A Bunny and a Fox Went a-Hunting—for Costume and Fabric Supplies

No animals were harmed in the making of our Halloween costumes. Instead, we shopped for faux fur at this shop in Divisoria: Felt and Fabric by Manco. Located along Ylaya St., the famed fabric center of Divisoria, it's got enough furry, fuzzy, plush swatches to give you visions of Snuggies or trigger memories of bad mascot encounters. But, if you are in the market for costume supplies—in my case, grey fur for a Judy Hopps bunny ear headband—this is where you want to be.

The store actually has two branches in Divisoria: one holding the fur, the other holding the felt. I had to visit both and they're about a block away from each other so it's not too inconvenient if you need both types of fabric. Some of their fur fabric however is at their warehouse, which is only opened upon request, so if there is a specific type of fur you need, either set aside some extra time when you visit or call ahead. Two of the fur models I'd originally chosen were at the warehouse, so I had to settle for something similar. The vendors were very accommodating, however, letting me know of the expected wait time in case I wasn't willing to wait (which I wasn't) and helping me choose from their available fabric in stock when my original choice wasn't on hand. They also checked the fabric for damage before ringing it up, which I found super professional for Divisoria standards where what you end up with is usually what you make do with.

Felt for a fox mask

By the way, for occasional DIYers like myself who don't need a lot of fabric, the smallest yardage they will sell you is half a yard. Anyone else need faux bunny grey and fox orange fur?

Where to Shop for Fabric Projects on a Budget

For Fur and Felt Fabric
Felt and Fabric by Manco
(See on map)
794-796 Ylaya St. (and 624 M. de Santos St.), Divisoria
(+632) 241-8646

For Tulle, Beads, and Ribbon
Michelle's Ribbon and Lace Center
(See on map)
Bonifacio Dr. Tondo, Manila
(+632) 254-2935
They also ship! Message them through their Facebook page or check out their albums and recent uploads on Facebook to get a taste of what they have in stock.

For Fabric in Bulk
Taytay Fabric Market
(See on map)
Rizal Ave. Brgy. San Juan, Taytay, Rizal
Fabric here is only sold per kilo (not per yard) so be prepared to bring home a lot of fabric. Best for large-scale projects (I bought fabric for cake table backdrops for J's birthday—then used the same fabric for E's Judy Hopps costume!), or go with friends and divide the loot.

And here's what we made from it!

May the furs be with you! Happy hunting!

Getting #MomFit with KFit: 5 Things That Make It a Good No-Excuses Fitness Plan

I'm the last person who should be writing about getting fit after having a baby. I don't look fit. I don't feel fit. I don't eat healthy. But I want to, all of the above. KFit might help me do that.

In a nutshell, KFit is an app- and web-based fitness subscription service that allows you to sign up for fitness activities all across the metro. The free plan let's you sign up at a discounted rate (cheaper than the usual walk-in rate), while the premium plan gives you 10 free classes a month. After the 10, you can book more classes and activities at the discounted rate, "ala carte". My first class cost Php30, thanks to a promo code I found online (Here's one for Php100 off your first class). Aside from fitness classes like yoga, pilates, zumba, boxing, TRX, and muay thai, you can also book gym access within a time slot for regular strength training or use of the treadmill or elliptical machines, if a class-based workout isn't your thing. There are even sessions for archery and wall-climbing, which I'm trying to talk my husband into trying as a date day alternative.

This post would not have happened at all if the following three factors didn't happen to align recently:

1)  Our gym membership expired. I'd been going to (and enjoying) the dance-type workout classes I'd been going to a few times a month. Ten minutes on an elliptical machine and I'm already watching the clock, but put me in a dance class with some hot music on and I lose track of time. But since our gym membership expired two months ago, my husband and I had been looking at alternatives before signing up for another full year because, in the last two years since we'd joined, we'd never been able to consume all the X number of visits we'd paid for.

2) We'd spent a month in Europe and Korea walking on average 10,000 steps a day. The daily unavoidable exercise highlighted how unfit I was (define "sedentary"), but also showed me that I had it in me to push myself physically if I wanted to.

3) Globe has a promo for the month of August for Php400 off the first month for a premium KFit membership (usually costing Php999). Since I'm both commitment-phobic and broke, I saw this as a sign and signed up.

A Morning with My Preschooler at La Mesa Eco Park

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

marcel proust

I still remember when I first visited La Mesa Eco Park in Quezon City for a fashion editorial shoot (one of my favorites!).  I was amazed that a park that large (33 hectares) could be hidden within this crowded city. That was in 2010 and I hadn't been back since, until a few weeks ago when E's nursery class visited the park for their end-of-year field trip and family day. I am glad to report that the park is still as green and well-kept as it was many years ago (which is not often the case for public areas in Manila, unfortunately).

One of the joys of having children is that I get to be a traveller in my hometown. I've lived in Metro Manila for most of my life and I've visited most of the kid-friendly places in the city, thanks to the 11 years I spent as a writer and then an editor for three kids' magazines (first, K-Zone; then, Monster Allergy; then, finally, my beloved Total Girl). But I was not yet a parent in those days.

Visiting with a preschooler on a mission to fully experience everything rather than with a fashion editorial team on a tight schedule allowed me to see the park with fresh, eager, and gracious eyes. I know some may dread taking their young kids out in public because of the potential for disaster—I know because, on some days, I am one of those people—but I urge you to bring a venti cup of coffee to rinse away the pessimism  and try to see all the potential for wonder, three feet from the ground, arms outstretched, head in constant motion. Up, down, back, around, then back up again. And if, on that morning, you are having trouble finding joy, bring a magnifying glass. No, really. Literally. Because if you do, I guarantee your preschooler will have no trouble pointing out to you that there is much to wonder about hiding in plain view.

Fun for Free: Story Stones at Ayala Museum

A is for Art, Awesome, and Ang Ink

We had come for the mall koi pond, but we found this instead. What a serendipitous find! This kid-friendly art installation outside the Ayala Museum was the highlight of our Sunday afternoon. I'd heard about story stones and have been coveting a set by Etsy seller Thrive 360 Living. So when I saw this exhibit-sized version, I was thrilled! What a fun way to introduce my preschooler to the concept!

A project by Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK, an organization of illustrators for children) in collaboration with Ayala Museum, these story stones were painted by Ang Ink illustrators, such as Robert Alejandro, Jamie Bauza, Liza Flores, Abi Goy, and Yas Doctor. Can you find which stones were painted by your favorite illustrators?