About Those Famous Rattan Bags

I started seeing these round, woven rattan bags in the clutches of designers and fashion bloggers in early 2017. After asking around, I found the Instagram accounts selling these 24-cm diameter bags for about ₱3,800 each (75 USD).…

Yoga Barn: Disneyland For Yoginis

Whenever people ask me what I did in Ubud, Bali, my answer is, “Eat, play, yoga.” When I said I took classes in Yoga Barn, I got a few sneers and eye rolls from travel hipsters who made …

La Costa Central: Bali’s Hidden Budget Hotel

With so many accommodations in tourism-driven Bali, choosing the right one can be overwhelming for first-timers. I spent days browsing Agoda and reading the reviews to find the best budget hotel for my stay in Seminyak last month.…

Is It Safe To Go To Bali Right Now?

As a solo female traveler, I was constantly asked this question before, during, and after my 2.5-week vacation in Bali. After decades of peace, Mt. Agung began spewing ash in September 2017. The Indonesian government released a volcano warning. …

25 Gifts Of Christmas: Win Everything In This Photo

It’s that time of the year when I play Santa Claus and give away a bag of prizes to one lucky reader of KateWasHere.com.…

Millennial Traveler’s Wish List

For the typical millennial (or milleXial like myself), these type of videos pop up on your social media feed regularly. They’re hyped-up videos of the latest inventions guaranteed to make your travels easier, and not to mention, cooler. You’ll see …

The Mother Of All Beach Hats

I first spotted this hat in the Instagram account of my makeup artist friend, Xeng Zulueta.…

Safety Tips For Solo Female Travelers

According to Condé Nast Traveler, the world’s top travel agencies have seen an upsurge in women booking trips on their own. But this doesn’t mean we’re free from the potential dangers that lurk when we travel—whether it’s in our …

BDJ’s 2018 Collection Is Here!

BDJ has come a long way since they launched the first Belle De Jour Power Planner back in 2006. As the Starbucks planner mania swept Manila off its feet and made consumers obsessed with collecting stickers, BDJ started their own …

A Gothic Boho Wedding

My boy bestie got married! Paolo Icasas, who I met when I was 13 years old and has been featured several times in my blog, tied the knot with fellow artist Marionne Contreras this October.…

This Café Will Give You Garden Goals

Did you ever think about turning your garden or outdoor patio into your own personal coffee shop? Here’s one café that will give you major goals. You don’t even have to splurge on pricey furniture and interior designs. All you …

After The Hype, How Is Manila’s Hello Kitty Café?

As a Hello Kitty fan, I waited with bated breath for the Hello Kitty Café to open in Uptown Place, Bonifacio Global City. I first spotted the “opening soon” sign in 2016, and my media friends told me they’d …

Wearing My Heart On My Wrist

A few months ago, an account named Knotted Altogether followed me on Instagram. I brushed it off as another bot, one of the many branded accounts that follow (and eventually unfollow) me.

But as the months went by, Knotted Altogether…

Quirk of the Month: OLX Paper Shoot Camera

Eco babes, here’s an earth-friendly gadget you’ll love—the Paper Shoot Camera. It’s a DIY assembly digital camera with a stone paper casing.…

My Space: Mr. Roboto Modern Japanese Resto

It’s a Japanese restaurant after my own heart. Mr. Roboto serves innovative Japanese food in quirky, ’80s-style interiors inspired by Japanese robots.…