Oui to Salon Beauvoir

Luxurious treatments aside, posh salons will only get on my good side if they pass the ultimate test: Can they handle wild, curly hair?

I’ve been in the magazine industry for 9 years now, and I cannot stand how, despite …

Xin Wang is Finally in Manila

We saw the “Soon To Open” sign at Mall of Asia a few months ago. My foodie beau Anton was delighted that one of his favorite Singaporean restaurants is finally coming to Manila. With over a dozen locations in Singapore …

Manila Music Festival: My Top 5 Highlights

At some point, I had to stop getting jealous of all those Coachella galleries online. I had to stop fantasizing that the Philippines would come up with its own version of Woodstock. I opened my eyes and realized that …

Earth Day Jam ’12: Snapshots

I’ve been attending the Earth Day Jam in the Philippines for the past five years, and the event is comprised of three main parts: 1.) a list of local acts—mostly rock bands—perform a free concert for the masses in hopes …

Seafood for the Shoestring Traveler

In the Philippines, dampa-style eating boils down to three main steps: 1.) strolling down the wet market to haggle and purchase fresh produce such as seafood, 2.) selecting a nearby restaurant or eatery where, for a service fee, they …

Have Another Kuppa

As promised, I visited Kuppa’s Fort Bonifacio branch this week to see how it stacks up to its original Bacolod location.

I’m happy to report that it lives up to the hype! To reminisce our Bacolod trip, my boyfriend …

Kitsch of the Week: Bambowtie

“Bam-what?” you ask. It’s simple. A bambowtie is a bamboo bowtie.

My Brooklyn-based cousin Nicole Mercado and Yoram Savion of YAK Films were in Manila a few weeks ago. We were hanging out at The Collective where they introduced me …

Alternative to Luneta Park

I did a TV commercial for Buddy Crackers in May last year. The venue was Makati Park and Gardens, and although I consider myself a Makati dweller, I needed to check Google maps because I had never heard of …

Have a Kuppa

Not to be confused with Kuppa Tea & Coffee Traders Co. in Thailand, Kuppa Coffee & Tea is one of the best coffee shops in Bacolod, Philippines. There’s a small Kuppa branch in SM City Bacolod, but I highly suggest …

Kitsch of the Week: Fair Trade Gifts

Gifts & Graces is a fair trade foundation in the Philippines that sells products made by NGOs, non-profit livelihood programs, and marginalized communities such as rescued street children, urban poor, and indigenous folks all over the country.

I first learned …

Time Travel in Silay

The charm of ancestral homes is that each has frozen a moment in time, back when the residents of the house once filled every room with their memories, emotions, and energies.

Negros Occidental is filled with such heritage homes, from …

Oli Pettigrew Outtalks Me

“Wow, I can’t believe it, but I finally met someone who talks more than you,” my boyfriend Anton said when I introduced him to Oli Pettigrew last year. I won the Sony Lifestyle Co-host Search and the crew flew in …

Moooned Over

There’s a colorful Mexican restaurant/café in Bacolod that serves Mexican favorites and fusion Bacolod specialties at an affordable price—Mooon Café. Yes, it’s spelled with a triple “o,” which I take as an emphatic tribute to the Mexican Moon—either that or …

Brewed Coffee on a Shoestring

For travelers who have been to Silay, Negros Occidental, two things come to mind—ancestral homes and sugar. You’ll find archaic heritage houses around the province, from open-house tourist spots such as The Ruins to private residences that may only be …

A Wedding In Ruins

“This is the best wedding I’ve ever attended,” I proclaimed to my friend and fellow journalist, Jayvee Fernandez, during his wedding reception on March 3.

“Really? Give me three reasons why,” Jayvee said.

“Well,” I began. “#1—The venue is …

Love Scene: The Launch

Remember two weeks ago when I blogged about the SNRG music video I worked on? A few hours before their targeted launch date, SNRG officially released the video of “Love Scene” and it gained about 2,000 views in 24 hours.…

John West and The Humble Hustle

If you’ve ever strolled down Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, you’d know that the downtown California spot is famous not just for shopping and dining, but also for its array of unsigned street performers—from stereo-toting b-boys to musicians using …

Toilet Yoga, Anyone?

During a trip to L.A. back in 2007, my friends and I found ourselves discussing effective methods to improve one’s bowel movement. To be more blunt, we were talking about how to “let the poop out” when feeling constipated. In …