summer's so bright

Oh, summer.
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.




There's eternal sunshine. There's an excuse to take a craved-for vacation. There are amazing beaches and amazing adventures and amazing company. Summer, you're my favorite (Philippine) season!

This year, I just had to cross three things off my list before I let myself be swept away into an island vacation:

1. Make and wear a completely-waterproof arm party.
2. Personalize my swimwear.
3. Create my summer playlist.

Just three things, and already, the sunshiny season has been looking so bright.

I did #1 for a reason: I feel incomplete without something around my left wrist. There has to be some sort of bracelet or bangle or even an improvised twist-tie loop on it. So since summer for me means getting soaked in sun and sea, I turned to some very trusty companions: friendship bracelets.

Over the last months, I've been making these just for experimentation's sake, and I ended up with an arm party I actually like.

By the way, have you read "Stargirl" by Jerry Spinelli? The Ankara bracelet somehow reminds me of it -- maybe because it's colorful and unusual? :) If you haven't had the chance, grab a copy right now -- it's a perfect summer read!

As for #2, I must admit it was simply an indulgence of vanity -- my brand of vanity, which is encapsulated in two words: Be different. I never want to look and dress like anyone else. That's one of the reasons I tend to customize my stuff. My bikini top was no exception. I painted some neon pink to the black-and-whiteness of it.

I wore these two items all throughout my short but super-fun vacation at Camiguin. When I came back to the city, I was still craving for the island's liquid sunshine, but at least I had created my summer mix. This one helps a lot to brighten up city days, especially when the weather suddenly turned bipolar.

Endless Summer 2012 from shanehyacinthshane on 8tracks.

But the one thing I've really grown to love this summer -- and this one's completely unexpected -- is getting cozy in this small foodie place near our office. The café has been there for years, but it was just recently that my boyfriend and I decided to take little snack breaks there. Technically, it's a local bakeshop here in Cagayan de Oro (called Pan de Pugon), but with its outdoor seating, nicely arranged on a stone-floored patio beside a tiny park, it feels like a quiet little café to me. Even better, it serves baked goods right from their huge brick oven! Just the scent of burning wood cooking the bread sends me on a sweet nostalgia overdrive.

So far, my summer's been so bright and warm and happy (kind of like fresh popcorn, only a lot better!). Pretty sure the rest of it is going to be as nice -- if not, I'm going to make it nice!

From behind my freshly-baked pan de sal, I wish you a bright summer, too!