Soft Luxe Holiday Diaries: An Unexpected Double Holiday, Pho, and Shopping

Yesterday was supposed to be piano class, but Teacher mixed up the schedule — and just like that, my family and I suddenly had a double holiday! (Yesterday was Ninoy Aquino Day). Instead of wasting the day, we decided to make it a Soft Luxe adventure. ✨ Sometimes, the best days are the ones that unfold unexpectedly.

Circuit Stop – Mumuso + Watsons 🛍️

Our first stop was Circuit. I went to Mumuso and Watsons for a few essentials and little luxuries. I picked up the BYS Pearl Pods (so excited to finally test them!) and a new concealer, along with some travel finds at Mumuso — bottles and organizers

There were lots of new deliveries at BYS:

There were more items like mascaras, new CloudSkin items, and more! I wasn't able to take photos of all of them as we were in a hurry.

Also got these hand foam washes that I've been eyeing for a long time but keep forgetting to buy!

Not everything sparked joy at Mumuso (sometimes their items feel hit-or-miss), but when something does feel right, it’s like discovering a hidden gem. That’s part of the fun of the hunt. Like this tweed blue and white headband:

Greenbelt Stop – Mango Browsing 👗

From there, we headed to Greenbelt, where I did a round at Mango. I took lots of photos of the pieces I loved, but in true Soft Luxe fashion, I didn’t force myself to buy anything.

Some clothes didn’t fit quite right (why do they make smalls that gape in the chest but balloon at the waist? 😅), and some of the bags I wanted were already out of stock. Instead of being frustrated, I took it as a reminder: Soft Luxe isn’t about buying everything — it’s about choosing pieces that honor your body and your lifestyle.

These bags were gone!

I went there to buy those black pouches that I mentioned in this post, but they're all gone, too!

Pho Lunch 🍜

Shopping calls for comfort food, so we treated ourselves to Pho. A steaming bowl of noodles in between shopping rounds feels like a warm reset — simple, filling, and grounding. Food, when enjoyed slowly, is always part of the Soft Luxe philosophy.

The boys had pho

I had beef stew

Charles & Keith – The Highlight 👠

The real win of the day was Charles & Keith. I bought a new pair of shoes. What I love about C&K is how their shoes are both stylish and comfortable — something I can wear all day, whether it’s walking around the mall or traveling. Their pieces last for years, making them one of my Soft Luxe staples. Aside from that, they're the only brand in my area that carry my size! And the shoes in that size fit my feet well and not weird like in other brands!

A Tiny Joy to End the Day 🌶️

When I got home, I stepped outside for a bit of fresh air and picked these beautiful red chilies from our plant. Just a handful, but it made me so happy. There’s something grounding about harvesting from your own little garden — it balances out the rush of travel prep.

My Soft Luxe Holiday Takeaway ✨

What started as a canceled piano class turned into a full day of little joys — from discovering small finds, window shopping, and savoring a hot bowl of Pho, to finally bringing home a pair of shoes that made me feel chic and comfortable.

Soft Luxe isn’t about packing a day with endless activities — it’s about savoring each moment, even when plans change. Yesterday was proof that the unexpected can be its own kind of luxury.

🌸 How do you spend your unexpected holidays? Do you go exploring, or do you stay home and rest?

Soul Notes: For Your Journal Tonight

Come sit with me for a while. I have my journal open, and tonight I’ve been thinking about something I suspect I do more often than I realize. I turn healing into another thing I need to accomplish. I want to know when I’ll be over something. When I’ll stop thinking about it. When something that hurt will finally stop hurting. When I’ll feel like myself again. And somewhere along the way, healing quietly becomes another deadline. Another invisible date on a calendar. Another thing I can somehow be late for. But maybe healing doesn’t work particularly well under project management. Maybe there are things I will understand quickly and things I’ll have to revisit again and again. Maybe I’ll feel completely fine one day and unexpectedly tender the next. That doesn’t mean I’ve gone backwards. It means I’m still moving through it. I remember one day, many years ago, when I had fibromyalgia. I lived in constant pain. I just couldn’t get a good day. And then one day, in the office...

Used to the Last Drop: The Ones I’d Already Told You About

There’s something particularly satisfying about finishing a product you’ve already written about. Not testing it. Not forming first impressions. Not wondering whether I’ll still like it three weeks from now. Finished. My Molang Honey sheet masks and this body scrub both made it all the way to the end. (Finally for the Molang sheet masks, right?) I’ve reviewed both before, so I won’t review them all over again here. But perhaps using something until there is nothing left to use is its own kind of review. Beauty products come through my bathroom rather frequently. Some are lovely for a week. Some get pushed to the back of a shelf. Some simply stop working for me. And then there are the ones that quietly disappear because I kept reaching for them. Maybe an empty container is the shortest review of all. I liked it enough to finish it. If you want to read my thought about these products, just type them on my search bar. —- With elegance and quiet fire, Lady E Founder, Glow by Lady E...

Part 1: I Finally Had Enough of My Dry Feet and Did Something About It

I have been annoyed with my feet for months. Not because there was anything particularly wrong with them. They were just dry . Really dry. And you know I have a problem with dryness (hello skin, lips). And somehow, despite noticing this constantly, I kept doing absolutely nothing about it. The moment that gets me every time is when I’m waiting for my son at piano class. I’ll sit down, cross my legs, look down at my slip-ons or sandals and there they are. My dry, flaky feet. Then I become painfully aware that there are other people sitting beside me who can probably see them too. 😂 Every time, I think, I really need to do something about this. And then piano class ends, life resumes, and apparently my feet are no longer part of my jurisdiction. Eventually, I had enough. I found this Mond’Sub Chamomile Foot Peeling Spray at KKV and decided that my poor neglected feet were finally getting some attention. The process wasn’t glamorous. There was peeling skin involved. There were bits...

Glow by Lady E

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