holidaze

I'm usually one to relish and savour each and every moment of the holiday season. But alas, with our Coast Thru Life store opening, plus our design work, I could not really sit down and enjoy it, not until a few days before Christmas.

a few photos to remind me to be wide eyed at the twinkling lights

But even so, it really is the most wonderful time of the year.

The Great Sushi Trip

(disclaimer: LOOOONG photo post)

photos of the Great Sushi Trip on instagram :)

Aaaah Japan.

Back in late June, during the height of my post-Bali travel bug itch, was chatting with my college buds about travelling and we sort of mention going to Tokyo. A goal, yes. But not a plan.

A few weeks later our friend who lives in Canada, Chin, said she already bought tickets to Tokyo since it was cheap and then the ball started rolling. We started looking and reserving for guesthouses and hostels then a few months later, months worth of crazy chats on viber, and a few weeks of stressing over our visas, Konnichiwa Japan!

After a three hour delay in my flight from Manila to Narita, arriving in Japan at 10pm, getting lost! (took the wrong train, then had to transfer trains three times, and asking for direction from a guy who spoke ZERO English). then later lugging my 60L Northface pack and getting chilled from the cool autumn air, finally found my way to Nui Hostel.  And the adventure began.

#letsgetlost

photo from Chin

photo from Chin

photo from Chin

Our days consisted of walking around Japanese gardens, checking out the Tsukiji fish market and seeing some giant ass tuna, witnessing a traditional Japanese wedding at the Meiji Jingu Shrine, meeting up with an old friend from Japan, randomly running into a surfer friend from the Philippines!, seeing Hachiko's monument, crossing Shibuya!, watching the Jidai Matsuri Festival (or the festival of ages), biking around Gion, chasing a real working geisha, and lots and lots of gyu-don, okonomiyaki,
tempura, ramen, japanese curry, yakitori, takoyaki, sushi and Asahi!
I miss the millions of retarded and crazy moments with these girls.
My trip was extra awesome because of them!

Till the next Great _____ Trip!

photo from Carla

check the hashtag #thegreatsushitrip for more pics!

tartan

tartan skirt: Zara; camisole: Asos (borrowed); pumps: Janilyn

Forgive me but, call it a 90s grunge thing (which i totally grew up to and love), an autumn trend thing or what, I am absolutely loving tartan right now. Wore this to the MTV Pinor (re)launch with my fellow athletes from Viva Sports Management.

frozen

That morning was absolutely freezing! At theTsukiji fish market struggling to keep warm.

(btw, later that day I had to buy a goose down jacket. it. was. cold!)

jeans and striped turtleneck: H&M; pullover & scarf: borrowed; kicks: Nike; gloves: Asos;

will post about my Japan trip soon!!!

autumn chill

sweater & skort: Zara; thermal knit tights: Uniqlo;
loafers: Sperry; fingerless gloves: Asos; scarf: thrifted; bag: Coach

Sorry for the lack of posts guys, Been so busy with work and opening of our Coast Thru Life store (drop by if you can!). But most of all, I've been busy traveling! Yes, was out and about in Tokyo for 9 days and I can't wait to share the craziest and funnest (and funniest) stories from my trip.

The photo above is of me, getting my first taste of autumn chill and semi-freezing in front of our awesome home in Tokyo, Nui | Hostel Bar x Lounge. 

Watch out for my blog post about The Great Sushi Trip! Coming soon!

surf shack

I apologize for my lack of posts, my life has quite been uninteresting lately with a lot of work and deadlines and more work, only with the occasional midweek glass of wine or glass of beer. You can follow me on instagram and see how I try capture a wee bit of "intersting-ness" in these mundane moments. Such is an architect's life. But don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining! However, photos and stories of blueprints and tile sourcing are not very blog worthy I think. 

Anyway, I came across this article thru my friend Kiddo and I wanted to share it with you. And I think...I think I found my dream house. Moreover, it combines two of the things I like most -- cozy, pretty homes and one of my ultimate surf idols, Kassia Meador. (If you don't know how much I love her, please click here and here)

When I was younger (and jaded?) and was a student of architecture, I would dream big and hope to design mansions and buildings and the like, and of course, my dream home was a huge house made of glass and steel overlooking the city with fancy cars in the garage. But as I got old(er) and especially when I became a surfer, my view of the perfect home changed. I now long for a seaside home, not big, but not tiny, just cozy. Wooden floors, with the morning and afternoon sun shining thru big windows, a surf rack, and bikes in the garage. Ok, maybe a Range Rover in the garage wouldn't hurt. *wink*

In this article from Indoek.com, Kassia talks about her home in Sta. Monica and how she loves having space for her dog Iruka, and being able to walk to anywhere she wants to go. It's basically my dream house, in reality. Everything about it is perfection -- the colored stucco walls, the potted cacti, the hammock, the old school range. I would love to live in a very similar shack next door. Of course being Kassia's neighbor wouldn't hurt. :) 

all photos from Indoek.com

cat eye

i love myself some classic winged liner. I found these tutorials from one of the blogs I follow, cocorosa :)

This one is my favorite and instantly became my everyday go-to eye look.

here are a few others i liked...

don't you think this look is sooo chic??

unfinished

I am pretty much in love with this space.

there's something about a raw look added with dainty little details that combines masculinity and femininity and makes it so cool.

from garance dore.

#TheTravelingJournalProject

For those of you following my blog, you would know that I don't only share my surf adventures. I also love to travel. And I travel not only to surf or to shop, but to really see and experience the places I go to. It need not be a first world country, nor do I need a fancy hotel. I feel a sense of fulfillment both at the sight of a nice iconic building and just seeing some local kids running around with their traditional garb and toys.

And travelling doesn't mean only going to a different country. Personally, it means (for me) going someplace I've never been before or seeing/experiencing a place through new eyes. You can go seaside, go to a big city, a quiet little farmhouse, go boating on a lake, hike up a mountain... 

My friend Kenneth Surat has the same travel bug. I think he got bit by the bug even more than me! He's the same friend who sent me a wonderful handmade leather bound journal for this very purpose -- to keep tales of my adventures around the world.

Recently, he started this thing called the "The Travelling Journal Project". It's basically bringing a journal with you when you travel--write in it, doodle in it, whatnot --and when you return, you pass it on to someone who's off to somewhere for him or her to do the same. And then he or she does the same when she returns. The project's tagline is "let's travel the world together." #Genius

photo from kennethsurat.com

My only regret is that I didn't hear about this before the bff Nina left for France. That would have been one awesome first two entries. From my crazy surf, meeting my surf idols, getting addicted to Teh Botol in Bali to her prancing around in her ballet flats at Le Jardin de Luxembourg and eating macarons in Le Paris.

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."

- Saint Augustine

* read more about #TheTravellingJournalProject here *

follow Surat Journals on twitter, facebook & instagram
to be inspired and get your own leather bound handmade little blank book!

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