[store finds: FURNITURE, MUG, CERAMIC KNIVES & CAKE DECORATING ESSENTIALS]

I finally had the chance to visit the Makati branch of SM 2 weekends ago. I love SM especially because of all the nice things to buy at the home section.

Items I spotted :

Living room set

I love this Scandinavian-style set! 

[a glimpse of SOLAIRE]

When we found out it had already opened a couple of weeks ago, hubby & I planned to go & have a look at SOLAIRE, the new kid on the hotel/casino block. Curiosity over the place heightened even more when we heard that the architectural finishing works were done exceptionally well. You see, being both technical people, we are very particular about these things. We believe that anything one does is worth doing well. No to second bests, even in construction.

See for yourself how world-class SOLAIRE is.

The building seen from afar, as we turned towards

[those cat ears]

My girls, in cat ears.

[VIA CRUCIS at la salette]

For about 5-6 years now, we have been going to this shrine for our yearly Holy Week tradition, the Via Crucis.

[the SKY EYE]

My eldest didn't go home for 2 weeks straight due to finals week & completion of other requirements. She  told us she was "stressed-out" so her dad & I decided to pick her up & let her join us for a day of bonding.

I suggested the SKY RANCH where the SKY EYE, a giant ferris wheel, is. It's the country's tallest - 63 meters (207 ft) with 32 gondolas - 8 meters higher than the MOA Eye.

[my MAN-at-work]

I took this long-range shot of the hubby while he was doing his site inspection. This was yesterday, when we dropped by one of his projects after visiting my eldest in her dorm. He's the one in dark grey shirt, right side of the frame.

[the fashion brand invasion]

Yesterday, while going around the newly-refurbished Glorietta 2, Jill & I looked over the merchandise inside the stores of 2 of the new fashion brands in town. Both are from the Spanish group, Inditex.

STRADIVARIUS

[ILLY]

After window shopping for some school supplies for the girls at the bookstore, my youngest & I stopped by this little coffee place called ILLY. It's found at the ground floor inside National Bookstore (Glorietta 2), just near the entrance.

[BONO]

Today, Jill & I had our first taste of the newest artisanal gelato in town.

BONO is a small place tucked in the corner of the SM Makati department store near the escalator & right across Cafe France.

[hk sojourn 2011: FLIGHT & AIRPORT SCENES]

This trip was taken by our family 2 years ago, our  graduation gift for the  girls.

After seeing so many bloggers' posts on their HK travels, I thought I might as well share our 4-day sojourn to that favorite shopping/leisure destination. 

This travelogue of sorts will be taken in a series. Starting off with our entry & exit points, the airports.

I booked our 4d/3n trip online thru Cebu Pacific. It was easy-breezy.

We had to be early that day.

[PILLOW-stalking]

I don't hide my penchant for buying accent pillows with eye-catching graphics & prints. ;) I think I have blogged about it several times. Remember my feature on the Mandaue Foam home sale, the ikat  & the world cities pillows?

From these posts, you can say, pillow-stalking is an obvious pre-occupation for me. ;)

Two weeks ago, I spotted another store in M!2 that sells nice ones, like these on display :

[WORLDBEX 2013 & an SCG media tour]

I was at WorldBex last Wednesday.

[get IDEAS FOR LIVING]

Yesterday, I found another home store with great finds! :)

The newly-opened store, IDEAS FOR LIVING, is on the 3rd level of M!2, home market section, at the far end overlooking the Central Plaza.

Inside is a shopping haven waiting to be discovered.

[turn off those lights again]

Let's go "lights out" for an hour from 8:30 pm- 9:30 pm on March 23, 2013, Saturday in  support of Earth Hour.

[back to our second home]

It was a sentimental journey of sorts. The alumni found themselves going back to the place where they spent their student years under the tutelage of the Hijas de Jesus sisters. Our batch was among them.

[made-to-order furniture]

For those who frequent Tagaytay, you have probably noticed the line of furniture shops along the highway.

[ROCKING the grandparents]

You must have seen this in every Ayala mall you go to.

Rocking chairs meant for the elderly shoppers who need to rest those weary feet after an hour of so of malling. 

Two thumbs-up for Ayala! =)

[a RED door?]

For the longest time, I have been bugging hubby to do something about our front entry door.

This is what welcomes anyone to our home now. Yes, I know it looks so beat-up. Obviously, It has seen better days, & after more than 4 years, it really needs to be refurbished.

First option is to repaint it in its original color of dark brown. But, then again, a new color is a welcome change.

[PRINTED loves]

MARIMEKKO.

ORLA KIELY.

I love these two design lines for their iconic bold pop prints!

The prints are carried over to their merchandise like

fabrics

marimekko

[made their momma proud]

For this post, please indulge me with some mommy brag time. ;)

Over the weekend, my daughters each had an event to go to.

My eldest attended her blockmate's debut party at the St. Francis Shangrila Place. Here is how she looked  that night, all dolled-up.

photo credit: Christer de Silva

[loving the PITAYA]

It's an odd-looking, dark pink-colored, spiky fruit. I first saw them being sold in the weekend market in M!2, back when mall construction was just starting.

source

[IKEA.PHL soon?]

I instantly shared this on my wall after seeing an FB friend's post. The excitement is so hard to contain!=)

[new INTERIOR DESIGN reads]

They know I love looking at interior inspirations & doing interiors because they read my blog, where most of my posts are on architecture & interior design.

Just look at what they sent me (via the 'balikbayan' box):

From the California folks, from whom I also got my previous sets of 'ukay' magazines,

DWELL
ANTHOLOGY