Gibbs’ Hot Wings @ The Streetscape + Giveaway

Posted on August 31, 2015 by Issa Please

Gibbs’ Hot Wings has always been a personal favorite of mine and Paolo’s, too. As a couple who enjoys eating together, Gibbs’ has quickly and more importantly, consistently proven itself to being a place where Cebuano’s can go to to relax and enjoy good food. To be quite honest with everyone, I first stepped into Gibbs’ some time last year by invitation (check out the blog here) but every other trip after that was self imposed and my cravings have gone so far as to me abusing Food Panda for constant home deliveries. No shame.

It’s quite ironic that I constantly crave for Gibbs’ Hot Wings when the reality was, at first I was not an avid chicken wings eater nor am I a fan of spicy food. I have Gibbs’ to thank for my change of heart! Paolo on the other hand is crazy about this combination is always raving about how their wings are by far his favorite in Cebu.

So what are my favorite dishes at Gibbs? The wedges, the pasta (especially the carbonara), the Angel wings and a bunch of the items on their new menu!

With Gibbs’ finally opening their 2nd store at a more accessible location, they have also added a couple of new dishes to their menu such as: The Hickory Wings, Wasabi Wings, Nachos, Mac and Cheese and a bunch of new desserts!

Hickory Ribs

It’s the perfect combination of sweet and barbecue flavors. It’s not spicy either so it’s perfect for us people who can’t handle anything too spicy.

Wasabi Wings

This new dish is Paolo’s new go to dish. He says he loves the incorporation of the chicken and wasabi but it can be a little bit strong on the nose which is normal for any wasabi eater.

Nachos

If you’re a chips eater, you’re sure to enjoy this dish. It’s a great replacement of the potato wedges and

Mac and Cheese

Easily one of my favorites from their menu!

With my favorite, Coy Oliva!

NOW for my favorite part, giveaway time! I will be giving out P600.00 worth of GC’s to ONE lucky person. Follow me on Instagram: @issaplease to find out how to win these babies!

For more updates, follow them on Facebook

Good luck,

Issa

Kwentong Salu-salo @ Hukad & Golden Cowrie

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Issa Please

Every Cebuano’s favorite go- to restaurant to get their Filipino food fix have given us another reason to put them on the top of our list. Aside from providing us with great food, an upbeat ambiance, amazing service and a place to create lots of memories with the people we enjoy spending our favorite parts of the day with; Hukad has given us more reasons to love them through the Kwentong Salu- salo campaign.

Everyone has a great story to tell whether if it’s with friends, family or even both at the same time and the Kwentong Salu- salo campaign encourages everyone to share it with the whole world! By simply sharing your memories at Golden Cowrie/ Hukad and uploading them here, you get a chance to win a P10,000.00 GC or an iPad mini.

Everybody knows that the Filipino’s favorite part of the day is meal time and when we combine the two things we Filipinos are best known for: Food and Selfies, who knows what greatness can come out of it? So whether you’re a Dalagang Pilipina, one of the boys or a part of a Pamilyang Pilipino- make sure to capture and share your favorite memories at Hukad and Golden Cowrie!

Check out their other videos for inspiration:

Kwentong Salu-salo: https://youtu.be/V1gv7DAVbtA
Boys’ Night Out: https://youtu.be/dGzUeptURqI
Pamilyang Pilipino: https://youtu.be/yQlF7KhU14k

Follow Hukad/ Golden Cowrie on Facebook

Instagram

Visit their official website for menu listings/ more information

Can’t wait to see your entries!

xx,

Issa

Kiss & Make Up Make Up Workshop with B Delgado & Eunice Enrera

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Issa Please

I just back from B Delgado and Eunice Enrera’s Kiss & Make Up workshop which was held at the Cafe Laguna Garden. It was a nice gathering of make up enthusiasts to sit down and learn a few tips and tricks about make up application.

Eunice and B were such interesting and fun teachers and they taught me so much about make up brands and the process of applying it. It was such a light and fun afternoon and I can’t wait until the next time I get to see them. So today, I’m sharing a few of the wonderful tips that I learned from that wonderful afternoon:

1.Familiarize yourself with your brushes and their uses.

Every brush in your kit has it’s own special use and it’s just waiting for you to discover it. Get to know the make up brushes in your kit and find out how you can use it for your favorite make up looks.

2. Make up is made to enhance your features, not change it.

This should be kept in mind when applying techniques such as contouring and highlighting. It’s all about playing with light, enhancing what you have and often times, creating a few illusions.

3. Start from the basics.

If you don’t have any make up at all and you don’t know where to start, all you need to jump start your collection are: foundation, concealer, an eye brow kit, blush and lipstick. The hoarding will come easily as you start to become curious about different brands, ingerdients, types, looks and etc. I am getting there… Oh God, help me!

4. Experiment with different looks and products.

B made a very good point about make up in the past and in more current times. Before, everyone was so conservative about make up but nowadays, people are more experimental when it comes to make up (and everything else in life, for that matter!). So don’t be afraid to play with make up, different looks and brands. Just cuz everyone else is using a certain brand doesn’t mean that you have to- work it what works for you and make sure you enjoy what you’re doing!

5. Strobing is highlighting with a fancier vocabulary.

Strobing, highlighting and illuminating/ immunizing (?) are all the same. Don’t throw out your highlighting cream just yet, you’re all set!

After the event I went home and put my new learnings to good work. Here’s my make up after applying all the techniques that I learned from the workshop. Let me know what you think about it 🙂

Official photographer: Mako Capulong

Til the next make up adventure!

Issa

Cats & Dogs feat. SAPATOS.ph

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Issa Please

A chill day requires a chill outfit which mostly consists of a loose top; usually shorts but in this case, pleather leggings; awesome stand out flats; some quirky piece of jewelry and my favorite accessory- Barbie, the pomoodle!

This is what I wore this weekend to the Mercado Central bazaar at the Parkmall (check out my Instagram @issaplease to find out what I got!) while with my family.

Comfort is definitely everything but just cuz you’re comfortable doesn’t mean that you can’t stand out. I know mismatched shoes are quite a bold statement to make but when they’re cats & dogs, they’re kind of hard to say no to but it definitely spiced up my outfit by a million times!

Awesome cat and dog mismatched flats from SAPATOS.ph

Storm Trooper lego necklace from Lilila Primitive Art

Til the next dog day,

Issa

The Outlets At Pueblo Verde, Mactan

Posted on August 22, 2015 by Issa Please

I recently paid a visit to The Outlets at Pueblo Verde, an establishment in MEZ II, Basak Lapu-Lapu. The Outlets are best known for their international brands that are available at lower prices. A few of the brands that they cater are: Timberland, Planet Sports, Converse, Puma, Oakley, Nike, Levis, Giordano, Fashion Rack Designer Outlet and many more!

During my short visit there, I was able to get the whole shopping experience and I have to say, that it was well worth the trip. I personally enjoyed their selection wide of sports wear and accessories. Even if I haven’t exactly started working out again, I do have the tendency to hoard on sneakers and spandex so if you’re anything like me, you are bound to enjoy The Outlets as much as I did!

And not only is The Outlets full of great retail shops to choose from but there are also a good number of food stalls located around the area. So you can enjoy your shopping and snack on amazing food right after. Also, if you’re hoping to do the groceries, there’s also a Savemore shopping center located there as well.

Make sure to follow The Outlets at Pueblo Verde on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get updates on their latest promotions and sales.

Check out my blog tomorrow for what I wore on this fun trip!

xx,

Issa

Baggage.

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Issa Please

My life lately has been a series of suitcase trips. With the increasing number of shoots, divorced parents, no longer living at home, a boyfriend who lives an hour and a half minutes away from you and managing a business; I’ve been living out of my suitcase for the past 2 months with NPA and LOTS of laundry.

You probably think that I live a fancy life with a walk in closet and silky sheets. In reality, I haven’t washed my first pair of sheets ever (I just keep them in my laundry basket), I have 2 Orocan cabinets, 2 clothes racks and a shoe rack to hold all of my clothes. I lack hangers and another shoe rack, I’ll remind myself to buy some more tomorrow, but in the meantime my hangers are about to snap from waaaay too much layering.

Honestly, my life has been soo intense lately. So many things have been piling up and I’m not just talking about laundry. I’m constantly wondering how big the world is and how much of it I can take on, I’m learning that not everyone is your friend even if you thought they were and more importantly, that I am not always the best friend in the world either.

I just feel like life has certainly put me in a different position than what I had expected and with everything stocking on top of one another, it just felt like a really good time to de- clutter and put everything in its proper place- figuratively and literally.

CLOTHES

I currently have 3 drawers for bottoms; 2 drawers for tops (categorized by fabric and use), 2 racks worth of dresses; rompers and cover ups yet, I constantly find myself wearing the same things and complaining that I have nothing to wear. Doesn’t that sound just a tad bit ungrateful sometimes? Well, I’ve cleaned out my closets and I’m going to try to be a bit more contented with the things that I currently have. Maybe I’ll start looking from the bottom of the drawer this time instead of the top.

FRIENDS

In life we’ll meet a lot of people and I guess we meet them for different reasons. Maybe some people come into your life to make you realize that you need to step up in life while some make you realize that you’re just where you’re supposed to be and maybe sometimes, people come into your life to make you realize that you had a great thing all along and that you don’t need “new friends” to live a better life. My ideals about friendship in this day and age have definitely changed and I’m glad that it did. I truly am grateful for that.

FAMILY

We don’t get to choose our families but we can always make the best out of what we have. In a couple of years, I’ll be left alone here while every one goes back to the States and that bums me out a lot because I’ve chosen to make a life here in the Philippines. But I think to myself that this is my decision and I have to stand by it. My family will always be there for me and even if I have 2 dads, 2 moms and a bunch of siblings, I know that I am loved in multiple proportions and that they will always have my back.

TURNING 25

I am turning 25 in a couple of months and to say that I am where I wanted to be by the time I turned 25 would be a complete lie. I always thought that I would be more put together by 25 and that I would have established myself by now but the reality is that I am only starting. I thought life after graduation would be easier and the universe would just fall into place because I wanted it soo much but apparently, it doesn’t work that way. I guess I can look at turning 25 two ways, I can either let it hinder me by thinking that I’m running out of time or I can think of it as a milestone. I reached 25 and I’ve achieved this much, who’s to say I can’t achieve more in the next 5 years, right? Quarter life crisis can be a bitch, I tell you.

BLOGGING

Blogging will always have a special place in my life whether if I continue to blog for fashion or if I drop it all completely and resort back to www.issatalks.wordpress.com where this all began. Blogging is my form of self expression, it’s where I can be who I want to be without having to impress anyone or feel bad about the things that I have to say. I shouldn’t have to let other people dictate me or tell me how to run my blog because at the end of the day, this blog is one of the few things that no one can ever take away from me. Blogging has taught me many things but if there’s anything that I’ve learned that I’d like to impart upon anyone else, it’s that it taught me to mind my own business and stop trying to compare myself to others. Everyone has their own writing skills, their own personal style, their own strengths and abilities and although we might not always like it, it’s not for us to judge. At the end of the day, I just like being able to come home, sit down and put all my thoughts into place which happens to be through blogging and I’m sure a lot of us feel the same way. So let’s just all try to live our own harmonious lives and everything will be ok.

So I hope I’ve imparted enough insight on everyone to make it through the rest of the week. Honestly, this post is more for me than it is for anyone else and I’m just happy that I get to leave it here and let life do its job.

Take care guys,

Issa

R(est)I(n)P(eace)ped

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Issa Please

Usually if I’m wearing tight pants I’d prefer to pair them with a loose top or if I do wear a tight top, I’ll pair it with a kimono or a cardigan. I am amazed by kids who can manage to pull off a crop top and Daisy Duke shorts because I don’t think I’d ever be able to. Maybe in another life.

In this case, I couldn’t keep myself from pairing these pants with a white cropped top (to balance out the hues) so I could really show off the details of these pants. Twas definitely a cold day but it was all worth it!

Top: Zara| Ripped Jeans: Let’s Stylize| Boots: SnH Fashion (SM Department Store)

Make sure to follow me on Instagram & Snapchat: @issaplease

And also, if you’re from Cebu, make sure to grab a copy of this Sundays’ Sun Star newspaper 🙂

xx,

Issa

Shopping Made More Fun feat. ShopBack.ph

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Issa Please

I love online shopping especially if it involves a discount voucher and a good deal. But if there’s anything better than a sale and not having to leave the comforts of my own home, it’s getting your money back after making a good purchase. Through ShopBack.ph, online shopping just got a lot better by giving you the opportunity to actually earn your money back by shopping online!

As an online shopper, ShopBack.ph has been a great outlet for me to enjoy shopping and in fact, it has encouraged me to shop online even more! Plus, with their wide selection of online shops under their belt, it’s impossible to run out of places to shop at.

I recently signed up and here’s a quick review of my experience so far!

Signing up for ShopBack.ph is super simple and it’s something that I appreciate from a lot of online retailers nowadays. I hate having to remember numerous passwords for different accounts so by being able to log in with just my Facebook account makes everything so much easier. Plus you get P 150.00 sign up bonus which means more shopping money so yey!

What impressed me the most about ShopBack.ph was its wide selection of brands to shop at whether it was for fashion, travel, home, electronics and etc. It does not limit me from just shopping for clothes but instead, I can do all my online shopping here and guarantee some of my money back. Money that can be used to do more shopping or just in case I need a little extra for a rainy day.

If you’re going to shop, you should at least be shopping smart 😉

I did a little shopping at Zalora and within 4 hours, my cashback appeared on my ShopBack account! Not only am I a future proud owner of a pretty new romper from Zalora, but I also got P47.30 back from it! That’s what I call a fun shopping experience!

Make sure to check out ShopBack.ph during your next shopping trip! It’s super easy and fun to use and anyone who enjoys online shopping as much as I do is super to enjoy it!

xx,

Issa

Cool For The Summer

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Issa Please

It’s FINALLY my time to enjoy the wonderful beaches of Cebu and spend the summer, even if I am a couple of months behind. Thankfully, Cebu is mostly sunny and the beaches are just a couple of hours away. On my side of the world, summers come a little later and are occasionally accompanied by rain showers but still lots of fun. I think I’ve mentioned it before but summer’s are our busiest season business-wise which should pretty much explain itself. Nevertheless, my bikini shopping has always been on time and as you have and will see in my next posts to come, I have stocked up on this seasons’ bikini craze: the neoprene bikini.

Neoprene, which was initially only used on wet suits, is made out of a thicker material as compared to your everyday spandex bikinis. They first became popular when Triangl came out with their collection of neoprene bikinis and they have been a big thing “fashion wise” ever since. Honestly, I could never imagine myself splurging P5,000.00 on a bikini so I did what every other thrift ass woman would do and I bought a knock off. It did feel a bit flimsier as compared to the original one but as long as it wasn’t ripping at the seams, then I didn’t really mind.

If you haven’t bought a neoprene bikini yet and you’re thinking about getting one for yourself, here are a few tips that I have for you:

Make sure to fit your bikini. Especially the bottoms.

Neoprene isn’t a very graceful material and it kind of makes it own rules. It’s important to fit the bottoms to make sure it covers what it needs to cover, if you know what I mean. I opted to just wear my neoprene top and skip the neoprene bottoms for…. that exact reason.

Dry your neoprene bikini ASAP and do not leave it in a wet bag for long periods of time.

So in case you’re wondering, I was the fool who left her bikini in a wet bag for 3 days- my bad. In the midst of my crazy life, I made the mistake of forgetting to remove my bikini from my bikini bag thus causing the glue to seep out. If you scroll down, you’ll see a few weird blotches because of it. Don’t make the same mistakes, friends. Just don’t.

Expect to sweat.

Neoprene is also quite hot to wear. Air doesn’t really get through your bikini so do expect some dew-ing in some places like your boobs and butt. Of course, this shouldn’t bother you when you’re in the water.

Explore the designs.

There aren’t a lot of designs to choose from when it comes to the neoprene designs, it’s mostly a play of colors than cuts and what not which is still pretty cool. If you’re a busty girl like me, the halter designs are amazing and will keep whatever needs to be kept in place. The bandeau tops are also pretty good and they hold better than spandex bikinis but don’t expect to be able to do a lot of jumping or playing around in it. Bikini tops with an under wire are also a great option especially if you want to show off your hooha’s. If you’ve got it, flaunt it.

Neoprene bikini top: Zandralen

xx,

Issa

The Monastery feat. Jing Pascual Photography

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Issa Please

Sharing my second set of photos from my adventure at The Monastery but this time with Jing Pascual. I previously shared Jong Ong’s set here and soon enough, I will be showing you my last and final feature about this amazing place.

Finding the right backdrop for my photos is always an integral process to my more creative photo shoots. I always find myself keeping an eye open for interesting places that allow me to relay a story or that complement personality through the clothes that I am wearing.

At the Monastery, I was able to do just that. With their laid back, cool ambiance and spots for great photo ops; I was able to play out the story of a young lady who isn’t exactly fully grown up but didn’t want to be treated like a kid either. Obviously, me. I’m floating in between those two realms but between all this uncertainty, I’m pretty sure that I wanted to have a good time.

Thankfully, Bree Esplanada was there to my rescue and helped me portray these characters through his awesome designs, as well.