Heading to Puerto Rico

Vinny and I are heading to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a few days to get the ever-elusive r&r. I actually packed and finished up my work at a reasonable hour so I was able to do a little doodle of some of the things I packed.

This little capsule of my clothes actually makes them look nice and ~cohesive~ when really I think my style is a bit confused atm. I'm trying to buy less and be more consumer-conscious, but at the same time I feel like I need to update? Or MAYBE I'm just tired of wearing winter-ish clothes and I will feel better when I can comfortably expose my legs and upper arms again.

That's probably it.

March Favorites

  1. 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.
  2. 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 $$$.
  3. 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.
  4. 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!
  5. 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.