Most Loved this Summer

Summer has ended and now fall is here! There are a few things that I want to share with you so I'll get right into it!

• I guess I'll start with the big one, my Mazda CX-7. ♡ A week before I started my new job, my Nissan Xterra was on the verge of breaking down and driving it to work would be hassle if it happens to suddenly stop working. So, for a month, I was either getting dropped off/picked up by my Dad like a grade schooler at work or I wait for 15 minutes to an hour or more for a cab. I waited 3 weeks for this car to get inspected and certified and it was well worth it. I most especially love the sound system, sunroof and the heated seats! 

Most Loved this Spring

I am well aware that it is already summer but I wanted to give a few of these products more time for me to decide if I really love it.

Most Loved this May (music edition)

First, how's your day? Me? I'm fine. I just stumbled upon some new songs that I am currently raving about on Twitter and a day with new music to listen and love is a great day, right?

Second, I'm here to share my music favorites this month and where to listen to it!

I've been recreating a lot of my playlist on Spotify because I had to replace my old hard drive last year and I wasn't able to save my files. From zero playlist, I now have 19! I'm not going to ask you to listen to all that. Although if you want to, you can find it all here.

Two weeks ago, I decided to create a collaborative playlist on Spotify.

What is a collaborative playlist? It is basically a shared playlist that you and I can edit. My only agenda in creating a collab playlist is to discover songs through friends and Spotify just made it easier by having this option. To know more about what a collaborative playlist is, read this.

Is there a genre? There is only one genre or theme in this playlist and that is... a song that you are currently loving. So, it could really be of any genre. Any song that makes you have an eargasm and an eargasm that you'd like others to have.

How do I join? You can join through this link, but first you need to have a Spotify account.

How do I add songs? Add songs like how you would on a regular playlist. Click More (...) ➛ Add to Playlist ➛ Collaborate and Listen

Are there rules? Only a couple reminders, don't delete songs that other users have added and add songs moderately. 

I'm currently loving this violin instrumental by The Gloaming called The Rolling Wave and Kygo's new album, Cloud Nine.

I absolutely love the pleasure of sharing music when my friends ask for it and so is discovering music through others. A few of my friends and I have already started adding songs on the playlist! I hope you can join, share and find new music to jam to! If you have any questions, drop it down the comments section!

And now for the actual Collaborative Playlist...

This post is an entry to Raisa and Eirene's Blog Linkup! ♡

Most Loved this Apreel

I only have 5 favorites to talk about and it's all something you can watch on the internet hence the title. He he

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Sense8 on Netflix. This. show. has. everything. It revolves around 8 strangers from different parts of the world, mentally and emotionally connected to one another. What I love about it is that it highlights the diversity of culture, religion, sexuality, politics and so much more. And if you have been sticking around here long enough, then you probably already guessed that there are action scenes in this series because you know that I am a sucker for that.

What's been on my mind this February?

I've been looking for potential apartments to move into in Maryland. Assuming that things go according to plan, it would be easier to get things done once it happens. In the first week of February, my Dad and I drove to Maryland to scout the apartments I saw on Craigslist. We went to three and we ended up liking the neighborhood of the first one we went to. The thing is that they only have 1BR apartment left and considering my current situation, I can't move in just yet. Which led me to think that it's part of their marketing strategy, "Only one left, lease now before it's gone!" Right? Right. That's why I'm not working myself up on it. It's a strategy. At least that's why I think it is every time I check if it's still available.

Chuck and Sarah still gives me the butterflies.

— Michelle (@jmichbio) February 6, 2016

Chuck. Oh, Chuck. Where do I start? Best TV series ever? I decided to watch all seasons this month and it also led me to Netflix. (I discovered that my Dad has a Netflix account that no one was using. um, not anymore!) So, yes, Chuck. Action, check. Comedy, check. Romance, check. Nothing more I could ask for in a show. Hello, Zachary Levi, may reklamo ka pa ba? 

Being drawn into Hozier’s music lately 💙

— Michelle (@jmichbio) February 14, 2016

 Songs that you play on the background for the perfect chill day at home, together with Bon Iver and The xx.

✨Report issued last night✨

— Michelle (@jmichbio) February 22, 2016

It should only take a few more days before I get a reply from the Maryland BON. I hope it all goes well! Positive wishes my way? :)

Still halfway into the movie but damn #CTHD2 is SO good!

— Michelle (@jmichbio) February 27, 2016

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny - I've known about this months before when I saw Natasha Bordizzo's post about it. She is/was blogger too and now she's an actress making her first appearance on film! The movie itself was great. I was easily enticed by the cinematography, beats the first CTHD. The fighting sequence was better on the first, albeit still good. It has its flaws but I still think it's worth watching!

Sriracha + sinigang must have been the best decision I made this weekend.

— Michelle (@jmichbio) January 17, 2016

Sriracha should have been on my previous Most Loved entry!  It slipped my mind and since this somewhat turned out to be favorites post, I'd just add it here. Spice up your sinigang with sriracha! Use it as a condiment, don't add into your pot. :P

Ps. Would you be interested on an Empties post? I have empty bottles and tub of what nots waiting to be thrown out. 

Most Loved this Winter

 I started trying Lush products last year and the very first Lush product I tried was Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser but I didn't really see any significant change that would make me love it so much. I also read this post on Style Lullaby by Sharon that cleansers aren't exactly the products you would want to splurge on since you'll just wipe it off of your face. So, I went for Lush's American Cream which is a hair conditioner that has a really nice scent that stays on your hair for hours!

Another Lush product that I love is Ro's Argan Body Conditioner. I ordered this online without having an idea how it smells, but I'm pretty satisfied that I don't hate the smell of rose in this shower lotion. You basically use it like a hair conditioner -but on your body, like it says on the tub. VERY moisturizing, and again, the scent lingers on the skin all day. 

My showers have been so lonely ever since I ran out of this. :(

One clothing item that I have been loving is this H&M peacoat, I like to think that it makes me look well put together especially when paired with...

these Forever 21 booties that I purchased on December 2014! Yes, it was a long time ago. I don't wear it out that much that's why it still looks kind of brand new.

Lastly, an RB4 Band-In-A-Box Bundle that I got for a good deal on Black Friday. If you remember me asking which one I should get first, a puppy or an RB4, now you know what I went for. I'm sure as heck that I will get a puppy (or a cat), but they will have to wait for now until I get my shit together.

Join the linkup by Raisa and Eirene! Read more about the linkup by clicking on the banner above. :)

That Post When I Talked About My Favorite Series

Growing up as a latchkey child, I had a lot of free time on my own and one of my favorite things to do is watch the television. Lizzie McGuire, That's So Raven, Boy Meets World and Even Stevens were a few of my favorites as a kid. Then when I turned into a teen, I'd force myself to stay up until 10PM just to catch my favorite shows on TV, by then it was Chuck, How I Met Your Mother, Bones, ER and Charmed reruns.

So, why the hell am I making this post? Well, it has recently come to my attention that I have no one to fangirl with. I always see people on my news feed talking about The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones and HTGAWM, but none are talking about Grey's Anatomy, Marvel's Agent of SHIELD or Heroes Reborn. I mean, those are REALLY GOOD shows too!

Serious question. Why are none of the people I'm following raving about the shows that I watch?

— Michelle (@jmichbio) November 21, 2015

I guess what I'm trying to do here is to show you guys what you're missing. I'm going to try to briefly talk about my current favorites and maybe when you find yourself doing nothing and you want to "Netflix and chill", you'll remember this short list and save yourself from potential boredom. Lol

Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. - Action and SciFi. My current ABSOLUTE favorite at the moment! It's basically set in a Marvel Universe; Marvel films coexists with the series which makes it more interesting. For me, an action series is nothing without a hand to hand combat and this show gives you that and even more. By more, I mean kilig and haha-s. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is currently on its third season so it wouldn't be that hard to catch up if you want! Other Marvel series are Agent Carter and Jessica Jones.

Young & Hungry - Comedy. It's about a personal chef who happened to have a one-night stand with her boss; that's kinda where the story starts from. As I said on my last post, I find it really funny and you'll just have to see it for yourself. Other comedy series I'm watching are The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family.

Black Mirror - SciFi and Satire. I only started watching this on July 2015 and I still haven't seen season 1 of episode 3 because I got sidetracked by other shows. Judging on the two episodes that I've seen, Black Mirror isn't like any other series. It's mind boggling and thought provoking. Each season only has 3 episodes but Season 3 will be coming in with 12 episodes on Netflix so I guess that's good news!

Heroes Reborn - Science Fiction. It's a miniseries which only has 13 episodes, a continuation of Heroes, it's main series that ended in 2010. I'm quite sad that it's about to end because it is so good. :( If you're going to watch it, please be mindful of everyone and everything that's happening to avoid confusion. Haha

And of course, Grey's Anatomy will always and forever be a favorite!

What are your current favorite series? I'm open to anything (Kdrama, animes, etc.) and would love to check out your suggestions! 

Ps. If you're already watching any of these series and you need a fangirl buddy, leave your twitter handle on the comments and I can be your person (GA reference *wink)!

Most Loved this Fall (November Favorites)

 Another season is about to end so I might as well create another "My Favorites" post! This time I'll be joining Raisa and Eirene's monthly blog linkup!

First thing on my list is this tube scarf I got from H&M. I actually bought this by mistake because I was looking for a blanket scarf and not this. But I love it! It's huge unlike the other tube scarf that I have plus, I can wear it like a cardigan without worrying of it falling!

 This small Old Navy sling bag -perfect size for carrying my essentials when going out for errands. Wallet, phone, keys! I also traveled with ease because of this! Kept my passport and boarding pass safe.

Sony portable charger! A travel necessity, I must say. You don't have to worry about draining your phone battery while keeping your Snapchat updated! Ha ha

 The Super Sizer by Covergirl -best mascara I've tried! I've used Maybelline and Mac's splashproof lash but I feel like Covergirl's the only one that made the curl stay longer. Probably because of the wand!

 Heard a lot about this Stila Stay All Day eye liner! Really made applying my wings heaps easier and faster.

My newly ombre-d hair styled by Aysha Shukri of Manna Center. Nope, not getting married yet! Haha

Last two favorites are Kalyeserye/AlDub and Young and Hungry! I don't know what's gotten into me and humor but these two shows/skits can make me laugh so why stop watching?

And that's it for my favorites!

Most Loved This Summer

I'll start with the most recent thing that I've been loving so so much! It's this adorable bracelet that Tom gave me as a surprise present for our 2nd year anniversary. Ah, the way he spoils me even if we're miles apart. I noticed that he's been asking me random questions and I sensed that something was up but I didn't know that it was something like this. I might have to let go of my black hair tie that I've always been using as an arm candy and replace it with a real bracelet. Haha

I have this on my Pinterest as something that I want to have and I finally have it! It's my first "huge" purchase with my own money. It's the Fuijifilm Instax Share Printer. I chose the printer over any of the Instax camera because I'm the kind of person who doesn't like having a lot of things with me when I'm traveling/exploring, I only bring the essential things such as my phone. Having a camera everywhere I go just to have polaroid photo is a burden for me.

This Gap baseball hat was something that I took out of the stands while waiting in line at the cashier and boy, was I glad that I did. I got this for only $3-4. I knew that I was going to wear the shit out of this cap during my summer in Manila. A plain v-neck shirt, shorts, sneakers, purse with this cap and I'm ready to head out unto the sunny day. As I said earlier, I'm not one who likes to bring unnecessary crap, apparently an umbrella is one of that. Haha

Funny how I can remember the day that I bought this weaved hanging owl decor from Papemelroti. I was running errands at the mall and I passed by the store and saw this huge owl calling out to me from the display. I went inside and asked how much it was, apparently, the ladies at the shop didn't know the price because it was only delivered that day. I willingly waited as they phoned someone. Thankfully it didn't cost that much because I really wanted to hang it in my room! 

I found this game through Tom. He'd be on another plane, not talking to me as he'd concentrate on finding hidden objects. I tried the game and I liked it! The thing I like in Criminal Case is that I can play detective like the characters from my favorite shows namely Bones, Fringe, Nikita and so much more. I happen to love crime drama series so if you know something that I might like please do share!

Another application that I've been enjoying recently is Snapchat. I've had it for a long while but I appreciate it more now that my friends list is growing. Find me with the username: jmichbio and let's be snap buddies!

That's all I have for this post guys. Have a great one! :)

That Post About Warby Parker

I was thinking of words on how to describe the feeling of having a new pair of spectacles and I ended up with a long metaphor.

Your old spectacles, a relationship that you have grown into. It's comforting as you have been with it for a long while, but you know that things are bound to end and you get a new pair right after the other. Your new specs, strangely different but you know that you have to move on with your previous one. It's your rebound spectacles. Ha ha!

Don't get me wrong. I love my new pair of eyes! I met my new companion through Warby Parker. Warby Parker has been on my bookmark for ages, patiently waiting for the right time that I need to get a new pair of eyeglasses. It's basically a store for eyeglasses and sunglasses. They have a wide variety of specs and when I say wide, I mean wide (they have a monocle)!

Besides their retail stores, you can also shop through their online website. Add up to five frames to your own liking on their Home Try-On tray and they ship those five frames to you for a dollar. After 5 days of the free trial, send them back in with the return slip included in the home try-on kit. If you think you found something that you really fancy, you can purchase it on their website with your prescription attached and ta-dah, new spectacles!

I got the Holcomb Oak Barrel frame and it comes with anti-reflective coating with no extra charge. AR coating has anti-glare and it gives more comfort when you use computer for a prolonged time.

Oh and the best thing about Warby Parker is that if you purchase a pair, they donate a pair too! Check out their collection of eyeglasses and sunglasses!

My First Most-Loved Entry!

Let's face it. I'll never be that person who maintains her blog consistently, that's why I'm changing my Monthly Favorites tag into Most Loved (items and whatnot)! I still want to do this kind of blog but I can't force myself into posting every month. I'd go bankrupt! Moving on to this post. Here are 6 items that I loved within the past months:

Moleskine Cahier Journal in Kraft Brown

Unfortunately, I missed the annual tradition of Starbucks Philippines where we collect stickers by purchasing beverages throughout the holiday season and get a planner. I was influenced by my cousin who's a big Starbucks addict. Fortunately, Tom got me the 2015 planner! (Thank you, B! If you're reading this :P) Since I won't be getting my hands on that asap, I bought this lined notebook at Target. It came in three pieces. It's where I write in my lists, some thoughts and more list. I'm planning on filling up the cover with stickers!

Zebra Double-Sided Highlighters

I was looking for a decent highlighter at stores but all of them were neon colored that are too bright for my life. I resorted to online shopping, found JetPens on Google and met the perfect pastel colored pens! It has fine and bold point on each end which makes it even more better!

Korres - Pomegranate Toner

Before using Korres, I used Neutrogena Alcohol Free toner only to have something to get rid of the dirt on my face. While it did clean my face, it feels a bit stingy when I apply it which is why I switched. Korres on the other hand, doesn't sting, leaves my face matte, isn't drying and it smells pleasant!

Uniqlo Drape Pants

Uniqlo is my go-to store for basics alongside with Giordano and Bench. I bought this drape pants because I need something to cover up my legs for the winter. I love the style because it reminds me of Princess Jasmine. Drape pants = Princess Jasmine

Conair Flat Iron

I spent my holiday gift card from work on this baby. I use it to curl my hair. Curly hair = more volume! I also like the deep purple color.

Forever 21 Coat

It's in the color that I love. Need I say more?

September Favorites

Application: Clash of Clans. I've been hooked for the first two weeks since I started playing this that the app itself sets me for a timeout! I have my college friend to thank for for introducing this game to me. It's basically a strategy game. You create a village/base which includes your defence, resources and army. You get to battle other players too for more resources and use that for upgrades. The thing I like the most about this game besides its whole concept is that you can play WITH your friends. You can join or create a clan where you can chat with your clan mates and you all can go to war (a battle with other clans) which is quite exhilarating especially when the attack time is about to run out and you only just need a little more time to get one star in order to win the battle! All that while your friends are watching you attack live and are cheering for you! I really like that even though I'm thousands of miles away, I still get to "hang" with them. Thank you, technology!

Film: Begin Again. What I like about this movie is how the two lost souls crossed paths. They made a team and created something beautiful when they were in each other's lowest point in life. They make a great support system for one another in a completely platonic way. It sucks that Adam Levine plays the role of cheating bastard, again.

Person: Pharrell Williams. Have you seen him on The Voice? Adorable!

August Favorites

Food: Ben and Jerry's Hazed and Confused Core. It's a chocolate and hazelnut ice cream with fudge chips and a hazelnut fudge core. I love the hazelnut fudge core in this! It isn't too sweet, it instantly won me over.

Website: There was this one night when I couldn't get sleep because I kept on daydreaming about what I want for our house in the Philippines to look like, so I went online and looked for an online Floor Planner. It's free and user friendly. It worked as a great outlet for my sleep-disturbing ideas.

TV Show: Young and Hungry is an American sitcom produced by Ashley Tisdale. Watch if you're a foodie. Watch if you like Jesse McCartney. Watch if you like slightly sultry jokes.

Person/website: Erwan Heussaff aka The Fat Kid Inside. If you're looking for healthy recipes, alcohol mixed drinks, food hacks and basically anything that has to do with cooking, then that link is for you. All videos are certainly delicious to look at! I'm not even talking about the food anymore. Erwan Heussaff, girl!

Book: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. If you enjoy psychology and Sheldon Cooper, if you're a foodie and a wine lover, then I suggest you read this book! This was quite an enjoyable read. I would love to see the movie soon. Don Tillman was more of a Benedict Cumberbatch than Jim Parsons for me though!

July Favorites

Website:
Go Book Yourself. If you're looking for more books to read, I suggest you this website, which basically gives you a good variety of book recommendations.

Pic Monkey. It's an online photo editing site. I stumbled upon this website while looking for something that could help me create a collage for my Pittsburgh trip. It's free and you don't need to sign up!

Film:
Starting Over Again. It's a movie from the Philippines, starring Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga. I judge Pinoy movies based on their trailers and if I like them, sure, I'll watch it. And this movie right here, I knew that I wanted to watch it as soon as I saw the trailer from one of the movie dates that Tom and I had. Unfortunately, the movie came out a week after I left the Philippines, so I had to wait for the digital copy to come out. More on the movie, it reminded me of 500 Days of Summer, one of my favorite movies of all time, because it's a story about love but not exactly a love story. Filipino or not, I highly recommend this movie. It made me laugh and cry!

The Raid 2. If you're into action like me, this movie is for you. If not, then your father, brother, boyfriend or best bud might appreciate this movie like I did! It's the second instalment for The Raid Redemption. It has exceptional hand to hand combats, blood and more blood than the first movie. Believe me, it is really great. Watch out for the fight scene in the kitchen!

Music:
I can't pick one song! Each song came from different genres that made it hard for me to pick.

Valentine by Lotte Mullan that brings you back into the old times! I love listening to synthpop. I find it really relaxing and chill. Having a mix sang by James Vincent McMorrow makes it even more appealing.  I can't remember when I first heard this song but I only found out the title last week! The music video, lyrics and everything about it is A+! Book: The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield.  Mystery novel. Vividly written. It was almost as if I'm being taken into another world with each word. Twice when I shook the book out of disbelief! This novel was made into a British drama film. It was okay. The actresses were lovely! If I'm not mistaken, a girl from Game of Thrones portrayed one of the main characters of the book. Beauty: Revlon Magic De-crease Eyelid Primer. It leaves a light tint and sometimes I'd wear it as it is. It does the work for holding that eye makeup! Essie - Sand Tropez. I wore this twice last month. It's beige but when I go color blind I see it as lavender. Lol

June Favorites

I thought I'd try doing this monthly segment that I've been seeing a lot on YouTube, because (1) it looks fun and (2) it seems like a great way to update this blog differently where I can talk about the things that tickled my fancy during a certain month. Let's commence!

Food: King's Hawaiian sweet rolls. It tastes like pandesal! 

Drink: Vitamin Water. This month I recently found out the goodness of Vitamin Water, I particularly like XXX. I feel like a 6 month old baby for trying out new food/drinks weekly.

Scent: Bath and Body Works' Eucalyptus Mint Wallflower Fragrant. It made my room smell so good and the refill lasted for a month!

Wear: Gap Body Sleep Shorts. Look at the adorable ruffles!

Application: YumTum. Springpad is closing down and I needed an app where I can store my recipes. YumTum does the work for me! You can also use it when doing groceries.

Personality:

Ansel Elgort. I recently followed him on Instagram and I haven't seen any of his movies but find him cute. That is all.

Jun Ji Hyun. She's one of my favorite actresses of all time. I fell in love with her the first time I saw her and made me cry on Windstruck. She's great in drama, action and comedy! I absolutely love her in My Love From the Star!

Show: My Love from the Star. It's a Korean comedy drama which gave me a good laugh and made me cry few buckets of tears towards the finale. I was sobbing like a kid who had her first trip at the dentist. If you watch Korean dramas and you haven't seen it, I recommend this one!

Film: Non-Stop. Liam Neeson, the father I never had. This movie got me tense!

Music: Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran. A 15 second pseudo cover has been posted on my Instagram a day after hearing it for the first time. 

That's it! What about you? What are your favorites this month?