Pay Day Treat: Toms Grey Chambray Cordones

After so many years of working as an advertising junkie, I have mastered the art of dealing with stress.

First, breathe. A must. Failure to do so will lead to disaster obviously. Haha!

Next, turn away from your monitor and take a sip of your favorite coffee. Savor the moment. The effect won't last long...just long enough to calm your nerves and have the next job order sent to your email.

And lastly, pack-up, leave and head to the mall and engage in retail therapy.

I am a firm believer of all three steps, most especially the last one.

Based on experience, I feel most recharged after getting myself anything from the mall.

As in anything. From a cute shirt to a new pair of shoes. I can even settle for a gourmet cup of yogurt or a basic cheeseburger. Anything to keep my mind off work.

Last weekend was no exception.

You see, I've been bombarded with overwhelming work load since early this year, which basically means business is doing well (thank God!). Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining.

But I am only human.

Handling multiple projects all at the same time can be quite a tedious task. And that is an understatement.

So when I finally found the opportunity to just take a breather last weekend, I was quick to accept an invitation to head to Makati for a shopping spree.

Hmmm...since I have an out of town event coming up, might as well get myself a pair of comfortable walkers.

Without thinking twice, I asked my companion to accompany me to Nothing But H20. Apart from being the exclusive distributor of Toms Shoes, Nothing But H20 has the cutest eco bag.:)

Yup, you already know the drill: Canvass, canvass, fit, buy, work hard. The life of a SHOEpaholic.

I already went to several branches of Nothing But H20 in search of my most coveted pair: the Grey Chambray Cordones.

Always out of stock. :(

With no intention of getting anything in particular, I went in the store and scanned the merchandise.

My goodness, I nearly lost my consciousness when I saw my dream pair available.

"Miss, you have a size 9.5 for this one?", I asked almost breathlessly.

Yes Sir, kakarating lang po niyan ngayon! Excited much siya, I swear.

I know right. I waited for like three months di ba? , I said to myself.

But I was just too happy (and excited) to retort back.

Yes, you guessed it right.

Another serendipitous pair.

I liked everything about it:

The light gray colored body with cream laces made it a versatile pair perfect for both casual strolls and semi-formal occasions. Can't wait to try this on with my suit!

The comfortable insoles were simply divine. Walking on sunshine. Haha!

And the price? Well P 3,795 is nothing when you are able to give another pair to a child in need.:)

And I was just too generous since it was pay day. Haha!

See, purchase justified. :)

Oh and the bonus: the cute shoe bag and the sticker that comes with each pair.:)

So here's my chosen weekend look to go with my new pair:

So whatever happened after my retail therapy?

Let's just say that despite my full schedule, I'm having a great week.

Since I got my Toms Grey Chambray Cordones. :)

SHOEpper's Guide 5: Nothing But H20

I think almost everyone has gotten crazy over Toms Shoes.

Perhaps because of the utmost comfort each pair offers. It's like walking barefoot...only made more stylish. Hehe.

Or maybe because of the cause it promotes. I mean, who would want to miss the opportunity to get a fab pair of walkers while helping others in need?

Whatever the reason may be, nowadays, everywhere I go, there's a person wearing a pair of Toms that's for sure.

Yup, nothing but Toms Shoes.

From Nothing But H20.

Nothing But H20 was initially known as a "Summer Shop", with its vast swimwear line.

But thanks to Toms Shoes, it has slowly gained prominence as a "go-to" haven for SHOEpaholics as well.


It has 6 branches to date, 4 in the Metro (Alabang, Trinoma, Glorietta and Robinsons Galleria) and two of which in the provinces,  in Boracay and Abreeza,  Davao respectively.

The one in Glorietta 3 offers the widest array of designs to date and it's a must-visit for all those Toms lovers out there.

Trust me, I found my most coveted pair there after 3 months of searching. :) Ok, so that's a teaser.

Each branch carries a unique line of Toms Shoes so canvassing is a must when in a look-out for a specific pair.

Nonetheless, each branch offers customer service at its finest, with the sales ladies transforming into instant fashion consultants in a jiffy.

Here are some of the pairs I fancied during my visit:

I loved all three cordones. The gray looks elegant. The splattered blue one is edginess redefined. And the charcoal one is the epitome of sleekness.

This Sunset model was definitely as breathtaking as its namesake. Promise.

Of course I wouldn't miss this chance to get myself a pair...

or two. :)

Hey, I'm helping kids here. :)

...And it's payday for God's sake. Hehe. :)

For more details about Nothing But H20, please do visit www.nothingbuth20.com.ph. 

Great Boracay Xperience with GBX

I had it all planned. Two months ago to be exact. 

It was actually an extension of my mother's day celebration for the two most important women in my life: my Mom and my favorite Tita Virgie.

The moment I got my voucher from Pearl of the Pacific Hotel in Station 1, Boracay, I booked everything on the same day. Accommodations, check. Transfers, check. Plane Tickets, check. 

All the while, I thought everything was ready. 

So I went on with my daily routine as an advertising junkie, while being a mentor on the side for my students in my advertising class. 

Due to the overwhelming work load and busy schedule, I totally almost forgot about this trip.

Until the day before. Haha.

I left work early that day with the promise of bringing my Ipad with me so I can work while enjoying myself at the beach. 

Upon reaching home, I immediately started packing, with hope that I will be able to sleep early and wake up on time to catch my morning flight.

Threw in a couple of shorts, tank tops and bottles of sunblock inside my day bag. 

I was about to get my favorite pair of slippers when I stumbled upon a pair which I haven't worn for ages.

My, my. I have beach shoes pala. Haha.

So I immediately got the pair from my beloved shoe closet and examined it carefully.

I remember getting this pair during a GBX warehouse sale at the Megatrade Hall in Megamall.

At P199 (original price was P 1,499) and being the last pair in my size, it was definitely meant to be part of my growing shoe closet at home. Hehe. 

Nice color. Would blend well with my outfit.

And its flexible soles and water-proof material makes it my perfect choice for this beach getaway.

After fitting it, I knew I was ready.

Bring on the sand, sea and sunburn! Hehe!

Here's a picture of me taken a few minutes after checking in at Pearl of the Pacific. 

We spent the rest of the day exploring the island, happy to see that my mom and Tita Virgie were having the time of their lives (first-timers sila so pagbigyan. hehe).

Here's a picture of my Mom and Tita in action. 

I even teased them about hoarding the souvenirs. I just have to laugh at the fact that we needed to buy yet another extra large bag for their purchases. 

Pasalubong much indeed!

After buying some souvenir items for my staff, I proceeded to check out the merchandise at Nothing But H20 at D' Mall.

As you know, Nothing but H20 is the exclusive distributor of Toms Shoes. 

Sadly though, they didn't have the style I wanted. 

Oh Chambrey Ash, where are thou? Hehe. 

Nonetheless, I had a Great Boracay Xperience.

With my pair of GBX beach walkers.

Thinking about Tom's

I just finished sending my donation to the victims of the recent tragedy in Japan (via Globe sms, you might want to try it) when I decided to surf the net to keep myself abreast with the latest shoe trends.

By this time, you would already know how much I love slip ons: those cute little pairs of walkers which are very comfortable, almost like walking barefoot.  That is why I wasted no time in checking out the latest apple of my eye: Tom's.

I have heard alot about this brand since last year but I never did give it any attention when I first saw a pair at Robinsons Galleria. Maybe because the pair I saw was really plain (Tom's initial releases were classic in nature). But when I visited their store again early this year in Galleria and then in Boracay (available at the Nothing but H20), I was quite surprised with the new designs they had.

But apart from the fabulous designs, what I like about this brand is its CSR: with every pair you purchase, a pair of shoes is given to a child in need. And for someone who is into charity stuff and the like, that is a major plus factor. A pair costs around P 2, 400. Not bad.

So anyway, here are some included in my wish list:

Yup, I like all four. Hehe. 

They call this the Kenya Striped Botas. Would look great with a pair of khakis and a polo top. 

I love the color scheme of the Seaport Vegan. Rawr for the tropical vibe. 

This Tyler Ramsey's hand painted pair's quirkiness appeals to me. 

I love red. This would look ravishing with a pair of short shorts. Haha!

Hmmm. I have a lot more in my list but I'm heading to work in a few. Hopefully, by being productive this week, I can afford a new pair by the weekend. Haha!