Have you ever had pants the fit your body perfectly? If not, look no further and grab one of the Rafaella Women’s Slimming Fit Ankle Denim. You can work, play, lounge anytime with these pants found in Amazon from sizes 4 – 16 & 16W – 22W.
It’s always wine o’ clock somewhere! Last weekend, I was invited to go to the 17th Annual Claremont Wine Walk and boy, was it so much fun! We started our walk with I Like Pie Bakeshop & not only did I fell in love with their Orange Moscato but oh my gosh, their Strawberry Rhubarb pie is to die for!!! Definitely coming back there whenever my sweet tooth starts kicking in.
We then kept going with our wine walk and had to stop by at this cute little alley and took a quick #ootd picture as I also made this two piece printed rose outfit just for this event!
As we kept going with our walk, we found more shops handing out yummy wine, food and saw some really cool artwork too!
Eddie and I also found this unique gift shop, Rio De Ojas! They have so many cute little things and decorations you can easily give to anybody, especially for halloween just around the corner!
We then hopped off to Noren’s Nursery, which is one of my favorite nurseries in Claremont! I want this to be my backyard someday with their little succulents! Just come check them out. They have some serious interior goals!!
Another shop I fell in love with is Speckled Hens. This store has a hand-selected, ever-changing merchandise, seasonal treasures and holiday displays, creating a unique shopping experience every time you visit.
And right next door is Linda Lloyd Antiques selling antiques & interiors! When I get my own house someday, definitely coming back to shop here for decors.
Another shop that’s worth the stop in Claremont is Amelie. It’s a cute little store that carries high end brands like Free People, 7 For All Mankind, and Lolli Swim.
And for our last stop, we had to end our night with ice cream from Bert and Rocky’s. I don’t even remember what we got (hence from drinking wine all night) but it tasted like premium strawberry ice cream mixed with fine wine and everything is made in their little shop!
Once again, thank you Claremont Village for sharing this wine-derful experience with me! Such an awesome way to end my summer!
Also, super in love with this dangling Marguerite Charriol necklace! It’s light, elegant, gorgeous & easily goes with any outfit/season inspired by the Daisy flower! I normally don’t like wearing jewelry as I easily get irritated and I dont like it when they’re super heavy and it hurts my neck but this one was just perfect.
We seriously didn’t want this night to end. Will I see you in the next wine walk? Dont forget to look out for the tickets next year as they sell out fast! Hope you babes had an amazing summer! Now who’s ready for fall?
Outfit: Made by yours truly <3
Necklace: Charriol
Photos: Eduardo Salazar
Xo,
Joy
Last Sunday, I went to Clairmont Farmers’ Market for the first time and I fell in love with how dainty this little city is and how lovely everyone is in the market place. The first thing I saw was the little sunflower shop (which if you didn’t know, I’m obsessed with sunflowers – I’m led to believe that they are my favorite flowers, I once drove across the state just to see them bloom – yet once I got there, they were dead) Anyways, these sunflowers were painted and colorful!!! I was sooooo in love!
I also fell in love with my new watch from Rove Watch. I am obsessed with their Bella White Watch, as it is light, delicate and even more gorgeous in person. I love the white strap as it goes with mostly everything and the gold finishing. I plan to take this watch with me every where I go especially to my next travel destinations.
After going through the farmers’ market, my boyfriend took me to Petals N’ Wings. They have the cutest garden filled with succulents, cactuses and garden accessories. Every corner was insta worthy or another cute plant ready to inspire you and make you smile.
They have these little gardens that tell stories within their own!!!
And they also sell swings, chairs, tables and more garden accessories.
What do you think about this nursery? Did you fall in love with it as much as I did? I also plan to do more some travel blogs and start locally like this one. Penny for your thoughts?
Dress: Forever 21
Hat & Purse: Target
Shoes: Walmart
Photos Taken By: Eddie
Happy Game of Thrones Season Premiere Night! If you didn’t already know, GOT is one of my favorite shows in the whole entire world that I decided to make an outfit inspired from one of my favorite characters, Daenerys Targaryen. If you have not seen Game of Thrones, you definitely should start watching and if you’re fanatic like me, how did you guys like the season premiere? And what did you think about this outfit?
XOXO,
Joy
Can you believe that summer is almost here? Other than the heat (which I’m not a huge fan of), I can’t wait for the long sunny days filled with fun, ice cream, summer concerts, festivals, beach days and road trips. As summer arrives, it is very important to find your summer essentials. I am very happy to share that I found one of my favorite brands as it was a love at first sight at “A Summer Of Love. Everything they have is boho chic that has the feminine and trendy vibe. I especially love this “My Michelle Belle Crop Top” that I wore at Coachella as it is so versatile, flirty and fun! I wore it with a draped skirt with a side slit that I made while it was super hot during the day and I also wore it with the “Lucky One Ripped Jeans” as it got a bit cooler during the day. What are you guys and gals looking forward this summer? Don’t forget to shop at “A Summer Of Love before summer fully arrives and don’t forget to use my code “JOY4ASOL” to get 15% off your entire purchase! 😉
XOXO,
Joy
In this crazy, sometimes difficult world that we live in, sometimes (we or at least I) tend to forget that magic still exists, that true love exists. We are often so busy making m0ney from our 9-5 jobs, the pressures of this life, the bills and the stress that we forget the little things, the little triumphs and that the world is still magical if we choose to see it that way.
Because the sun still rises and sets beautifully whether you watch it or not.
Because of how ecstatic and excited my dog is when I come home.
Because of how artists pour so much soul, blood and tears into their art.
Because there is still kindness in this world.
Because of how two strangers can turn into lovers in an instant.
Because of friendship, chemistry, joy, hope, love and grace.
Because of new beginnings, of resilience and of courageous people who do things they never thought they could do.
Because of the fools who dream, the weird people, the poets, artists, music makers, dreamers, designers, outsiders and risk takers.
Because of all the gorgeous places I dream to see in my own eyes.
Because of how flowers still grow after being stepped on.
Because there’s rainbows after the rain.
Because of laughter and of the indescribable feeling of happiness when you’re in a room filled with your favorite people.
Also, this is one of Secretly A Mermaid‘s newest two piece set that I will be wearing at Coachella this year. It is made out of purply iridescent mermaid fabric. I love the way it hugs my body and that it is high waisted. Grab yours now and stand out on your next rave or music festival! 😉 For my next few posts, I will be sharing different festival looks. So stay tuned for more! <3
XOXO,
Joy
Are you a struggling artist? or simply a creative person who just can’t seem to have it together? Are you always the hot mess in your squad? Are you always late? If you are, you are not alone! I wanted to write this article just so other people can have a little bit of insight inside their creative friends’ brains and how or why they function this way.
I know I’m a little late on my blog posts lately (sorry, it has been a crazy busy week) as I wanted to talk about one of girls’s favorite topics to talk about: love! ;P Have you ever been loved unconditionally by someone? The kind of love that loves you still when things get ugly, when you have stuff in your teeth, when you fight and cry but you know you’re going to be okay the next day, when you can fully trust the other person knowing there’s no malice in their heart and all they want is the best for you despite of your differences? It wasn’t until my late twenties that I realized (other than God who created this whole universe and my parents who treat me like a princess and the rest of my family who can’t really get rid of me, hehe) that my greatest relationships (so far) are my best friends.
When I truly thought about the things that I was looking for what an ideal relationship should consists of — there were some things that I knew were non negotiable such as: commitment, loyalty, trust, kindness, respect, honesty, the ability to be completely myself with another person and have lots of fun. With that said I also realized that one of the most important part is for me to be with people who will show love unconditionally and willingly —and accept that I will love them that way in return —and who aren’t afraid to stick around for the hard parts, who aren’t scared to talk about each other’s flaws, or plan a future with me or who will pick up the phone at 3 am because I’m having a nervous breakdown and I don’t think I can finish my school project that’s due at 8:30 in the morning.
Sometimes I’ve asked myself: isn’t our greatest relationship supposed to involve romance? Isn’t suppose to end in marriage like what the society expects out of us? But looking back on my life, my friends have been my constants – who have an unconditional love for me for years. Even when I’ve hit my lowest points, they’re the ones who have helped me come back up. The ones who never gave up on me and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. The ones who’ve talked me out (and never stopped) #insertrollingeyesemoji of dating the guys who they think aren’t good enough for me. The ones that know when I deserve more when I clearly don’t see it and the ones who see the strength in me when I feel like nothing but a broken mess. They don’t worry about a “commitment” to our friendship – it just flows. They don’t look at my bad sides and make me feel bad for it – for the most part, we point them out to each other and discuss how can we be better as a person? They aren’t nice to me just to get something out of me; they’re nice to me because they care about me. They push and aspire me to be my best self because we are each other’s cheerleaders —without forcing each other to be someone we’re not. Last but not the least, I don’t have to compete for their attention or convince them to see my worth because they already know it. In all honestly, I’m lead to believe that your best friends are probably one of the strongest loves you’ll ever have because nobody is forcing them to love you, other than the fact that they already know too much about you! 😉
For this blog post I am actually wearing Secretly A Mermaid‘s newest set. Follow us on Instagram: @shopsecretlyamermaid My bestie and I started our own Etsy shop late last year in order to share our love for mermaids, dressing up and fashion. Speaking of unconditional love, I can say that our friendship is one of the primary examples of the existing greatest relationships that I have. Sometimes it feels like work because we actually work together even if we’re fighting… but in the end I still think it’s worth it because we love each other unconditionally and we are working towards a common goal and we don’t lose sight of that.
My hope is that if you haven’t found someone who loves you for all the beautiful, amazing mess that you are — is that you never give up. Hang on tight and spend time with the ones that already do. <3
XOXO,
Joy
As 2017 rolled in, I made a simple asymmetrical dress that I wore for my NYE dinner in DTLA. I also went on an annual new year’s hike which helped me think of seven things that I want to try and keep applying to my life this year. One of the best parts about the New Year is that it’s a clean slate. There’s a sense of comfort in leaving the past behind, feeling encouraged to let bad habits end with 2016, and becoming motivated to make positive changes in 2017.
Hope these were helpful that you can also apply these to yourself!
XOXO,
Joy
Christmas is only two days away. It’s the most joyful time of the year. You can feel it anywhere you go, from the twinkling lights, crazy last minute shoppers and the lines to see Santa Claus. Christmas is normally one of the happiest times of the year but for some people it can also be a sad reminder of things that are lost and unreachable. A lot of times the holidays make us stop and think of the people and things we love the most, who we celebrated with and who you’re celebrating with now. We remember our loved ones who has past and how they’re no longer here with us – the ones who played an important role in our life once and now were left to carry on without them.
Christmas is one of those holidays that brings us together and carry on the tradition on how you’ve celebrated it since you were a little kid. It’s a season that reminds us on how strong our bond was to those you love and who loves you. You miss opening your Christmas presents with them or sitting, laughing away with them at the dinner table and reflect on the memories you’ve shared together.
Growing up in the Philippines, I would like to think that I am blessed to have a family who was big on celebrating Christmas. My whole entire clan would go to church on Christmas Eve and I would be wearing my favorite dress as we sing carols away. After the service, we would have a feast at my grandparents’ house and be merry and wait until the clock strikes at midnight. My brothers, cousins and I would be so excited to open all our Christmas presents. One of our traditions was to have a gift exchange between the “little kids”, my cousins and I would put our names in one basket and pick from there. At that time, I remember that we would have to buy something within 50 pesos – which is a dollar here.
As small as that amount was, I will never forget the joy on our faces once we open what we got for each other. My cousins and I will play our newest gadgets and toys and thank our aunts and uncles and we would keep playing until we finally get tired. We would also make sure to hang our sock so that Santa can drop by and give us money by morning.
I remember one Christmas morning, I didn’t receive anything from Santa. My grandpa told me that Santa must’ve missed it. I was devastated. How could Santa miss my sock? Every year he didn’t miss it before, why would he now? There’s even times when he would write to me! If there’s one thing I took away from this, it is that – sometimes we get disappointed because of our expectations – we are placing them at the wrong place.
From my young mind, I realized then that even Santa wasn’t perfect. Life isn’t perfect. People aren’t perfect. They will make mistakes and that’s okay. Life in general is sometimes unfair, harsh and difficult, and yes, Christmas does make us realize this truth even more. However, let’s not forget to have a spirit of gratitude and thankfulness – that despite of all the imperfection of this life – we have perfect moments in between and the best thing we can do now is to make the most out of them… Go hug your mom and dad this Christmas. Tell them how much you’re thankful for them. Listen to your sister. Hang out with your brother. Play and laugh with your cousins. Talk to your aunt and uncles. Make your relationships stronger while you still have time. Be present. Tell someone you love that you love them and you appreciate their being. Stop holding back – it doesn’t do you any good but fill your life with regrets, pride and sadness. As much as there’s memories that make you sad – you can also be happy that they happened and they’re what made who you are now and that’s something that can never be taken away from you.
As a Christian, I am forever grateful for Christmas. It’s more than a tradition for me. It’s a season for me to be thankful, to feel and show love to others and to celebrate Jesus. I understand that not everyone has the same point of view and that’s okay – but for those who do — let’s not forget the true meaning of Christmas. It’s God’s undying love for us – so go out there and share the same light and love. Don’t be afraid and radiate it. Go sprinkle kindness and happiness and be merry.
I named my blog post ‘let there be light’ – as i thought it was very fitting for this season but it’s also one of my new favorite songs currently and I wanted to share it.
Have a happy merry christmas loves! Oh and I made this Mrs. Santa outfit, let me know what you think about it! 😉
XOXO,
Joy
Let There Be Light
Words and Music by Michael Guy Chislett, Matthew Crocker, Joel Houston, Brooke Ligertwood, Scott Ligertwood & Jonas Myrin
Verse 1
There’s no darkness in Your eyes
There’s no question in Your mind
God almighty
God of mercy
There’s no hiding from Your face
There’s no striving in Your grace
God of mercy
God almighty
Chorus 1
Let there be light
Open the eyes of the blind
Purify our hearts in Your fire
Breathe in us we pray
Jesus have Your way
Verse 2
There’s no borders in Your love
No division in Your heart
God of heaven
God of freedom
There’s no taking back the cross
No regret in what it cost
God of freedom
God of heaven
Chorus 2
Let there be light
Open the eyes of the blind
Purify our hearts in Your fire
Breathe in us we pray
Let there be light
Open our eyes to Your heart
Desperate just to know whoYou are
Shine in us we pray
Jesus have Your way
Bridge
Good news embracing the poor
Comfort for all those who mourn
For the broken hearted
We sing louder
Release from prison and shame
Oppression turning to praise
For every captive
Sing louder
Restoring sight to the blind
Breaking the curse of the night
For all in darkness
Sing louder
Proclaiming freedom for all
This is the day of the Lord
Beauty for ashes
Verse 3
Let the light that shines above
Become the light that shines in us
There’s no darkness in Your way
So have Your way
Lord have Your way