pattylaurel

Happy Birthday Anne!

Happy Birthday to one of my dearest girlfriends, Anne! Patrick and I love you so much :) :) May you continue to bless others with your kindness and thoughtfulness!

We've been married for half a year!!! HALF A YEAR!!! Palakpakan naman diyan!!:) Patrick had to leave for Coron this morning for a shoot so I'm sulking all by myself in bed---I guess we will have to celebrate when he gets back on Friday. In the meantime, I guess I will just whip out a box of Kleenex and watch our wedding video again---this one's a different version, lovingly edited and shot by our wonderful MAYAD family!:) :)

Official Wedding Video of "The Pats" : God's Perfect Gift from Mayad Studios on Vimeo.

Hey Jow

Thank you so much Joanna Ballesteros of HeyJow for sending these lovely charms and trinkets :) :) She even customized a travel inspired charm bracelet just for me!!! How sweet!!!

I'm giving away necklaces from HEY JOW!

1. Click the LIKE and TWEET buttons below this post.

2. Click LIKE on the HEY JOW Facebook Page.

3. Tell us which necklace/bracelet/accessory you love the most. Post your answer on the HEY JOW Facebook Wall. Don't forget to add the hashtag #pattylaurelblog to qualify as an entry.

Example: "HeyJow, I'm obsessed with this charm bracelet! I hope it brings me lots of good luck in life and love! #pattylaurelblog"

A max of 3 entries per person only. Contest ends on May 31. HeyJow will notify the winners directly via Facebook on June 1.

The Beautiful Life of Zach Sobiech

This is a long video but I do hope you will carve out time to watch it. It will change your life. :) Thank you Lord for allowing me to watch this---and thank you Lord for Zach and his family!

Up in the Air with Eva Air

As much as I LOVE to travel, the sitting on your bum for hours is not exactly my most favorite part. I dread long haul flights, it's just something I physically and mentally have to psych myself for. Thankfully, more and more top of the line airlines have included Manila on their flight map, giving us the luxury of choice. We can now choose an airline that flies to our preferred destination (with minimal layovers!), works with our budget, and offers comfort&good service too!

When I was younger, I just booked cheap flights--because they were cheap. As simple as that. But after traveling for many years I learned that it doesn't end with the price---a good deal is only a good deal if you're getting GREAT service at a LOW price. If you're getting LOW service for the LOW price you paid then that doesn't seem to be worth the brag. These days COMFORT is a crucial criterion in choosing airlines ---so a perfect match for me would be a comfortable flight at an affordable price. BINGO!

For our NY trip, I did a lot of research online and narrowed it down to a few options. Eva Air won this round because of their Evergreen Deluxe/Elite class. It's actually a class in between Business and Economy, giving you luxury that's more affordable for the budget-savvy but discerning traveler. It's obviously a bit more pricey than what you'd pay for coach, but for an 18 hour flight it's something worth considering especially if you want to be well rested during your trip.

According to their site, "This fourth class of service included the luxury seating, personal entertainment screens and individual controls usually associated with business class, but was available at a cost a little above that of economy class. High-quality passenger comfort and attentive in-flight service give you amenities typically found only in business class on other airlines. Our Evergreen Deluxe cabins meet domestic business-class standards, offer spacious seating with rows positioned 38 inches apart, and give you your own individual seat-back video system with a selection of movies for your in-flight entertainment. You can even adjust your screen to the optimum viewing angle and operate the system with digital controls built-in to the front of your armrest."

Chillin' with my EVA girlfriends! Hihihihi :)

To book your Evergreen Deluxe/Elite Class seats, simply log on to www.evaair.com or contact your friendly travel agent to inquire about Eva Air's latest promotions. Their interactive site allows you to book and pay for your tickets at the comfort of your own home! With just a few clicks, you can select your preferred flight schedules, check in online to avoid the long lines in NAIA, and you can even pre-order your meals (for Business Class). Plus you can also get free real time flight status updates via SMS! I was able to book our flights and pay for our taxes/service fees within minutes---no stress at all! I'd like to extend my deepest thanks to the lovely ladies of EVA AIR: Nenita Chan, Nancie Ng, and Andrea Carlos for making this all possible!

To hear more about our actual flight experience, just click on this video below.

EvaAir from Thirtysixomedia on Vimeo.

Marc by Marc Jacobs

I love everything about the SPRING 2013 collection of Marc by Marc Jacobs!!!! This line feels like a mix of different influences---Japanese POP star meets African Safari meets Organic Goddess chic! It feels modern but earthy at the same time, I can't seem to put my finger on it..but it works! The layering of different pieces, the mismatched yet still coordinated prints, the fun color palette, the turbans, and of course THE SCARVES!!!!!! I love how Marc Jacobs went scarf crazy for this collection.

And of course..how could we not talk about these bags?!?!? Aren't they insanely cute! This is how we should all approach fashion--with a "I'm wearing something FUN today" attitude.

via glamour

The reason why I'm blogging about the latest Spring collection is because------>>The Marc Jacobs fan girl in me just died!!! Yesterday an extra special package arrived, they sent me the ACTUAL runway clothes to simply play dress up with. THE. ACTUAL. RUNWAY. CLOTHES. EEEEEPPP!!! *insert shriek here* I cannot stress further how this is such a BIG DEAL. Just being able to wear them, even just for a day, gave me a happy tingling feeling all over. So indulge me as I post some pics of my mini fashion show! I decided to work with the Marc by Marc Jacob pieces into my daily wardrobe---to make it still very stylish but a bit toned down for everyday use :)

PS: I'm sorry for not putting any make up on---but I did put some lipstick so that should count as makeup, right???:) I asked my husband to snap these pictures for me and I was just giggling the whole time, I guess I need a fashion blogging tutorial ASAP!Hahaha!:)

This is such a sweet&dainty metallic polka dot skirt! It's perfect for corporate fashionistas!

It cuts just above the knee which makes it conservative but still very flirty.

This scarf is to die for!!!! I went absolute bonkers when I saw it on the runway photos and couldn't wait to put it on! It's such a versatile scarf that can be worn in multiple ways.

This dress is perfect for Manila weather, it's lightweight fabric makes it extra breathable!

This is the perfect movie date sweater! Perfect for cuddling with your sweetie :) Oh and the sunnies are from Les Moda.

Loving these SPRING looks??? Rush to Marc by Marc Jacobs in Greenbelt 5 now!!:)

Crescent Lake and Hurricane Ridge

Photos by my mother-in-law :) Thanks Oma for these happy snow pics!

Seattle Filarts

We've been back for two days now but I'm still suffering from a bit of jet lag. I've been wide awake since 330AM! I have an early call time for work in a few hours, so I guess I should use this dead time to post more photos. From New York, we made a pit stop in Seattle to visit Patrick's brother Paul, his wife Michelle and their kids Paolo, Mateo and Bella. His mom was also visiting at the time so it was a very happy reunion for all of us. In just 4 days, we managed to squeeze in a lot of eating, sightseeing, and advenchooooor thanks to Mic's jampacked itinerary! Check out our pics below :)

Fish and Chips at Spud

Heavenly Salted Caramel Ice Cream at Molly Moon

Seafood Fiesta at Crab Pot

Cheering for the Seattle Sounders..they won 4-0 by the way!!!

Church at Mars Hill

Happy Chaos at the Pike Place Market

Hurrican Ridge and Crescent Lake

Thanks again to the Seattle Filarts for making my first trip to Seattle very memorable!!

Love you guys!

Best Starts with Dad

When I was just starting to date Patrick, one of the first few things we talked about was his love for his nieces and nephews. He gushed about them non-stop and I was immediately convinced that this fella was really destined to be a good father. Although we don't have children of our own yet, we've been very blessed to have lots of kids to fuss over! The children of our siblings and best friends fill us with so much joy and it's nice to see Patrick making them lambing as "practice" for the future :) Duma-daddy moves!!!

Jorem and Sky Catilo

I've always admired my friends who are young dads taking on the unconventional role of being hands-on fathers. There's a new wave of fathers who have been debunking old stereotypes of fathers just being financial providers and not really physically and emotionally attaching themselves to their kids. Dads are now more involved in the rearing of their children, pitching in and working hand in hand with their wives to provide a loving and safe environment for their kids to grow up in. From teaching their kids to tie their shoelaces, finish a puzzle, or ride their bikes, Dads are now more focused on the little things that actually matter. Gone are the days of dads just leaving all the "home and family matters" to mothers, now it's really a team effort for both the dad and mom. It's a progressive way of thinking but something I definitely support!

Though my own dad is very old-school and generally a conservative kind of guy, I'd like to think he was way ahead of his daddy counterparts when it came to his parenting approach. During our formative years, both of my parents were working. My mom was running her own preschool and my dad was a lawyer. They both had thriving careers yet they managed to stay very hands on with the both of us, distributing the responsibilities of child rearing equally. So I'm banking on Patrick to be an active and ever present dad too just like my dad and his dad too!

Since young dads are more and more active participants in the lives of their offspring, this adds more pressure on their part as they try to manage their careers, marriage, and parenting all at once. It can really take a toll on them physically and emotionally and cause them to burn out too!

This is a sponsored post.

Speaking of empowering young dads, it's so refreshing to hear about Mead Johnson Nutrition's efforts to celebrate dads who have dedicated their lives to providing the best starts for their kids. Mead Johnson Nutrition, makers of Enfakid A+ and Lactum 3+6+, recognizes all fathers for wanting to give nothing but the best for their children as they launch the BEST STARTS WITH DAD Campaign on Facebook. This special online campaign can get you a chance to win a MacBook Air, iPhone 5, and Ipad Mini just by honoring the DADS in your families! All you have to do is share your father and child photo this May 14-June 11 at http://bit.ly/BestStartswithDad. You can even get a FREE photo shoot for your kids with their dad (follow www.facebook.com/bookofbeststarts for details) and use it as an entry. Visit the Shangri-La Plaza Atrium on May 18-19 and get that Best Start father and child moment captured on camera! Check out this heartwarming video from Mead Johnson that features real dads (not actors) and their message of hopes and wishes to their children.

New York Photo Diary: Day 6&7

On our sixth day, we met up with my Ninang Marie, Lissi, and Gin for some Shake Shack in Madison. Their hamburgers were insanely good--it's really hard to compare it to any local burger joint in Manila. I had the cheeseburger with the fried portobello mushroom and it was a party in my mouth! On a normal day it takes about 40minutes to an hour to line up for a burger, pero grabe sobrang sulit!!!

Subway Kids.

Grand Central Terminal

PETER LUGER. Hayyyy. My kinakapatid Anco treated us to a fancy dinner and wooow, it was really a hallelujah meal for me and Patrick! This is going to be a BOLD statement but this is THE BEST STEAK I'VE EVER TASTED in my entire 30 years of existence. And I've had great steak--in Manila and even in Europe--but maaaaan, Peter Luger deserves my slow clap. Their no frills approach allows their meat to shine on their own. Nakakaiyak sa sobrang sarap!!! After dinner, I just told myself "Damnit, I really can't become a vegetarian--ever." Hahaha!