#SingTravels to Japan | January 2018

Handling the first-in-Asia launch of the #GigixMaybelline collection last year was one of the work highlights of my 2017 and I didn’t expect that this project would continue to surprise me this 2018! I definitely had the best time even if this trip was for work… I mean, it’s not everyday that you get to see Gigi Hadid, right? The hashtag #ILoveMyJob definitely applies to this experience!

Here’s a quick rundown of my 4 days in Tokyo- happy viewing 🙂

DAY 1

Depart Manila via NAIA 2 -> Arrive in Haneda Airport -> Hotel Check-in -> Late lunch at Standing Sushi -> Photoshoot in Shibuya -> Dinner at Gonpachi -> Dessert in Roppongi Plaza -> Sleep!

Meet the Tokyo Girls Crew: Celebrities Alexa Ilacad and Gabbi Garcia, Me (Maybelline PH Representative), and Bianca de Guzman (Gabbi’s Manager.)#SingTravels must-haves!Touchdown, Haneda!Twinning luggage for Gabbi, Alexa, and I!Look what welcomed us upon checking-in!Goodies for the beauty influencers <3It was a unanimous decision for us all to have sushi for our 1st meal in Tokyo so I brought them in one of my favorite sushi places- the Standing Sushi Bar. PS: If you’re wondering who’s the guy on the left, that’s Maqui Castello- a common friend of Gabbi and I. He’s a talented photographer and was coincidentally in Tokyo the same time as we were.Best Aburi ever!!!The girls visiting the Maybelline Wall in Shibuya.Guerilla photoshoot in Shibuya! We were running around every time the pedestrian sign lights up! It was fun, haha!Of course, I wanted to have a shot also. Thanks for taking this photo, Maqui!Adventure-filled afternoon in Shibuya!Team PH Dinner in Gonpachi, the inspiration behind Kill Bill’s The House of Blue Leaves setting.Will never get tired of Japanese food!We’re all so full!But there’s always room for dessert… Crepe time!I always meet up with Maia whenever I’m in Tokyo. She used to be a Maybelline PH girl as well and is now based in Japan doing product development for Maybelline Asia.That’s it for Day 1!

DAY 2

Hospital -> Meeting -> Prep for the Event -> Maybelline Masterclass with Gigi Hadid and Erin Parsons -> Break -> After Party with Gigi Hadid -> Midnight Snack in Shake Shack -> Rest!

Day 2 started out in the most unexpected way… It was my first time to go to a hospital in a foreign country!Luckily, Japan has a good health care system and we were out in just a few hours, in time for the Gigi event!All set for the #GigixMaybelline Asia Launch Press Event 🙂This collection’s aesthetic is so on point!Team Philippines, ready for the event!Table set-up for the Master Class.Program’s about to start!From seeing her every single work day in Maybelline Visuals to real life… it feels surreal! Alexa with Gigi.Gabbi with Gigi.I wasn’t able to take a photo with Gigi but look who’s here- it’s Erin Parsons, Gigi’s MUA and Maybelline’s Global Makeup Artist. So kilig I got to chat with her <3Came back for the after-party with Gigi!Japan’s top DJs in the house!How cool is this #GigixMaybelline- designed Japanese Food Park?LOVE!Yup, they served real Japanese food! And they were yummy too!With Maybelline Thailand’s Endorser Urassaya Sperbund (also one of the biggest celebrities in TH!)Everyone’s crazy about Gigi <3It was definitely a successful #GigixMaybelline Asia Launch. Congratulations to everyone 🙂 With Maybelline Girls from all over Asia- L-R: Claire (from North Zone), Pum (Head of South Zone), Carla (Head of DMI), Me, and Jerraine (from North Zone)I wasn’t able to have a real dinner so did a quick Shake Shack stopover (anyway, it’s just in-front of our hotel!)Best way to end a cray day!

DAY 3

Content Shoot -> Hotel to send off Gabbi and Bianx -> Back to Maybelline Content Studio -> Cat Street -> Good Town Doughnut -> Cat Mocha Cafe -> Dominique Ansel-> Blue Bottle -> Harajuku -> Dinner at Tatsunoya -> Time to zzz

Most important task for the day- content shoot!Ahhhh! Love love the set up <3This was the exact layout/set design I wanted to do for one of my launch events last year <3 So elegant and beautiful!Products HOT from New York! Majority of these are not yet available in Asia!Food for everyone!Coffee?Gabbi slaying it!Me doing the creative direction hihiAlexa’s turn!Drawing on Gabbi’s arm…And here’s the end result of the flat lay shot!Thank you for being so professional and easy to work with, Gabbi and Alexa!Sending off Gabbi and Bianx as they fly back to Manila 🙁Plaid-twinning with Hong Kong’s Influencer Lok Sin. With Thailand’s Nobluk.With Indonesia’s Abel and Nanda.With Myanmar’s May Myat (she’s a contestant from AsNTM Cycle 4!)Maybelline Beauty Influencers across Asia!Maybelline Brand and Digital Teams across Asia who made #GigixMaybelline happen <3It’s time for the Tokyo Tour with the Maybelline girls…First stop is Cat Street for some IG photoshoot.Next up is Good Town Doughnuts for their famous…doughnuts! With Sherlyn of Regional Team. Congratulations, Dear <3Tokyu Plaza’s famous ceiling…Next stop was Cat Mocha Cafe, as requested by Alexa 🙂The cats here were sooooo disciplined! They eat from spoons like human beings!Next up is Dominique Ansel for…their famous SMORES!Of course, I needed my dose of caffeine and since Blue Bottle was just around the corner… I needed to have a cup from there!Dinner time! Waited for almost an hour in freezing cold for this!Good ramen! Better than Ichiran, in my opinion.

DAY 4

Hotel Check-out -> Lunch at Butagama -> Kiddy Land -> Stroll along Omotesando  -> Post Card Writing Session at Mojo Cafe -> Pasalubong Shopping at Don Quijote -> Dinner at Ikinari Steak -> Pick-up Luggage from Hotel -> Depart Japan via Haneda Airport

Last day in Tokyo 🙁Lunch at Tokyo’s best Tonkatsu House!It was SO good!!!Alexa’s first request upon confirming our Tokyo trip, haha!I was just supposed to accompany Alexa to Kiddyland but upon seeing these Pochacco Stuff, I couldn’t resist and ended up doing some shopping as well >.<Cute Shiba we saw along the street!Pulling off my favorite oversized-everything fashion style…Cosplayers spotted in Harajuku!A #SingTravels tradition… Postcard writing time!Time to buy some pasalubong in Don Quijote, where everything and anything is available!Dinner at Ikinari Steak… yum!Had Tenderloin for this meal.Last Tokyo meal with Alexa 🙁Went back to the hotel to get our luggage and…Off we fly back to Manila!

Until the next #SingTravels!