My House Party with Kickers Howie

Of course as expected, I got a new pair for my birthday.

When I bought this one on sale a couple of days earlier, I considered the fact that I would be having a house party on my birthday celebration's first leg (I will be celebrating by batch e.g. family, friends, officemates etc.), so I had to choose a pair which was both comfortable, laid back and yet stylish.

The Kickers Howie exceeded all my expectations enough for it to be my chosen birthday pair.

I never thought any pair would rival TOMS Shoes in terms of comfort.

This pair has one of the softest insoles I must admit.

I also love its marble-inspired color.

Don't you think the green contrasting rope provides utmost cuteness? :)

Very laidback. Not intimidating. 

Just perfect for a house party.:)

Here's a picture of me while waiting for the guests to arrive:

I did have a happy house party:)

Thanks to my Kickers Howie.:)

My Online Birthday WishList: Toms Edition

In a few weeks time, I will finally turn 30. On August 12 to be exact.

Not bad actually. (Hey, segue, check out this neat cake from Adidas. Would love to have one. Haha!)

Age was never an issue for me. As long as I look like a 24 year old, I'm good.

Ok, please bear with me. Birthday anxieties.

And it's not helping that I have made a promise to my two friends that I won't buy any pair of shoes for the whole month of July.

It's now the 20th. 11 days more to go.

But darn it, how can I not turn insane when I'm currently in Subic for work, where apparently, there are lots of outlet stores?!

How cruel can fate get?

How much more can a SHOEpaholic like me take? Seeing discounts  up to 70% off  left and right is driving me nuts!

So here I am now, retreating to my safety haven, at a nearby Starbucks branch.

Just to kill time before I start working, I decided to make my online wish list.

It was actually my friends' idea. They wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday.

Well, apart from a million dollars and a plane ticket to my choice destination, I would settle for any of these pairs from TOMS, if not all. Haha!

In no particular order (pageant much?!):

I have fallen in love with Toms since I got my first pair. Three pairs after, I can't seem to have enough. This rust hemp cordones would be a nice addition to my collection. I wonder what color its laces are. 

This green ewing is cool to the eyes. I would love to wear this on a hot sunny day.

I already saw this linen pinstripe cordones upclose, and my,my, it looks good with a pair of khaki shorts and plain top with its laid-back vibe. 

This is my wildcard pick, a new release: the burgundy houndstooth. Quirky. Reminds me of Christmas.

Anyway, these are just some of the pairs I want. But then again, I still have a couple of days left before I can finally shop again. Darn it. Haha.

NOTE:

* This entry was supposed to be posted last week during my stay in Subic. But due to technical difficulties, I wasn't able to upload it (darn browser wouldn't upload pics). At present, I am currently in class terrorizing my students with my midterm exam. Haha! 

Oh, and I'm a size 9 for the cordones and the slip ons from TOMS for those asking. *winks

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.