Today's agenda: fix my body clock

Unless I want to suffer the coming week half-asleep in the office, I have to friggin correct my stupid body clock now. This isn't even jet lag. This is just me sticking to my nocturnal habits. I thought I wouldn't have a problem with the time difference here since I was working the graveyard back in the Phils. and here everybody's working during the day. It can't be too hard right? Not a lot to adjust right?

NO.

Apparently I've been spending the entire day asleep, God knows why. When I wake up in the afternoon, I eat, try to get a shower (btw, the heater was down for 2 days so my aversion to baths is valid ok), then work on some docs. Nobody told me what shift I should be working anyway... uhm. So. Whatever. Still need to work on a couple of docs. I like it. I'm writing. haha

The past few days were pretty lax. I'm on a mission to eliminate all the extra food in this house, foods I think no one has touched for the past weeks, foods I was offered to freely munch on if I feel hungry, and also leftovers from last week's party. There is a lot of food in here. Chips, cookies, chocolates, cakes, cereals. I didn't want to be blamed for when we're suddenly short of food HAHA but so far the owner of the house is already thanking me for freeing up the fridge. Well, my pleasure actually! Hope my housemates don't mind tho.

Only places I've been to are banks, stores and groceries from daily errands like I mentioned in my previous post: Home Depot, Ikea, Wells Fargo, and just the other day: Cub Foods!

Allow me to spazz about this place. It's a 24-hour grocery, a 5 minute drive from the house, and a 30 minute walk according to google maps. It sits beside a Target store (which I'm excited to pay visit to one day haha) and is home to an entire lane of unmanned cashier counters! Talk about hi-tech!

This is one of their self service counters

You scan your stuff on the barcode top, place it in a plastic bag, confirm payment on the screen, and pay by inserting your cash or droping your coins at the designated slots (like a vendo machine). You can even swipe your credit card there. Then it will compute and roll out your change on the "Cash Out" tray.

Super cool. It knows when the item you're buying is on Buy 1 Take 1 promo. And the barcode top also serves as a weighing scale for when you're purchasing items like fruits, vegetables or meat. You just have to select what item you're buying and it will automatically compute for the price based on the weight! Grabe.

I can't believe this kind of technology hasn't reached our shores yet. I doubt it though cos there is very low honesty rate in the Philippines, even with the flawless programming of this one I'm afraid it can't prevent thieves from pushing out their carts without paying. I can only marvel at them while I'm here. :)

It's Friday noon in the Philippines, so... happy weekend goys! :D

Today's snaps: IKEA Home Furnishings

I'm getting better at this!

This day was pretty uneventful as far as work is concerned. I came for the drug test earlier this morning and was a bit sad it only took some 15 minutes HAHA. Eh kasi naman, I was hoping to just make pasundo after a supposedly lengthy drug test so that I could spend a few minutes at Mall of America which is just walking distance from the clinic. Too bad my fetch decided to wait lol. Pero okay lang naman, hassle naman magpasundo if ever haha. Yun lang, no MoA for me... for now haha. Ang kapal ng mukha ko diba dapat nagttrabaho ako haha.

Anyway, I was eating lunch and was about to prep myself to do some general admin tasks for the time being I'm not allowed at the office yet, when a dog suddenly barged in the house and ran to me! Thought it was gonna bite me but the cute little thing just wants to play!

Meet Louie! Apparently, the owner of the staff house (who is also our asset manager) came to check the basement bathroom for repairs and also initiate some mega cleanup aka throwing out stuff that belonged to previous tenants.

Heyaaaaa!

Suddenly, my entire day was focused towards cleaning and running errands with her and the cutiepie that is Louie. SUPER. WORTH. IT. I was waiting for the chance to get shown around the place and it's so cool I got to hop in on a benz too while doing that haha! Yeyy for errands!

We went to Home Depot, IKEA, Wells Fargo, another bank, and our US office... not in that order but the point of this post is (you should know) WE WENT TO IKEA. And ate there. Aaaaargh my Buzzfeed envy finally gets validated!

I couldn't care less that I'm on turista mode, snapping here and there like IKEA was some tourist attraction. What can I do? I love all things IKEA furniture and IKEA just happened to be a haven of such and such good food so well, here we go!

The Caf (I dunno what it's called lol)

I ordered this bowl of greens with balsamic vinaigrette cos I need greens in my life LOL. I love salads okay?

And their famed Swedish Meatballs.

To be honest there wasn't anything too special with their meatballs. It tasted good though, like a comfort food of sorts. :)

Other snaps:

I'll register here when I come back!

They have a planning table where you can access an online catalog and really plan for your purchase. They have rulers and pencils too to help you out :D

Love their meatballs? Buy a pack!

The place is super big.

Christmas decors are out! :D

On the way out, didn't mind the leaves blocking the letters haha. I think it adds a dramatic effect to it JOKE LANG! HAHA Arti arti

View from the sunroof :D

Aaaaand, that's it! Have a great day ahead! :D

Touchdown Minnesota!

Fall

Heya! Sharing with you a couple of snaps from yesterday's (was it?) travel. MNL--NRT--LA--MSP. :D

It's my first international trip so I'm crazy excited about everything. I was travelling alone but I wasn't too worried about it cos I'm sure there are people I can ask around for directions haha.

Flying Delta :D

 I thought I was carrying too much but look, 12.5kgs lang pala lol

Pre-boarding selfie cos I checked in too early :D

Love this in-flight entertainment system. Tons of movies to watch, tracks to listen, and games to play. Their earphones sucks though cos it's in-ear! Good thing Jeckie bought me an early birthday gift before I left -- a red Urbanista San Fran! yeyy! Didn't think we'd find one at Fairview Terraces especially that I was told they're only available at Megamall for now. I was also afraid the mic wouldn't work but thank God it did! Best earphones ever! Chos. XD

In-flight meals are surprisingly good. It's my first in-flight meal anyway so whatever haha

Above the clouds! <3

Deplaning at Narita Airport, Japan. I can finally say I've been to Japan HAHA but not really since I only had a short layover there and I found myself lugging super heavy bags I couldn't stroll around with ease. Lesson learned, even in long flights, try to lessen your hand-carry baggage. It can get super tiring. My arms are hurting right now.

Leaving Japan! Off to a 10 hour flight to LA. :D Lucky that I was able to score window seats for all of my flights! That means more pictures (of clouds), but it also means I have to hold my pee cos it's so hassle having to weave out of your seatmates to get to the lavatory. XD Anyway, you all know how window seats are important to first timers! hahaha

In-flight dinner. I love everything they served so far!

Specially their coffee ;D

Syalin. Delta proudly serves Starbucks. Bongga!

Well above the sky. :)

Gus Fring offering drinks. Kidding. But doesn't he resemble him? Only younger and chubbier? Haha

I had a pretty long layover at LA but I didn't do much strolling cos my bags are too heavy and I'm already so spent after passing through immigration and TSA check. My bags are a great hassle, I have an entire backpack dedicated to all my electronic devices and pulling them out on trays for checking and putting them all back in after that kindof stressed me, specially when there are other trays in the line haha.

Here's my first purchase, a $15 worth of food at the LA International Airport. My mom will be proud cos my drink is screaming greens and my food has vegetables in it. I enjoyed the drink but the food is so blah, too much arugula and not a trace of Caesar dressing contrary to what the label says. I was actually thinking of complaining about it but then I had to carry my bags with me to the counter and they were so heavy so I decided against it. It's okay though. But $15 is roughly Php675 and this is definitely not worth 675, even with the Ceasar dressing. HUHU

After eating and getting a short nap near the departure gate, we're finally off for boarding. The view was amazing. :) I posted a super short clip of this scene on Instagram haha

Some 4 hours into the flight and we've arrived at Minneapolis! I did a quick check and was shocked at the 0 deg temperature outside. Woah.

And indeed, it was crazy cold. I think I wouldn't be able to bear the temp outside. Even when the sun was up this afternoon the air was freezing cold! It's not even winter yet! Oh, here's the porch of the house where I'm staying right now. Love the abundance of trees in here! Also that there is 0 traffic! Minneapolis is pretty much filled with highways!

Right now I'm feeling, ano ba, alone. Sucks I came here knowing no one at all. I just came to be acquainted with a few people when I arrived here plus my housemates. Other than that, I'm not totally totally comfortable yet. In time, maybe. I wanted to go out but there's no place to go, and no one to drive me, and no one to bug about stuff. Shocks ang lungkot lang haha. But anyway, I'm loving the food here, at least what we have in this house. Haha. Sarap kumain oh no. T___T

And can I just say how I'm loving Facebook more than ever? It's super great that it allows us to do not just chat, but call and video call as well! I just talked to my parents this afternoon, and my sister this evening, and just now my boyfriend! We had super clear calls grabe. Waley na waley ang mga networks sa Pilpinas. XD

That's it's so far! Have a great week ahead! Good night! :D

Winter clothes hunting in the Philippines

Kebs kung dollars ung nasa picture okay?!

I'm leaving in a few days and I haven't even started filling my luggage. Searching for the right clothes to wear in US winter season isn't all that fun especially when I have to look in a tropical country. Good thing I inquired my officemates and the web for tips on where to buy thermal stuff and winter clothes so I was able to cost-plan my shopping spree to a minimum! Errr, not really.

Here's what: in cold weather, layering is key. Most of the spaces you'll be into are probably heated anyway so it'll only get super cold when you go outside. With that you would want to be able to strip off a few layers of your clothes when you're feeling warmer so yes, layering is a must unless your goal is to channel the Michelin Man throughout your trip.

So here are the essential clothes you should ready in case you're off to winter wonderland! Layering these should help keep you warm and comfy

1. Thermal underwear

Uniqlo's Heattech line is famed for being awesome heat retainers despite being tissue thin. I have yet to validate this when I get to the US but since I trust the brand and the reviews are pretty good, I got myself a couple of tops to serve as underwear. It fits closely and comfortably in fairness! It's a little costly though, but it's nice investment cos you can still wear it here.

Aside from Uniqlo, Marks & Spencers also has their line of thermal clothes. Tiangges have it too. SM department store has long johns stored in the men's section but they're pretty bulky for layering, they're great pajamas though!

2. Fleece or wool sweaters

Ukays are my favorite place to scout for pullovers cos they're really cheap, you might even score some with fleece lining which is perfect in cold weather! Aside from Ukays, we have an abundance of knitted stuff and pullovers at local department stores, just ask.

3. Coats and jackets

Down coats like these are extremely helpful in keeping you warm, plus they look good too! If you're going to be dressing for the office, you can invest in peacoats like these as well cos they look classy as hell and wouldn't leave you trembling in the cold.

Winter season isn't a reason to be out of style, keep it trendy by keeping your outermost wear beautiful. Just look at this down coat with a banging fur hood!

All of these coats and jackets I found over at Sammy Dress so be sure to check them out. They have a lot of other jackets and outerwears that will definitely catch your eye and make your winter more interesting so go ahead!

4. Scarves, bonnets, earmuffs, gloves, and socks

Small articles of clothing that make sure we're sealed tight against the cold air! In countries where winter gets really bad, you need to wrap up intensely to ensure no heat would escape your body. When your body is all wrapped up, heat tends to escape from whichever body part is most exposed to the air, that is our hands and our head, so make sure to protect those too! :)

Urbanista: A Tribute to Urban Lifestyle

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”

Urbanista came out of a vision to glorify the urban lifestyle and create products that make life better for modern people in urban developments. We design for life in motion. Every product in the Urbanista portfolio is developed to serve a need for the target group - the Urbanistas. Within the tight portfolio, the offering is wide. The retail environment shall clearly show the most relevant product for each consumer. The Urbanista products are meant to be life companions. Therefore they are developed with design and colors in focus. The products should not only enhance the life of the Urbanistas with the functions, but also the looks.

Urbanista is launching in the Philippines, really soon! Familiarize yourself with the different Urbanista earphones:

SAN FRANCISCO

Balanced for music and talk Why compromise? If you’re looking for earphones for both music and phone calls, you’ve finally found them. For the everyday use for, suitable for anyone.

Features: Ergonomic design | Suitable for music and talk | Handsfree with mic | Value for money

OSLO

For simplicity seekers Made in a classic but revamped earphone design. Soft rubber ring around the earbud to create comfort and good fit.

Features: Recognized design | Fits most people | Handsfree with mic

RIO

For the urban athlete With Rio, we´re raising the bar for how really good sport earphones should sound, feel and cost. The GoFit silicone wing guarantees an ergonomic and secure fit even in the most challenging and wet circumstances. The sound is optimized with clear sound and strong bass to boost your performance with your favorite beats.

Features: GoFit silicone wing which fits securely in your ears | Water resistant (IPX5) | Handsfree with mic | Light construction

BOSTON

For freedom seeking athlete. At the gym or in the street. Every beat, clarity without compromise. Urbanista Boston sport earphones with Bluetooth gives you the freedom to really move

Features: Wireless Bluetooth connection | GoFit silicone wing fits securely in ears | Water resistant (IPX5) | Light ear buds | Handsfree with mic.

IBIZA 

For uncompromising music lovers In the studio. At the concert or club. Urbanista Ibiza high performance earphones make you feel as if you were really there. Every note, precision without compromise.

Features: Heavy bass with uncompromising clarity | Ergonomic design with GoFit for secure fit | Handsfree with volume control and mic.

MIAMI 

For the expressive music lovers Miami is a classic foldable mid-size headphone that comes in several vibrant colours. The frame’s flexibility, the soft headband and ear pads allow the headphones to rest comfortably on your ears. The Urbanista logo, carved from aluminum,

Features: Comfortable, foldable & affordable | Strong bass and clear sound | Handsfree with mic

COPENHAGEN 

For the design devotees The Urbanista crown jewel. Made in brushed aluminum in a style as sharp and fresh as your own. These premium mid-size headphones carry music with dashing clarity and tonal accuracy that’ll make your listening experience a treasure trove of musical enjoyment.

Features: Unique and exclusive aluminum design | Supreme audio clarity with dynamic bass | Soft headband with enclosed adjustability | Handsfree with mic

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I'm really looking forward to trying these out, hope they roll out demo units soon! There aren't a lot of earphone brand catering to an assortment of fits. I usually have a preference for the traditional kind of earphones or the ones similar to iPhone earbuds cos they don't fall off my ear easily and doesn't feel weird. Oh well, welcome to the Philippines Urbanista! Hope they could do a Philippine version too! Why not! Totally digging Oslo and SanFran!