A Goth in Hot Weather: Philippines! West LA Boutique outfit, Wong Kar Wai neon lights.
Goth Tropicana, here we go! I had a wonderful time in the Philippines. Fell in love with the people, beaches, food, and spectacular Pacific Cebu Resort.
What was I doing here? And how do Goths dress in hot weather? Read on for an electric outfit post featuring West LA Boutique.
Perhaps you note a change in the image quality. I now have a Sony Alpha 7 (A7), a mirrorless DSLR camera. The full-frame sensor rocks, yet the body is half the size of a normal DSLR. Perfect for bringing on my travels.
sáv Hospitality brought my 2 filmmakers and me to the Philippines, to experience and showcase their newly-renovated Pacific Cebu Resort. I was also a judge in the Miss Scuba Philippines beauty pageant, which raises awareness about marine conservation.
On Day 1, I danced around the pool in my fabulous Gothic lace-up heels, from Steelground Shoes. They’re a Portuguese alternative footwear brand, and I’m super impressed by the quality of their materials. You can check out their range of men’s and women’s shoes — creepers, furry pink boots and more — on Steelground’s site and Facebook.
How can one pull off a darker look, in hot and humid weather? West L.A. Boutique came to the rescue, with round Ksubi sunglasses and a For Love or Lemons mini dress.
The dress has a corset-like boned top, but the lace material is light and airy, making it perfect for a South East Asian climate. The sunglasses have a retro-Goth feel. I completed the look with cross-top tights and the platform buckle heels.
Can’t wait to show you more of my outfits from West LA Boutique. They have a store in Dubai, and you can easily place orders internationally, from their site (brands include Boy London, Unif, Lazy Oaf.)
On our first day in Mactan, we had to run to a store for an errand. Pacific Cebu Resort got us a driver, and he took us through the chaotic streets of Mandaue (one of the urban centers). So much to see, outside my window! Driving in the Philippines is an “anything goes” adventure, filled with the honks of horns.
Sidecars, jeepneys and motorcycles criss-crossed our path. Families of six piled into the back of a truck. Schoolgirls in long uniforms walked by, wearing pink backpacks. The words “authentic randomness” came to mind when we saw people barbecuing by the side of the road, and playing basketball with a hoop made from a tree.
Inspired by Cebu’s energy and color, we wanted to take images with a Wong Kar Wai night-time feel.
A lighting store created an interesting mood.
(Photography by Melissa Rundle and Eric Bergemann.)
As the sun set, we drove to the Mandaue city center. I wonder what type of street food they are selling here.
In the Philippines, traffic can get congested, so people travel on two or three-wheelers. These “motorized tricycles” or auto rickshaws are everywhere.
Locals ride “jeepneys” as public transportation. These were originally converted from American military jeeps after the end of World War II. Today, these tricked-out, kitschy rides are a symbol of the Philippines. We saw a pink one with a demented Hello Kitty on the side. If a jeepney is filled to capacity, riders will stand on the back platform and hang on for dear life.
Despite the “free for all” streets, we felt safe driving through Cebu. There’s a laid-back attitude here. No road rage.
We passed by a “Ferrari” building, lit up with these neon lights. We couldn’t resist stopping here for an impromptu photoshoot.
A perfect match for our Wong Kar Wai mood. Ever-changing neon lights, in saturated colors.
This is one of the best aspects of travel: even if you do research up to your nose, you’ll never really get a sense of a place until you’re actually there. As you explore, you’ll be hit by unexpected scenes and inspirations. Before coming to Cebu, I never thought we’d come across a sight like this.
If you’re liking this outfit, you can check out more inspiration on West LA Boutique’s website (they’re constantly listing the latest arrivals — I’m eyeing their leather mini skirt).
Florescent lights, Asia comes alive at night.
The name and logo say “Ferrari”… but is this actually a luxury car dealership?
Not quite. This Wanted sign reveals what actually lies inside — a girlie nightclub. I wonder if I qualify as a “pleasing person?”
Onward to the city center, which has a church, park and a Jollibee — the fast food chain of the Philippines, with a big bee as the mascot.
And finally, back to our home base, Pacific Cebu Resort. The staff went all out to welcome us, beginning with a green drink made from pandan leaves at check-in. Later, we had a tasty dinner that included adobo chicken and unlimited drinks. I’m a fan of trying local flavors, and adored the gin with calamansi (a local tart citrus), and fresh mango smoothie with Tanduay rum.
For dessert, the waiter served this cute surprise! Pear, ice cream, caramelized cake — it was delicious.
Can’t wait to show you more from this Cebu paradise, including scuba, snorkeling and beach time.
Thanks to Stephanie Hoy at Vancouver’s Avantgarde Salon for this “oil slick” hair, a gradient of purples, greens and blues!
For previews of my South East Asian travels and outfits, you can peek at my @lacarmina Instagram.
Have you ever been to the Philippines? How do you like my “Goths in Hot Weather” outfit of the day?
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Cool Seoul art districts: Itaewon & Dongdaemun! Leeum museum, Zaha Hadid design plaza.
I heart Seoul! I dressed up like a rainbow bird, and flew through two of the artsiest districts: Itaewon and Dongdaemun.
Let’s go inside a spaceship-like design plaza, Lotte fashion mall, Samsung’s new Korean art museum…
… and I’ll show you my “outfit of the day” along the way. I’ve truly been embracing colors lately. Show Me Your MuMu sent me this fabulous Hope Sunset top, with flowing sleeves. They make a pretty white ruffle top too.
But first, a quick announcement: X Japan are playing in NYC on October 11! This is the Jrock band’s first appearance in NY since 2010, and trust me, you don’t want to miss out. X Japan will be playing both new songs and hits from the past decades, like “Endless Rain.”
Tell all your friends, and pick up concert tickets here (Sat Oct 11, 8pm at Madison Square Garden in New York City). For a hint of the experience, check out my review of X Japan’s 2010 show in Vancouver.
Back to Seoul, Korea. I loved walking around the Itaewon district of Yongsan-gu. It’s filled with modern architecture and public art, like this Blue Square in front of the movie theater.
My look fit right in with Illopetals‘ bold character design.
The bunny and girl are depicted in a cute style, yet it’s distinct from Japanese “kawaii” aesthetics. There’s more of a street attitude in these works.
To get around, I rode the Seoul Metropolitan Subway. There’s a huge number of stations, forming a snake-like system. I found the metro rather slow, and the stops were not conveniently-placed… I often had to change trains several times, even to go between main areas like Hongdae and Itaewon. Be sure to allow a lot of travel time when you’re in Seoul.
On the positive side, the subway cars are clean and high-tech. Near the tracks, I noticed cabinets filled with gas masks and oxygen tanks, in case of terrorist attacks!
All the passengers were polite and engrossed with their smartphones. I wonder what these Korean schoolboys were looking at.
Itaewon Station is a stop on the brown-beige Line 6. When I stepped out, I knew I was in a hip area: I spotted modern cafes, giant bird and bear sculptures, and murals like this one.
Although we didn’t visit it, there’s a part of Itaewon known as “Hooker Hill.” This area also has an underground gay nightlife, since LGBT culture still tends to be hush-hush in Korea.
I got in touch with DJ Plastic Kid, and he recommended some of his favorite hangouts in Itaewon. My friends and I walked a short distance, and arrived at…
… the LEEUM, or Samsung Museum of Art. (Address: 747-18 Hannam 2-dong.) This modern building is dedicated to Korean art, past and present — and believe me, it’s a must see.
The Leeum’s courtyard has large-scale installations; it used to hold the Maman giant spider sculpture, and now has a tower of stainless steel bubbles.
Seoul loves futuristic design, and the museum interior reminded me of a space pod. There’s a cafe in the lobby (they serve a mean mocha and earl grey cake), and a Takashi Murakami sculpture of a girl, boy and puppy.
The first section houses traditional Korean art, from the Joseon and Goryeo dynasties. The museum design blew me away: the ceramics sit in stark boxes, and are illuminated to cast shadows that bring out their forms. Words can’t describe the powerful effect: these 13th century celadons looked like abstract grey-green pods from the future.
Through these displays, the Leeum made me think of ancient artifacts in a whole new way. They felt just as modern as the high-tech pieces in the second section, which showcases contemporary Korean artists.
My mint and violet shorts, with frayed ends, are from Hyoma Izzue in Hong Kong. The blue-green hair color is by Stephanie Hoy at Avantgarde Hair, Vancouver.
After, we walked around Itaewon and glanced inside the cute cafes. This one features a boy and his bunny. We stopped for a drink at Glamorous Penguin Cafe, which has penguin decor and statues inside.
Warning: drinks and baked goods are extremely sweet in Seoul. Ask for your smoothie or mocha to be made with less sweetener, or you’ll end up with a major sugar high.
DJ Plastic Kid also recommended Post Poetics, an art and photography bookstore. There were images of Patti Smith at the Chelsea Hotel, moving optical art, South African township portraits… I could have browsed here all day. Looks like I’m smiling at a book about film director Wes Anderson!
Time for dinner at Parc, a modern meets homestyle Korean restaurant that he also suggested. This type of interior decor is Itaewon to the max. (Address: 서울 용산구 한남동 743-1, Yongsangu, Hannamdong)
Like with traditional Korean meals, the courses began with small plates of kimchi (fermented cabbage), pickled vegetables, and soup. We ordered jellyfish in cold wasabi sauce and it was pleasing to both the eyes and tongue.
Parc makes a creative version of Bibimbap (the signature Korean mixed rice dish): spicy Denjang style, with river snails. I washed it down with Hallasan soju (clear white rice wine).
Time to visit another space-disco district: Dongdaemun. The famous DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza), designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, glows like a spaceship.
Standing in front of the curving metal pod, I thought, this is Neo-Seoul. This is why everyone is talking about Korea as the world’s most exciting high-tech destination.
Beam yourself in, and you’ll find yourself in the Design Lab, a collective of art and interior design shops. We also spotted a playroom full of colorful balls, but it was locked so I couldn’t take pictures…
The Design Plaza also has seminar rooms and lecture halls. Visitors are encouraged to tinker on this decorated piano. (I actually can play, and sight-read some Korean songs.)
Not sure what this giant ball is for, but I did my best to find out.
Across the street is Lotte Fitin Fashion Mall, a shopping complex for the trendiest Korean clothing. The top floor holds Klive, where you can watch K-pop stars performing as holograms!
Of course, I sat on the Devil throne outside Lotte Mall. Photography by Ken Yuen and Jacqueline Kwok of noircorner, who is sitting in the Angel chair.
One more stop: the Dongdaemun Night Market. The stalls that sell hanbok (Korean traditional robes) and silks were closed. But the street food stalls were just opening up.
So many characters here, preparing and eating food! This woman was remarkably nonplussed about taking photos. Ken and Jacky sat down for Korean pancake, and a set of sashimi.
Time to take the subway home. This man from Korea’s past needed a light, so I obliged. (This is an optical illusion image that people can pose with. Remember when I went to the Tokyo Trick Museum?)
What an inspiring day! If you have limited time in Seoul, I recommend spending a day discovering these two design districts, as they are not far from each other.
Seoul has become one of my favorite cities. Next, I’ll give you a tour of Hongdae and Myeongdong.
Did you know Korea was so future-pop and colorful? PS: if you’re in NYC, don’t forget to check out X Japan’s concert on Oct 11.
LA CARMINA
