Solo Travels, Kpop & Kdrama Fangirling, Events, and Personal Musings
Several Filipino musical acts, including Ben&Ben and Kamikazee, are performing on one concert stage this summer at Momentum Music Festival happening on April 30, at the Filinvest City Events Grounds in Alabang, Muntinlupa. Fifteen of the country’s top musical acts will gather in the hotly anticipated day-to-night spectacle that features both seasoned and upcoming artists.
Filipino home seekers are increasingly dreaming of alternative primary residences situated amid sweeping, lush naturescapes under a clear blue sky. Imagine waking up to a generous dose of mountain views, chilling on a spacious balcony, and enjoying the fresh breeze without the unwelcome chaos of the metro.
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| (Artist’s perspective of Scottsdale) Completing the Garden Villa clusters, Scottsdale is located at the highest point within Horizon Terraces, offering panoramic views of stunning sceneries enjoyed from its balconies and terraces, while serving as a safe alternative primary home. |
I've been to the Gamcheon Culture Village of Busan twice already, first was during winter time in 2018 for a solo trip. The second time was more recently, autumn of 2022, with my friend Paxie. Both experience were very memorable.
You will think it's just a place to take pictures of the rainbow houses, but spend a little more time here for the food, for the art, and of course, for the sunset. For both times I was there, it was always golden hour. The place looks beautiful with the pink skies as background.
READ: ALL ABOUT BUSAN (2018)
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| Purplish pink sunset on my first time at the Gamcheon Culture Village |
Hershey Philippines activates #HerSHE campaign and additional programming to inspire, uplift and advance women and girls
In celebration of International Women’s Day (March 8), The Hershey Company today launched its month-long #HerShe campaign through a unique packaging design celebrating ‘SHEroes’, additional support of its nonprofit partnership and a new global mentorship program designed to celebrate and empower women and girls around the world and help create the next generation of diverse leaders.
This year’s theme, "Celebrate #HerSHE", inspires consumers to celebrate the limitless potential and impact of women and girls. The Hershey Company is committed to advancing gender equity, investing in both girls and women, and driving global female-focused storytelling.
Limited-edition packaging celebrates global female changemakers in recognition of International Women’s Day
Spring-Summer is here! Max Mara Philippines launched this season's collection at their flagship store located at the Greenbelt 3 in Makati.
We had a sneak peek of what's in store:
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| Models rocking the Max Mara Spring Summer 2023 Collection, mostly in neutral tones and maxi silhouette |
Combined 28 domestic, international routes to operate from Cebu
Cebu Pacific (CEB), the Philippines’ leading carrier, is set to exceed its Cebu hub’s pre-pandemic network and capacity which will hit 129% in June, as the airline raises to 28 its combined domestic and international routes operating in Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
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| The airline celebrated the milestone by holding a special anniversary gathering at NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu City |
While browsing old spring trip blog posts, I realized that I was always traveling during this season since I first experienced Japan's famous sakura in 2015. It only stopped in 2020, because of you know what!
Looking back, maybe spring made me fall in love with traveling. ♡
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| My first experience of spring was in Japan in 2015. Wala padin syang katulad! |
Living sustainably can be a long topic of conversation, but to me, I just try what I can and in my own small ways. Aside from being a vegetarian for more than a decade now (reducing carbon footprints), I also support makeup and skincare brands that are proud to be cruelty-free. What are your steps in living a more sustainable life?
By the way, did you know that Babyflo is now eco-friendly from its materials down to the packaging? They are giving me more reasons to support their products. I hope more brands will follow. Sharing happenings during the product launch last week at the Happy Garden Cafe in Makati.
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| At the Babyflo event for the launch of its new line of eco-friendly cotton buds |
Samsung Electronics today unveiled the Galaxy A54 5G and Galaxy A34 5G, two innovative smartphones that advance Samsung Galaxy’s commitment to designing awesome mobile experiences. These new additions to the popular Galaxy A series will help users shoot steady and crisp videos, see clearly even in bright conditions, and do more of the things they love with battery life that lasts more than two days.
“Cutting-edge mobile experiences are increasingly essential to everyday life,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “With continuous enhancements to the Galaxy A series, we’re ensuring that more people around the world can access our transformative innovations.”
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| With Samsung's brighter display, more advanced cameras, upgraded sleek and stylish design and longer battery life than previous models, the new Galaxy A series delivers outstanding mobile technology for all |
It would have been nice if we visited Cafe Magnate during Jimin Day (initial plan), but thanks to the internet we found out early October 13 that it was already impossible to enter the cafe unless we lined up before they opened the gates.
Since it was also the BTS Busan concert week, tourists flocked the coffee shop--some even with luggages in tow. Food were already flying out of their menu midday. Jimin's dad also gave away cute baby Jimin freebies like straws, tumblers, and tumblers.. which I wished I was able to snag. But honestly, our quiet time in the cafe a week late from Jimin Day was also nice.
BORAHAE BUSAN: BTS Week + Busan Travel Guide
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| I was here! What a dream come true! |
Uratex, the leading foam company in the Philippines, joins the world in celebrating all things sleep and explaining why #TulogIsLife during this year’s World Sleep Day (WSD). “WSD” is a special day happening this March 17 which hopes to reinforce the value of having a good night’s sleep for every person.
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| The older I get, the more I give importance to the quality of my sleep |
Fuss-free and budget-savvy companion, pandapro, gives its subscribers the ultimate VIP access to tasty experiences unlike no other!
It’s no secret that pandapro holds the key to unlocking the full benefits of the foodpanda app, and aside from being your fuss-free and budget-savvy companion, it also brings premium experiences within your reach – fit for a king and queen!
And have you heard the latest juicy insider deet? The benefits now include members-only access to an unparalleled Dine-in experience where you can score up to 25% off your total bill at any partner restaurant among the roster. So you’re in for a massive treat!
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| Foodpanda hit the streets of Cebu with Sinulog Eats |
Through the years, BRIA Homes has given away a slew of contemporary homes in prime locations to Filipinos all over the country—made possible through tie-ups with TV shows and online shopping platforms. Then came AllEasy Pay, the newest player in the e-wallet market, which strived to forge a stronger online presence through a partnership with BRIA Homes, the country’s multi-award-winning affordable housing developer.
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| Trusted real estate developer BRIA Homes recently partnered with AllEasy Pay for “Easy Home with AllEasy”, offering a chance for Filipinos to win a house and lot. |
If you're into Korean thrillers with exciting plot, then this new drama on Disney+ is for you!
Last autumn 2022 in Korea, I went to Suwon for a day-trip. This city is only about an hour from Seoul, and where you can find some of the famous Kdrama shooting locations including Woo Young Woo's Kimbap / Gimbap restaurant. I traveled to Suwon by bus.
From the bus stop, I just followed my Google Maps to Kajaguruma, the name of the restaurant in real life. The facade is still the same as the one we saw at the Kdrama, but you will also see the resto's menu in front. Everything's in Korean, but I tried not to get intimidated by it since I traveled far to Suwon for this.
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| Woo to the Young to the Woo! |
Hilton Manila, along with Hilton Hotels and Resorts across Philippines, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, is proud to announce "The Bold, Brave and Beautiful" campaign, a celebration of women everywhere and their unwavering spirit and strength.
This year's theme is a tribute to the countless women who continue to inspire us, push boundaries and make their mark on the world.
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| Celebrating Women's Month at Hilton Manila's Madison Lounge and Bar |
With the pandemic officially over, local industries and businesses are scrambling to find the next big thing for the Philippine economy. The race to find the country’s next hotspot where boundless possibilities for industry and enterprise lie has led many to look towards the mostly untapped resources of Visayas and Mindanao.
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| BRIA Manolo Fortich offers aspiring Filipino homeowners multiple house and lot models |
The Kdrama True Beauty starring Moon Ga-young, Cha Eun-woo, Hwang In-youp, and Park Yoo-na gained traction again the past weeks when it was finally shown on Netflix. I remember looking forward to new episodes when it was first released in Viu.
The Kdrama was actually based on a webtoon series by Yaongyi. It also has an English printed version too (available here, use ANAGON upon check out for discounts!). I think part of True Beauty's charm is its high school plot. It has the typical main girl character insecure and bullied because of her looks, and then discovered makeup thus transforming her look and even life. BUT with or without this mask, two beautiful men still fell for her. So many loop holes from the story, but it was a fun watch. To me, a big Cha Eunwoo fan, I definitely got second lead syndrome with Hwang Inyoup's equally endearing character. So are you Team Suho or Team Seojun?
Aside from this storyline, there were also other issues raised in the drama, from family pressures to friendships, and dark themes like suicide. I also remember loving True Beauty's OST, and some of the songs are still on my playlist now.
And with that, sharing one of the True Beauty Kdrama filming locations you can visit when you travel to Seoul! It is the comic book shop where a lot of the most memorable scenes of Suho and Jugyeong were filmed.
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| I am imagining Love So Fine or I′m in the Mood for Dancing playing as background music while walking around the store! |
A full head of hair is commonly associated with feminine allure or masculine appeal. No matter how it’s cut or styled, thick, smooth, and shiny tresses enhance a pretty face or lend a kind of charm to plain and homey ones. In fact, nothing gives the average man or woman a better confidence boost than a lush, well-styled mane.
Thus, it can be quite distressing for anyone to note signs of early hair loss, such as regular shedding of hair in the shower or waking up to find significant amounts of hair strands on one’s pillow.
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| Excessive hair loss can cause your self-confidence and self-esteem to plunge |
Here's a different kind of island hopping! For our last full day in Mindoro, we experienced the longest island-to-island zip-line in Asia. I've crossed a lot of zip-lines before, from usual harness to bike type, but this was my first time to zip-line with a view of the beach (usual view is that of mountains).
Will you go for it too?
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| BSS Fighting plays as background music as we crawled up to ride the longest island-to-island zip-line in Asia! |
One of my favorite stops for this trip was our cultural immersion with the Bato-Ili Mangyan Community of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.
It was totally unexpected. We came from a long morning of island hopping in Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro, and already feeling the exhaustion for being on the road for hours. It was late in the afternoon when we arrived in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. The perfect golden hour. The view of the mountains and the greeneries were entrancing.
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| Passed by the Devil’s Mountain of San Jose, Mindoro |
[Hong Kong, March 3, 2023] Clockenflap, Hong Kong’s biggest music and arts festival, made its much-anticipated return to Central Harbourfront on Friday, kicking off the sold out, three-day event with a memorable evening of world-class live performances from a diverse array of artists.
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| Phoenix at the Clockenflap 2023 in Hong Kong |
Broadway International Group and Broadway Asia are pleased to announce that Karylle Tatlonghari and Markki Stroem will be joining the International Touring cast for its Manila Season of The Sound of Music.
I swore that I am going to be a broken record when it comes to praising the Philippines as a country with so many beautiful, underrated, and less touristy beaches. As Filipinos, we have the luxury to explore all these as we live in a country with so many islands with clear blue waters, matched with wonderful sunny weather almost 80% of the year.
Like the other days, we started early and had breakfast with the group, then proceeded to our assigned vans. It was a sunny day, a perfect day to go to the beach.
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| If you love the beach, make sure to visit Mindoro this summer! |
I can't believe I'll be back in Mindoro in 2 years. My trip in 2021 will hold a special place in my travel-lovin' heart coz it was my first travel assignment since the pandemic. I was able to catch up with friends I haven't seen because of the lockdown, and also made new ones with who I am still in contact with to this day.
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| Hello Oriental Mindoro, I'm back! |
She may have taken home the crown a few years back but Pia Wurtzbach has proven that she is still our Queen looking sexier than ever as she joins again Century Tuna, the leading canned tuna brand in the Philippines, and returns as the brand’s ambassador.
