SUMMER had always been a fun time of the year that letting it go without a bang is just not advisable.
Here are simple yet fun suggestions in spending your summer here in Hong Kong:
1. Stay young at heart.
Hong Kong Disneyland is dedicated to serving Hong Kong people through a wide spectrum of community services programs from helping those families in need, to inspiring creativity among children and youth, to encouraging the protection of the environment in the region.
Personal suggestions would be to hit up Hong Kong Disneyland's newest attraction this summer which is the Monster University. Sulley and Mike have a lot to tell you about their days in the university before they became part of the Monsters Inc. As a preparation for the movie Monsters University, HK Disney had something in store for you to give you a feel of where and how these two had become best friends. After getting enrolled and having your ID made, enjoy while getting soaked as you watch this season's Mickey's Waterworks Parade. Let's all have fun until the end of August for you surely will have a great time with your family and friends. See the princesses dance as they spritz you with perfume and play with Mickey and his friends while he splashes you with water. Yes, you have to be ready to get wet all over. Better yet, you should bring an extra shirt. Lastly, Mystic Point, the first of its class, a miniland which you can only find here in Hong Kong, that allows you to get a taste of what the world has to offer thru the eyes of Lord Henry alongside his nephews. He is an explorer ready to share what he had seen if you visit the Mystic Manor. What's more, he had invited the ambassadors of some of the places he had seen to share some of their culture thru a simple dance presentation.
If you want to know more about them, and you'd like to enjoy a unique magical experience, visit www.hongkongdisneyland.com for more information.
2. Collect and Select
I've come across a lot of fashion bloggers that had recommended a lot of versatile materials that could last not just this Summer but the entire year. Most of us hate the idea of having limits but with these patterns, designs and fabric, you'll get more than your money's worth and rest assured that you'd be in style.
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| dress: Retail Frenzy; | ||
| bracelet: H&M | ||
| belt: Kingswood marketplace, Tin Shui Wai | ||
| sandals: Kingswood ginza, Tin Shui Wai |
The most popular style that a striped pattern is known of during Summer is the sailor get up. This fad can be mostly seen during boat trips and amongst the people who got the moola (money) since they'd wear this in letting their yachts sail. But now that Cotton On and H&M, even UNIQLO had popularized it, making it available on a bargain, people are driven to try with other styles.
Now, you see, one of my most favorite thing to do is to support and help entrepreneur friends. One of them is Ria who had recently put up her online shop called Reetail Frenzy*. She had rewarded me a maxi dress for blogging about this fab street-chic yet glam stylized goods.
Like all writers would account fashion, it is a mere expression of how you want to be perceived and fashion says a lot about you; your personality, how laid back you are or how uptight you could be. It tells your story, it talks about your personality and most of all, it says about what kind of persona you are. So, however you style up with this classic pattern, don't forget that you shouldn't overdo it.
b. SARONGS/LAVA LAVA/MALONG/BIG SCARVES
There's a sacred word behind every tourist's mind when they go on a vacation - RELAXATION! And it's important that you wear something comfortable, functional and fabulous even when it's just about staying in a villa out in Bali, Santorini or Tahiti. Now it's important to choose a pattern that could go with your personality and the material that would hug your body just as how you want it to. When traveling, you expect that you'd always be on the go. So from using it as an extra cover up if you're cold during the flight, to using it as something to lay on to get that tan while on the beach, make sure that you enjoy that great holiday time by flaunting with confidence those curves and legs that you've invested on months before.
c. ANYTHING THAT HAS COLORFUL PRINTS AND LOUD PATTERNS:
Swimsuits also could be in a loud shout out that spells F-I-E-R-C-E! I'll include the animal prints here to maximize the "patterns" that I'm talking about and the following images are some of the designs that made me look twice. Hopefully, you'll make your crush look twice too. Invest on one and regret nothing that will make your summer worth remembering.
― C. JoyBell C.
I came across this passage and I do totally agree. But knowing myself, I have to add up, "Throw yourself with style!" And, no matter how simple you would want to be, or loud because you are more than eager to be noticed, be honest with yourself and never be afraid to show who you really are. Never attempt to be like somebody else. Accept the true you, I always emphasize this in my posts.
“You can be the most beautiful person in the world and everybody sees light and rainbows when they look at you, but if you yourself don't know it, all of that doesn't even matter. Every second that you spend on doubting your worth, every moment that you use to criticize yourself; is a second of your life wasted, is a moment of your life thrown away. It's not like you have forever, so don't waste any of your seconds, don't throw even one of your moments away.”
― C. JoyBell C.
d. BEACH PANTS:Now, when you go on vacation or on a holiday trip, it is advisable to pack light yet pack the most necessary in doing the activities lined up for you. One of the most advised pieces are beach pants.
Beach pants are functional pieces that are good for photo ops, on your rented bicycle, planned shopping spree and a little bit of hiking giving you that trendy touch up. It usually comes in white or see thru but the printed ones make you feel light, good and energized. As you strut down the beach, you'll be a good sight to everybody with the colorful trail you'll be leaving behind. From all the swimming, tanning and laying under the sun, dry up a little and just put this on with your flip flops if you're ready to hit the villa for a pina colada to cool off. It's a good cover up and a fabulous way to put the beach mood up a notch. Time is essential to go back to your hotel and change just for this so, beach pants are light to carry wherever, whenever.
e. COVER-UPS
Now, there are an array of cover-ups besides beach pants that you can choose from. The most fabulous ones usually can be bought from the vacation sites themselves and the secret is to buy the perfect fabric that flows thru the body comfortably. I love the following designs and I hope you could get some ideas of what to purchase the next time you hit D'Mall of Boracay or the stalls Phuket offers.
It is important to keep yourself presented decently.
At all times, you need to be appropriate.
And most of all, comfortable.
3. Do some projects that may help you earn a buck.
There's no other perfect chance to use your free time during Summer, than using it to earn extra money. It is a rewarding time to engage in DIY projects that can be shared to your younger siblings, cousins or your own children. First step is to figure out what you love doing, what are you passionate about and/or what are your hobbies. Maybe from there, you could figure it out.
My good friend, Dazha had first started out by making her own accessories and now, she is actually collaborating with her other entrepreneur friends earning bucks from what she loved doing and what she does best. The Ever_After* bands have indeed made a statement that H&M have somehow adapted it later. Being worn by the 2013 champions in Dragon Boat, Team Mushu, the bands had been famous and popularized in an instant.
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| Team Mushu ladies with their team captain after winning | |||
| the all Women's Championships 2013 | |||
| Head accessories: Ever_After | |||
| Bikini tops: Ever_After | |||
| Team Captain's paddle necklace: Boracay All-Stars | |||
| everything else (trophy/shorts/team captain's top/abs): TEAM MUSHU |
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| Project by: Celina Bilbao |
| Model: Carmelle Ros |
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| Celina Bilbao trying on her own masterpieces. |
Other than these, of course you can come up with different money making businesses such as baking cupcakes, writing blogs, offering styling services, pimping up old t-shirts, flats and many more. Every Monday, I aim to post up useful DIY information* that are handy and cheap to do to boost that confidence in you.
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| You can sell one cupcake for HK$10/piece |
4. Have a day out.
Now one thing good about Hong Kong is that their weather observatory is as precise as it should be. There could be mistakes every now and then but most of the time, it is reliable. If you heard that weather in Hong Kong can get crazy, you heard it right. So use the internet wisely as you plan out your day. Check the predictions because during Summer here, days could go beautiful but it could also be steaming hot outside as compared to how you saw it out the window from your air-conditioned room. Better be ready to bring a wide-rimmed hat, bottle of water and a spare t-shirt if you plan to spend an afternoon out. If you will go on a picnic, make sure that you bring a mosquito repellant for the bugs come out during this time of the year. Protect yourself from the harmful sun too so it is advisable to choose around 4:30 pm in laying down the picnic blanket. At the same time, it is Hong Kong's rainy season so it's good to be ready to have a plan B.In pinterest, tons and tons of activities that caught my attention that is truly fun to do for the whole family to enjoy is the Glow Sticks Bowling. This is not only for the kids but also, adults would find this cool and fun. If you don't own a garden to pull this game, let me share to you this particular list and just pick out what you find suitable for your home. Copy the list or save the photo and it's ready to be printed out.
5. Get fit.
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| Joane Laygo - at her best, 2013 |
| Choreographer, Stage Manager |
Here is one of my icons for living a healthy life, owning a beautiful family of 2 kids and her man and still having that unbeatable confidence and girl power that I admire so much. Ms. Joane Laygo, who had been an assistant to Johnny Manahan of ABS CBN Philippines, is continuously an inspiration. She has one message to share to everybody and that is to continuously live. It seems so easy to put it that way but when you actually do it, you meet obstacles. But the fabulous lady in the image had been a master of it all. She would undeniably share about her ups and downs in the magazines that had featured her but that's what makes her special. She always manages to be a good example despite of it all.
So this Summer, you have the time to do soul searching, to get inspired via the book, "EAT, PRAY, LOVE" and find the rejuvenation you're looking for. To start off, channel that energy into doing some exercise. EXERCISING strengthens the body, relaxes the mind and toughens the spirit. What's so exciting about doing it this season is that the outdoor awaits you. Here's something that you can ponder on as you decide to make it happen.
Remember!
When you decide to do something for yourself,
do it to create a better version of you.
There's no other competition except your will
and believe me, it's the hardest opponent you'll ever have.
Here are links where you could read more about the following:
*Reetail Frenzy and Ever_After - http://kytedalino.blogspot.hk/2013/04/making-their-dreams-reality.html
*DIY posts - http://kytedalino.blogspot.hk/2013/06/for-d-i-y-monday-and-laid-back-tuesday.html