- Glossier Boy Brow and Glossier Moon Mask. I was extremely skeptical about Boy Brow before purchasing but holy crap am I a convert. I have tried other tinted brow gels before but I hated how it would stain your skin and then you'd have to use q-tips to get it off and the convenience of it was basically void. This stuff is great. I still use Anastasia Dipbrow to fill in most days, but Boy Brow is great for when you want your face to feel a little more tidy. I'm not 100% convinced of the abilities of Moon Mask (yet) but I do love how it makes my face feel when I'm using it! Like, menthol-y but not as strong? I do love me a good face mask.
- I got a haircut. I'm still sticking with the bob and loving it, but I've got the urge to go pixie again! I just wish my hair didn't grow so fast. Getting a haircut once a month is $$$.
- A blue 50s skirt I got from Another Man's Treasure (vintage store) in Jersey City. I feel very Roman Holiday in it. Can't wait until real spring starts so I can flounce around in it.
- The Write Stuff JC, a postcard-writing organization in Jersey City that was carved out of a desire to speak out against the current administration. I went to one of the events this month and, as the founder Sofia Tome puts it, letter-writing is really cathartic. Not only that, but I think that this form of communication with government officials can be effective, especially at the local level. I got to learn about things happening in Jersey City that were being affected by things happening at the federal level that I wouldn't have known otherwise. Follow them on Instagram or Facebook to find out about their next event!
- Dear Handmade Life Podcast. If you are a maker or artist trying to make a business out of your craft, I highly highly recommend this one. The hosts, Delilah and Nicole, along with their guests, give so much great practical advice and sometimes get really real and vulnerable about building their businesses, which is something I need to hear sometimes. It's easy to look around (ahem social media) and see so many creative entrepreneurs who are just nailing it, but it's nice to know that they too had (and have) some tough times to push through to get where they are.
Philippines Trip
Here is a (very be-lated) look at my family's trip to the Philippines early this year. Click to see full-size!
I miss it and my family a whole lot.
Manila
I didn't take many pictures in Manila, unfortunately. It was mostly family time and going from house to house and sitting in (lots of) traffic. We did visit some nice places though, but I seem to have prioritized Snapchat in lieu of actually photos. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Baguio
Our first little side trip was to Baguio, on the north of Luzon. It's a relatively cool-weathered mountain city that was originally set up as a hill station by Americans in 1900. Had a lovely time climbing through the hills and watching an overwhelming abundance of fireworks for New Years.
Boracay
Probably the most relaxing part of our trip was spent in Boracay, a popular island getaway off the coast of Caticlan. We hung out, ate good food (my first halo-halo of the trip!), and went snorkeling and suchlike. Vinny, my brothers, and I took a little trek out to Spider House, a resort and restaurant situated on the side of a hill, basically on top of the sea. You could actually jump from the side of the restaurant right into the water if you so cared to (I did not).
Batangas
The Batangas is where the Perezes are from. There is a farm full of mangoes and coconuts (o'course) and a little vacation house about a mile away. We drove ATVs through the mango groves and got super muddy. And we ate lots of good food courtesy of my Tita and Lola.
Tagaytay
After the Batangas, we decided to climb Taal volcano, which contains an island in a lake (the crater) on an island in a lake on an island (Luzon). So yeah, I've done that! It was as exhausting as it sounds, but entirely worth it.
Studio Tour
Hi there! Just thought I'd show a quick look inside my "studio" today. Vinny and I live in a 2-bedroom apartment in downtown Jersey City, and the 2nd bedroom acts as our office. I carved out this corner by the window to be my studio and while it's small and usually pretty messy, I love it. It's been my dream for so long to have my own space to create and now I have it. <- I need to remind myself of this often.
I was having a "good office day" the day I shot these, where it was tidy and the light was shining juuust right. I thought I'd document.
A few things around the space that I'd like to point out:
- Printers: I have two. I have the Epson SureColor P600 that I use for printing all my products. It uses archival pigment inks (as opposed to dye-based) which means prints last longer and I can label my art prints as "giclée". My other printer is my Canon MG8220 that I use for printing labels, documents, etc. It's also my scanner, but I'm starting to feel like I should invest in a better scanner soon.
- Computer Setup: You can't see in these images but my laptop is actually sitting at a small standing desk to the left. My monitor is plugged into that laptop. This setup is a little weird, but it's grown on me. I like having my monitor off my desk since I have minimal real estate, but I also like to (occasionally) stand at the standing desk and do some admin work.
- Pull-out extension: I do most of my painting and photographing on the little pull-out section of my desk by the window. The desk is IKEA, but I believe it is discontinued. A shame, because that pull-out section really comes in handy!
Thanks for checking out where I spend about 76% of my life! Any questions? Leave them down in the comments!