Exploring El Nido (Part 1/2 of the Palawan Photo Diary)

I'm back! Been really busy with school (that I even forgot about my blog's 1st birthday last March 16), but I'm just really happy to be free now! Unfortunately, my freedom will be short-lived since I'll be returning to school in a week or so (sob).

Well, I guess I had my summer in advance last December anyway! During the Christmas break, we went to Palawan and explored El Nido and Puerto Princesa. This post will be the first out of two posts I'll be dedicating to our Palawan trip. Read on to find out more!

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It was our second time being in Palawan, as I was told (the first one being during my toddler years, so I really don't remember). However, it was our first time checking out El Nido. I've seen photos of the limestone formations that the place is famous for, so I was so excited to finally be there!

Getting there meant enduring a 4-hour land travel from the Puerto Princesa airport. The place reminded me of Boracay, except more peaceful, and  less crowded and "commercialized". 

The highlights of our stay would be the dinner by the beach, and the island hopping. Honestly, I'm not much of a beach person because (1) I quite don't want to get any tanner, and (2) I don't exactly have a body to flaunt lol. But I do love swimming and trying out other watersports! What I can say about El Nido though is it's more of a feast for the eyes out of the water, rather than underwater. There aren't much fishes, but the limestones are breathtaking!

We took the Tour A, and we were brought to different islands and lagoons. I tried to take as much photos as I can, but I had to be really careful unless I wanted to lose a gadget to the seas haha! (Not a lot of them are ~koala tea~ but anyways!) Some were taken with a Nikon D90, some with my iPhone 6, and some with a Lumix waterproof camera.

Click the photo to enlarge the panorama shot!

#fromwhereistand ft. my MYOH pair from 2013 (I think?)

That's me!

I took some other photos underwater, but the lighting isn't exactly good so yeah. (I don't have a GoPro sarreh)

One of our last stops was in some island wherein we ate lunch prepared by the boatmen themselves. The lunch cooked over a campfire was delicious, and was also made refreshing with fresh fruits for dessert! Since we stayed there for quite a while, I managed to have my little *shameless* photoshoot! Like I said before, I don't have body worth flaunting, so feel free to skip through them lol.

But first, I want to share with you guys these metallic tattoos from Karma Chic! Perfect for summer, aren't they? Besides tats, they also have cami tops that come in quality fabrics and lovely colors! Check them out on Facebook or Instagram to see all they have to offer.

They stayed in tact for around a week on my skin! The triangle (made up of triangles) on my hand started to come off pretty early though because I guess I touched it (or it hit stuff) a lot. But the other ones, despite being taken to swimming, were still there!

Here come's the part where there was a lot of "no breathing" involved hahaha! What, not everyone has the quick metabolism (or at least the time to make up for that by working out incessantly) to have a great body. But everyone can have the confidence, and at this point, I'm just proud of myself for having that.

Doing the Natalie Dormer-smirk heh

After eating late lunch, we went into the Big Lagoon, and again stopped in another beach. There, other tourists were playing volleyball, while some were just chilling and sipping their drink of choice-- fresh buko juice, or beer. My family and I were part of the latter, drinking juice out of a young coconut. Afterwards, I had it opened up so I could eat the "meat".

With that last stop, we headed back to the main proper. We were granted with the lovely view of the sunset on the way back.

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And that's the end of my El Nido photodiary! You can also check out my Instagram (@_erikarosales) for more photos! You'll also see on my IG that my hair right now is no longer like the one in the photos-- I now sport a lob, huzzah! I've never really had short hair before, but I'm really glad I took the risk! I'll probably post about that soon. But first, do stay tuned for part 2 of my Palawan Photo Diary, which will focus on Puerto Princesa!

PS: Belated happy birthday to my brainchild, Style and Sundry!!!!! I might give it a makeover when I have time hehe.

x Erika Rosales

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Relive Everything with REDux: FLUX

This time of the year is definitely the prime time for college parties here and there! Just last week, I introduced ALIVE to you guys. This time, I bring you another event-- read on to find out what it is!

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Every year, a renowned party has been gathering ravers all over the metro to party the night away. Ready your stilettos, make-up and your fashionista clothes as De La Salle University’s premiere student organization brings you again another epic night, with elements that has never been experienced at the party scene of Manila.

On it’s 29th year, the Business Management Society, with its epitome of college parties, proudly presents: REDux Flux. This Friday, March 20, 2015, get ready to head to Palacio de Maynila at Roxas Boulevard from 7:00PM onwards. 

Daze your eyes with a fashion show featuring clothes from People Footwear, Folded & Hung, Jellybean and Guess. 

With MC Ron Thug on the mic, the party never stops as REDux Flux brings you the epic mixes of DJ Lucio Pua and DJ Ron Poe. Also, don’t miss out on DJ Khai Lim and DJ Therese Garcia as they bring you their sickest bump-and-grind beats that will keep you and your friends elated all night long.

To wrap it all up, there will be 4 phases of the lights show, which will highlight REDux Flux, thus making your experience one of a kind.

Go to https://www.facebook.com/bmsdlsuredux for more details on how to get your ticket to one of the greatest parties ever seen in Manila. There’s also a barkada package of BUY 5, GET 1 FREE waiting for big group of friends who are ready to party. Tickets are selling fast so hurry and buy now!

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BMS REDux Flux wouldn’t be possible without the following sponsors (which I am honored to be a part of!):

In partnership with

Closeup | John Robert Powers Manila | Tripda | Pioneer Philippines

Co-presented by

Magic 89.9 | Shifted Media | Guess | Dermplus Moisturizing Sunblock

Together with Major Sponsors

Standard Mfg Co. Inc. | Lee Cooper Eyewear Ph | HAWK bag

Minor Sponsors

People’s Footwear | Flawless | Folded & Hung + Jellybean | Mother Theresa Medical Center

People Footwear PH | Flawless | Folded and Hung (OFFICIAL) + Jellybean

Media Partners

Circuit Magazine | ClickTheCity.com | Juice.Ph | philstar.com | Wazzup Pilipinas | When In Manila.com | Rave Manila | EDM Philippines | Rave.PH

Bloggers

Nicole Santos | Bernadeth Gutierrez | Jamsy Perez

Hershey Neri | Erika Rosales | Lexie Puzon | Ida Anduyan

IG Partners

Wanda Chen | Jane Sibug | Jennica Sanchez | Gabs Gibbs

Twitter Partners

Relatestagram | Amphigong | Eli Santos | OhEmPackers | OhTeenQuotes

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Make Me Feel ALIVE

ALIVE: Touch the Sky brings you one of THE wildest and hottest party in the Metro! In partnership with Century City Mall, Event Center, Makati City, get lucky on Friday the 13th of March from 8:30 PM onwards. Let loose, dance on table tops, pop ‘til you drop to the beats of the top DJs in the industry; DJs Aryan Magat, Rammy Bitong, Tiongcy, Ron Poe and Lucio Pua with Mikko Abello on the mic, and hosted by DJ Lexy of RX 93.1. Unleash the teenage rebellion and party with us ‘til dawn! To give you a sneak peak of what we’ve got, your pre-party playlist is on us. It comes in two parts: listen to Part 1, and also to Part 2!

Tickets are sold at P250 when bought in quantities of 5 or more, P270  at regular price, and P350 for door charge. There will also be an after-party at 71 Gramercy from 2:30AM to 6AM! The same tickets to ALIVE will grant you access to the post-party celebration, just present them at the entrance! You can reserve your tickets by clicking here.

For more inquires, feel free to like ALIVE's official Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter.

Let's make this fleeting moment last forever, so tell us what you're waiting for; just use the hashtag #‎makemefeelALIVE‬!

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Since the party falls on a Friday, some of you might be coming straight from internship (like me!) Here's a day-to-night guide that I put together for the ladies.

(Disclaimer: None of the photos are mine, and are all taken off the Internet.)

For a day look, make sure to dress up appropriately according to the setting. Wear a blazer over a tailored dress or a chic cami swing top/bodycon skirt combo for a business casual look. Wear natural makeup on your face, and comfortable, closed heels on your feet.

When night comes.ditch those heels for fierce strappy sandals (like the Valentino Rockstud, which I wish I had!!!). Take off the blazer, too. The featured dress here has a sexy detail at a back, which will only be revealed when you switch to your night look. For the makeup, smokey eyes are the answer.

Hope you guys enjoyed this quick post!

x Erika Rosales

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11:11 Music Festival: World Beyond Wishes

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! ♥ This post is totally unrelated to the occasion, but I haven't posted in more than a month (oh my!), and there's this [really soon] upcoming event that I want to share with you guys. Read on to find out what it is!

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11:11! Make a wish!

            We’ve all waited for the clock to strike 11:11 at one point in our lives – we wait so we can wish for our heart’s greatest desires. Have you ever wished to celebrate 11:11 with your friends and just have fun while cherishing the moment? (How about taking a break from all the schoolwork to just chill and immerse yourself in good music?)

          One of the most outstanding organizations in De La Salle University Manila, Economics Organization (EconOrg), brings its first-ever music festival: the 11:11 Music Festival: World Beyond Wishes! Experience 11:11 like never before! The 11:11 Music Festival aims to bring you a music experience like no other by promoting the country’s music scene and highlighting Original Pilipino Music (OPM) at its best. An ultimate music festival experience of indie, alternative rock, and electronic dance music (EDM) all together in one event! A definitely fun-filled day as we sing along with our very own local bands and dance the night away with our homegrown DJs!

          The 11:11 Music Festival will not only be an avenue for the country’s music industry but it will also be an opportunity to promote social responsibility in the entrepreneur market by having concessionaires that will serve the audience well and complement the goals of the music festival. You will surely enjoy 11:11 concessionaires as they give you the best food in town, as well as very fun interactive games during the event.

          Aside from that, there will be a picnic party in the afternoon where you can sit and enjoy the field while relishing sumptuous food from our concessionaires and soothing music from our 11:11 Battle of the Bands finalists and other indie bands like Between Archery and Olympic, Autotelic, Identikit, Flying Ipis and a lot more. Throughout the event, there will be a giant wishing wall where people can post their wishes & goals for the new wear. In the evening, experience a quality OPM x EDM party with your favorite local bands and Djs such as Urbandub, Franco, Paraluman, Dj Ace Ramos, Rammy Bitong, Benefict Pacia, Edleen Lim, Curse & Bless, MC Gab Canlas, and many more! As we all wait for 11:11! Yes, there will be a countdown to 11:11 where we will all release our troubles and fears together, as there would be LED balloon flying and grand confetti!  

This is more than just wishful thinking! Grab your friends, dress up in your most stylish yet comy outfit, and head down to Greenfield District, Mandaluyong on February 20, 2015 (Friday) and enjoy a whole day filled with music, fun, and wishes!

For more of 11:11 Music festival’s details and line up, do visit their official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/1111musicfestival or follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @1111musicfest! Make a wish and reach for the sky as we celebrate 11:11 the loudest!

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Sounds fun, right? In case you’re wondering what to wear to the event, worry no more because I have prepared some outfit ideas for you!*

For the guys out there, I also have suggestions for you!

*Disclaimer: None of the photos used in the collages are mine; all I did was edit them all together.

What are you waiting for? Grab your tickets and get ready to celebrate the fulfillment of your wishes at 11:11 Music Festival!

x Erika Rosales

PS: Which of the outfits above do you think is my favorite (aka the one that I am most likely to wear)? And which one is your fave? Comment below!

PPS: Thanks for checking this post out!  I'll try not to be gone for too long again next time!!

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