Tag: Philippines
The BDJ Power Planner 2026 Unveils a New Look and New Name
After 20 years, the BDJ Power Planner is embracing reinvention. At the recent launch of the 2026 BDJ Power Planner, I noticed two key changes. First, the main planner cover—which for the past 20 years featured Bella, a stylish and often pink-garbed character representing BDJ’s community of planner girls—is now etched with minimalist doodle portraits. […]
Looking to Get Into Slow Fashion? Start with the Likhang HABI Market Fair
I began my journey with slow fashion when I attended my first Likhang HABI Market Fair in 2023. Back then, my wardrobe was filled with mostly fast fashion pieces and I hardly knew anything about local weaves. Inspired by what I learned from the fair, I spent the next two years reducing my fast fashion […]
Get Up to 80% Off at the Philippines’ Biggest Travel Sale
Time to lock in those vacation dates. The Philippines’ biggest online travel sale is back! For 2025, the September Online Sale (SOS) offers up to 80% off on accommodations, restaurants, and leisure activities from 90 participating hotels and resorts around the Philippines. Now on its 6th year, SOS was launched in 2020 by the Hotel […]
Siargao’s Best Island Tour
While the tri-island or three-island tour—which takes you to Daku, Guyam, and Naked Islands—is Siargao’s most popular tour, a slight upgrade gives you something better. The four-island tour adds a bonus island you shouldn’t miss when in Siargao—Corregidor. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kate Alvarez (Kate Was Here) (@replikate) The three […]
Clark vs. Manila Airport: Pros and Cons
When Clark International Airport (CRK) officially opened in 2022, the government had high hopes. The new airport aimed to accommodate 8 million passengers per year, and in the long run, decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) in Manila. NAIA is frequently cited as one of the worst airports in the world (Hear, hear!), and […]
“Liwanag Sa Dilim: The Musical” Is One Heck of a Ride
There was a conundrum among the writers in my section at the March 6 press preview of Liwanag sa Dilim: “How do we keep our reviews spoiler-free and how long can we go without telling anyone the plot of the musical?” As the official first audience of this new original Filipino musical, we were on […]
Petto Mart Is The New 24-Hour Emergency Pet Hospital in Makati
If there’s one thing pet owners and animal rescuers badly need in the Philippines, it’s a bigger selection of reputable 24-hour emergency pet hospitals. When I say pet hospital, I mean fully-staffed with functioning medical equipment, such as ultrasound, 2D echo, surgery gear, and diagnostic labs. There are a number of 24-hour emergency pet hospitals […]
“Next To Normal” Looks Grief In The Eye
Mental health may no longer be the taboo topic it was 10-20 years ago, but when Next To Normal made its 2008 off-Broadway and 2009 Broadway debut, the rock musical made waves in modern theater. It won three Tony Awards (Best Original Score, Best Orchestration, Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical for […]
First Time in La Union? FatWave Surf Resort Is Great For Elyu Newbies
After putting it off for the longest time, my cousins and I finally went on our first La Union trip. After all these years of interviewing surfers for travel magazines and hearing all the stories from friends who love this surfing town, I was ecstatic to finally set foot in the Surfing Capital of the […]