I quote...

TTFN!

❤ P.

Rigel's Café

I, my fiancé, and my sister had to stay somewhere cool as we wait for sunset to chase the golden hour for a shoot. Summer is truly in the air as the heat started to give us a really warm afternoon so we wanted to stay somewhere cooler. Luckily, there is a cafe inside our village just near the main gate.

Rigel's cafe is a laid back little cafe which serves very good coffee at an affordable price with free wi-fi. Going to cafes just to hang out for long hours, meetings, spend some time alone, or a quick stop over to get one of my favorite beverages in the world reminds me of those precious moments with friends, love ones, and me-time. It felt so good to have a place near our house where we can just sit and relax as if we were not in the noisy and polluted metropolitan. 

I love the greenery that welcomed us as we came into the resort like view entrance with open huts and tables where you can stay if you want some fresh air. Since it was a hot afternoon, we directly went inside their cabin like cafe where there was air conditioning. As we settled ourselves and finally decided to place our orders, the forever addicting aroma of coffee started to calm our souls.

Donut (P40) and Espresso con Panna (P35)

Caramel and Mocha frappes (P85 each)

Their donut tasted so good that I could tell it's Krispy Kreme's original glazed and if I am mistaken I would still say that it tasted like Krispy Kreme's. 

Iced Caramel Macchiato (P75)

I love this and their Caramel frappe for both were not too sweet unlike most of the caramel frappe variants I have had in other coffee shops.

Iced Caramel Macchiato (P75) and Tuna Sandwich (P35)

It felt like a little home for us. It's a humble and simply lovable place.They have some furniture and items displayed which are on sale. They also have chips and other snacks you can choose from.

We had the chance to meet the owner, Miss Olive Buyo, and her son to whom the cafe was named after (which is quite similar to mine - Regiele). Miss Olive, was very nice and accommodating as she answered my queries regarding their event/party packages. Yes, they do catering services. And if you find their drinks and snacks affordable, their packages are too.

For more photos and info you may visit their Facebook page @ Rigel's Cafe. 

Rigel's Cafe

Contact #: (02) 945-2723

Location: Blk. 6, Lot 1B, Mozart Street, Phase 4, North Olympus Subdivision

Zabarte Road, Novaliches, Quezon City

Philippines 1123 

★ Gel

Au Naturale

As promised from my previous post, here's the products that I use and adore for a healthier skin and hair: 

Sephora Green Tea Lotion and Body Scrub

This one's actually a gift from our boss. Green tea doesn't really attract me but with this I discovered that it's so refreshing! Great for the summer season. :) 

My Human Nature Haul

100% Natural Moisturizing Day and Night Cream 

 This is what I use before I apply makeup and before I go to bed. During the day, I feel that my face is protected from the makeup layer that I put on and outdoor's dirt. And before I sleep I'm assured that my face gets the nutrients it needs. :) 

Sunflower Beauty Oil

 This works wonders! It can be used to lighten dark spots, stretch marks, cure insect bites and brings back life to unhealthy hair. I so love this product. It's one thing that's in my bag all the time!

100% Natural Soap

 This is such a refreshing soap, it works to clean your body without the threat of skin damaging chemicals. 

Citrus Burst Sanitizer and Bamboo Body Scrub

Another bag essential is the citrus burst sanitizer. It comes handy with the sweet citrus smell! Can't be so sure with the germs we're exposed everyday right? This bamboo body scrub, I don't use most of the time because I don't really like the smell. But the cleaning and moisturizing effect is pretty great. It's an effective product that can really pamper you after a hard day's work. 

Dove Intense Repair Shampoo and Conditioner

I'm not really that picky when it comes to hair products. But this duo is amazing! Actually, I first tried it out as a gift from the holiday season. And after weeks of using it, it brought my super dry hair to life! And since this brand is known for having an advocacy of bringing out natural beauty to women, I guess their products can pass my Au Naturale haul. Haha. Thumbs up for Dove products! ;) 

Well, that's it for my current natural beauty haul. Will be updating you ladies soon for new finds! 

By the way, if you're interested in Human Nature products, my dear Gel sells them. Just contact us to avail. ;) 

TTFN!

❤ P.

Self Revamp

I'm a whimpy kid, that's what my boyfriend would always jokingly tell me. It seems like I don't take it seriously, but I do. Only because I really am a whimp. Haha. I always trip and fall. I never was into athletic activities. Unlike most of the kids, I hated Physical Education way back when I was in school. Not because I wasn't interested but because of my small built and lack of physical activities, I'm not strong and skilled enough to excel and even just enjoy the activities. Haha.

Now that I am already part of the working class, I face stress and fatigue everyday. Having a desk job, glued on my computer everyday gives me that feeling that I don't feel healthy anymore. Not to mention getting sickly more often these days. So, last Janauary, I told myself that I should start living a healthy lifestyle. I'm now watching what I eat where I avoid junk and fast foods, keep myself hydrated all the time and maintain a healthy and balanced diet. Since I'm cleansing myself inside, I shouldn't forget to pamper myself in the outside as well. I'm more conscious now of what cosmetics I use and I keep my skin hydrated with body lotion and facial moisturizers. I'm on the constant look on finding healthier options for beauty products and so far I'm quite happy with what I have now. You can check my healthy beauty haul that I will post soon, I promise! :) 

Since I'm done with the cleansing and pampering part, I've decided to try out a physical activity. Yikes! After all the searching and the research of what I can do, I decided to go for some Yoga classes. I had my first Yoga class yesterday (yes, I'm no longer a Yoga virgin!) and I did enjoy every single minute of it. It was such a relaxing yet challenging activity where I felt that every inch of my body was covered with the stretching and the calming effect. At the start of the class, our instructor told us to ask ourselves, why we're trying out yoga. It was a big question for me. All that I have in mind is that I want to stay fit and that I thought it was the easiest way to be. But as we started doing poses, it wasn't really that easy. It was actually hard! Oh god, our instructor was right. He was about to torture us. Haha. As I test my body's flexibility and stamina, I felt that I was terribly shaking from time to time. As our instructor approached me telling that he's a body reader, he blurted out the real reason why I was there and that it is because I wanted to be strong. I do yoga to be stronger. Stronger physically and emotionally. And this was true. I no longer want to be a whimpy kid, a weakling. 

From then, I started to really feel the moment without judgment and without caring if I was shaking. I was in full contact with my inner self and my will to give my body that strength that it needs to have. Absolutely, there's this sensation that creeps on every part of me whenever I do poses, struggle to keep it still and finally surrendering my body whenever we're asked to rest. It was such a great feeling. After that session, I was wanting to do more yoga and I felt that I finally found an activity that I feel passionate about. 

I'll be doing more yoga from now and will continuously improve myself. Cheers to a healthy life! 

TTFN!

❤ P.

I quote...

TTFN!

❤ P.

What color should you wear today?

Ain't it nice to express what you feel through what you wear? One way of showing your personality and feelings through clothes is color. Studies show that color does affect people's perceptions and emotions towards each other. I've listed some with their corresponding representations which you can take into consideration when choosing what color you'll be wearing for specific events and situations. 

White

White reflects light which makes the body feel cooler during hot season, the reason why it's usually the most preferred summer color for clothes. Another thing that's great about this color, same as black, is that it works great with any color combined. However, it's the most difficult to wear because some white fabrics are see through, making it easier for the color of undergarments to be visible. Additionally, it easily gets dirtier than any other color. White represents purity, innocence, and sterility. 

Black

Opposite to white, black absorbs light which makes it unlikely to be worn during the summer season. Black is considered as the most stylish and timeless color in fashion because anything worn with it looks stunning. This is the reason why our all time favorite LBD does not go out of style. It also makes the wearer thinner since unwanted curves become less visible. Black represents drama, success, power, and authority.  

Red

This color is for the daring and those who seek attention. Red attracts intense emotions to the point that there's a biological response of being hot with quick pulse and increase in breathing rate. This is a color that shows lusty emotions. It may seem that red is a sexy color but beware because it makes people look heavier and is an appetite stimulant. Red represents love and passion.  

Pink

Pink on the other hand is a gentle and calming color. Unlike red, pink is a color that shows innocent romance which makes it a good choice for a date. Pink represents gentleness, playfulness, innocence, and friendship.

Purple

Purple, being an unusual color because it's not a common find in nature, draws people's attention. It's one of my personal favorites having this very regal and elegant vibe. Purple represents royalty, luxury, wealth, sophistication, power, femininity, and a romantic appeal.

Blue

Unlike purple, blue can be seen everywhere! It's the common color of one of our staple clothes, jeans. Blue is a very popular color and one of the easiest to wear because it compliments any body type and skin color. Having a calming effect, it makes people feel comfortable about oneself. Blue represents peace, tranquility, and loyalty.

Brown

Brown is another color that's easy to wear and compliments most color combinations. This earthy color is great with safari styles. Brown represents reliability and structure. 

 Green

Another color of nature, green is both calming and refreshing. It's cool to the eye and is said to improve vision and memory. Dark green depicts masculinity, one of the reasons why this color is usually used by the military. Green also represents wealth which dates back to the medieval ages. It's also the color of money.

Yellow

Yellow is a happy color because it's the brightest of all colors. It's a color that's overpowering to the eye which easily draws attention as well. It's said to enhance concentration and speeds up metabolism. Yellow represents optimism, energy, creativity, and playfulness.

Orange

Orange has both the best attributes of red and yellow. It represents happiness, intellect, and intense emotions but are less aggressive than the color red.

So, what color do you feel wearing today?

TTFN!

❤ P.

BGomez: Tips & Tricks to Photography

Here’s a list of quick tips and tricks that I’ve compiled for both beginner and advanced level photographers.

1. You're a photographer, observe and learn light.
2. DSLR ≠ better photographs.
3. Professional ≠ Great Photographer.
4. Instagram Filters does not make uninteresting snapshots better.
5. Buy glass not bodies. (Invest on lenses not DSLR bodies)
6. External flash before new glass.
7. Prime lenses are light, sharp, inexpensive and fast.
8. Zoom lenses are more versatile.
9. Start with AUTO. Then learn Aperture/Shutter Priority. And finally, go full Manual.
10. For strobists. Learn and master one flash/light setup first.
11. Learn two and three lighting setups.
12. Image stabilization, Vibration Reduction and Shake Reduction does not compensate for subject movement.
13. High ISO creates grains and noise in the photo.
14. Grain is not bad.
15. Bigger aperture = shallow depth of field and more light (thus getting a faster shutter speed).
16. Faster Shutter speed = Freezes action.
17. Turn off Image Stabilization when you don't need it.
18. Deem or turn your rear LCD off to conserve battery.
19. Image Stabilization drains your batteries.
20. Image Stabilization can cause shutter lag.
21. Use a Stofen diffuser indoors. Never at outdoor shoots.
22. Bounce your flash for a flattering light.
23. External flash guns should be used off camera.
24. Bigger light source = More flattering light.
25. Your small pop-up flash will not light up large rooms.
26. Buy a reflector to maximize the use of any light source.
27. Master the use of ambient light.
28. You can use your flash even when shooting in daylight as fill lighting.
29. You can trigger an off-camera flash in three ways: Wireless, Infrared and flash from other flash units, and by Wire.
30. The Sun is the most powerful light source you can ever have. It's also free.
31. Shoot during the golden hour. That’s 1-2 hours after sunrise and sunset.
32. Know when the Sun rises and sets.
33. Get a compass.
34. Buy a sturdy tripod.
35. Filters affect your image. Yes! Even those clear ones.
36. Lens hoods don't make your look like a pro.
37. Get photography gear that you NEED. Not what you WANT.
38. Don't make a purchase based on a brand name.
39. Find a Photographic mentor.
40. Buy books not gear.
41. Master your camera. Know it like the back of your hand.
42. Read those manuals.
43. Research on the item you want to purchase before shelling out your hard earned money.
44. Learn to improvise.
45. Don't change lenses in windy and dusty environments.
46. Dust is a fact of life.
47. Don't obsess on gear.
48. Wedding photography is hard.
49. Get ample amounts of exercise. Photography is a physically strenuous activity.
50. Make sure your check each gear before a major photo shoot.
51. Buy extra memories.
52. Invest on a battery grip and extra batteries for your equipment.
53. Use rechargeable AA batteries (I recommend buying Sanyo Eneloops).
54. Get a dry cabinet for your camera bodies and lenses especially when you live in a humid area.
55. Back up your photos as soon as you can.
56. JPEG are great for quick edits and snapshots.
57. RAW is a more robust file format. Use it if you need to edit the photo a lot.
58. Shoot both vertically and horizontally.
59. Find a different angle.
60. Get it right in camera. Don't think that you'll just Photoshop it.
61. Learn Photoshop but NEVER rely on it. You're a Photographer, remember?
62. GIMP is a great alternative for Photoshop.
63. Adobe Lightroom is a great way to edit and manage your photos. Picasa is also a good free alternative.
64. Professional photography is not a glamorous profession.
65. Join Photography forums.
66. Attend photo walks.
67. Get out and Shoot.
68. Try shooting film.
69. Try shooting in Black and White.
70. Explore other genres of photography.
71. Light painting is fun!
72. Make your friends and family members your models. Practice your skills on them.
73. Always have model release forms with you.
74. You don't need any permission when shooting in a public place. Because IT IS a public place.
75. Know your rights as a photographer.
76. If someone asks to delete his/her photo that you took. Do it.
77. Do photography not for the money.
78. Respect your models.
79. Create a great rapport with your clients.
80. Smile a lot when in a wedding shoot.
81. Turn off all the beeps and sound on your camera.
82. If you don't need the AF assist light, turn it off.
83. For long exposures. The slightest movement of the shutter press can blur your shot. Try using a remote or timer.
84. When visiting a place to take photographs, research on what to expect.
85. Share your work online.
86. Give constructive criticisms to other photographer's work.
87. There's a lot more to professional photography than taking a great photograph.
88. Successful Pro Photographer = Great Photography Skills + Business Skills.
89. More likes on Facebook ≠ to better photographer.
90. Try and create or find your style of photography.
91. Don't be better. Be different.
92. Talk to other pros not just about techniques but also the business side of the industry.
93. You can learn more about photography by becoming an assistant to a great photographer.
94. You don't need a degree in art school to become a great photographer.
95. Sometimes things don't go as you planned.
96. Learn from your mistakes.
97. Delete useless photographs.
98. Do not upload too many photographs in one album. It gets really boring to look at 300+ photos of the same cat or food.
99. ALWAYS bring a camera with you.
100. Make friends. Not enemies.
101. Enjoy Photography!

Blaise Gomez ♤