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Solo’s Online Model Search Winners in Summer Collection 2013

Thursday, February 28, 2013





Solo brings you its Summer Collection 2013 modeled by the 2 grand winners of Solo’s Online Model Search Competition 2012: Derek Espinosa and Ganiel Krishnan! 

Standing at 6’2, Derek said what makes him a good model is because of his kind heart and versatile personality. Apart from modeling, Derek is also a business management student who loves to play sports like basketball, swimming and running. 

Meanwhile, Ganiel studies mass communications at Far Eastern University. This outgoing half-Indian, half-Filipina beauty is also talented in the field of music and acting. While both love modeling, Ganiel wants to pursue an acting career while Derek wants to become a successful businessman in the future.

The pair got to experience a photo shoot with Doc Marlon, one of the most sought out fashion photographers in the Philippines


Derek and Ganiel had an awesome time on set, modeling trendy and hot pieces from Solo’s summer collection! Consisting of bikinis, tops and shorts, the collection boasts a fun and bright theme, befitting the vibe of what summer is all about. This season, Solo incorporates popular trends to its collection such as stripes, color blocking and Aztec prints. For colors, it’s a blend of warm hues such as orange, red and yellow mixed with cool hues such as blue and green.


For more information, visit:

Watch out for the next Solo Online Model Search this coming August! 


Sagada Day 1 - Down the Rabbit Hole

Wednesday, February 27, 2013


We left Manila around past ten pm, Friday. It was raining hard that night, mom kept on calling me while I was wasting time in a salon--waiting for my friends who all arrived at 9pm sharp. I thought the trip would be cancelled, but the group (Travel Lab PH) pushed through!




Mich and Pax stayed in front of us:


Seatmates with Ms. Mentos.. Tracy:


Tracy kept on laughing at (and judging!) my fish eye lens obsession! Ang cute naman diba? ;D




We tried to sleep for the rest of the night travel--the challenge was to figure out how to position our legs, we kept on twisting our knees and bewangs just to find a comfortable spot. But tiredness won, I actually slept lang naman. Tulog-gising lang, and actually went down the van every time may stop-over. Feeling ko may kailangan akong samahan na mag yoyosi sa labas, haha! I've been so used to my yosi friends. :p


One of our stopovers was in Halfway Lodge and Restaurant--where we also had our breakfast na. Sun's up already! And, sabi nga ng restaurant, we're halfway to our destination.


The restaurant's wall:


Our view:


It was a great break from being on the road for hours. Inenjoy ko talaga ang kain, plus, ang biglang sobrang lamig when we went down the van--mas malamig pa sa aircon! Ang sarap ng pagkakape ko niyan!


We went back on the road for a few more hours of road trip. We stopped by a view deck to take photos of THE Banaue Rice Terraces!



Previously part of the "7 Wonders of the World". Sana maibalik natin ang title!


We were taking gazillion pictures with the beautiful backdrop, when this local approached us para we can take pictures din with him, hehehe.


Foggy!


Hello from your bagong gising Anagon! Hehehe.




With the YOLO gang: Pax and Tracy! And Mich, who took our pic, hehe.




We finally arrived in our hotel, and had time to unpack and maligo nalang (yup may heater naman!) before we go to our first activity. No rest na since we slept nalang rin naman the whole trip.

"Claiming" of beds, hehe:
Pax and Mich's:


Shared the bed with OC Ayson! :) As in bawal sa kanya magpatong ng maruming damit o bag sa bed--at dapat clean na ako bago mahiga hahaha! Easy naman to adjust for me, mabuti nalang super OC din Ate ko! ;p


Our roomie Purima had a corner of her own:

Sobrang small room lang with small CR. I can't remember the place's name but may George sha, haha. Bad internet connection din so we struggled with our instagram posts the whole time! ;p We only had two sockets for charging, so kahit dun we took turns and prioritized nalang what gadgets talaga we needed for the trip. All in all, kaya na for just two nights. Pagnacclaustro na ang "Ms. Personal Space" in me, lumalabas nalang ako sa balcony ng room namin. We had a great view from there, siguro dun palang okay na ako with this accommodation. :) Btw, this is inclusive na sa package namin! For P3700--kasama na even the transpo, the tours, etc. Food and other gastusins lang ang cinash out ko for this trip so aroun P5k budget, buhay ka na! :)



We had lunch in Strawberry Cafe--ang restaurant na maiuulit-ulit namin sa whole duration of this trip! They serve standard foods and service is good! And mura pa!






We ordered two bowls of strawberry goodness while waiting for our meals. Super sarap and ang lalaki!



Finally--fooood! Parang panay kain kami talaga for this whole trip!




Tracy hates my fish eye lens talaga! Hahahahaha sarap asarin! ;p



Plain yoghurt + bowls of strawberries for the gang:


While I ordered my own yoghurt with strawberries--na sobrang nainlove ako! :P 


Sobrang dami ding dogs sa Sagada! Ang tataba nila and sobrang chill lang and friendly! Ang kokyot! :D



Ready for the caves! First day na first day, ang agenda namin spelunking! Hindi pa ready ang heart ko (lol) but go go go nalang!



Saw this in one of the souvenir shops, hehehe:


Second time ko na actually ito to go to Sagada and treck the Sumaging Caves! I actually vowed after the first time na never na ako babalik dito--once is enough! Every time I tell my sisters my own YOLO stories on those nights na yabangan kami ng mga natravel na namin (lol), I always include the horrors I went through this cave. It wasn't so bad ha, although may "danger zones", basta may guide kayo ok naman. But ako kasi hindi nako magpapanggap na strong ako and skilled and athletic (hahaha). Alam na alam ko nang weakling me, and I have weak lungs (asthmatic ako before, buti nalang nawala) and ang dali kong ma-cramps! Idagdag niyo pa, hindi na din naman ako bagets, and first day ko pa niyan. If you know what I mean. :p


But anyway! Excited nadin naman ako to go through hell este this experience again with another set of friends! :) Sabi ko nga, madali akong mapeer pressure, lol. Seriously, I know it will be another experience basta iba ang kasama ko! :) Niloloko ako ni Tracy na feel niya may THIRD pa akong Sumaging Cave experience--pag nagka jowa na daw ako! Hahaha, pocha sabi ko break kung mangyari man yon! Lolz.



Massage massage muna ng likod bago bumaba, hahahaha.



Sabi nga sa Alice in Wonderland, down the rabbit hole.... :p


The diff, I guess, with the first experience (other than meron ako ngayon, lol TMI) is may camera na ako ngayon! One of our guides ang nag handle ng cam ko, and the whole time picture lang sha ng picture! Kung ano ang kinonte ng photos ko noon, ang sha namang dinami ngayon! Trigger happy ni koya! Haha! :D THE BEST!



Ayun ang isa sa "Porn Caves" hahahaha! The Queen daw! ;p


Eto naman The King daw, lol.


The Prince! :p Daming hirit ng guide namin! Haha!


Giant turtle! Hehe!


Sa pinaaaakaaa baba ng cave may water part na. Optional if gow kang mabasa. Bilang andun nadin naman, push lang kami nila Mich, Pax, and Tracy! Posing muna!


Ganito ang eksena ko the whole time! Holding hands kung kani-kanino! Lol. Natatakot ako minsan pag walang "human touch"! :p Minsan hawak nalang ako kay Pax basta lang alam kong may kasama ako. Haha, scaredy cat! Sabi ko "Buti nalang gurl ako! Kundi nakakahiya!" Hehehe.



Curtains! :)


Tatawa tawa pa kami niyan, pero pagoda na ako niyan, and butas na ang Cotton On SG shorts ko, haha! Dyahe-much! :p


Nakakatawa tong posing namin ni Pax nato, magkaisa! KAPITBISIG sabi nga ni Maya! Hahaha!



Panay ang suot din namin sa masisikip na rock formations! Medyo afraidy baka maipit ang flabs ko, alam niyo naman, medyo curvy ang loley niyo hehehe.



Favorite ko siguro dito sa darkest part of the cave, na may short swim ganap! Ang LAMIG ng tubig, di ko maexpress ang kalamigan! And true enough, cramps nanaman ang drama ng feet ko! :p Pero alam niyo yun sa sobrang alam na alam ko nang ccrampsin ako, parang ako "Ok kinacramps nanaman ako--Carry on" lol.



Chillin with Paxieness! Kung pansin niyo, by gitna of the cave, we took off our slippers na and left them muna. Mas madaling itreck yung stones nato - Spiderman level ang kapit pag gumagapang kami! ;p


Isang challenge pa itong rope nato going up! Buwis buhay level! Dati when I first did this parang chicken feed lang. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nanyari--bumigat ba ako o hindi na kaya ng arm ko buhatin sarili ko. ;p


Kung ano man don ang reason, GOW nalang! May part na before ako tumawid sa lambitin level na rope eksena, sumigaw muna ako ng "AJA!" hahaha. Sabi siguro ng mga kasama namin sucha weirdo. ;p

After ilang cramps pa, ilang hila sa sarili sa mga bato na panay bat poops, and isang dumugong sugatang toe-- Finally!
Light Land and Love! Lol joke.



But hindi pa doon nagtatapos ang kalbaryo.... lol. We traversed (traversed!) to another cave bago dumilim, para makita ang hanging coffins. Hingal level guys! Trinatry ko magpatawa niyan with my autopilot walk but no, hindi makatao ang hingal ko! Hahaha!


YEEESSS Bella and Edward! Lolz.


Si Tracy daming energy! Thank you daw Elorde coaches for her conditioning! Hehe!



Chillin like a villain! ;p Sa taas nalang kami ni Pax.


The others went down to check out the tombs:


An artsy shot by kuya guide of me getting out of the "rabbit hole" :) 


After limang baldeng paligo, we went out again for dinner naman. Sabi ko sanyo panay ang kain namin dito! But di ka tataba dahil sa dami din ng lakad! :p




We went to Yoghurt House bilang maraming nagrerecommend daw nito sa kanila. I've eaten here narin before, and okay naman ang food. Super blockbuster lang sha that night though, medyo nasungitan na kami ni ate receptionist. :p We waited narin anyway, pagod na at ayoko na ng another trekking just to get food, hehe.


I love the homey feel of restaurants in Sagada. Alam mong former house sha converted into resto to take advantage nadin of the many tourists na nagfflock sa kanila. Sabi nga namin magtatayo narin kami dito ng kainan! ;p Hehehe.


Hi Pax! Hehe.


Pudgy coke bottle, fish eyeing habang trinatry ko pa comprehend ang conversations kahit lumilipad na ang utak ko. :p

What we had, para mabalik ang energy.






I had strawberry yoghurt again! Ang sarap, pero the best talaga yung sa Strawberry Cafe!

Great first day! Eto palang alam mong sulit na sulit na ang trip! :)