I won’t deny it: I spend way too much time online. Mostly I’m just stalking people on Facebook and Instagram, other times I’m doing something more useful like reading articles on style and teen sites as research for work. But once in a while I find gems that make me grateful that the Internet was invented, that we have access to other people’s wonderful words even when they’re half a world away, and that we are all connected through our online presence and the love and wisdom that somehow manages to seep into the cracks between useless rants and gratuitous selfies.

A young writer posted this poem called “Here” by Aracelis Girmay on Tumblr a couple of weeks ago, and I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve read it every day since then. It reminded me of a photo I took early last year while on vacation with my family; in the photo my shadow is split, and it would take a while for you to spot the other half. But it’s right there, captured, and lately I’ve been thinking that life is a lot like this, too: It often feels like something is missing, but what we don’t realize is that our hearts are more full than they seem. You are already here, and so is everything you need.

Dive into Girmay’s full poem here, and let me know if you loved it as much as I did.

xx,
Marla

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It all started with a wedding…

After seven amazing years together, I got married to the love of my life last March 23 in Clark. *cue cheesy confetti!*

Roland & Angel’s Wedding by Pat Dy from Angel Constantino on Vimeo.

Check out the beautiful photos in this slideshow by Pat Dy, one of Candy‘s favorite photographers and the best wedding photographer ever!

A few days later, we flew to the beautiful island of Balesin where we swam and lazed by the beach, ran and biked around the island, and ate (a lot!) at the different restaurants.

Since we just moved into our new place, we’re still busy fixing our things and haven’t really had time to cook. So my family came over and brought the food to us! We had some delicious, easy-to-prepare paninis with mushrooms, ham, guyere cheese, and caramelized onions. Yum!

And just last Sunday, we headed to the beach again, this time with Roland’s family. It was a gorgeous sunny day in Subic—perfect for having a picnic!

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I can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer has in store for us. How has your vacation been so far? Let’s chat in the comments or tweet me at twitter.com/angelamc23.

Feeling giddy and sunshine-y,
Angel

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Last March 23, the Candy team headed to Ilocos to witness the beautiful wedding of Margaux (our former fashion editor) and Con. While we were there, we took the opportunity to see the sights of the northernmost tip of Luzon. Here’s a fun picture we captured before we surfed the sand dunes of Paoay.

This year, we’re off to a different destination (road triiiip!!!) to do the same thing—attend the wedding of someone from the Candy family! Can you guess who? Clue: She is quite adventurous and is one of the girls in the picture above.

We’re all so excited for her to finally tie the knot with her Prince Charming! I’m sure some of us will even get teary-eyed when we see her walk down the aisle in her gorgeous gown and hear them exchange vows. (More pictures to follow in our upcoming blogs.) I hope you can take time to say a prayer for this special couple and wish them an unending supply of love and happiness.

Mimi

Posted in Love, Travel | 4 Comments »

The best letters come in the simplest form.

There is no need for flowery words, profound metaphors, or hidden messages (that are, admit it, sometimes too hard to decipher!) written on stationery paper. All you need is a clear point, some carefully chosen words to say it, and a small piece of paper with a sticky back.

The best example I can share is a morning sticky note courtesy of my nephew who’s visiting from Canada:

The message definitely brightened my day and will forever be one of the simplest yet sweetest notes I’ve ever received.

What about you? Have you received or given any sweet letters lately?
Mimi

Posted in Candy, Love | 1 Comment »

It’s February and you know what that means, right? Grand declarations of love, couples walking hand in hand, restaurants covered with borderline cheesy decors. If there’s one thing I love about the second month of the year, it’s the fact that people use it as an excuse to be all mushy and romantic. (Count me in!)

For those of you who haven’t been hit by Cupid’s arrow yet, go ahead and play these songs to get you in the mood for love. They just might inspire you to go out and search for the One:

1) “Say Goodnight & Go” by Imogen Heap
It’s been years since the release of this electronica track, but to this day, I love its whimsical feel.

2) “Starry Eyed” by Ellie Goulding
This talented singer already has a second album out, but her first one (which includes this song) is still an absolute joy to listen to.

3) “Ho Hey” by The Lumineers
First heard this in an episode of Hart of Dixie. I find it cute the way the entire band sings along in the chorus.

4) “Give Me Love” by Ed Sheeran
A playlist on love is incomplete without one of the Brit crooner’s swoon-worthy songs. This is pure gold.

5) “Be Be Your Love” by Rachael Yamagata
I admit the tune has a sad feel to it, but the message is utterly romantic.

What about you? What songs make you feel giddy and in love?
Mimi

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