playground season

Bunnies, I have a confession to make. Lately, I have been obsessing about getting myself a pair of yellow sneakers. My current pair of canvas sneakers needs to be retired soon and I have been on the lookout for a replacement. After seeing this photo, I've been convinced that a a new pair of sneakers in yellow would be perfect for playground season. Serendipitously, as I clicked on my favorite blogs this morning, I was greeted by this post. Fate?

 

Wearing yellow just gives that extra spring into your step, don't you think?

i'm in love

You make my heart flutter

Owl always love you

We make the perfect pair

Happy heart's week, everyone!

cold season

We caught the cold bug that's been going around. Buddy and I are both feeling lousy and congested, not to mention sleep deprived! My mother-in-law's arrival couldn't have come at a better time. I'm so thankful for the extra set of helping hands especially since P working in Dallas again this week. With that said, I bid you adieu and I will be heading off to bed for a mid-day nap while the little boy is asleep.




p.s
The cold didn't stop us from shoe shopping yesterday. Gap flats were on sale. Who could resist?

photos courtesy of gap.com

weekend highlights

The past couple of days have been unusually warm for fall so we took advantage and spent the weekend outdoors - swimming in the lake, apple picking and shopping! Okay, so the last one wasn't exactly an outdoor activity but it still got us out of the house.

A gorgeous Friday afternoon at Bryant Lake

An enjoyable Saturday picking apples (and feeding ponies)

step #1: Taste the different variety of apples and choose which ones you want to pick.

step #2 : Once you have decided, pay the corresponding amount at the cashier to get your plastic bag. Each bag is approximately 10lbs worth of apples.

step #3: Get a map of the orchard to locate your apple trees.

step #4: Start plucking and fill up your bag.

step #5: Enjoy!

Shoe shopping on Sunday

Finally, after weeks of searching, I found the one! Let me introduce you to my Water Row booties from Clarks. I know, Clarks sounds so granny-ish. I was also pleasantly surprised when I found these darlings in piperlime. And because comfort is really top priority for me when it comes to shoes, I had to go to Mall of America to try it on before purchasing. True to it's promise, it was amazingly comfortable and the silhouette is very sexy. I'm so excited to strut in style (to the grocery) this fall!

Have a great week ahead, everyone!

fall boots

We're flying back to Minneapolis in a couple of hours. Just checked the weather forecast and temperatures are down to the 60s. It's official, summer is over! One of the very few things that's got me excited about the change in season is the excuse to get some new boots. I'm very optimistic about my chances of getting the right pair what with stacked heels and rubber soles being in fashion this fall. As you know, comfort and practicality are key considerations when you have a toddler in tow (all the time). Here are a few pairs that I've been lusting over.





I'm really embracing the utilitarian style. It's the look best suited for active, hands-on moms like me. I know these booties will go well with the pieces in my closet; cargos, boyfriend pants and skinny jeans.

What do you think?

obsessing over black flats

The chilly evenings we've been having for the past couple of nights has been a welcome change. Summer is almost coming to an end. Which got me thinking the other day, I need a pair of black ballet flats for fall. Serendipitously, my friend, Ila, emailed me a link that morning to a pair of black Prada Bow Ballet Flat. I was instantly smitten. But being the cheapskate that I am, I'm not going buy a pair of flats for more than $100! So now, I'm obsessed with finding the pair of black flats that is 1) chic, 2) comfortable 3) reasonably priced.

I like the the sparkly jewel embellishments on these snakeskin flats from Steve Madden and Sam Edelman...

I'm also considering this cap-toe flats from Penny Loves Kenny because of its uncanny resemblance to the bejeweled cap-toe Miu Miu flats.
What do you think?

If there's anyone out there who can suggest other fabulous (and affordable) pairs I would really appreciate your help.

highlights of the weekend

I always look forward to the weekends. It's the two days in the week we spend sampling the different restaurants and exploring the numerous recreational parks around the twin cities. And if I'm lucky, we squeeze in some time for shopping.

Last Saturday, we started our little city adventure with lunch at Champps Americana. It's a sports bar chain that looked more like a restaurant you would find in Napa Valley if not for the large tv screens scattered around the dining area. The interior looked very bright and relaxed with its high ceiling, glass walls, brick panels and natural wood finish. Food portions were very generous. The Pulled Pork Sandwich exceeded expectations, yum! Definitely a place where we could bring guests to enjoy American food.

After the hearty lunch, we hit the mall for some shopping. I wasn't really looking for anything to buy for myself. My only agenda was to get new toys for Bud. But then I found these ballet flats in Gap for $5 a pair! What a steal, right? They were so darned cheap that I got 2 pairs, one in silver and another in blue denim. Bargain price aside, they were great shoes. Chic and comfortable. The leather was really soft plus it came with rubber soles which is a preference for me these days. I was giddy with delight when I walked out of the store.

To cap off the day, we went to Lyndale Park Rose Garden. It's the second oldest rose garden in the country with more than 250 varieties of roses and other flowers. The garden was so vibrant and lush yet serene. The atmosphere was so relaxed and unpretentious. It's like stepping into a secret garden in the middle of the city.

Phelps (turtle) Fountain.
Photo courtesy of wikepedia.

More than my shoe(s) purchase, the highlight of the day for me was watching Bud play in the Turtle fountain in the garden. He was cruising around the rim of the fountain and trying is very best to climb into the cool water (good thing he was still too short to get in by himself). Then he made some new friends and they threw pennies in the fountain. It was too bad we didn't bring a camera to capture that lovely evening.

And because Bud loved the water so much, the next day we took him swimming in the sand-bottomed lake in in Bryant Park. It's the next best thing we have to a beach. Again, we forgot to bring our camera.

The days just go by so fast. Before I know it, it will be the end of the week and the start of another adventure.

Spring shoes

Since we came here in November with only 100lbs worth of personal effects each, i only managed to bring shoes and clothes for winter. I'm not complaining though as it turned out to work to my advantage. It gave me a good excuse to go shopping!

Thanks to Gap and Old Navy, I've been able to build up my spring wardrobe without breaking the bank. What's more, i still have some leftover money from my shopping budget for another pair or 2 of shoes!

I already got a pair of white sneakers from Gap and a pair of purple flats from Kenneth Cole. Somehow these 2 pairs still don't satisfy my shoe fetish. I feel there's still something missing in my shoe arsenal. Wedges? Oxfords? Booties? After weeks of online surfing and deliberation, i finally decided that a pair of Vans oxfords would complete my ensemble. It's just what i need - chic and comfortable. It would go well with my boyfriend chinos, skinnies and jeggings. Plus it's something i can walk around in for hours especially on weekends when we're always outdoors. Kenneth Cole Slip On By

I can't wait to go to Mall of America tom to get my own pair of Sophie.... crossing my fingers that it would be all that I'm expecting it to be.

Vans Sophie

Vintage or poor taste?

I’ve always wondered where I could find shoes that were within my humble Pinoy budget. Alas, a neighbor of mine told me that there is shoe arcade in Dongdaemun Market which she described is as an alley lined with (affordable) shoes as far as your eyes can see! My eyes brightened and I started to salivate at the thought of SHOES, SHOES, SHOES. I felt like Charlie about to enter Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory!

The next day I went on a little shoe hunting expedition in famous shoe arcade in Dongdaemun Market. Indeed, it was an alley filled with shoes! But to my dismay, the shoes were not exactly my style. They were a bit too Korean for my taste. Still, I walked to the end of the market. Then on my walk back, a pair of flats caught my eye. It was made of woven fabric with wooden accent rings in front. I asked for the price and what a delight, it was only W14,000 or roughly P750. What a bargain! I hesitated for a second and asked myself if I really needed a new pair of shoes. But what the heck, I bought it anyway. Shoes are like pieces of art, you need to appreciate them. This pair needed an owner who would appreciate it for its creative value.

Upon returning home from my bargain hunt, I tried on the pair to check if I could wear it with any of my clothes. I decided that it would go well with the plain shirts that I have. I was so pleased with my new art piece until P came home and teased if the housekeeper left her old shoes in our apartment! It made me wonder…did he not appreciate the vintage design of the shoes or did I just have poor taste? Hmph…