bags – BRYOLOGUE

Open the Box

August 7, 2022bryologue Leave a Comment

Every once in a while, something nice really comes up. While I have not been buying anything that much in the last couple of months because I’m trying to be a responsible adult, I just can’t say no if it is really a good deal. But for this, it was ridiculously a good deal.

Case in point: this Pandora.

Named after a Greek mythological figure, the Pandora was straightforward a reference to its box shape. No ills nor menace to be released in the world, fortunately.

When I saw the bag up for sale, I asked the seller what were the issues. He said he could not guarantee the bag and it was sold as is. I did my best to keep a straight face, but I was already jumping inside. As soon as the sale was concluded, I was so ecstatic to get such as great deal on such an amazing item!

I thought this was orange, but, welp, it was tan

The grain of the leather is reminiscent of this Alexander Wang Diego. The size is supposed to be a medium, but as a guy, it just seemed smaller to me. The photo above does not show much of its usage, but under natural light, I could see some slight discoloration on ‘high traffic’ areas.

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Before 2019 Ends

December 31, 2019bryologue Leave a Comment

Welp! My last post was exactly a year ago today! I almost forgot the password for BRYOLOGUE but here I am again with another mega post.

Funny how I keep on posting about religiously posting but haven’t got the chance for the past 364 days. To give a recap of my year, perhaps a mega post will make up for it?

So let’s have a look back at the year that was!

At the newly-cleaned Quiapo area

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Taipei Trip Mega Post – Day 4

September 23, 2018bryologue Leave a Comment

000 Last minute shopping at Ximending Night Market - Mulberry Piccadilly bag

For our last day in Taipei, Mon still had some last minute souvenir shopping to do. This is honestly my least favorite part. As Ximending Night Market is just a cartwheel away from the inn, Mon has already bookmarked the shops he wanted to visit.

Most of the stuff I will be giving to family and friends had been taken care of the night before. So for the morning’s adventure, I will just be tagging along. We also planned to visit a cat cafe somewhere in Taipei in the afternoon.

The prices of the boxes of mochi were nearly the same as Carrefour. Mon also meticulously looked for small non-food items for his family. Meanwhile, I just sat outside every bench or chair I could find. Before the end of his shopping, I also bought boxes of pastries to be given to my family and his. I also used my credit card for this one-time purchase (NTD 750).

Searching for the perfect pair of earrings

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Taipei Trip Mega Post – Day 3

September 22, 2018bryologue Leave a Comment

By the third day, we have been already getting on each others’ nerves. This was quite expected like clockwork during our trips. Mon wanted to just rest and wait out our trip to Shifen and Jiufen via Klook, which will start by 1:30 pm. I, on the other hand, thought that perhaps we could squeeze an attraction in the morning.

Returning to Jiantian Station, the stop for Shilin Night Market, I insisted in visiting the National Martyr’s Shrine. However, there were no buses servicing the area that time, and it will take another 2-hour roundtrip before reaching the place.

Searching on Google, I looked for the nearest attraction: the Confucius Temple.

At Taipei Confucius Temple

Vanishing point

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Taipei Trip Mega Post – Day 2

September 21, 2018bryologue Leave a Comment

Our 2nd day is a special day: it is our 10th!

We were able to finally sleep well from the night before. But before hitting the sack, I gave Mon a simple keepsake to commemorate our 10th year. I initially had no idea what to give him. However, I eventually realized that it was fitting to give him a ring.

On our first year where we celebrated in Baguio, we had this simple silver ring bought from Cubao. It only makes sense to have another one in gold.

Happy 10 years!

After our usual breakfast from 7/11, we then prepared for the day ahead.

We topped our Easy Cards again with another NTD 100. To go to Longshan Temple, we took the train from Ximen Station to Longshan Station. I sort of regret wearing this PLAY T-shirt. It was hot, hot, hot outside.

Blazing heat at Longshan Temple

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Taipei Trip Mega Post – Day 1

September 20, 2018bryologue Leave a Comment

First of all, it was a relief that Taiwan has extended the visa-free entry to Philippine passport holders until July 2019. However, they have shortened it to 15 days from the former 30.

We will be in Taipei for less than a week for our 10th year celebration! The weather was not too good in Manila, and I was hoping we’d have a stress-free night flight.

At NAIA Terminal 3

I wore Doc Martens, but NAIA’s airport security was just too much

We arrived around 9:00 PM at NAIA Terminal 3, even if our flight will not leave not until 11:00 PM. This is obviously a red-eye flight to Taipei.

It is worth noting that of all our trips together, this is my first time to religiously list all of our expenses. At the end of the series, I will be listing our expenses. For our pocket money, I have only used earnings from Google Adsense. The hotel booking (via Booking.com) was also paid for in advance using Google Adsense.

BRYOLOGUE does not earn much Adsense-wise. However, I maintain another website that pretty much takes care of its own. So let us see how far our pocket money will bring us. LOL

Both of us have been on keto diet since May, so we are unsure how we will survive in carb-rich Taiwan. We even had to bake a loaf of bread and a small batch of brownies because we did not want to be kicked out of ketosis! This was, as expected, a big challenge as a keto traveler.

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Dinner is ready!

July 10, 2018bryologue Leave a Comment

When was the last time I had planned an event? The good thing about my new role is that I get to do the same kind of organizing I did in my former humanitarian role. The better thing? I will not be doing it alone.

For this thanksgiving dinner to our sponsors, I had been planning in the last 3 weeks with our intern. She’s also taking up International Studies and she was (luckily) assigned to our department.

Table set-up

We had been in constant contact with the focal person from Makati Shangri-La. It was tedious, and that is all I am allowed to say. LOL

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Bryologue Turns 6 Today!

June 1, 2018bryologue Leave a Comment

Six years ago, in an attempt to create a separate avenue for self-expression and practice writing for my comprehensive exams, I had created BRYOLOGUE. It was even hosted for free at WordPress.com, before I ventured into self-hosting in January 2015.

I admittedly become absent here from time to time, but I should not let this anniversary pass without an entry. I haven’t even managed to post one on the 5th.

Several times I have been informed by friends and acquaintances that they have stumbled upon this website. Again, it makes me feel uneasy when they bring this to my attention. But then again, whatever they read here, they must accept the frivolity and, at times, candor that I offer.

Although I don’t promote at all, I’ve seen several Facebook posts grabbing photos here, but with proper attribution. However, there were also times that I saw posts using my photos without asking.

Anyway, after transferring to the laboratory back in March, we will be going back to the pool downstairs starting Monday. All things considered, it is best that we sit there along with the other programs.

One on the guitar, one on his laptop

Who will not love this modern lab? However, it is really fair enough we go downstairs again. So, goodbye lab! Those were fun three months with you!

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Tangerine Dream

June 29, 2017bryologue 4 Comments

I’m already halfway the semestral break and enlistment is due to start soon. With a little trick with our pocket Wi-Fi, I have been watching a lot of videos from YouTube.

I enjoyed Graveraven’s channel on YouTube a lot. It has a series of fashion documentaries by Loïc Prigent, and I started off with Donatella Versace. I adore her candor and warmth towards her staff, especially her fondness and longing to her brother Gianni. Sure, her physical appearance was nowhere near the late 90s, but she is commanding and humorous at the same time.

The last documentary I’ve watched is Alexander Wang’s. With his relatively younger label and no fuss approach to his personal style. Come to think of it, it might be something I’d like to adopt in real life.

As days pass by, I find myself picking just a plain black or dark blue shirt. I’m also beginning to wear black pants that I ignored for months. But expect me to jazz it up with a bag, of course. I came to the conclusion that I should start being unapologetic about myself, unlike what I mentioned before.

Rise above the mess

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Clean, condition, touch-up: bag-cleaning day

June 13, 2017bryologue 2 Comments

As today is a holiday (i.e. the 119th Independence Day), I took the whole day to sort my things and clean my bags. I had already run out of leather-cleaning stuff, and I’ve been wanting to drop by SM Megamall to buy some.

It was a quick and breezy ride going there, as there was no traffic. As expected, there were a lot of people inside the mall, though.

Getting the good stuff

I went straight downstairs to the Lower Ground area, where this leather-care Mecca is found. I have been hoping to go there again, but could not find the time as SM Megamall was out of the way.

After careful consideration of what I needed (not to mention foresight of not being able to go back again for months), I was able to buy a couple of products to help me on the day’s agenda.

A shelf of leather care products

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