Coming back this July. I'll be archiving this site soon so see you at loudlyquietly.com x ..read more

1. Loudly Quietly is coming along nicely. I mean, it's taking longer than I hoped it would but it's getting there, slowly but surely. I've set the 23rd as my 'go-live' date just so I can give myself a deadline and that push to just make it happen. We'll see! Once that space is live, I'll be using this site as more of a personal one. Kinda like the good ol' days of blogging. 2. I'm sorry for all the years I wasted hating on sweatpants. These beautiful, comfortable, gift to humanity. I can't believe I really let myself believe that sweatpants were a 'no no'. Over lockdown, it's all I wanted ..read more

Have you ever had one of those moments in life where all of a sudden you are hit with absolute clarity on what it is you were born to do? Not necessarily in terms of a job title, or a specific role, but more like what it is you were put here to do. That moment of crystal clear clarity that makes you realise what people mean when they say they've had an epiphany. Even as I type this, I find myself still struggling to put into words just exactly what I mean. I don't feel like there are words to describe this feeling. This feeling of knowing exactly what it is you want to do, who you wan ..read more

"The happiest movie ever," they said. "Trolls just wanna have fun," they sang. And that they did. The trolls had fun. The movie delivered its promise of being the happiest movie ever. But most importantly, as an audience, we left feeling a little lighter, a little happier. I can't think of a better film to watch with the family after a challenging couple of months in lockdown and these 'unprecedented' times. While Trolls World Tour is a highly anticipated sequel to Trolls (2016), it can be watched as a stand alone film and you'll still be able to follow the storyline along even withou ..read more

I've been thinking a lot about movies and why we go see them in a cinema. Throughout the long weeks of lockdown and different alert levels here in New Zealand, I found myself really missing going to the movies. I was craving for that salty, popcorn with butter, longing to recline in a plush leather seat and watching a film in a massive screen. Sure, I still watched movies almost everyday, but nothing beats going into a darkened theatre, laughing with random people in your aisle, holding in the need to go toilet so you don't miss anything, undistracted in another world for a couple of hours ..read more

Superette is having quite the year. Not only have they celebrated turning the big 1-8 but they've also just opened their new Commercial Bay store right in Auckland's CBD. It's convenient for city dwellers like myself who just want to browse and shop without having to venture out into the suburbs (I've been frothing over some Baby Anything jewellery ever since chatting to Elle so maybe now is my moment?) and treat themselves to something nice.  This Superette store have all the Superette classics we love (read on below to hear about some winter staples) as well as a carefully ..read more

1. I have seriously been missing Polyvore lately. So many fond memories of my early 20s involve Polvore. Evenings spent listening to music and creating sets with friends! Getting creative, looking at all the clothes we can't afford (and not available in NZ) and still creating looks regardless. It was the ultimate fashion moodboard and I was so sad when they shut it down! Recently discovered URSTYLE and honestly this is going to be where I spend most of my time in quarantine from now on. 2. There's this pair of shoes I've been dreaming about ever since the day I laid eyes on it ..read more

Oh, OPPO. How do I even start? For one, it makes me smile every time I say it out loud, every time I type those words. Why? Because back in the Philippines, the word 'opo' means 'yes' and also a term used to show respect to people older than us. Isn't language such a great thing? Anyway, back to the OPPO Reno2 Z. After trialling it for quite a while now, I can officially say that I love it. If you've been a longtime reader here (hello!!), you'll know that it takes me ages to trial products because I want to make sure that it's something I would 1) absolutely use 2) be happy to share wi ..read more

It's satire. It's satire. It's satire. I kept telling myself this throughout the first act of The Book of Mormon - now showing in Auckland's Civic Theatre. Everyone told me I would love it. I do admit I left the theatre feeling a lot of complicated feelings that definitely made me question my moral compass and ultimately my own faith and beliefs. I'm not the most religious person out there but I did grow up Catholic so the theme of organised religion depicted here was something I was vaguely familiar with. But The Book of Mormon is far more nuanced than that. It's also one of the mos ..read more

How exciting is it that Assembly Label chose New Zealand as the location of their first ever international store? I've loved their pieces for years - they're a staple in my brunch outfit rotation. The comfiest crew neck sweaters, the perfect white tee, wide leg pants that you can dress up and down... Assembly Label has got classic pieces down to an artform. It's no surprise that they chose Newmarket as their location. The NZ stores will have the same aesthetic as the Australian stores (pictured above) so I have no doubt they will fit right in to the new Westfield mall. The st ..read more