waist Culotte Shorts - Zara, Sleeveless Button Down - H&M, Mustard Anorak - Jack Wills
This was not my first time in Chicago but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless. Because it was my friend's first time, it felt like it was my first time too. We both tried WoNuts (waffle plus donut) for the first time and even went on an architectural boat cruise around Chicago River. When I first went to Chicago, I went with my mum and sister and we only took a tour bus and not a boat. Riding a boat around the Chicago River brought me back to when I also took a boat around the River Thames in London. Both equally gratifying.
P.S. Such a feel good song for the summer. I Got U by Duke Dumont.
I've been meaning to post this in a while but I always feel stuck. I know this is my excuse every time but it's really hard and I thank everyone or anyone who has been patient with this blog. Sometimes I stare at the screen and think of what to say. I go look at other blogs for inspiration but I don't want to just write for the sake of writing. I want to write something that would at least mean something but let's face it. I'm not going to shake the world with this....at least not yet. For now, let's stick to sharing a few nice things about this world of ours and one of them is seeing cherry blossoms..well...bloom.
A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be in Washington, DC to catch the Cherry Blossom festival. The last time I caught it was 4 years ago so I was really excited to see it again especially since we were promised a beautiful spring day and the weather report did not disappoint. It was sunny, warm and for the first time in a long time, I was able to wear just a dress and sandals. After such a long and harsh winter, this was a nice break from it all. As soon as we reached the mall, we went crazy taking pictures of the trees and flowers falling on the ground. We took too many pictures and videos that as soon as we got back to New York, I had to upload them all to my computer so I can have space again in my phone (not that it matters to anyone but bare with me). I wish I can share them all but here are just a few of them:
Outfit Details: dress - Zara, sandals - American Eagle Outfitters, bag - H&M, shades - RayBan, rings - ASOS
Being back for the second time around was amazing especially with good company. It was a much needed trip for my friend and I after having a difficult couple of weeks. Looking back at these images, I wish I can also go back to when the sun was shining bright and when I didn't have to worry about anything. *le sigh*
P.S. In the spirit of naming and ending my posts with songs, please listen to this one. It's been on repeat since I first heard it.
I've been meaning to blog about my trip to Boston for a while now but I keep blanking out so I'm just gonna let the pictures speak for themselves. My weekend in Boston was absolutely relaxing and fulfilling. From the food to the amazing place I stayed in, Boston never fails to deliver a good time.
Last month has been a roller-coaster ride for me. I was so overwhelmed with school, work, orgs and personal stuff that I really needed to just step back for a while and breathe. It was all too much for me so I decided to take a mini-vacation in the middle of the semester to recuperate and have some me-time. Fortunately at the weekend that I was thinking of going, my friend from California was also free so I bought my ticket and 2 weeks later, I was on my way.
I never really liked San Francisco/NorCal but after my trip, I have a new found appreciation for the place. It’s full of interesting things and it’s so easy to get around because of the bart and bus. My friend didn’t have a car so we made do with what we had which made my trip all the more interesting and fun. We got lost so many times but we eventually found our way to where we were suppose to go. From the airport, we made our way to the hotel we were staying overnight in San Francisco. Went around the city, met up with a friend then went to my friend’s place in Moraga. From Moraga, we went shopping in Walnut Creek then Palo Alto back to the airport to pick up her grandma, San Jose then back to Moraga.
My favorite day however was when we went to Berkeley. I’ve never been to Berkeley so it was my first time there and I love every single thing about it. If I don’t get in the summer program abroad that I want, I’m definitely considering taking summer class there instead. Berkeley has that collegiate campus vibe feel (for obvious reason) which I am obsessed with and it had a certain vibe to it that was reminiscent to the East Village in New York. It ended up raining there though so we decided to stay in a pub to stay warm and dry and watched the football game against Washington State which Berkeley ended up winning. YAY! I know a little bit about football because my friend patiently explained it to me. Lol
I wish I took more pictures but here are some of what I took. Even though I am now back to reality full of things to do, I am glad that I went on that trip. I feel so much better thus motivating me to do even better in school. Hopefully, that motivation will help me in writing my paper.....
Stylish Fascinators is a brainchild of Katrine Alcantara and Deanne Banares.
This is where the fashion action happens: Bryant Park
FASCINATORS is defined as: one who fascinates. We are fascinated by the world and all the beauty that is concretized in every form - fashion, style, art, culture, food, and design. And as much as we are fascinated, we also hope to fascinate others with who we are and what we can offer on an entirely STYLISH level.
This blog is an extension of our thoughts - our thoughts on fashion, beauty, food, and travel. We hope to share with others what we experience.
But this blog also serves as a linkage between two different cities - New York and Manila. Two very contrasting but also very similar worlds where one can find inspiration in the most unexpected places.
At the Teen Vogue Fashion University opening held in Juicy Couture , Madison Ave, NYC
We hope to show that even if we come from different time zones, we can still connect and share with each other and the rest of the world what pulsates our hearts.
We are the fascinators of the world and we do it with style.
