Woohoo! Update + H&M hongkong opening pics

Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates recently as my exams just finished and I took a small bum break after the nerve-wracking experience. *nods head* It was so stressful I tell you, on the last day I even thought I was going to break down. :( *sniff sniff* Okay, enough self-pity! hahaha. Anyhoo, thank you so much to all of you who emailed and left comments whilst I was gone. :) You guys really lifted me up whenever I thought I woulda sunk already! heehee. And to those who so sweetly prodded me to update the site, I love you guys for missing this crappy ol' blog of mine. It really is so nice to know that I have some people who can relate with my thoughts on here. Thanks again everyone for being so thoughtful! mwah, mwah, mwah!

Yesterday I went to the spa for some waxing and now I'm thinking of coming back for an hour shiatsu + reflexology combi massage, hehe. Oh and I also ate chinese food at hap chan makati for lunch but will just put up the pics later as they are in bf's phone. Other than those, I really haven't done much anything lately except study, sleep, eat, and study and sleep. hahaha! Oh and I've also been daydreaming of hongkong. My trip is nearing and I am very very excited. I even had a last minute jolt yesterday morning as my dad and I realized that I would need a DSWD travel clearance for my 17-year-old brother as he is not travelling with a parent internationally (yes, eventhough I am so beyond legal age already and is his sister at that!). I then started researching about the procedure and online it said that the process must be done 7 days before any trip. I was like, hello? We only have like, 5 days left! Anyway, no need to worry now, everything is fixed and we were able to get the travel clearance the same day. Thank you to my calling and clerical abilities, *bows*. hahaha! Oh and I also decided to try booking in Kowloon this time, near granville road and miramar shopping center (where uniqlo is located). Why? The hotels in causeway bay are all fully booked! Can you imagine? Oh wells, I don't care, any 4 star hotel will do as long as I'm in HK. *wink*

I am a bit late blogging about this but H&M hongkong in central opened already last March 10 and it was a ruckus! They gave away an autographed madonna trench coat to the first 20 and h&m umbrellas (or sunglasses?) to the first 500 people who entered which added more unnecessary incentive to the hype and so the lines were out-of-this-world crazy! Some people even reportedly slept on the pavement outside the store the night before the opening day just to fall in line the next morning. I was like, woah! They also started selling the M collection by Madonna 2 weeks earlier than the rest of the world which lured in more spenders. Still I think everything was good shopping fun as long as nobody got hurt. Crazy but I bet it was like a party to them people. :)

Here are some pics (all from nitrolicious.com) of the newest retail giant to set foot on hk territory:



HK stars Kathy Chow & Mikki Yao at the Launch Party both in M by Madonna for H&M



Crazy shoppers on the first day:



And here's a video taken by an (assumingly) tall french dude of the exaggerated line and tight security on the opening day. C-R-A-Z-Y!




Hmmm, I think I may need some fitness training before my hk trip. These hk shoppers are tough! hahaha.

Slow saturday + my new freeloading haul

Today has been mighty slow for me. Let's see... I woke up at 10 am, gossiped with my brothers, ate home-cooked steak for lunch, read magazines, surfed the net, went to the grocery and now I'm writing this entry. How exciting eh? Well, I thought about going to the mall or the gym with my brothers but sheer laziness took over. *tsk tsk, i know* Bf, on the other hand, is at the hospital delivery room as he has a 6am to 6pm trial duty today. (It's a requirement for our OB class and I went through it last week.) So yup, no 'happening' for me as of yet. Maybe tonight we'll decide to go on a date if he's not too exhausted. Though I highly doubt it. I've been there you know, haha.

Yesterday, on the other hand, was more fun because I only had one class and ended up going to my favorite spa for a 60-minute shiatsu/swedish combination massage and nail spa. I was too "relaxed" to take pics but did take this one of me wearing their robe though. A funny spin on my outfit posts!

I love how the spa robe is pink with tiny flowers on it! Background is the locker room. hehe!

After that I went to Johnny Air Cargo to pick up a package. My good friend nikki, a certified make-up junkie (the queen of her kind I tell you), sent me a haul of beauty stuff that she barely used. We were chatting the other week and she told me that she has so many stuff she wants to get rid of and if I would like any of them as she's going nuts already and may throw them out just to find inner peace. hehehe. Well, being the poor girl I am presently, I was more than happy to say "yes! I would love to have your leftovers". hahaha! To be honest, I myself used to be quite a make-up junkie too but since my bag obsession has gone too crazy lately, I am now scrooge mcduck when it comes to buying cosmetics. hehe! Thank heavens for cool friends like her I am able to thrive on and feed my face. (Thank you so much dear nik! You're a beauty-saver. hehe.)

Here is a pic of the stuff she sent me:

Goodies from shu, mac, benefit, origins, prescriptives, clinique, shiseido and biolage. Both our favorite brands!

DM also sent me lots of yummy stuff including 1 audrey hepburn tee, 2 behnaz tees, 1 red forever chiffon blouse, a pair of forever couture short shorts, magazines (Uniqlo and Teen Vogue) and gobs and gobs of chocolates and candies which my brothers have been eating non-stop since yesterday. (Thank you ma! we love you!) I fixed the clothes in my closet right away so no pic of that yet, but here's a pic of the magazines. The Uniqlo one is so funky and had my name on it too!



To end this post is some good news. My dad already booked tickets for me and my younger brother drew (he's graduating high school this year) for a shopping trip to hongkong this March! I am just soooo excited! Sponsored trips are the best. *wink*

UNIQLO global flagship store opens: I have got to go to New York asap!

Good news for us girls who have more than justifiable reasons to visit New York soon. *beams* Another international fashion giant has decided to open a humongous flagship store (36,000 sq. ft.) in the streets of SoHo! And what's more, the brand hails from fashion-upbeat Japan. Here is an article quoted from uniqlo.com:

"The fabric of modern Japan is being woven into the streets of New York! With the autumn opening of UNIQLO's highly anticipated new global flagship store, SoHo will finally get to experience the contemporary Japanese style that has long been missing from this hot, international fashion mecca. UNIQLO is Japan's most popular apparel retailer and a worldwide leader in casual wear. The brand's mission is to empower all individuals through the clothing they choose to wear. Rather than become characterized by a brand, UNIQLO encourages its customers to integrate its pieces into their own unique style.

Uniqlo's english and japanese brand logos

Uniqlo flagship as it was being constructed.

UNIQLO's SoHo global flagship will be the brand's largest retail store anywhere in the world, featuring unique products and styles that will only be found there and a dynamic, cutting-edge store environment to make the shopping experience personal and fun. To ensure its success UNIQLO has recruited many of the industry's top talents, stars and arbiters of style to design and manage the huge SoHo flagship.

A shot from one of Uniqlo's container stores that were put up in scattered areas in NY a month prior to the Nov. 9 opening of the SoHo store. They were made to announce news of the brand's arrival in US land. :)

Bringing UNIQLO to SoHo is about more than just introducing Japan's favorite clothing brand to the rest of the world it's also an opportunity to express UNIQLO's essence as a unique, distinctly modern Japanese brand. UNIQLO's SoHo global flagship will be the most significant example of Japanese retail culture outside of Japan and a model for the future of UNIQLO's global expansion."

Here are some eye candy images from their free paper/ online zine:











Plus some looks in their fall/winter lookbook:



Oh my gosh, I definitely need to fix my sched before clerkship begins and give my beautiful mom a visit. hahaha! In the meantime though, you and I can watch the store on live video streaming here. Through the four cameras placed around the store, you can actually check out what's happening at this very minute in New York's Soho any time you wish.

All I can say is sh*t, just how cool is that?