Tricia Will Go Places | Tricia Gosingtian

I spent almost a whole week in Kuala Lumpur. Surprise! Tourism Malaysia handpicked some media people from Manila and I was surprised to be chosen (or even be an option in the first place), along with two amazing people - Gino dela Paz from Star and Kat Velayo from Mega. We flew in (Thank you Cebu Pacific and Bea Totanes!) just in time for the Colours of 1Malaysia, which is this annual event in KL showcasing tourism products, multicultural traditions, cultures and art. When that was over, we hopped from one tourist spot to another. We went to the Petronas Towers, Putrajaya, Menara Kuala Lumpur, KL Craft Complex, Luna Bar, Sky Bar and Beryl’s Chocolate Kingdom, among others. We also had a lot of time touring the different shopping areas in the city, so we could share to our readers our own recommendations on where to spend all your Malaysian Ringgit.

Putrajaya, the federal administrative center of Malaysia.

We were greeted by warm glasses of teh tarik!

View from the Skybridge, the bridge connecting the two Petronas towers.

(Bea Alonzo says the Petronas Towers look like two people holding hands. Hur hur.)

Me and Kat in required smart casual attire. Thanks to Shop Dainty for my wedges!

We went to Renaissance Hotel for the Mega Familiarization Program welcome remarks and presentations. Proud to get a certificate, plus some “Friends of Malaysia” goodies.

Among the goodies were these uniform batik shirts we had to wear for the Colours of 1Malaysia. Over 100 people from different countries all over the world wore the same shirt and it’s a shame I wasn’t able to take good photos of everyone since it was raining pretty hard that night.

Arrival of the King.

All smiles and good vibes from different cultures. What I liked most about it is the fact that they got everyone to be part of it. 5000 participants participated, and they all came from different backgrounds - Malay, Chinese, Indian and Siamese people from schools, public and private higher learning institutions, members of local cultural associations, and non-governmental organizations.

Pictures from the palace gates of Istana Negara or the National Palace.

The Bukit Bintang view from the KL Tower.

The Petronas Towers.

Adorable kids I spotted at the tower.

Menara Kuala Lumpur view from Luna Bar. Pretty sunset clouds!

Pavilion is the mall right beside our hotel, Grand Millennium. It’s in the heart of Bukit Bintang, and is probably the best shopping place for both tourists and locals since it houses pretty much everything - high-end designers, high-street brands, lower-range ones, and local Malaysian brands.

Recommended stores: Eclipse for nice cocktail dresses - I got myself a cute black jersey dress, Diva for accessories, Sasa and Watsons for Japanese make-up - prepare yourself for Canmake, Dolly Wink, etc., Topshop for two floors of awesomeness, and Forever 21, Cotton On and Pull & Bear for nicely-priced clothes, shoes and accessories.

We were super lucky to meet with some of the designers from The Twelve at Fahrenheit 88. It’s a concept store consisting of twelve designers carefully selected by MIFA (Malaysian International Fashion Alliance). The twelve are: Shinju Pearls, Tas Iman by Tom Abang Saufi, Radzuan Radziwill, Zero to Ten, Key Ng, YODA, uReka, Sasha Rowena, PU3, BDA, JKhan and Benson Chen (Thank you for the wonderful sandals!). It’s this really quirky artistic space that you wouldn’t want to miss, especially if you’re into edgy things that aren’t mainstream.

Fahrenheit 88 is a fairly new mall that’s right across our hotel, Grand Millennium, and walking distance from Pavilion.

Recommended stores: Uniqlo’s flagship store, and Stardust Studio for Tsubasa Masuwaka’s make-up line, Dolly Wink, and for your daily fix of cute.

You have to go to Sungei Wang Plaza if you’re on a tighter budget and want to get loads of affordable clothes that are mostly sourced from China, Bangkok and Korea. It was a little confusing navigating through the whole place since it’s connected to BB Plaza but I had a grand time spotting stylish, made-up teens shopping with their just-as-stylish friends. Spotted a lot of Japanese fashion-inspired girls complete with gyaru-ish hair and make-up.

Recommended store: Anatomi for quality men’s clothing - this is where I got my brothers pasalubong!

In the middle of Pavilion and Fahrenheit 88 is Starhill Gallery, which is Kuala Lumpur’s luxury shopping mall. All of the expensive brands are here, but it’s also a good place to check out some of their local high-end designers’ boutiques.

Recommended stores: Alexander McQueen, and Sephora where I buy my Urban Decay primer potions.

Sunway Pyramid isn’t in the Bukit Bintang area but it’s worth the 20 or so minutes of driving. It’s a mall that’s close to a theme park, and it also has a nifty ice skating rink!

There I was able to meet Tongue in Chic Senior Content Associate Karen Wong. Such a sweet person. I wish I had an extra day in KL to spend with her and the rest of the Tongue in Chic team.

Recommended stores: Ti Amo for cute ballet flats, and Asian Avenue which is a whole area full of affordable things targeted towards the youth - there’s a store which I liked called Offline Blogshop that took different online stores into one tangible shop.

Central Market is a must for tourists who want souvenirs. The first floor is divided into different “streets” focusing on a certain culture (Indian, Malay, etc.) while the second floor sells mostly clothes and batik.

Recommended stores: Photo Crafts for lomographers, and all the stuff in the second floor because you can find everything batik there - even shoes!

It’s also near Jalan Petaling or Chinatown if you’re into imitation designer goods and haggling Greenhills or Divi-style.

Suria KLCC would have to be my favorite. It’s not as new and spacious as Pavilion but I personally find the atmosphere there warmer and more welcoming. All of the major designer brands are here, but they also have high-street brands too like Zara, Topshop and Mango. Plus points for being the mall right smack in the middle of the Petronas Towers.

Recommended store: Kinokuniya - you will leave the bookstore with an empty wallet and paper bags full of Japanese magazines and hard-to-find artbooks.

Mutiara Damansara is a commercial zone that reminds me a little of Alabang. The area isn’t too near the city too, but it’d be a perfect escape from the hustles and bustles of Bukit Bintang.

Recommended stores: Borders if you can’t visit Kinokuniya for some reason, and Ikea for the best furniture ever.

Ending this image-heavy travel post with two pictures from my quick visit to Jalan Alor and one of my last meal in Kuala Lumpur. Besides shopping, the food in Malaysia is definitely something to look forward to as well. I could talk more about Malaysian cuisine, but that would require a whole new entry.

If you’re interested in going to KL any time soon, it’s not too late to book tickets (maybe via Cebu Pacific) in time for the Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival that happens from June 15 to August 31, 2011. Tourists can expect more discounts and bargains during this period.

(Photographed by Calel; Popteen x Honeys dress, Moussy hat, Liz Lisa bag, Capital Vice shoes) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Summer is the time I turn on my Liz Lisa-inspired floral, lace and ribbons phase. I’m reserving darker outfits for colder weather!

The inspiration: 

Yui from Liz Lisa Spring-Summer 2011, Jun and Tsubasa from Popsister June 2011.

Behind-the-scenes! This is for an article for Young Star that’s coming out this Friday. Do you already have an idea what it is about, based on the people in the photos included in this entry?

I’ll be flying out of the country again tomorrow so I won’t able to update much. Prepare for tons of new photos and updates when I get back last week of May. So excited for the next project - it hasn’t even started yet but I’m already excited to share my output.

(Photographed by Calel; Just G polo, floral high-waist shorts, and accessories, H&M socks, Asian Vogue wedges) Hype on Lookbook here.

After all the rain last week, the summer sun finally decided to appear again! Bright weather calls for happy clothes, thus the outfit-

The one thing that sold me this cute powder blue polo was the uniqueness of the pockets. The shape of the pocket flaps isn’t something I normally see in similar tops from other stores. What’s even nicer is that this polo also comes in a nice salmon pink shade that reminds me of strawberry sorbet.

The bracelets are 2 separate ones that I decided to wear together. I also got a cute plastic baby ring to match the pink flower accents on my shorts, as well as to make the whole outfit happier and more playful.

Life has been stressful lately but I choose to be happy by making an effort, by having the will to be so and by focusing on blessings instead of bad vibes. I’m glad that my friends are also incredibly positive - being surrounded by these wonderful people is always a pleasure. Surround yourself with happiness, not just while the sun is out, but forever.

As my friend Feanne would quote Audrey Hepburn, “Happy girls are the prettiest girls!”

Just G boutique stores can be found in SM Megamall, Market Market, Sta. Lucia, SM Southmall, Eastwood City, SM North Edsa, SM Manila and SM Cebu. Just G and Gingersnaps share spaces at Shangri-la, Rockwell, Robinsons Metroeast, SM Baguio and SM Pampanga. They also have department store corners at SM Megamall, Robinsons Galleria, Landmark Trinoma, SM Makati, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Festival Mall, SM North Edsa, SM Cubao, SM Pampanga, SM Southmall and Robinsons Ermita.

Kim! <3

Life is a Party!

Dropped by their store last Saturday to say hi to lovely Heima people, to support the launch of their latest collection, and to listen to Everywhere We Shoot’s talk!

If you live in Manila and frequent malls and department stores a lot, I’m sure you’ve seen a branch of Just G at least once in your life. Some people think it’s only a small extension of children’s clothing line Gingernaps, but it’s a totally separate entity catering to young girls who have outgrown wearing children’s clothes. Crissey and I would always make it a point to drop by Just G on our girly shopping dates, as we are huge fans of their quirky accessories. We’re way past our teenage years, but if you’re into dolly aesthetics, you’ll never be too old for Just G. (We also have matching skirts from Gingersnaps - kids’ clothes are too cute to resist.)

Just G has been around for a while now, helping teenage girls explore their own personal styles and identities by offering a variety of clothes with certain themes. While they offer sophisticated button-down tops, basics, blazers, floral-print bottoms and rompers, they also have pieces like graphic tees, leggings, acrylic necklaces and earrings for fun-loving tweens.

I was able to get a few items from their recent collection, so watch out for that outfit post some time soon! In the meantime, you can ogle at the prettiness that is the Just G store in Megamall:

Just G boutique stores can be found in SM Megamall, Market Market, Sta. Lucia, SM Southmall, Eastwood City, SM North Edsa, SM Manila and SM Cebu. Just G and Gingersnaps share spaces at Shangri-la, Rockwell, Robinsons Metroeast, SM Baguio and SM Pampanga. They also have department store corners at SM Megamall, Robinsons Galleria, Landmark Trinoma, SM Makati, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Festival Mall, SM North Edsa, SM Cubao, SM Pampanga, SM Southmall and Robinsons Ermita.

(LaDress “Evita” dress, Madewell collared blouse, Korea tie, Forever 21 ring, H&M socks, Sophie Theallet for Nine West “Tinna” espadrilles) Hype on Lookbook here. Shot last April 25, 2011.

Designer Sophie Theallet, know for her sweet and feminine aesthetics and French background, has collaborated with Nine West to design a collection of shoes and handbags that are perfect for spring and summer. One can never go wrong with ribbons and stripes!

If I had to choose another item from this collection, I’d totally get the adorable “Emma” straw handbags in both colors. They come with small keychains and charms inspired by French and American culture. Spot a tiny version of the Eiffel Tower! Nothing short of cute.

View the Sophie Theallet for Nine West collection here. View the Facebook gallery here. Available in selected locations in the United States.

Fashion has a lot to do with inspiration, and being inspired to dress up, as well as being inspired by not only trends but also even the most mundane things around us or even the silliest memories from the past.

When I found out I was getting a pair of Sophie Theallet shoes (Thanks to Sharon of Digital Brand Architects), I knew it would be the perfect time to inject some form of French inspiration in my blog post. In this case, funny enough, I got it a little help from childhood pop culture. This was inspired by no other than Madeline, a cartoon series I used to love when I was a kid.

(Photographed by Everywhere We Shoot; styling by Bea Ledesma; make-up by Angela Manhilot; hair by Bea Misa) Published last April 15, 2011. Shot on the same day as the opening for Forever 21 SM Makati. One of the last shoots I did when I still had long hair.

(Photographed by Tricia Gosingtian; model: Lally Buendia)

The 2011 Spring Canton Fair came to a close just a few days ago. Luckily, I was able to go to Phase 3 with my dad and brother Chase, albeit just for two days. The Canton Fair is the oldest trade show in China and the world’s largest international trade show, and it has over 50,000 exhibits of dealers and manufacturers over a span of 2 weeks, divided in 3 phases. The one I went to was the last phase, which consists of textiles and garments, shoes, medical and health products, among lots of other things. To say that it’s an important event is an understatement, as a lot of things nowadays are sourced from China!

I was able to take a few photos before I flew to Hong Kong to meet with the rest of my family for our annual summer trip abroad. More pictures soon!

The front of Popark Plaza, which is just walking distance from the hotel we stayed in.

A quick snap before sunset (magic hour!) and before having a nice beef noodle dinner.

If it’s been raining in Manila recently, it’s been raining in China too.

Good thing the China Import and Export Fair is always held in this massive place with ceilings so rain will never be bothersome to people who flew in from different countries just for this twice-in-a-year event.

The Fashion Fittings and Accessories were located at separate tents, not at the main areas. Found lots of hats, scarves, and jewelry! But of course there’s always a minimum order quantity or MOQ.

Clothing manufacturers from all over China put up fancy booths to attract possible business opportunities with both locals and foreigners. The bigger factories are normally placed in the middle, but there are some interesting finds in the side exhibits too so it’s not enough to just go through the center aisle.

Shoes, and lots of them! If only they were for sale and not just for exhibition.

When hunger strikes, there’s a food court of sorts in each main building. I got myself a yummy cheese bread and some Starbucks for a much-needed caffeine boost.

I also found this nifty McDonalds with a calming Zen-ish view, perfect for people who want to relax after spending hours endlessly walking from pavilion to pavilion.

There were more than 5 halls just for clothing, and it’d definitely take you more than a day to finish everything. Found a number of jeans manufacturers, as well as factories who make different kinds of knitted things.

You could ride one of these to get to where the textiles and fabrics are.

The last area we went to had all these beautiful fabric swatches free for everyone to see and feel. There were also some manufacturers who were open to the idea of customized cloth and being sent a design to print on fabric - cool beans!

Before leaving for Hong Kong, my dad, brother and I went to visit the Guangzhou Tower, which is now the world’s tallest TV tower at 600 meters.

Guangzhou, you will be sorely missed! Hope to visit the next Canton Fair and visit tourist spots other than the tower next time!

First time to combine two lenses in one post. I’ve had these lenses for a while now but since I haven’t been in the country to shoot properly, I’m only posting the obligatory circle lens review and photos today! Thanks to Japanese Candy for always sponsoring my lenses. You can check out their website for more details.

These are 14.50mm Natural Brown lenses, which are my first ones that have a super thin black ring around them. It took a bit of getting used to, since I normally opt for ones with thicker rings or those with no dark rings at all. The dolly effect is really subtle, and it’s perfect for those who want to try something other than the usual brown lenses like Angel or Nudy. I prefer this over the last brown lenses I reviewed, mostly because they’re not freakishly Twilight-bright. It has a super interesting pattern and gradient starting from pale olive green to a nice shade of light brown that isn’t too overpowering. They’re called NATURAL for a reason. :)

Have been wearing these often and have experienced no discomfort at all. Just be careful to not leave them on for too long (I’m talking about contact lenses in general, not just this particular pair) or else you might damage your eyes. You only have one pair of eyes to last you a lifetime so make sure you clean your lenses properly too with clean hands and proper solution.

On the other hand, these are 14.50mm Super Crystal Green lenses that I just decided to try out for the heck of it. I’m always wearing gray or brown ones so I figured I should save at least one pair for special occasions. This proved to be a surprise! Never really imagined it to be this bright compared to photos I’ve seen online. It’s different and I actually don’t hate it? It’s a little loud for my usual taste but it works with super heavy eye make-up as seen in the photo below. It’s ideal for people who want their eyes to emphasized and not other parts of their face. The pattern is already busy on its own so a bold, black signature circle lens ring may just eat up space intended for the crystal effect. These lenses are definitely not for conservative circle lens wearers, but totally recommended for those up for something unique.

Been eying Tsubasa’s Bambi series since forever so I hope I can get my hands on Sesame Gray and Almond since they’re already available in the website. And oh, my lipstick is MAC Freckletone which is my current fave.

If you missed some of my old reviews, you can find them here.