Turtle Tales from Anvaya

“Would you like to join us at Anvaya Cove?” Anton’s aunt Lisa asked me in February. “We’re releasing baby pawikans into the sea.” Distracted by a to-do list at that time, I turned down her invite.

When I later …

Kitsch of the Week: Vanilla Cupcake Bakery

“Wow, this is fun. I feel like a kid,” said my artist friend Paolo, who, in his vintage rockstar ensemble, looked completely out of place on the colorful quilted couch surrounded by country-style teacups, saucers and pots. It was …

7 Creative Ways to Recycle Magazines

If, like me, you’ve collected mountains of magazines throughout your life, then you know what it’s like to have them overpopulating your bedroom. I understand the significance of keeping collector’s items or magazine issues with sentimental value, but there are …

Kate Was Here Turns 2!

My blog is turning two this May! There will be no fancy fireworks or celebrations, but I am giving away a summer loot bag to one lucky reader from the Philippines.

Want to win everything you see in this photo?…

Mane Attraction

Our first collection is ready! One of the newest accessory brands in Manila, Hey Jow has collaborated with Kate Was Here for a limited-edition summer 2013 collection called Beach-fest, inspired by our sandy shores and the global music festival …

Essence’s Candy-themed Launch

The gals of BDJ Box and I were invited to the Philippine launch of Europe’s no. 1 value cosmetics brand, Essence, at the Intercontinental Hotel last week. The intimate candy-themed event was, pardon the cliché, a sight for sore eyes.…

Hey Jow, Let’s Play Footsie

Everyday I see my social networking feeds overflowing with wannabe designers and new small-scale creative businesses that don’t really stand out. But when Manila-based makeup artist/designer Joana Ballesteros began posting photos of her accessories on Instagram, I took notice.

Hey …

Spring Cleaning: 10 Places to Dump Your Junk

Whether you live in a four-season state or a tropical country such as mine, April’s the perfect month to tidy your house and get rid of the clutter that’s potentially turning you into a candidate of Hoarders or Clean House…

Spoof Collection

Someone once quipped that I’m a walking disaster, and I won’t argue with that. I seem to be a magnet for sticky situations, jokes, and gags.

In honor of April Fools’ Day, a celebration that I never really paid attention …

Nutella Cupcakes

Allow me to do some shameless plugging. For my birthday, my sister Karen baked these sinful Nutella cupcakes to indulge my sweet-toothed soul.…

Breakfast for Dinner

“When you ordered waffles and coffee instead of beer, I knew you were weird,” Anton joked when we talked about our first official date at a Makati bar in 2010.

Weird as I was, he loved me nonetheless. He wholeheartedly …

Kitsch of the Week: Juice Box Camera

This cute little thing arrived in the mail yesterday.…

Love in the Time of the Tape Recorder

After playing Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (2010), The Cat in Seussical the Musical (2010), and Hope Charity in Sweet Charity (2011), triple threat Nikki Gil is back to portray another quirky character, this time in They’re Playing Our Song…

From Cabbage Patch to Canon Digital

I remember my first camera. It was a Cabbage Patch Kids cartridge-loading camera with a detachable flip flash. It was a gift from my parents in 1990 (or 1991). That compact film camera taught me the basics of photography—from caring …

Kitsch of the Week: Message On a Chocolate Bar

Lately I’ve been receiving a lot of letters, cards, and presents from friends and relatives. One thoughtful gift I got is big bar of chocolate from an Amsterdam café-bakery called La Place.

The design on the bar says in …

Box-O-Plenty!

A trend that took over the world of vanity last year was beauty subscription boxes. Just like a magazine subscription, you can choose from the monthly, quarterly, biannually, or yearly subscription service to get a box of beauty loot delivered …

Old World Dining

In the 19th century, a wealthy couple living in the San Miguel District of Manila was known for throwing unforgettable dinners. Dr. Alejandro Legarda (a.k.a. Don Alejandro) and Doña Ramona Legarda (a.k.a. Tita Moning)’s sumptuous cooking and luxurious dining rooms …

A La Peanut Butter Sandwiches!

I have a philosophical question that’s been bothering me for years:

Why do sandwiches taste better when someone else makes it for you?

When my mother makes me a basic tuna sandwich, it tastes yummy. When I try to replicate …