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Dearest Candy Girls,

As most of you know, I’m expecting a baby girl in a few weeks, and that has meant a lot of changes for me. One of the more trivial changes I’ve had to make is that I’ve had to wear my favorite heels and wedges a lot less. My balance is totally different now because of my baby bump and hormones, so it’s not the best idea to wear heels all day, every day. I know it’s no big tragedy, but it really does make me sad to peek into my shoe closet and NOT be able to wear pretty shoes. So to cheer me up, Art Director Steph indulged me and let me model some of my fave pairs, and she took shots with her cam

I’ve been obsessing over shoes with straps, not just Mary Janes but even the ones that are D’Orsay. Ankle-straps and D’Orsay are my all-time fave styles These wedges are from Asian Vogue. I only started shopping there early this year before I got pregnant. That site is crazy-cool, with tons of cute finds!

These nude wedges are also from Asian Vogue. Wore them at the Candy Fair. I totally fixated on them when I saw them on the site and could not work for one entire evening. I know, I know, shoes distract me the way boys would any other girl. But just look at the form and cut of these! And the color! So flattering. Plus the suede ribbon is so nice to the touch.

Love the little zip detail and leather sides. Was so lucky Asian Vogue still had these in stock. They go with so many outfits, and I love that my toes can barely be seen in them (yeah, I’m a shoe lover who’s conscious of her feet—this gets tricky at times, haha).

These peep-toes are from Payless. Loved the cutout detail when I spotted them, reminded me of the effect of eyelet. They are quite possibly the comfiest pair of heels I own. Seriously, you can run in them! Or at least it feels that way, I’ve never actually tried, haha!

Missing Cute Shoes,
Mia

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Bianca, Mimi, Sam, myself, Angel, Koko, Dyan, and Roch by the media wall.

Backstage as the program was starting: Dyan, Sam, Mimi, Macy, Steph, myself, Angel, Roch.

Dearest Candy Girls,

Were you there yesterday? The entire Candy team trooped to the Megatent along Meralco Avenue yesterday for the biggest Candy event of the year—the Candy Fair, of course!

Thank you so much to all of you who joined us and made it one awesome party. If you didn’t get to go, don’t worry, just keep checking the site in the next few days for exclusive pics and snippets.

It was amazing seeing so many Candy Girls gathered all in one place Hope you all enjoyed as much as we did!

Love,
Mia

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Dearest Candy Girls,

Have you seen our September 2011 issue yet? Check out our story on how to have the best weekend ever!

When I was in high school, the high point of my week was always the weekend. It meant more time with my friends in the neighborhood, more sleep, and more curling up in bed with a good book and a big bag of chips (Yeah, I was a shameless bookworm, and I loved cheese-flavored junk food! This is why all my fave books have suspicious yellow-orange stains on them, don’t judge!).

This past looong weekend (Wasn’t it the best? More 4-day weekends, please!), I got to spend time with my family and hubby (I’m still weirded out by the fact that I now have a hubby. Somehow I still think I’m an overgrown teen with a boyfriend. So let’s just call him my “guy”). We went out of town and hit the beach despite the storm. It was amazing seeing the ocean on a stormy night—being thisclose to Mother Nature’s sheer power is awesome.

Made sure I had my “I’m on vacay” tote (a gift from my sis Bambi) and my white eyelet sneaks. I mean my newest white eyelet sneaks (Don’t ask how many white sneakers I have, eeeeeeep!).

Soft gray cardigans and long-time boyfriends (a.k.a. my guy) are my idea of comfort.

These have to be the happiest burgers ever! Loved these twin burgers at the resort’s cafe.

Ah, the watchtower right between the pool and ocean. Went up on a wild stormy night with my guy, just because I like indulging my romantic comedy fantasies (wild stormy night + watchtower = holding hands and kilig memories). Of course, in real life, the tower steps were slick with rainwater and we couldn’t really run up like a happy, giddy couple. But there was still lots of hand-holding on the way to the top

Loved this walkway, especially at night when it’s all lit up. It takes you across a pond with some of the cutest geese I’ve seen.

The geese I mentioned. They were kind of fat, just like my Tzu pups

Made sure to hit the spa on our last day. We got the villa right by the ocean—hearing the waves while getting a massage was the best!

There was a strange pregnant girl in green frolicking on the green. Oh wait, that was me on the golf course, relishing the one sunny day of the weekend, haha! I love wide open spaces and ocean views

What are YOU doing this weekend? Post your plans here or e-mail me at mia@candymag.com! Hope to see you at the Candy Cuties autograph signing in Robinsons Galleria today, 1-3pm near the grocery and Asian Bites.

Love,
Mia

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Dearest Candy Girls,

On yet another sleepless night (I’ve always been quite the insomniac, but lately pregnancy woes like heartburn and nausea have been keeping me up even more), my mind got around to the highly stimulating subject of what I have too much of. I started out thinking it was just black flats, but I soon realized it’s pretty much…everything. So in the interest of cutting down on waste, promoting eco-friendliness, and preventing future world wars (isn’t that how wars start, when someone wants too much of something?), please be my witness as I list down what I should stop amassing, and the lies I tell myself while I’m in Acquire Mode.

1. Black flats. “These will never go out of style. Besides, none of the ones I own have this exact kind of bow/stud/toe/shape.”
2. White sneakers. “But these are for going out on a Sunday breakfast date with my guy. The old ones are for walking on grass. The really ratty-tatty ones are for running around with my dogs.”
3. Floral button-downs. “These will fit whether am thin or fat.”
4. Pink lip gloss. “But if I make an effort to use gloss every single day, I’ll eventually use up everything. Yeah, all 47 tubes. Not to be confused with the 34 pinkish-red tubes. Those are for night.”
5. Satchels. “Hello! This is tan. That’s camel/stone/biscuit/chocolate. Besides, this one has braided straps.”

And here’s what I should truly spend more on:
1. Spend more on healthy food. It really does make a difference both in the short and long term. Right now I love Quaker Oats chocolate oatmeal
2. Spend more on experiences like concerts, trips, yummy meals. The best memories always involve trying something new with your favorite peeps.
3. Spend more time with my fur kids. With their bright eyes, big doggy smiles with pink tongues hanging, wagging tails and butts, they never fail to remind me that I will be loved, happy, and complete—even when I am shoe-less and satchel-less, clad only in a tattered (floral) button-down.

What do you have too much of? And what would you like to spend more on? Tell me all about it!

Love,
Mia

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Dearest Candy Girls,

It All Started With Pink Loafers
Two days before I found out I was pregnant, I was making a mad dash to Ichigo in Greenhills, because I had to have a pair of the cutest pale pink loafers ever. Ichigo sells the prettiest shoes and bags, and the Candy editors (especially Marla, Macy, Steph) and I are always checking out their online store and actual branches.

And It Did Not End With One Pair
Ever since I got pregnant, I’ve been craving all sorts of feminine things, most especially pretty shoes and ladylike purses. So it was only natural that I found myself late one night at yet another Ichigo branch, frantically trying to buy 4 (!) pairs of sandals and a floral backpack ten minutes before a movie date with my guy. I have no excuse for this shopping sickness other than cravings are harder to control when you’re expecting a baby, and that my baby girl (yes, am having a girl! ) seems to like pretty pink things. Oh, and white eyelet dresses. And, um, polka dot bags as well.


all photos by Mimi Tiu and Macy Alcaraz
(Thanks for not judging me re my retail addiction, Mims and Macy!)

For those of you who aren’t pregnant baby-girl-blaming-shopaholics, but are searching for pretty finds anyway, check out Ichigo’s new collection at www.ichigoshoes.multiply.com, or head to any of their branches. My faves are the branches in Greenhills Theater Mall and Shoppesville Greenhills (3rd floor). Hope to bump into you there!

Love,
Mia

Posted in Beauty & Trends, Candy | 3 Comments »