payMORE at PAYLESS

Ooh, it's almost the weekend again.  Remember when I raved about the new look and pocket-draining finds found at SM Southmall's department store?  Well, that was two weekends ago.  Exactly the same time this eye-catching flyer landed on the windshield of my car.  Must be fate?

Front of the flyer

and back

So the weekend after, I found myself at the newly opened Payless store in Festival Mall (Alabang)...

Here's me, in my FLORA NECKLACE (Dancing in the Moonlight), browsing through the many shoe styles and designs located along my "size" aisle.  Yes, shoes are categorized according to size and no need to bug any of the sales staff since all items are neatly arranged right smack in their shelves.  No "stalking" and "shopper-scrutinizing" by the staff as well.  Whew!  A big relief from my pet peeve.  Note:  I end up with NOTHING when the stalking happens.  I deliberately make the round-about...the staff follows and follows... then I exit!  So there, we just go in circles. Hahaha!

The ballet flats on the flyer. LIVE!!!

Payless is actually not a top-of-mind store when I'm in the U.S.  No particular reason but it has always been that way. But  now that they've hit Manila, I just had to pay a visit perhaps for comparison purposes.

Oh boy!!! Visit is an understatement.  Immersion or love at first sight best describe that moment I stepped foot at Payless. I was stuck in there for more than 2 hours fitting each shoe that I fancied upon. Put it this way, J. Bond was already pooped from all the roaming and exploring the nooks of Festival Mall while I carried on (and on, and on) with the spellbinding charm of shoes.  I wanted and desired to bring home everything, including the fashionable accessories. Haha!  Unlike in the U.S., shoe styles available in their Manila branch are very appropriate for tropical weather.  And comfortable too (which happens to be my one and only criteria in shoe shopping).

My numero uno choice. Obviously, all because of the beads.  But here's the thing,  I'm such a sucker for promotional gimiks. Without it, I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't have paid PAYLESS a PAYMORE visit ....

Love the bag.  See, I'm sure it would have come out  cheaper if I just bought a similar-looking canvas tote bag.  Yet, it's the thrill of getting something free right? ... even if it meant  being robbed off  at least Php2500 worth of shoes, bags or accessories.

Ayayay!  This shopping-gaga needs to stop!  NOW! ASAP!

Caught in the act!  PROMISE .... LAST!  I'm still on THERAPY remember!  Excuses. Excuses.

just like ME :)

Yay!!!  I'm happy to discover (in facebook) that my HELLO KITTY-fanatic niece takes after me ...

Thanks for lending me this photo, one-and-only brother!

K (on the right) and her friend in their own made colorful bead necklaces.  Love it, K!  Good Job :)

P.S. Me and K (plus a bunch of other kids) in this blog on a very special day.

back in the BAZAAR-groove

Christmas 2010 has officially started ... for By Beaded Story.  So while everyone was much "geared up" for another rainy afternoon, I on the other hand presented a few beaded necklaces for viewing and a bit of interrogating.

Yup, By Beaded Story will be here ... 

Woodrose Family Bazaar

October 16-17, 2010

Cuenca Community Center, Ayala Alabang Village

Confirmed! ... and Back in the Groove :)

See ya at the bazaar in 2.5 months!!!  Stall # 110.

SM Therapy

Wow!  A portion of SM's department store in Southmall (Las Pinas) have been renovated.  Way too different from its old gloomy state.  The new look makes it much more pleasant to shop!, to stay and browse around longER than usual.  Much to my pocket's dismay, I gave in to my shopaholic urge. What the heck! Besides, I am still on THERAPY :)

Half of the newly renovated Ground Floor (the other half is still under renovation).  This is where I spent 2 hours of my Sunday last week. 

Beaded Slip-ons!  The left pair is now m-i-n-e :)

Plus a few more purchases.  Yup, I'm an Imelda Marcos fan.  Haha!

Can't wait to drop by SM Southmall today, again.  Ooh. I am healing fast.  Happy weekend everyone!

WAGGING along

A Sunday morning walk in the park ..... 

Purr-fect!!!

Yummy Fashion Accessories

I never knew that fashion accessories can be oh so yummy! See what I discovered at Gawaran Elementary School's Nutrition Day  :)  Ooh la la!

Grade 3 girls in their calamansi headbands and bean stringed necklaces.

Close-up of the Calamansi headband.

Can't get over these headbands.

Moving on. How about String Beans as a belt or hip accent?  Cool!

String beans head and neck accessories for boys only!

Take 2, String Beans boys!  This time, closer!

Yummy fruity-licious hats! 

And the best of em all.  Ayayay!  Love it!

Raj and 7-11

Here's a tip, Raj's "luck" cards suck!

And for some reason, being in this 7-11 branch yesterday afternoon reminded me of Raj's "quaint" store found along the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Congress Street in Jersey City.  But the difference is -- this 7-11 is way too new, jampacked with goodies, fun knick knacks, patronized by a relatively "young" market and found at the ground floor of J. Bond's office in San Lazaro, Manila (near UST Hospital).  He was here for a quick construction inspection, while I strolled around (including a short stint of window shopping in SM).  Raj's store, on the other hand, is the opposite -- gloomy, old,  boring and  patronized most of the time by yours truly ... J. Bond and Dad2! 

I ain't  fully recovered yet.  So 30 minutes after, J. Bond brought me to  7-11 for a  bit of relaxation. I was struck the moment I entered their store door and I just had to repeatedly say, "I miss Raj!".  "I smell Raj!"   Hahaha!  I was  there only for the coffee, but apparently a lot of reminiscing came along with it.  Must be the Bingo posters displayed by the counter. 

Yes, it is the posters.  Raj's playing cards keep crawling back in my mind.  Unfortunately, luck ain't on my side.  As I've said, Raj's cards suck! Never did I win.  Not even a money back.

But I guess someone else sucked more?  Who else? ME!!! It was just way too difficult to resist the thrill.

I  had to have this photo taken.  Me at 7-11 yesterday afternoon.  Yup, alive and kickin'.

... and ME in my Laso beaded necklace standing along Kennedy Boulevard en route to Raj.   Right across this street is his store :)