April 15, 2014

Family Comes First!

Duck face with le grandma. xD
How close are you with your grandparents?
Me? Pretty close, especially the ones from my mom's side. :)
When Jess and I were kids we often spent our Sundays having dim-sum with our big family and after that we usually went to the mall and watched a movie together. My late grandpa usually enjoyed his own time at the food court (he really liked hopping from one food stall to another) or at the book store. Not that he was aloof or he didn't enjoy spending time with his family, it's just that he was afraid he'd be a trouble since he couldn't walk too fast. He was always like that, his principle was, "Always give and do good. It's best to not ask for help from others if you can do it yourself. Don't make other people feel uncomfortable or burdened because of you."

God, I miss him so much. :')


My grandma on the other hand, she loves to share her wisdom and stories to her grandkids. My favorite stories have always been the ones about my mom and her siblings (my aunt and uncles) when they were kids and teens, like who was the naughtiest, stupid things they did, how my grandpa used to punish them, and so on. She is also a very caring and loving woman yet tough to the in-laws, lol. I think it's one of the cancer woman's traits (protective to their children)? haha..


Anyway, when I was 7yo I got chickenpox and she was the one who took care of me at her home because my mom was afraid Jess and my brother would catch it from me (of course mom visited me every day ok). Grandma bathed me, cooked some healthy food for me, helped me memorizing the multiplication table so I wouldn't left behind at school, and we always had a random conversation before we went to bed. She loved to give me advices about men and relationship, and also... teach me about Chinese culture lol.



Clock-wise: Valen (our cousin), me, Jess, grandma
As time went on and work took priority over most other stuff, I found myself more and more distant from my grandparents. There was no more dim sum tradition, and I only met them on family events which I often missed because of work! :(

This quote is so true though:
"We are so busy growing up, we often forget they are also growing old."

I always thought they wouldn't go anywhere, and if they did, I must have been prepared for it.

Turned out, I was not. Not even close.

The day my grandpa earned his angel wings was one of the hardest moments I had to go through in my life. I certainly did not expect it to happen so soon. We were all so heartbroken and broke down in tears. He was a very good man and someone we all look up to, and we felt like we haven't done our best to repay his great love and kindness.

But, there is always a silver lining in the darkest of cloud. This tragic occurrence has made us all realized how important family is. As for Jess and I, we've made a resolution to cut ourselves some slack and make time at least once a week to spend some quality time with our grandma. Another resolution is to take as many family photos as possible! ;D
Mom - Mom's sister (aka Valen's mom) - Grandma
One of the best ways that you can do to strengthen the family (or friendship) bond is by doing activities together! Like this 'Sparkling Friendship Goes to HK' #FOXSSparklingHK activity! I asked my grandma to join it with me and we had SO much fun! You just have to post a picture of you and your BFF with your chosen FOX'S color theme here and don't forget to pose with FOX's candy too! :D


↑ Just so you know, it's really hard to stick out your tongue with a candy on it! I dropped two candies doing this pose! Anyway, LOLed at my grandma's expression! xD 
Love how my grandma matched her top with a pair of pink trousers! Stylish nana!! :)) 
If I have to choose what color that best represents our relationship, I think it would be blue, as it is fresh and relaxed, just like water. HAHA!
Looking forward to more activities that we can do together!! :D

Elissa Yamada

April 14, 2014

#byeUNhiGOWI | GOWIGASA New Arrivals + Promo!

Hello, there! So yesterday, we announced that TODAY (14/04/14), we're going to launch GOWIGASA's New Collection. Which to our surprise, some of our high school student customers responded that today happens to be the day of Indonesian UN (National Exam) and they asked us to postpone the New Arrivals' launching day to Wednesday (16/04/14). We noted their request and decided to do so, along with THIS Surprise Giveaway:

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Hello, there! Kemarin ini, kami telah mengumumkan bahwa HARI INI (14/04/14),  kami akan meluncurkan koleksi terbaru GOWIGASA. Namun kami tidak sadar bahwa ternyata hari ini adalah hari diadakannya UN (Ujian Nasional) untuk para siswa-siswi SMA di seluruh Indonesia. ^^; Beberapa pelanggan kami yang masih duduk di bangku SMA meminta kami untuk mengundur tanggal upload New Arrivals GOWIGASA menjadi hari Rabu (16/04/14). Pada akhirnya kami setuju (jadi uploadnya hari Rabu yay!) dan sekaligus kami juga mengadakan Giveaway INI:

#byeUNhiGOWI

\(•ˆ ó ˆ•)/ \(•ˆ ó ˆ•)/ \(•ˆ ó ˆ•)/
So, YES! You can enter this Giveaway by simply posting your picture wearing highschool uniform on Instagram holding a sign saying #byeUNhiGOWI. What you'll get in return is: A straight 10% OFF your online purchase on GOWIGASA.com! ;D

Everyone can join?
Yes; girls, boys, all countries, ALL AGE, everyone with Instagram account can join! Just remember to:
1. Wear a highschool uniform (or mix match one!) and hold a sign saying #byeUNhiGOWI
2. Put #byeUNhiGOWI hashtag + your email on the photo's caption
3. Set your account to public (we won't be able to see your entry if your account is a private one ^^)
That simple?? YEP!
No lottery required??? Damn right!

What if I don't have my highschool uniform anymore?
Jess also searched high and low for her highschool uniform yesterday, but she couldn't find it. Asked our mom and she said she remembered donating it already ((SAD)). Well, luckily that's not a problem! Like we mentioned up there, you can mix-match your white shirt, grey skirt, white socks and black shoes (jacket and black belt is optional) and wear them together like Jess did in this post! ^^v

So, YES! Kamu bisa ikutan Giveaway ini dengan cara super mudah, yaitu: upload foto kamu ke Instagram sambil mengenakan seragam SMA dan membawa kertas bertuliskan #byeUNhiGOWI. Nantinya, kamu berhak mendapatkan: Diskon 10% untuk pembelian kamu di GOWIGASA.com! ;D

Semua orang bisa ikutan?
Yup; cewek, cowok, SEMUA UMUR, pokoknya asal kamu punya akun Instagram, kamu bisa join! Syaratnya mudah:
1. Pakai seragam SMA (atau mix match aja seperti yang di post ini) sambil memegang kertas bertuliskan #byeUNhiGOWI2. Tulis hashtag #byeUNhiGOWI hashtag + email kamu di caption foto nantinya3. Ubah setting akun kamu ke public (karena kalau private, nanti ga kelihatan post nya ^^)
Semudah itu?? YEAP!
Tanpa diundi??? Tepat sekalii!

Kalau aku udah ga punya seragam SMA lagi, gimana?
Jess juga kemarin cari-cari seragam SMA dia tapi ga ketemu. Waktu tanya mama, ternyata kata mama sudah disumbangkan ((hiks)). But no problem, kamu bisa mix-match aja kemeja putih, rok abu-abu, kaus kaki putih dan sepatu hitam (jaket dan ikat pinggang warna hitam opsional) dan pakai bareng deh seperti yang Jess lakukan di post ini! ^^v

Anyhow, if you're not keen to post your own pic, you can also post the #byeUNhiGOWI sign with anything that resembles highschool! For example, you can post it with your backpack, like this:
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Anyway, kamu juga bisa post foto #byeUNhiGOWI ini dengan apapun yang berbau SMA lho! Contohnya dengan backpack seperti foto di bawah ini:
For posting this option, you'll get: A straight 5% OFF your online purchase on GOWIGASA.com! ;D
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Untuk opsi ini, kamu berhak mendapatkan: Diskon 5% untuk pembelian di GOWIGASA.com! ;D


• The 5% or 10% GOWIGASA.com Discount Voucher will be sent to your email within 24 hours after you post your picture on Instagram
• This giveaway will close on 25 April 2014 at 23:59 WIB (GMT +7 Jakarta time zone)
• One (1) Instagram account can only enter once. Posting multiple pictures is permitted, but it will still count as one entry
• The Voucher Code has no expiration date and fully transferrable
• How To Use Your Voucher: http://www.ellejess.com/2013/07/gowigasa-web-how-to-use-voucher-codes.html
• How To Shop Online on GOWIGASA.com (simple step-by-step): http://www.gowigasa.com/how-to-order 
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• Voucher Diskon 5% atau 10% GOWIGASA.com akan dikirimkan ke email kamu dalam waktu 24 jam setelah kamu post fotomu di Instagram
• Giveaway ini akan berakhir tanggal 25 April 2014 jam 23:59 WIB
• Satu (1) akun Instagram hanya dapat ikut sekali. Kamu boleh post beberapa foto di akun Instagram kamu, tapi entry yang dihitung hanya satu
• Voucher tidak ada batas waktu pemakaian dan dapat dipindahtangankan
• Bagaimana cara menggunakan Voucher: http://www.ellejess.com/2013/07/gowigasa-web-how-to-use-voucher-codes.html
• Bagaimana cara belanja online di GOWIGASA.com (step-by-step): http://www.gowigasa.com/how-to-order 
Okay then folks, have fun with this Giveaway and don't forget to visit http://www.gowigasa.com on Wednesday, 16 April 2014 for our delicious New Collection! (ˆヮˆ)づ♡

XOXO

April 13, 2014

5 Tips for Rocking the Runway

With the vintage queen, Clara Devi :)
So, about last week I attended this event held by TRESemmé called The Runway at Senayan City, Jakarta. The event was fun to watch and it was so packed as you can see below:

What is The Runway actually?

The Runway adalah acara yang diselenggarakan oleh TRESemmé Indonesia untuk para Style Seekers (sebutan untuk fans TRESemmé) dimana para Style Seekers dapat merasakan pengalaman seperti top model, bersama para finalis Asia’s Next Top Model.

Peserta The Runway akan mendapatkan free workshop tentang make up, hair styling dan catwalk dari para professional di acara tersebut. Dan peserta The Runway juga berkesempatan menjadi TRESemmé YouTube Star.

Para kontestan Asia's Next Top Model 2 juga ikut hadir memeriahkan acara tersebut dengan cat-walking and posing on the stage:


HOW to JOIN? 

1. Beli Shampoo & Conditioner TRESemmé di toko-toko terdekat dan simpan bukti pembelian
2. Tukarkan bukti pembelian dengan The Runway Kit. The Runway Kit berisi T-shirt, mini booklet mengenai tips & trik untuk menikmati The Runway, beserta tiket dan kode unik di dalamnya. Click here to know where to get The Runway Kit.
The Runway Kit
3. Setelah mendapatkan The Runway Kit, pastikan kamu mendaftarkan diri kamu di sini. Klik "How to Join" lalu nanti akan muncul tampilan seperti di bawah ini:
Kamu hanya perlu mengisi data-data yang diperlukan lalu klik "Submit"! :D

4. Prepare your Runway Shirt!
This is the shirt that you'll get inside the Runway Kit bag, which you must wear at the event. You can modify it as you like in order to express yourself and to stand out among other contestants!
For example, I will modify my shirt to be like my own red striped shirt (well, kind of). 
 You only need ONE tool to get it done: SCISSORS. And a sharp one, please.
 First, I'm gonna cut this part of the shirt to create the ties.
 After that, I'm gonna cut the shirt right in the middle to make it cropped!
  TADAH! Easy peasy right? Although I must admit the cutting is quite messy lol. But that's okay! This is not a designer contest :D
 NEXT! To make it more unique and outstanding (hence more attention), I'm going to write something on the back of the shirt! Yes, using NAIL POLISH! In vibrant color some more!!
Don't forget to slip in a book as a base for your writing and to prevent the nail polish from seeping into the front part of the shirt.
 I decided to write my name on it to make the judges easier to remember me!
Like, "The girl with the name written on the back." haha! I also added my horoscope symbol to make it even more memorable lol. Who knows if there is a girl named Elle too and she also writes her name on her back? Wouldn't wanna risk that...

You might also want to check this video out for some inspiration to modify your shirt:

5. Now that your runway shirt is ready, it's time to work on your presentation at the event! I'm going to share with you some tips from what I've learned during the event! :D

5 Tips for Rocking the Runway

5.1. POSE! POSE! POSE!
When you reach the end of the runway (the point where there are a lot of photographers ready to snap you), DON'T JUST WALK AWAY:
Photo credit: Clara Devi
Just a simple classic pose like this is enough:
Lean on one hip, make an eye contact, and SMILE!
Or if you want to make a statement, you can pose like this lol:
Some of the contestants were really good at posing, they even TWIRLED:
::clap clap clap::
5.2. Don't walk too slow or too fast.
It will ruin the rhythm of someone behind you (poor her) and worse, it makes you look timid! Which is not a good quality in modeling.
Photo credit: Clara Devi
5.3. Wear comfortable shoes.
The way you walk depends on your shoes! Most of the contestants walked awkwardly because they walked in sky high stilettos, which are fine IF you're trained with them. But if you are not, better choose something that will help you walk steadily and confidently. REMEMBER, the judges will not judge you based on what you're wearing, but more on how you present yourself as a model.
I'd choose BOOTS of course!
5.4. SMILE and NEVER LOOK DOWN
Even though most professional models don't smile, but as an audience, I've got to say I feel happier if I see a contestant smiles! And then I will take a good look at her and try to remember her name. You can also wave and smile to the audience, it will surely grab many attention! :D

As for your eyes, pick a spot that you can stare at so you won’t get distracted by anything else around you! Never. Look. Down.
Photo credit: perezhilton.com
Photo credit to this blog.

5.5. BE CONFIDENT!
This is my last and most important tip. I know it must be nerve-racking when you are about to enter the stage, but just do these 4 simple steps to calm down:
-Take a deep breath three times
-Remember your training
-Pray
-Repeat this to yourself: "I'm beautiful, I'm beautiful, I'm beautiful."

Ok that's all! I hope my tips will work for you :)

And here are some information about the event that you need to know:
This event will be held in 4 big cities in Indonesia:
Jakarta: 29 Maret 2014 (closed)
Medan: 12 April 2014
Surabaya: 26 April 2014
Makassar: 10 May 2014

Di acara tersebut akan ada penghargaan untuk best dress, best hair styling dan best catwalk dari setiap kelas.

Setiap peserta The Runway juga bisa berkesempatan untuk jadi TRESemmé Youtube Star berhadiah contract dari TRESemmé dengan mengikuti audisi saat acara berlangsung (harus mendatangi booth untuk TRESemmé Youtube Star).

♥Pada acara press conference juga akan ada launching produk TRESemmé yang baru yaitu TRESemmé Scalp Care (anti hairfall dan anti dandruff).

The Runway akan menjadi the biggest runway with the most model ever (event in the world).


Lumayan banget kan untuk sekedar pengalaman? Atau kalau kamu memang punya minat di dunia modeling, it can be a huge stepping stone for your career! Ayo buruan beli shampoo dan conditioner TRESemmé dan daftarkan diri kamu di sini. :D


Good luck, girls!! xx

Elissa Yamada