Chuvaness x NBS

When Cecile van Straten aka Chuvaness asks you to save the date and invites you to the launch of her collaboration with National Bookstore, you block that schedule and you go. That's a no brainer. 

Cecile told me to save the date two weeks before her launch. Without seeing anything from her collection for National Bookstore then, I already knew it was going to be good, and that I would be in for a treat. Because I know enough that when something is Chuva-approved, it's going to be something I would want as well.

True enough, it was a visual treat just being there. It was like stepping into Cecile's world of bleached wood, clean lines, kawaii characters and a wasteland of stationery and travel supplies.

Cecile led the pack in her Vetements sweatshirt, trousers with extra wide cuffs and her signature platform sneakers, but I know her well enough not to ask for her photo, hehe.

Of course, the Ramos women of National Bookstore were there, to welcome the equally chic crowd.

Xandra Ramos-Padilla in Sacai and N21, Tita Presy Ramos in House of Dagmar and Martiniano, Pat Ramos in Uemelo Munenoli, Rachel Comey and Mich Dulce

I think all the guests dressed for Cecile. Well, Pat & I did. We wore Japanese, from Tilda of course.

Wearing Japanese: Pat's top is by Tokyo-based designer Uemelo Munenoli and I wore NICO, by Nicholson and Nicholson, an Osaka-based label by Yusuke Nakagawa

I thought the pieces were totally Chuvaness. Chuvaness x NBS is an inspired collection that represents pieces, illustrations and sayings that we've all come to identify with Cecile and her blog.

There's the cute, tiny tote bag

The Coco Chanel saying, "In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different."

Shoe travel bags that say "Good shoes take you good places"

The most adorable illustrations of chica girls by Keeshia Felipe on this utility kit, graphic design by  Yodel Pe 

The outfit on the girl wearing the polka dotted dress is the exact same dress that inspired Cecile's polka dot birthday party back in 2014. She wore this dress of course, and effortlessly pulled it off, so to me, this is the most Cecile outfit of all

Cecile always sends out thoughtfully packaged presents so it totally makes sense for her to have gift wrappers in her line

There's also round clutches, note cards and so much more, but I ended up buying these.

The gift wrappers and stickers are totally mine. I'm visiting friends in New York soon, and I thought the shoe bags, stationery and pouch would make fun pasalubong. I'm going back for more. I'm thinking ahead, and think these would be great Christmas presents as well!

Prices are very reasonable, and the quality of each piece is impeccable. The gift tags start at Php49 and the most expensive of the lot is the big tote bag at Php699. 

The #ChuvanessxNBS collection is available at the following National Bookstore branches: Alabang Town Center, Ayala Fairview Terraces, Estancia Mall, Festival Supermall, Glorietta 1, Greenbelt,
 Greenlanes Arcade, Katipunan, NAIA, Market! Market!, Power Plant Mall-Rockwell, Quad Alpha Centrum, Quezon Avenue, Robinsons Ermita, Robinsons Magnolia, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, SM Aura Premier, SM Bacoor, SM Clark, SM Dasmariñas, SM Fairview, SM Mall of Asia, SM Manila, SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Southmall, SM Sta Rosa, Superbranch Cubao, Trinoma, Uptown Place Mall.

Hong Kong with Dada + MUJI to Go

Late last month, my favorite travel companion – Dada, and I flew to Hong Kong. 

We stayed at our favorite hotel in Central, JW Marriott, because it’s just so accessible to our favorite neighborhoods. 

Not that we needed to be anywhere fast. It was the kind of journey where we had no set agenda. 

Call it a babymoon/inspiration seeking/food trip kind of thing where we just let our feet take us where they wanted to go, where we kept our eyes open for new business ideas, and armed with a list of must try restaurants from HK-based friends, let our hungry tummies lead us to the nearest must-try spot. 

Yup, what was certain about this short vacation was that Dada & I wanted to eat well. Not necessarily the fancy “eat well” sort of thing, but we wanted to check out those hole-in-the wall kind of places that locals frequent and love. 

They’re so good, I really ought to share them with you, so here goes: 

Mak’s Noodles 

77 Wellington Street, Central 

 

We already had dinner, but Mak’s Noodles was in the area, and we just had to try their dry noodles sprinkled with prawn roe, and soup of wontons stuffed with saltwater prawns. Small on serving size, but big on taste! Definitely a great place for a late night snack. 

Yardbird 
33-35 Bridges Street, +852 2547 9273

Don’t let their bite size servings of chicken yakitori fool you. Give everything that’s highly rated on their menu a try, and you might just have to roll yourself down the steep climb to Bridges Street to get back to your hotel. You must order their heavenly sweet corn tempura, chicken oysters, Korean fried cauliflower aka KFC, chicken meatball yakitori with egg yolk and finish this off with their chicken and egg rice. If these don’t hit the spot, I don’t know what else will. Warning: we came by on a Monday night and the place was packed. They don’t accept reservations so just go early!

Yardbird's chicken meatball yakitori

Yat Lok 
G/F, 34-38 Stanley Street, Central

If you’re a huge fan of goose, duck or BBQ pork meals, then your goose is cooked at Yat Lok. Dada had roasted goose with noodles for afternoon merienda and he says the goose was perfectly cooked. He’d want to go back and try it with rice next time. The couple in front of us (yes we were seated across complete strangers) had BBQ pork with rice and that looked good too. This is a place that’s definitely worth coming back to.

Dada's roasted goose with noodles

Tai Cheong Bakery 
35 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, +852 2544 3475

Two words: egg tarts. Theirs are said to be the best in Hong Kong.

Tim Ho Wan
Shop 12A, Hong Kong Station, IFC Mall, Level 1, +852 2332 3078

Yes, we have Tim Ho Wan in Manila, but still, HK is the birth place and nothing is more convenient than checking in your suitcase early at the Airport Express in IFC and then killing time waiting in line at Tim Ho Wan. Of course, the food does not disappoint, so what’s not to like?

JW Marriott Room Service 
One Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong

Even room service at our hotel did not disappoint. It was 2 am and our tummies were grumbling (granted that we were eating practically non-stop the entire day) so Dada and I split JW Marriot’s bacon cheeseburger and fries, and it was divine!

Kau Kee
G/F, 21 Gough Street, Mid-Level, Central

Honestly, we didn’t really get to try this place, but we hear their curry noodles and beef brisket noodles are legendary. The line outside tells me there is truth to the legend, so we are definitely coming back to get a taste of their noodles on our next trip.

While disappointing to miss out on Kau Kee, and ten more different restaurants on our list, the upside is, this gives us all the more reason for Dada & I to plan our next adventure! But after I give birth na, heehee. 

Speaking of traveling and planning adventures, I might as well let you in on MUJI's latest campaign, MUJI to Go! 

 

Japanese lifestyle brand MUJI launches MUJI to Go, a campaign that puts the spotlight on MUJI's unique, functional travel items - from hard and soft carry-on cases, to portable bags, compact garment, toiletry and passport cases, neck pillows, notebooks, pens even mobile speakers and a portable washboard!

There’s no need to worry about baggage weight restrictions with these portable and compact travel tools and organizers from MUJI. They’re the perfect travel companions, next to your favorite travel partner of course!

As if these chic and practical items are not enough reason to shop MUJI now, customers get 15% OFF on their total purchase when you buy any Muji luggage and 2 or more selected travel items this month of August!

Perfect to have them ready now, for when you’re feeling spontaneous. With these on hand, you can just always pack up and leave!  

For more on MUJI and MUJI to Go, Like the MUJI Philippines Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/muji.ph