las casas in black and white pt. i

As promised, here's the black and white version of the Las Casas trip.

I am such a fan of sharpness, an attribute that I usually get star struck by in photos, but the subtle blur effect in these made me forget all about that for a moment. Some of the photos are overexposed too, but as they always say, black and white is forgiving in (over/under) exposure that the usual "mistake" give character instead.

In color:

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar pt. i

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar pt. ii

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar pt. iii

caffera photo + café

2/F Doña Zenona Suites, 54 Maginhawa Street, U.P. Village, Quezon City
Mon-Sun: 10 AM-12 MN
Instagram: @caffera_ph

friday's 10 happy things

What a tough, tough week it was for me. I was spiraling down with the blues again, and it has gotten worse because I have a tendency to sulk even more and bathe myself in my own misery. The last time I made FTHT was still October of last year. When 2015 ended, I thought I was just going to leave it at that because I honestly did not see the need anymore to be as committed to this blog as I was before.

If you know me, you'd also know how often I cut my presence from social media, come back, and then do it all again – I'm admittedly notorious at it. My friends know this too much of me. Some understand, some don't. But my true friends have never taken it against me – this I know. After all, real friends don't worry about following or not following each other in social media because there's much more in real-life interactions.

But I digress.

My anxiety was off the charts this week that I'm compelled to share happy things just to knock the foggy mood away.

1. The shoes that I've been eyeing on for months had a 40% off the tag. I thought it was too good to be true and anticipated that the store wouldn't have my size. But they did. Oh, luck!
2. After all the hassle in preparing the requirements, inducing unnecessary worries and waiting at the edge of my life for a week, I've finally got my Korean visa!! God. I can't remember the last time I've wanted something so bad as I've wanted this.
3. New pens :)
4. I haven't lost my streak in committing to filling up my 2016 planner! I'm usually just good at the start, and then eventually losing my way even before a month is finished, but this year looks promising (I hope this does not jinx it though).
5. Leona's Banana Nut Cake from Cebu
6. Writing.
7. Cutting and designing letter envelopes :)
8. Stumbled upon some decent tops that I'm comfortable with, for only Php200 each ($5). I'm so cheap when it comes to clothing because they have never been a priority. Most of my clothes now were still bought 3-5 years ago. I'm that cheap, I know. I hardly bat an eyelash when buying film, but I could never say the same to clothes. I can't stomach buying a $20 blouse. Hahaha.
9. Watched The Intern and loved it. It's funny to see how Meryll Streep's assistant before, in The Devil Wears Prada, is now the CEO 10 years later. 
10. My obsession, as you know.

Friday's 10 Happy Things Blog Link-up

walking in singapore pt. ii

i always go back

I'm sitting here for 5 minutes now just scrolling back and forth at these photos and wondering what to say. It's not that I don't have something to say ― I just don't know how to say them because things always lose their sense when I try to take them out of my head. You've heard me say this a million times.

What I'm basically trying to do here is do a throwback of this travel in Cambodia just like how I did last year. It will be two years, 14 days from now, and every time I think of it I always consider my photos from Cambodia as the best photos I have ever taken in my short time of documenting life. I deem them as the best not because of the technicalities it bring to photography like composition, proper exposure, etc., but because when I look at them, they consistently bring me pure, peaceful memories and sensory.

The perfect combination of cool breeze and warm light.
Rich, clay-pot–colored soil covered by a carpet of dry leaves that crackle as you walk on.
Striking rays of light and patches of patterned shades.
Hearing distant conversations in languages I'll never decipher.

So happy that I've convinced myself it's okay to take a selfie (s/o to the man at the end of ramp whoever, wherever you are)

Please ignore my poor sense in fashion.

I have not taken out my Superheadz UWS after using it in this travel because the rubbery finish has turned sticky already. No thanks to my poor storage and maintenance (or lack thereof). Anyone has the same laziness as I do who could give me a tip on how to wipe it off completely?

You can view my previous posts about Cambodia here.