Obleak City. Day 2.

           My life's been pretty lowbrow radical (if that even makes sense) ever since I graduated college. It's super unpredictable. Well, life, in general, is unpredictable but I've never really seen my life plotted on some path towards a singular goal that's why it feels like I'm all over the place. I don't have those, "five more years of med school" or "four more years of law school, then study for board exams, then work for Annalise Keating and start getting away with murders." It's not that simple for me.

          You see, I have all these dreams and aspirations on what I want to be or where I want to be but I worry too much and think about the risks too much that it prevents me on getting to my end goal faster (but there never really is an end goal. See Matthew McConaughey's Oscars speech*.) I wish I were one of those people who could just drop everything and lead with their dreams (with caution, of course). Maybe then, I'd get to see some sort of tunnel vision of my future.

          Every month or so, I'd start thinking about what I had been up to in the previous year. Like, June of last year, I was in Dallas, Texas. My sister and I went there to visit her boyfriend. We were there for about 10 days and it was one of the best trips that I have ever had. We drove from Dallas to Austin and watched the X Games and my 13-year old self fangirled like crazy. I got to see Dillon Francis.

(A little side note, I remember I had this mental note that I should be able to see Dillon Francis within the year. I thought of it with no expectations, no plans whatsoever and then a few months later, there I was, stood amidst the crowd in the amphitheater and witnessed his speakers get shut down by the fire marshall. It was pretty awesome.)

We also visited some cool places and took lots of pictures of street art, bought some records at this hip little record store, drove past Franklin Barbecue (because I failed to convince my sister to get in the 1-2 hour line to eat there), and well, we did a few more things in the 3 days we were there. Three days is not nearly enough to explore the weird in Austin. I am definitely coming back.

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I Recover. Day 1

These months-long hiatuses have to stop! I keep putting off writing new blog posts for more than a year now and that's some bad blogger habit I need to quit. Every few months or so I keep coming back with a post similar to this and I promise (I hope) that this is the last one. 

I used to only write new entries when inspiration struck me but I've recently learned that that approach is NOT AT ALL EFFECTIVE! Waiting for inspiration to strike is work of the lazy and I'm trying to change that. A huge part of the reason why I'm making this change is because of Casey Neistat. Lately, he's been my biggest inspiration on being super productive, like have three jobs kind of crazy productive. I mean, how else would I ever get to afford to live in New York? I somewhat already have two and so, I'm making this my third. Nothing too radical though, I just want to have some time to write. And so, I'm doing this self-imposed writing challenge. 7 days, 7 blog posts. (fingers crossed)

I'm actually excited about this 7 day stint and have been thinking about it for the past month. (Yeah, this post has been in my drafts for a month now. ugh) So typical me wanted to put it off until I had a bank of things to write about (again with the security blanket. ugh, right?). I have to stop this habit of procrastinating and waiting. So, here I am just doing it. I worry so much about what to put in here when in reality, nobody probably even reads this. (Ha!)

Now jokes aside, what is this going to be anyway?
I want to try to make content daily (with subpar visuals), but only for a week. At first, I wanted to do it for 15 days straight, but let's be realistic here. I've only made 6 entries last year so pushing to 15 is a bit much. Now, 7 is a bit ideal.

In the coming week, you'll be reading about what I've been up to, new music I've been listening to, share some stories (pre-blogging era), and basically, anything that I could write about. I've recently watched Alt-J live in concert, so you have that to look forward to.

But for today, I'd like to keep it simple and offer some daily inspiration.

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Bastille: Live in Manila

Happy new year! And what a way to start the year with Bastille. Yes, Bastille! Those four English lads that sing about the ruins of Pompeii and a (fictitious) dead girl called Laura Palmer. It is one of the best concerts I have attended, definitely Top 5 material (knocking FTP down to number 6, soz). It is one of those nights that I wish would go on longer, no matter how tired my legs would be afterwards. It's the best feeling in the world to see one of your favorite bands, to be amidst their music, the energy, the people. And that's why I always choose to watch my favorite acts even though it leaves me being broke in the end.

Oh, and I met (and hugged!!!!!) all of Bastille.

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Too Bright

Music makes me poetic.

I love it when an album catches you by surprise and sort of demands you to stop whatever you're doing and just listen. And then have all these different emotions rush through you like it's no big deal.  But really, it is(!) because now you're three songs deep and somehow you've got a napkin on your hand ready to catch the first tear to fall. But then it doesn't because you don't let it fall. You don't want it to fall...

...because now, you're not really listening to the music anymore. You're listening to the voice in your head that you've silenced for so long, like an "old friend" with a silly grin on its face. You try not to listen and it usually works. But this time it doesn't and it really hurts. 

{break}

You've reached the last song and somehow, you know all the words too well. You sing, "deep down I never did feel right..."And now you wonder, when will I get it right.

~

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"Summer" of Dreams

Where do I even begin?

How about we set the vibe first. It starts out with a some Chet Faker, FKA Twigs, SOHN, and then a little bit of James Bay and George Ezra. Oh, and throw in some Hozier in the mix too. Mmm, yeah. That feels just about right.

Now, where were we? Oh, yeah. Apparently I'm bad at blogging. But that's about to change now. And I am serious this time like, I-want-to plan-an-elaborate-wedding-proposal-to-you-that-would-soon-go-viral-once-I-upload-a-video-of-it-on-YouTube-because-it-was-ridiculously-grandiose kind of serious. But, enough with the promises and on with the agendas.

The past few months have been so different compared to what I was doing a year ago... and I kind of love it. Aside from the uncertainty of where I'd be a year from now and the worries and anxieties that come along with it, it's that same uncertainty that brings excitement to my life. If you told a year ago that I'd be brushing shoulders with Matty (of The 1975) and Thomas Mars (of Phoenix), I would've told you you're crazy because those sorts of things do not happen to me. I'm the type of person who'd buy a Killers concert ticket only to find out they'd soon be disbanding/taking a break and cancel the whole tour (circa 2011). But I guess things finally took a turn for the best because not only have I watched a few of my favorite bands live but I've also found myself to be a certified yoga teacher now. A year ago, I wrote this letter and briefly mentioned how I wanted to pursue my certification and now I actually am. I can't believe that was just a year ago.

For someone who doesn't do much, a lot has happened.

Now, what exactly have I been up to in the months that I've missed blogging?

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I Met Youth Lagoon

Seventeen by Youth Lagoon

I remember everything, from the moment I first spotted the curly-haired man in orange hippie garb to the moment I tried speaking to him. My memory of that short time is so vivid in my brain, I hope it stays that way even as years go by. 

I first came across Youth Lagoon's music last year when I was discovering artists from the 2013 Coachella line-up. I really enjoyed his music and I instantly felt a connection. It makes me feel all sorts of things. Sometimes music does that to me and listening to it makes it an even better experience. Of course, like the geek that I am, I wanted to learn more about Youth Lagoon and started reading about the brilliance that is Trevor Powers. I even wrote about him back in March. He's one of the artists that I feel a strong affinity to because I can somewhat relate to his music. His words are beautiful and speak so much. I read somewhere that his music is to some extent an extension of himself and feels like pages off his journal. Flash forward to 25 January, I was in the crowd and he was on stage. I kept remembering that little piece of information when I was watching him perform. I was in awe of him and his art and I couldn't believe I was there to witness it.

I should probably first mention that I was at Singapore last January 23-27 for St. Jerome's Laneway Festival to see him and many more great artists.

Now, here's how I remember meeting Trevor.

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My Yoga Story

An open letter to future me (theme: yoga)

Dear Leica,

It's been two and half years since I started my journey with yoga and I can tell you that it hasn't been easy, to say the least. That first week of ever doing yoga was the hardest workout I've ever experienced since the only exercise I did before that was run the treadmill. But it felt so good to turn in those running shoes and step into the studio barefoot. I've never felt so in tune with my body. I only availed the one week beginners package and by the end of that week I didn't want to leave the mat. That's when I knew I fell in love with yoga.

I clicked with yoga instantly and I guess a major contributor to that is because of Yoga+. It's only a 7-minute walk from where I live and 5 minutes if I'm running late. Everything is there already, all I need to bring is my water bottle and myself. It's true what they say that the hardest part of yoga is going to the class because sometimes, your mind tells you to skip today and take a rest day instead - to let your body recover for a day... or two. Good thing I have my sister as my yoga buddy to push me to go practice and vice versa.

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The Escape: Coron, Palawan

  This is a visual diary. 

Suggested music while viewing: In The Darkness by Foxygen

Up in the air once again. This time the destination is Coron, Palawan. 

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Wanderland Festival 2013

I love music festivals. 

Coachella, Roo, Lolla, Glasto, SXSW, etc. I love it all. More like, I'd love to attend it all. I die a little every time a festival passes by and I'm miles away, probably watching the livestream if it's available. I've had a taste of it earlier this year but that just made me want it more. The day I finally get to be at either one of these festivals will be the pinnacle of my existence. 

So, generally, when I found out about Wanderland Festival, I got really excited. Nada Surf, Neon Trees, and The Temper Trap. These are bands that I listened to... about 3 years ago. That meant I was bound to be a bit rusty with the singing along. Being the cheapskates that we are, we opted on buying Gold tickets from groupon. Maybe next year if the line-up is better, then we might upgrade to the VIP section.

This festival wouldn't have been that much fun if it weren't for the great friends I was with. Well, that goes for everything else in life, I guess. But, I loved the vibes all through out the day. Chill with an inkling of a thrill. Also scorching hot and very clammy. Nonetheless, it was a great music-filled day. I really enjoyed Avalanche City's folk sound. Definitely going to be listening to more of their music, that's for sure. As for the "headliners", Neon Trees was absolutely amazing. The band was able to get the audience dancing to their tunes and @tylerinacoma is oozing with energy! But The Temper Trap's Sweet Disposition was a great way to end the night. [I couldn't help but find their music similar to Local Natives. Please tell me I'm not the only one. Speaking of Local Natives... That's a band I'm dying to watch live.]

Some thoughts on the festival:

• VIP and GA sections should've been separated at the middle or not at all, especially since it's a relatively small festival
• Start on time next time, not 2 hours later
• And more food choices/stalls please
• And if better bands will be in attendance next year, do not increase ticket prices (it already is a wee bit expensive)

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How do I move on? (Thoughts After Laneway Festival and Big Night Out)

          It's been two days since I got back from Singapore a.k.a. my personal trip to indie music haven and I don't know how I could even move on from such a euphoric experience.

          From the moment I found out that Vampire Weekend are going to play at Fort Canning Park on January 30, without a shadow of a doubt, I said to myself that I am going to this concert. I've never felt so certain and so sure of anything. You have to know, Vampire Weekend is my favorite band, ever! I mean, I do love a lot of bands and artists but nothing else compares to my love for Vampire Weekend. I love their music. I love their sound. I love them as a band. And I love them individually. This band just means a lot to me. My blog's namesake is actually from one of their first songs. My point here is: I cannot for the life of me miss this concert.

          I don't know how but somehow, everything fell into place. I went with two of my friends to Singapore solely for the purpose of attending Laneway Festival 2013 and Big Night Out, which was the concert Vampire Weekend was going to play. It was just our luck that Laneway Festival was 4 days before the Vampire Weekend concert so we took advantage of it and decided to go to both. We flew on the 25th and left midnight of the 31st of January. In that span of six days, I've seen my favorite band play live, seen my current band crushes, and discovered amazing talents. I was on a high. I never thought I would actually be able to experience what I've been through in these past few days. I've always dreamt of going to music festivals and see great bands play live. To finally fulfill this longing is quite unbelievably wonderful. It's the best feeling ever. I remembering uttering, "I belong here. I love this scene!" What a cliche, I know. But 100% true. It was 12 hours of live music from 14 bands for Laneway Festival and 3 big bands for Big Night Out. It was so surreal. I'm glad nobody pinched me in case it was all but a dream.

          I can't stress enough about how incredible the trip was. I repeatedly said, "I'm so happy! I'm so happy!" and jumping up and down like a little girl whose been fed a ton of chocolates. I was elated. I was blissful. I was flying. At this point, I've reached my highest of highs. So how do I go on from being extremely ecstatic to an incredibly dull life the next day? Should I simply pretend that it was just a typical thing to do and really not that exciting as I make it to be when in reality, it's the best thing that's ever happened to me? Life's quite cruel sometimes. But I'm not complaining. I get life. Sometimes it's awesome. Sometimes it's difficult. But most of the time it's dull, repetitive, and mundane.

          Now that I'm back home, I'm still hungover and I feel like I will never recover. Is that bad or just completely childish? I have never been in a situation like this before and I'm stuck. Will this feeling go away in a couple of days? I guess sooner or later it will. But right now, I'm not ready to move on just yet. Let me sulk for a while because I know it will be quite a long time before something as marvelous as this comes along my way again.

Listen to Walcott by Vampire Weekend.

Another Love

Happy New Year! 

It's that time of the year again. What's in your new year's resolutions list?

*still updating my list, I'll get back to you. I promise.*

Listen to this lovely song by Tom Odell, Another Love.

     

2 Atoms in a Molecule

     Work has preoccupied my sister this past weekend thus pushing off our movie date to yesterday, December 4th. We had dinner at Boon Tong Kee and then watched Rise of the Guardians. I liked it - the film. It made me think about when I actually stopped believing in these childhood tales. I can't recall when I consciously made the switch from believing in Santa, the Tooth Fairy, etc. to a nonbeliever. Sometimes, I wish I could be a kid again and remember what it felt like to believe in these things. I remember I used to be excited when Christmas came and see what Santa has given me. I genuinely thought there was a North Pole. Oh, to be naive again. But what was running through my mind while watching was, "I know that voice but I can't seem to put a face to it!" I had to wait for the credits to roll only to find out it was Jude Law and not Paul Bethany.

Listen to 2 Atoms In A Molecule by Noah and the Whale

      

Umami Japanese Cafe

I scored myself invites to this lovely new Japanese restaurant and decided to bring my friends and sister along to try out the food. We went yesterday and we enjoyed our visit. The place was super cute and makes you want to go on an instagram spree, which we did. The food was absolutely delicious and our drinks were so good.  By the end of the night, we were having so much fun because of the Japanese game shows that was shown on the tv. We were filled to the brim, both food and good vibes, and left with happy tummies and happy dispositions. 

 Check out this article for more photos and information about Umami.

Listen to Wetsuit by The Vaccines.

Generator First Floor

We spent a good amount of our time at Marina Bay Sands because my mom's friend, who was also there for a short hiatus, was staying there. It was a big place and there sure was a lot to do there. 

I absolutely love this wall of colors. 

The room with a foggy view. The rain was about to pour before I took this photo.

Here I am lounging on the bed. 

You can see the Merlion from the room.

This is probably the scariest job ever! 

Apparently there was an event/fashion show.

I liked our little lunch at TWG Tea. Every thing on the menu was infused with different kinds of tea from around the world. This is where we were given those heavenly macarons. They've recently opened a branch in Greenbelt 5, I think.

I think every night we went up to Skypark but only swam on our last night.

Goodbye for now, Singapore.

Oh, please tell me you're a Freelance Whales fan. Listen to this!

Lover of the Light

It was my first time in Singapore and I was practically exploring it on my own. My mom was there for a conference so I had the mornings to myself. It was quite fun and liberating to roam the streets on my own. I must also admit that I was really enjoying traveling by MRT there. I actually felt like a local. That was probably because a tourist (to my judgement) asked me directions about the mrt card. Sadly, I didn't know the answer to his question. fail. 

My agenda was to go to a whole lot of shopping malls and I did. I was walking for 5 hours straight and I don't know how many miles I covered. If only I had one of those Nike things that counts how many steps you did, I bet mine would read past a thousand. My legs were absolutely beat the whole trip but it was worth it.

This felt more like a shopping trip than a tour trip which is more than fine by me. Although we wanted to go to the Night Safari, it didn't quite fit our schedule. Maybe next time. 

Here is my side of our lovely hotel room with absolutely slow internet.

Bugis

The sting ray which was ridiculously spicy.

When I saw this my jaw dropped because 1) Chocolate!!! 2) S$38++ per person? What?

Watch this beautiful music video for Lover Of The Light starring Idris Elba.