Laminated Balls from The Philippines

They were the first thing on my shopping list when I planned my first trip back to the Philippines, after moving to Vancouver, even have set a budget to get a few pieces of them ˭̡̞(◞⁎˃ᆺ˂)◞*✰

It's embarrassing to admit that I don't remember exactly l where/when I saw them the first time, most likely I have seen them in Quiapo's famed "Ilalim ng Tulay" or "Under the Bridge" (not the Red Hot Chili Pepper Song).

The place is known for being the hub of anything Philippine handicrafts for tourists and locals, haggling is highly recommended.

It must have been the time when my late Aunt's first visit to the Philippines since moving to the States, I have a memory of us walking along Quiapo in search of something to bring back to the States with her, along the way I started noticing the decorated laminated balls in some stores, they are usually piled up in a shallow weaved basket, or arranged nicely in a wooden tray, their patterns caught my interest, actually, it was love at first sight. Each ball bears different patterns, and each piece showcases the Philippines' indigenous materials, beautiful in its own way.

When my time finally came to bring something to Vancouver from Manila, I indulged, I even bought a few from SM Kultura as I noticed they have better quality than the ones in the street stalls. I  rearranged my luggage's contents several times and carefully bubble-wrapped each to ensure I took them home crack and scratch-free. Nowadays I have them on display in and outside of our home.

It's been more than a decade since the first time I saw them in Quiapo; my love for it grew deeper because of the memory that it holds, It reminds me of the time when I was starting to picture what my future life would be, living a peaceful life, surrounded by beautiful things and people I cared for, and the laminated balls are part of it.

My Retail Therapy

My love affair for variety (dollar) stores started way from my early years in Canada (mid-2000s). The neighborhood's dollar store was my first therapy to fend off homesickness and where I spent my initial "splurges" from my modest paycheque. One of my little splurges was a set of wooden decorative balls; I remember gifting my mom a few of them a while back. 

My greatest find in Dollar Store

I have expressed my love for them in my old defunct blog which I am planning to write a new post about in the future.) | ू*꒦ິ꒳꒦ີ)｡oO

Then, one day, I happened to visit a local 100-Yen shop in Vancouver and my mind was blown away by the cuteness of everything they carry б（＞ε＜）∂ 

100 Yen rice bowls

Back then I really liked the idea of making unique pots, 100-Yen stores have become the main source of inspo and new materials.

During the lockdowns when I was finally able to materialize my ideas, after watching several youtube tutorials, my patio now is filled with Asian bowls and teacups. 

100 yen garden ornament

I don't want to say that my love for dollar stores has faded, I admit that I no longer visit them as much as before, my preference lately were the 100-Yen stores, they are now expanding to other cities recently, but my greatest finds from dollar store shopping was still the set of wooden balls that I now proudly display in my back yard. I cannot find them in any dollar stores anymore, but luckily my mom returned the wooden balls to me as she doesn't share my aesthetic taste, so lucky me! !(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑ 

I still get homesick once in a while, and when my mind is urging me to go for (retail) therapy, there is plenty of places that give me the feeling of coming back home...

Emily Is Still Going Out!

If you happen to follow my mis(adventures) in the world of blogging, you might probably noticed my inactivity. I think most bloggers would be guilty of this at some point. Good thing that this is not my main source of income and for sure I don't have a following in the wide scary and crazy world of the internet, there's no risk of breaking someone's heart (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و

When Emily goes out with Concha

But then, the yearning to share my thoughts somewhere is still with me. My lame but valid excuse ---" life happens". No, I don't blame life; I created life and take care of lives, parenting is a very challenging calling... It's fun, scary, frustrating, rewarding and oh it's damn hard for the most part. 

Speaking of life, we are still going through this devasting effect of the virus. I personally know some people who have contracted it, and we all lost loved ones because of it... Everybody's lives were affected in so many ways, that it made me reflect more on life in general, it made me focus more on what is really important and along this journey found new hobbies. Now having my daughter, my priority is her, I want to make time for her, and hopefully, share some of my hobbies with her, I also want to spend my time with my dear husband 🐻 and my black Labrador Retriever Conchaboy. 

One of the main results of the lockdowns and health orders was re-igniting my interest in gardening, I don't boast of having a green thumb but I am motivated in creating a beautiful space for my daughter and Conchaboy where they can hang out and have fun. 

I am planning to add more about gardening projects in the near future and might probably tweak a little in WEGO; as for eating out, I still go and enjoy some of the cool yummy places in the Vancouver area, there's more to come here in WEGO, hopefully, add food content soon! (•̀o•́)ง

My Concha...sweet, sweet Concha!

Disclaimer: Contains canine nudity (Ｕ^ω^)

We just welcomed a new family member; he is a very affectionate, handsome black Labrador Retriever puppy. We decided to call him Concha from the popular sweet bun from Latin America.

My first pro photo shoot by Georgia Corbett

A vision board from the past!

I've been in love with Concha's breed for so long. It blossomed when I stumbled on a Franklin Mint ad featuring a porcelain plate with an illustration of two black Labrador Retriever puppies, one of the puppy seems to be chewing a toy duck, in an old Reader's Digest magazine. The pups' faces on the plate were captivating; those soulful and loving gazes convinced me that this is the breed for me.

Labrador Retriever was my chosen subject in one of my projects during my time in the art school, I put all of my love on rendering it, earning me the highest grade from my art instructor.

Concha's breed gravitates towards bodies of water, very affectionate, and is very food-oriented! --- sounds like me! From then on, the dream of welcoming a black Labrador Retriever in my life started with a promise to my future pooch that I would do the best I could to provide a loving forever home, a dog could have.

That day arrived one week after my husband's birthday; he flew back in Alberta to pick him up from the breeder after setting up an appointment with them a few months prior.

Bye Alberta!

Life with our Concha is not always easy, It requires hands-on training, tons of patience to make sure Concha grows into a healthy, happy, and well-behaved dog. Our schedules and space adjusted to accommodate his needs, from waking up earlier for his first 'potty of the day, puppy-proofing our home, not being upset when he chews on our possessions, being understanding when 'accidents' happen, and welcoming all the adjustments as his needs and quirks continuously change.

We also have several rewarding moments in our lives, such as every time we witness Concha's progress, and whenever we receive (plenty of) compliments on how well-behaved and beautiful he is; our hearts brimming with pride. He is enriching our lives in so many ways by constantly teaching us to appreciate being in the moment and experiencing being loved and cared for by a pet; we teach him tricks, and he loves us back unconditionally.

Concha the Sweetbun

Pamola Bakery's Concha

Its not the first time I have mentioned the sweet buns that stole my heart - Concha and the Japanese equivalent - Melon pan; my favourite Japanese bakery in Vancouver add mochi in their Melon pan, adding a rich sticky filling in its pillowy texture!

My husband introduced me to Concha, a sweet bun crowned beautifully with a crusty mixture of flour, sugar, and shortening, one of the best buns to dip in hot chocolate or coffee that makes me look forward to breakfast. The same feeling our Concha has for us every morning, greeting us happy with his tail wagging and rolling on his back asking for belly rubs - every day my Concha steals my heart.

Melonpan with mochi filled chocolate cream 💓

To record all of our joyful Concha times as much as we could, an Instagram account was set up just for him.

Concha asking for belly rubs ;)

Final Dine Out

This is a solemn post.

Short and brief.

I am compelled to express my grief on the passing of a person I look up to, a man that is very much admired and respected in his field.
We are not related, and never met in person but his stories and adventures validated my belief that the appreciation of food can bridge cultural gap, he convinced me not to be ashamed to love food and it should be the first thing to try when visiting a new place. Because of him, there is When Emily Goes Out!

Anthony Bourdain, thank you very much for opening my eyes to the beauty in the unsophisticated and joy of savouring the bizarre. I am sending your family my love and healing thoughts, hope that peace and joy will find you in your next destination.

Unveiling My Bridal Veil

Most girls has vision of perfect wedding. To have a perfect wedding, the Bride has to get 'The One'.

The perfect wedding gown...

"I don't care about the gown, as long I won't look like a clown"

It became a popular belief that The Bride has to "wow" the crowd with her fancy dress. This is not the wedding that I want. My wedding is not just about me -- it's my husband's day too. It's the day we pledge to be with each other and take care of each other, till the end of our lives.

But then...

I am a big fan of shawls or any accessories that can drape on my upper body. My quick vacation in Manila made it possible to attain my little whim - a veil that is personalized, that describes me. I want it made of Pineapple cloth or "Piña" which is only made in the Philippines.
The whole process of turning the pineapple leaves into a luxurious cloth involves a long tedious process from extracting fibres off the leaves to gently applying intricate designs by talented embroiderers. Its mainly used to make formal attire in the Philippines and has also attracted the attention in the world of haute couture, because of this reason Piña earned the reputation of being the Queen of fibres in the Philippines.

Prior to our departure for our 2017 vacation, I found La Burda de Filipina online and directly contacted the Proprietress Marivic Gordovez to inquire with the help of a dearest friend back in the Philippines.

Traditionally the designs on the piña cloth are sewn by hand; due to our situation, there are time and budget constraints, the only option Marivic has is to have my veil machine sewn. Little bit disappointed, but i have something in mind to add a "hand-made" touch--- embellishing my veil with freshwater pearls, my birthstone, and Swarovski crystals to add sparkle😉.

Back in Vancouver, I am very delighted to find Beazu. They carry a vast variety of beads of any kind. Forgetting to buy freshwater pearls on my recent Philippine trip, I am relieved to find that Beazu carries them!

Each pearl and crystal was applied painstakingly as best I could, trying to be careful not to ruin a fabric that took time to create, putting my heart and soul into it. I have never worked with pineapple fibre before, but I am proud of the final result:

The final result

As I am writing this post, I would like to express my gratitude to my long time friend Olive. I am grateful for her help in purchasing my veil and many thanks to  La Burda de Filipina for the elegant veil, I am proud to own one, and I truly love it.

See the rest of the photos in this album.

On my way to be Mrs. 🐻

<----Trying on my Piña veil for the first, after the tryout bridal make up with Save the Date Beauty.


On the day of my wedding on 2017-11-23--->

Ever Growing Stamp Collection

Stamps needing my attention.

I like stamps, i used to love them, but i still collect some of them.

My affair with stamps started when  i was in my preteen back in Manila and discovered my paternal grandfather's collection.

I decided to continue it but also unknowingly damage some of it, with life's constant change and numerous distractions,  my collection became an on and and off part of my life.

Where are they now?

They are still kept in a secure place in my apartment, not collecting dust but still being appreciated.
Though i am not an avid collector of postage stamps, i still appreciate these miniature piece of souvenir from other parts of the world, see the sentimental value and still gladly accept them when someone gave them to me as a present or pasalubong.

(*Pasalubong) Present from my sister

Another pasalubong from sister's recent trip.

The future of these beauties is still uncertain, aside purchasing several albums more, i am trying to find other ways to display them uniquely.

My 2016 Christmas Tree

Outdoor tree from Costco

This is my first post on my blog. My blog: When Emily Goes Out is a collection of every experience that I cherish and things that I love. Now let's begin:

Bought from Costco, this outdoor tree was decorated mostly with handmade ornaments brought from various craft fairs in Vancouver.

The only "commercial" ornaments here are my Starbucks Christmas ornaments :). Can't wait till next Christmas and get to look at these beauties again.

Cheers for the new year---year of the rooster, life is great!

Swarovski Crystal Studded Christmas Ornament from Starbucks
(●´□`)♡