Aly's New School Bag

Last December, Richard and I bought Aly a new school bag as a treat.  

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Her old, school-issued bag.  Boring daw ito.

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Her new school bag.  Cool na daw sya ngayon.  Heehee!

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She's been asking for a new bag eversince her other classmates began bringing Disney princess bags to school.  But Richard and I always tell her that she doesn't need a new one.  Her old bag will do for now.  

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We finally gave in last Christmas when we realized that our girl needs to have her on carry-on luggage as well.  She always brings a small kit whenever we travel.  It includes a book, notebook, coloring pens, pencils and a dolly.  Sa umpisa, good girl pa sya.  She would carry her bag by herself, but eventually, she will get tired and hand it over to me or her daddy.  Kawawa naman kami.  We have our own bags to carry too.  Hindi na kami magkanda-ugaga sa pagbitbit.  Hence, Aly's carry-on luggage/school bag.

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High-tech na pala ang mga school bags ngayon!  So many features, so many technical terms...pero in fairness, the sales guy at SM Sta. Rosa knew his stuff very well.  I think that's very rare in the Philippines.  I was impressed!

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Aly's school bag came with a matching lunch box.  She was also excited about this.  Ganado syang mag-baon ng cookies because of this.

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We're using an old bag tag for now.  Note to self: buy new ones on our next trip home.

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Bag comes with a detachable pencil case, but she doesn't use this.  She keeps spare pencils here, though.

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We love the pink + purple color combo.

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Bagay din the hand sanitizer that her lola Aple gave her.  I attached it to her lunch box.  When she first brought this to school, her classmates loved the smell!  They would always come to her to ask for hand gel.  Sikat!  Heehee!

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The bag has more features like a rain cover (so cool!), compartments inside and at the sides, a strap inside (parang maleta talaga), a contraption at the bottom that won't make the bag topple over...school bags today are so different from the bags during my time.  They make going to school more fun I think.

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This bag wasn't cheap but it made Aly really happy so it was all worth it. She also said that it was our first time to buy her a school bag.  Bigla naman kaming na-guilty.  Haha!  Kulang na lang katabi nya yung bag sa pagtulog.  Promise!  When she woke up, she immediately showed her new bag to her lolo Bernie and lola Aple.  Complete with demo and exactly like the demo that the sales guy showed us in SM.  So cute!  We also brought the bag with us when we had lunch with my inlaws.  She wanted to show her lola Lilia and mamita Tess her new bag as well.

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Very handy at the airport too!

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Aly sat on it and it supported her weight just fine.  That's the contraption over there.

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Sulit na!

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So worth it :)

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P.S Aly and I were both kilig when we first brought the bag to school.  We received a lot of compliments that morning.  Her BFF's mom even asked us where we bought it because the daddy will be going to Manila on a business trip.  Heehee!

Banane # 2

A few weeks after I got my hot pink Banane last year, they came out with a new collection in neutral colors.  Gigil!  It took me a while to decide if I should get another one because Richard's not really a big fan.  He likes the Longchamp Le Pliage better because he thinks it's more durable than the photo-printed Banane.  He wasn't clear though, about buying me another Longchamp.  Hmmm...need to clarify that before Valentine's Day.  Heehee!

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Anyway, I kinda went behind my husband's back by sending Banana Taipei an email asking them about the availability of the new collection.  But luck was on the hubby's side because they said that they are on full production and are unable to accept any orders until after Chinese New Year.  Sad!

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Two days later, I woke up with a brilliant idea -- ding! ding! ding! -- what if I make them kulit?  I'm only going to order one bag anyway.  Surely, they can squeeze me in right?  So I sent them another email -- no more going behind the husband's back this time because I told him that I plan to get another Banane, but he made me promise that this will be the last one.  They didn't accept my order right away because they had to check their stocks first.  My first color choice wasn't available, but that didn't stop me.  Oh no, sir!  Nothing stops the Krissy-train when on full shopping mode!  I was choosing between two colors then and fortunately, option #2 was in stock.  Yay!  Luck was finally on my side.

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Fast forward to two weeks later, I got a little surprise in the mail:

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Ok, it's not exactly a surprise because I've been tracking it online the moment they sent me the code.  Heehee!

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My new baby: French Honey Camel Banane.

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Now I have two "Birkins".  Haha!

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P.S It really pays to be makulit sometimes lalo na if you want something really bad.  It happened to me many times before back home where the sales person will say they don't have it in stock, but sometimes they're just too lazy to check.  If you insist (with matching sad, paawa face), they will actually check and "discover" that they have it in stock pala.  Now this need not apply on shopping alone.  You can use this kulit tactic to anything in life -- goals, dreams, etc.  When you encounter some bumps and obstacles along the way, or when people say you can't do it or you can't have it, don't let it stop you.  Insist and persist!  It can make a difference :)

My Banane

Remember this post which I made mid-November last year?  It also had this photo:

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Looking forward to the soon-to-be newest member of my bag family :)

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It was an order for a Banane Taipei bag, a canvas bag decorated with a photo-printed Birkin.

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They come in six yummy colors.  So nakakagigil it was hard to choose just one!  But I ended up ordering midnight magenta.  I also got sunset orange, which was originally for my mom but dad didn't like it kasi fake daw (heehee!) so it's with my sister now.

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I ordered my bag directly from Banana Taipei International.  They have a long wait list -- parang totoong Birkin talaga!  Pero mas mura pa rin talaga sa kanila compared to eBay and the other shops that sell Banane online.  I had to wait for a month to get mine and to tell you the truth, after paying for my order and after the excitement died down, medyo kinabahan na ko kasi baka mamaya naloko lang ako.  Lagot ako kay Richard!  Heehee!  BUT, at exactly one month later, I got this email:

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Whee!  I think I checked the tracking status almost everyday.  Haha!

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I had it shipped to Tagaytay, by the way (for an additional cost nga lang because according to them, our system there is unreliable daw) kasi kawawa naman yung bag, 3 weeks din syang maghihintay dito sa Bangkok.  Yeah, right!  I was just too excited.

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Anyway, here are pics of my newest baby in action:

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With my bestfriend pat in Alabang for Fides' despedida.

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With my in-laws during baby Eli's baptism.

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Wow!  Ang layo na ng narating nya: from Taipei to Manila and now Bangkok :)

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My Banane in my bag tree at home.

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I love it!  This is perhaps the closest I can get to owning a Birkin because I know we can't afford the real deal!  

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They also have a new collection out, by the way.  This time in neutral colors, but just as nakakagigil.  I want!

My First Longchamp Drama

Meet my new baby :)
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A large Longchamp Le Pliage shopper tote in lilac.
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Here's the drama: my first Longchamp is actually supposed to be the large black Les Planetes that I've had my heart set on at the lunch market, but it had to wait for a few more weeks because I wanted to save up for it. So when the day came when I was finally ready to buy it, I went to the lunch market full of excitement because I knew that I will be going home with a new bag. I had no idea that I was in for my first bag heartbreak.
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You see, I arrived at the lunch market a bit too early so I decided to walk around Silom area first. When I was heading back, it started to rain so I had no choice but to seek shelter at Delifrance, which is about a block away from the market. I thought it was just going to be a quick shower, but it just kept raining so after a quick lunch, I decided to go for it. Kicking myself there for not bringing an umbrella, but also kinda glad that I wore sneakers that day.
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Yes, rain will not stop me from getting that bag! But when I got there, que horror! Someone was already looking at the very same bag that I wanted to buy. Of all the other bags that they had at the shop, she wanted to buy MY bag! MY BAG!! I hoped that she was just looking, but then she actually bought it. Nooooo!!! I saved up for this bag! I didn't go out for weeks so I can save! All my sacrifices...gone...just like that. I seriously wanted to cry. You can just imagine me, dripping wet from the rain and heartbroken over a bag. Para akong basang sisiw. Promise.
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I called Richard and told him about my bag drama. He was really sorry for me because he knew how excited I was. Then, he told me: "Sweetie, hindi siguro uukol. Hanap ka na lang ng ibang bag." I guess the bag really wasn't for me and the weird thing is I felt a lot better after he said that.
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So I looked around and I actually saw another store selling the bag that I wanted, but it was more expensive and the lady there was masungit. You know how I hate sungit salespeople. I was really turned off. Besides, at that point, I wasn't too keen on getting a Longchamp anymore. To make the long story short: I had set out to buy one bag, got heartbroken and ended up buying two bags instead :) Heehee! I went home with a Marc Jacobs canvas tote, a Harajuku Lovers bag and some cash left from my budget. Oh, joy!
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But my story doesn't end there. I decided to just buy my first Longchamp in Hongkong. There's actually more drama behind that Hongkong purchase, but it's just my usual major purchase ritual -- you know, how I like to linger before I finally make the decision. This time, the delay was choosing the right color. I can't decide between red and lilac. It kinda drives the hubby crazy and he doesn't really want to get involved so he suggested that we ask Aly and naturally, she chose lilac. So that's how I ended up with this baby.
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Hooboy! You might be wondering, what's the big deal about the Longchamp anyway? Well, my friends Pat and Jenn have been raving about how unbelievably lightweight this bag is. Plus, it's #16 at the L.A Times top 50 designer bags list. Also, much has been said about this bag. Just google it and you'll see what the baghags all over the world have said about it. Personally, I love how it's a designer bag and yet not overly expensive that it's perfect for schlepping. And my favorite part? I love how the bag folds into this:
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aPerfect for travel and storage because I'm running out of space in my closet for my bags (not that I'm complaining).
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I'm inlove with Longchamp :)

My Birthday Gift

My long-awaited birthday gift from Richard :)
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aBaby #2: Damier Ebene Speedy 30.
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aWith my panganay, the Monogram Neverfull MM. I used it nonstop since I got it for my birthday last year. Pwede na muna syang magpahinga :)
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I'm in LVoe. Thank you sweetie!

More About Comart X Gen Fair

Comart X Gen Fair is a shopping mecca for any gadget freak. Imagine an entire building (in this case, the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center), filled with computers, laptops, printers, cameras, lcd tvs, and other tech-related accessories all at rock-bottom prices! I'm not a techie myself but whenever and wherever there's a sale, I am so there!

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There are probably a hundred sellers offering the same product. The prices are pretty much the same, but you still need to ask around for the best bargain that you can find, i.e freebies. Lenovo sellers, for example, gave away the same freebies: laptop bag, mouse, cleaning kit, but of all the booths that we asked, only Banana IT's package came with a free Kaspersky antivirus and VAT refund. For Richard, the anti-virus is very important so he bought his netbook from them.

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Apart from Richard's netbook, I also took full advantage of the promos and got something for myself as well.
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A new and bigger camera bag + a tripod -- finally!
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Why do I need a bigger camera bag? Because since I replaced my kit lens with my new (and bigger!) Sigma lens, my old bag is now too small for my camera and I can no longer put the extra batt and flash card in it as well. My new backpack has a perfect fit and it has more space for the charger, manual + a few personal stuff, which is really great for travelling because it eliminates the need for several bags.
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Hindi na ako magmumukhang christmas tree because now I can just bring one bag. Heehee!
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My camera is now heavier with my Sigma lens and I love that the tripod makes it easier for me to take photos. And the best part:
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Makakasama na ako sa kodakan. Haha!

Mom + Dad's Singapore Trip

Mom and Dad just got back from Singapore today! We were supposed to go with them, but Richard's schedule won't allow it so we had to stay in BKK. Here are some pics of mom and dad's trip...

We sent them off at Suvarnabhumi (pronounced su-wa-na-poom) airport last Sunday. Alyannah didn't want to say goodbye to lolo and lola. She cried when we left them. What more pa kaya when they fly back to Manila? I'm sure it will be a bigger drama kasi kasama pa ako sa iiyak. Haha!

The honeymooners (naks!) with Alyannah at BKK airport.

They stayed at dad's cousin, tita Lea's house in Singapore. I call her tita but she's just about my age. For their first pasyal, tita Lea brought them to IKEA. Mom said the items at IKEA were super cheap daw. She bought me a shoe rack and another rack with a nice design where we can put socks, neckties, etc. She bought a couple of stuff for her house as well. Mom wanted to buy more stuff sana pero mahihirapan lang daw siya mag-uwi nun sa Manila.

Gosh, look at all the pots and pans! And the canisters! Nakakagigil! Richard says I buy too much stuff for the house. Some of them we don't really need naman daw. But I'm a housewife, hello! It's my job to buy stuff for the house! When mom was making kwento about the stuff that she saw in IKEA, I was super jealous! Parang I wanted to book a flight to Singapore right away just to go to IKEA. Hehe!

Dad with his cousins (left to right) tita Lea and tita Kristine.

Lovers in Singapore. Hehe!

Mom and dad were very lucky to catch the ongoing sale at Singapore -- 50% at most items! So nag-shopping na naman sila.

Dad bought mom new bags: Limited Editon Burberry Tote at SGD400 (50% off) and Ferragamo Fiera Print Bag at SGD900 (50% off again!). Gosh, that's a super crazy sale! I'm so drooling over mom's new bags! Kakainggit!

Mom and dad also bought us pasalubong...

A new stuffed toy and chocolates for Alyannah.

Four new Marks & Spencer long-sleeved shirts for Richard.

And a new Guess Shadow Tote Bag for me! Yipee!! Perfect timing because I was thinking of buying a new bag the other day.

Thank you, mom and dad for the pasalubongs!

The Grand Palace

Yesterday was a holiday here in BKK (Buddha day) so Richard did not have work. Our itinerary: the Grand Palace. They say that if you only have time to visit one place here in Bangkok, it should be the Grand Palace. If I were to describe this place in two words, it would be: majestic and spectacular. Let the pictures do the talking.

On way to the entrance.

Admission fee to the Grand Palace is THB250 per person. Kids can get in for free. They also follow a strict dress code -- no shorts, skirts, sleeveless and tights. It would be better if you can get someone to explain to you the things that you see around. I think they have tour guides at the main gate, but I don't know how much they charge. We didn't get a tour guide, but we enjoyed looking around on our own. The Grand Palace is really nice. There's gold everywhere! Bling all around! Oh, don't forget to bring a cap or an umbrella too because it was very hot when we visited.

After the Grand Palace, we headed to Chinatown for lunch. Then, we went to the Emporium for another round of shopping. We had ice cream at Swensen's and dad got my mom a mother's day gift.

Mom cooked dinner at home -- pork sinigang. Super sarap! My mom's cooking is the best talaga! Dinner with family and mom's cooking was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

P.S Tita Lori, if you're reading this, thank you for the Coach bag that you sent me! Ginamit ko na agad (you can see it in the pictures). Love you! Mwah!