They Say I'm Addicted to the Beach Like It's My Heroin.

I've had the most trips to the beach this 2010 in my lifetime and I still think a little over a dozen is not enough. I don't know what keeps drawing me back but I know it's where I'm most ecstatic. Feeling the burning heat of the sun, the smell of sea and sunscreen on my skin, the warm breeze of the ocean, how swimming in cold waters beats my bedroom AC unit, and feeling the brittleness of the sand in my toes- is my recipe for a natural high. And oh! Seeing my friends get the same feeling gives me that extra dose of high. Now I'm beginning to sound like a junkie. Lol. I've had the most damaged skin ever, my hair experienced its most dry state, and my tan lines seem to not fade as this year draws to its near end. But I do not complain, all these seem to be all worth it. So I've counted down the beaches I've been to this year and ranked one as my most favorite.

#6

Tingko Beach

Alcoy, Cebu

I was surprised that this quaint little town down Cebu south owned this white sand beach. The town is a good 2-3 hours bus ride from the city and this beach is situated just by the roadside. Aside from the white sand and clear waters, the beach has the most amazing reef so I had to be in this place twice this year!

#5

Durhan Beach

Tabuelan, Cebu

Just like Alcoy town, Tabuelan is 2-3 hours away from the metropolis but this town is located up northern Cebu. You won't realize how beautiful this beach is unless the tide is really high. It has the finest white sand and the water is oh so clear. Accommodation is decently priced too! I'll definitely be back for a second, third, fourth, nth time!

#4

Basdako Beach

Moalboal, Cebu

This beach has always been an all-time favorite for quick weekend getaways that it made me frequent the place three times this year. Yes, it has become slightly overrated but I still love this beach. It has a long stretch of white sand (though not that fine but it's so white) and the coral reef is to die for. This is where I want to go everytime I feel like communing with nature underwater. I happen to be good at snorkeling! (I think)

#3

Dumaluan Beach

Panglao Island, Bohol

Its my second time in this beach with my last time being on 2009. It left me wanting for more and I had to come back this year. Dumaluan beach is world-class (at least to my taste). I swear I felt like I was in Cancun beach when I was there! The sand is powdery white just as it is powdery fine. And the waters? It perfectly mirrored the deep blue hues of the sky. I will be back next year!

#2

Boracay Island

Off Aklan in Panay Island

My third time this year and I still can't get enough. The beauty of the white beach and the waters in Boracay is a given but for some reason I always do not find myself swimming or lazing in the sand everytime I visit this world-renowned tourist destination. But don't get me wrong! I just always run out of time to do those when I'm here - it's like graveyard shift in this island for me. Nights in the island always throb with parties here and there so wake up call means past lunch time the next day. It gets really hot during mid-day so most of the time I have to pass on the swimming!

#1

Budyong Beach

Bantayan Island, Bantayan Cebu

The island is situated off the northernmost tip of the Cebu island so that means its 4-4.5 hours of ass-numbing bus ride + an hour ferry ride to reach this paradise (roughly 3+ hours if you bring your own ride). If it's your first time to visit the island, the travelling part of the trip is going to be excruciating. I have frequented the island countless times now so 4 hours seem like 2 hours for me (by countless I mean 8 times...lol). I won't even bother describing how breath-taking this island is. The fact that this is my number 1 says it all. Go find out for yourself!

p.s.

I took all these photos!

So, how am I as a photographer? lol

Chilling Out With Friends and the Lemon Soda Vodka

The original plan was to head out to the beach that Sunday but not everyone was too keen on the idea of spending that day for a tan retouch. Of course there had to be a plan B and plan B's happened to be one of my fortes (I think). So daytime was spent at home watching shows on cable while indulging in a binging spree. What I hate about weekends is the fact the I always end up waking up really early in the morning (usually between 4am-5am) and I never get to sleep during the day again and I always end up in front of the teevo eating. Arrggh! The beach would have been a perfect alternative. So later that day we settled for plan C with plan B being at a friend slash officemate's house talking about whatever while drinking our all-time fave soda vodka. Nevertheless, plan C was just as fun! Spent the night with 2 gay men (talk about being openly gay), 3 straight men(1 eventually walked out after a shot or two), and a straight woman (are you straight girl?), and yes, soda vodka was still on the menu topped with chats about anything under the sun. Well it was really more on gossiping about people who were absent that night! lol

Location:

Route Stop

Salinas Drive, Lahug

Cebu City

What I wore:

Black V-neck Tee by Baleno

Cuffed Denim Cutoff Shorts (Thrifted)

Metallic strap Flipflops by Havaianas

Some Few Thousand Feet Above Sea Level

"I want our Christmas party to be held in some place that's exclusive for the team." -our boss's directive when we planned out this year's party. Immediately, all index fingers pointed to my direction. I was tasked to pick the venue for the event (as usual). I didn't complain since it was not that rocket-science of a task. I'd rather do that than do Excel charts, business analysis reports and the like. But it turned out that I wasn't only in-charge of finding some place exclusive for us, I was assigned as the event-organizer. Still I did not complain. Okay, I did whine a little. We've had Christmas parties in a hotel that served all-you-can-eat buffet meals twice, we had one in a native restaurant, one in a videoke bar - all of which are far from what our boss is looking for -exclusive. So I thought of closing down a popular club for a night but the idea turned out to be too ambitious- we cannot afford it. What about a house party? This was the best idea given our restraint slash budget. The next question was whose house? Everyone went silent. Then I remembered this house on top of the mountains that has the best view of the metropolis and it has swimming pool too! Problem solved. All that's left was giving the rest of the team members their individual tasks and we were all good to go! The party was a success (as usual...lol) but too bad, our boss didn't make it that night due to an emergency.

The House

Aza and Patrick enjoying the pool

Amazing View Behind

White Shirts (unplanned)

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show/Videoke

Food!!!

Exchange Gifts

Games

Booze...

Breath-taking View

Location:

Roosevelt Mountain Resort

+63-323466503/paseojen@yahoo.com

http://www.roosevelt-resort.blogspot.com

What I wore:

Plaid Button-down Shirt (Thrifted)

Basic White V-neck Tee by Warren

Denim Cutoff Shorts (Thrifted)

Shoes by Vans (Authentic)

Flipflops by Havaianas (Silver Metallic)

The Stylist-Wannabe's Latest Victims

Earlier this month, I was given the task to come up with a complete head-to-toe look for four people who thought I'm the closest thing to a Hollywood celebrity stylist. These are not local celebrities I'm helping dress up and I definitely do not do fashion styling for a living, these are my friends slash officemates and my brother turned sister I'm helping glam up for our office's year-ender slash Christmas party. Was I really given this assignment or did I volunteer to do it?! I don't remember. Anyhow, all four expressed how they do not want to be seen looking too typical (by typical they mean wearing an off-the-rack dress, coat&tie or something that was designed by someone and was then badly executed by a neighborhood seamstress). The year's theme is red and black - employees can either wear red or black or a combination of both. As a self-confessed color-blind, I wasn't going for red. Aside from the fact that I've mistaken orange and brown to be red in the past, I didn't see red as something that'll look good on my subjects (no offense to you ladies!). The unanimous choice - BLACK. They didn't want to arrive at the party looking like witches in a an all-black ensemble. Of course I wasn't going to be seen in a posse of freaks at the party, all-black didn't even cross my mind! The final look was going to be a combination of black, grey and white - talk about being color-blind! lol... So after less than two weeks of scrambling vintage stores, malls and closets, the styling project had decent results. And yes, some heads turned 360 degrees (ala Linda Blair in The Exorcist) when we arrived fashionable late! Check out our photos!!!

Location:

Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino
Salinas Drive, Lahug
Cebu City, 6000 Philippines

Tel. : (6332) 232-6888
Fax. : (6332) 232-6880
Email : wcch@waterfronthotels.net

What I wore:

Black Cardigans by SM Dept. Store

Black/White Check Shirt by Giordano

Black Super Skinny Jeans by Uniqlo

Shoes by Vans (Chukka Boot)