My Refrigerator Door

The last time I visited Villa Escudero was in the early 90s, a couple of years earlier than Elsa Klensch (as if it matters to Elsa, haha). Yesterday, my college friends and I decided to go on a whim after much discussion about doctor's appointments, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and menopause on our Messenger chat room. I booked online a day before our trip, I made a request for a vegan meal for our friend Beth de la Rosa , and they happily accommodated. Approximately 3 hours away from Manila, we left McDonald's Kia Theatre in Cubao at 6am to avoid the morning rush hour. From the South Luzon Expressway, we took the well paved Pan-Philippine Highway from the Sto. Tomas, Batangas SLEX exit to San Pablo City. Villa Escudero, an 800 hectare working coconut plantation and hacienda is located in the border of San Pablo, Laguna and Tiaong, Quezon. The friendly staff in colorful Filipino country costume welcomed us with cups of cool Gulaman, a local sweet drink infused with ge...

I would often see Rajo Laurel 's Instagram posts of his childhood playground, Dumaguete. Tagged humorously #DIVAguete, the city boasts of blue green mountains, beautiful marine life, and the first American University in the Philippines and Asia. Last week, I was invited by a dear old friend to join her and other friends for a long weekend holiday in this tropical paradise. Located at the southern tip of Negros island, it is less than an hour away by boat to Oslob, Cebu or Siquijor Island. At a very relaxed pace, we enjoyed the cuisine, lounging by the pool, the windy boat rides, and the swim with the gentle whale sharks in Oslob. I heard Julia Roberts stayed for five days, now, I know why. A bird's eye view of Sumilon Island , 5 mins before landing in Dumaguete . Dumaguete's Boardwalk Monument to Paulinian Nuns who came to the city in 1904 Home of Dumaguete's famous Silvanas  The oldest known bellfry in the province stands next to the...

A decade ago, traveling for me meant two huge suitcases, one carry on luggage, a huge tote and a body bag. A trip to the outlets was as exciting as seeing the haute couture exhibit at the Met. It may sound cheesy, but in the past couple of years, making memories have become more important than finding tri-colour brogues. It must be age. Nowadays, it's all about watching a beautiful sunset, getting hungry from laughing too much and laughing some more looking for ramen in the middle of the night. It's spending the whole afternoon marvelling at 18th century portraits, or lining up to buy the best tasting pizza. It's still a thrill to find a perfect fitting black sweater but shopping ceased to be the contact sport it used to be. Traveling light has made checking in and riding trains easier, and it has given life a new meaning as well. All photos in this post were taken with my new Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge . Now, I don't need to bring a camera and a tablet in my trips. ...