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 …

The Making of “Love Scene”

After supporting indie hip-hop group SNRG for years, I was ecstatic when the group’s rappers, Beau and Aaron Canlas, called me a few weeks ago to talk about working on a new music video with their singer, Kat Alano. …

Peanut Trail

It all started when I purchased a limited edition Peanuts 2012 planner from Moleskine over the holidays. The cover design of Charlie Brown by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz made my weekly planning and note taking a little more fun. For …

Kitsch of the Week: Nutella Book

Now that World Nutella Day is over, it’s time to scrape the leftovers of hazelnut spread found at the bottom of your jar. While you’re at it, also check out The Unofficial Guide to Nutella by writers Sara Rosso and …

Countdown to Nutella Day

Three days to go ‘til World Nutella Day!

For people like me who are hooked on it like crack, Nutella is more than just a chocolate-y hazelnut spread; it’s a way of life.

I remember my first Nutella experience. …

Kitsch of the Week: Paper Dolls

When I was a little girl in the ’80s, the word internet was unheard of. Online games were nonexistent, and although we had a number of gadgets such as Speak N Spell and Nintendo to keep us entertained, my fellow …

Crash Course in Taoism

After making plans to spend Chinese New Year’s Eve strolling around Binondo, Manila’s famous Chinatown, my uncle Joeboy told me about his personal experience there during last year’s celebrations. He jokingly likened the congested streets of Binondo to a war …

The Real Taste of Hong Kong is in the Streets

I’ve trekked with two types of travelers: 1) the one who prefers to dine in clean and sanitized places, carefully avoiding grade C and below restaurants and 2) the cowboy who doesn’t mind braving underground spots and eating street food …

Kitsch of the Week: Penny Smasher

Whatever you prefer to call it—penny smasher, coin smasher, penny squisher, coin press, or penny pincher, among many other things—it refers to that novelty machine found in amusement parks and tourist spots that melt and roll your penny into an …

Tai Hing’s 5-Star Roast Gets a 3.5

My travel buddies and I had one last stop to visit before heading to the airport and flying back to Manila—Tai Hing restaurant in Mongkok, Hong Kong.

Best known for its 5-star roasted pork and chilled original milk tea, …

Fisherman’s Wharf Macau is Dead

It was the first stop of my family’s Macau group tour on December 30, so naturally I expected it to be one of the best spots to welcome tourists to this Chinese region. But it was 11 a.m. and none …

Kitsch of the Week: Edible Mickeys

Call it the power of marketing. Just place a popular logo, brand or character on any ordinary consumer item and its selling power increases tenfold. When my family and I spent New Year’s Eve in Disneyland Hong Kong, my …

Hello Kitty For Grownups

Sanrio was a huge part of my childhood. At least once a week after school, I would visit Gift Gate, a chain of stores in the Philippines that carries Sanrio products. I would spend hours there, just browsing through hordes …

That Ball of Cheese

Ask any Filipino about what he loves most about Christmas, and I guarantee that the Noche Buena will make his top three list. In the late Doreen Fernandez’s book, Tikim: Essays on Philippine Food and Culture, published in 1994, …