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Showing posts from May, 2017

LOOKBOOK | Linen and denim

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A number of people are usually averse to long sleeves during summer for obvious reasons. But given the right fabric, we still can wear long sleeves and be just as comfortable. Because they're very breathable, linen and lightweight cotton are the usual suspects and are probably your best bet in beating the heat.

LOOKBOOK | Color to the world

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With the midday sun casting harsh shadows, I look like I'm wearing shades. 😎 After getting ourselves all soaked at Aguinid Falls in Samboan , I had a change of outfit and carry on with our little town-hopping in South Cebu. It's summer and wearing color is definitely in this season.

TRAVEL | Samboan's Aguinid Falls: A fun experience in 5 levels

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Frosty hand. Samboan in South Cebu is blessed with a number of waterfalls. I wanted to see them all, or two of them at least, but concerns over my medical condition forced us to pick just one. And we ended up with the town's most popular and most accessible, Aguinid Falls .

LOOKBOOK | Wet and not wild

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Goofing just a bit by the waterfall. Another day, another waterfall. Another outfit, of course. And because I was trying to veer away from my default t-shirt or tank top when going on trips like this, it was another buttoned shirt and swim shorts combo for me then.

TRAVEL | Samboan's trio of heritage sites (South Cebu)

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The Samboan church facade. Samboan is arguably known best for its multiple waterfalls but this small town in South Cebu also has its share of well-preserved heritage structures  from the Spanish colonial era. Three of them are clustered within short walking distance from each other, with the parish church as focal point. St Michael the Archangel Church Made primarily of coral stone, this 19th century church saw some restoration efforts in recent years after it was partially damaged by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the provinces of Cebu and Bohol back in October 2013. As a result, the stones look new although it's encouraging to see moss growth in some spots already. This, along with the ferns and other plants sprouting from crevices in the church's facade, should help bring back the structure's old, weathered look soon. Just a few years ago, even the walls inside the church have moss growing on them . Now they're squeaky clean.

TRAVEL | Jaynet Ocean View Resort (Boljoon, Cebu)

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Mornings be like... Yes, that view from our room is definitely the selling point of this resort for me. This is Jaynet Ocean View Resort in Boljoon, Cebu, which was our home for three nights while we checked out the Boljoon Church and surrounding heritage structures , toured neighboring towns, and simply enjoyed some Vitamin Sea. How was it? Here's a rundown of our experience.

TRAVEL | Appreciating the church and surrounding attractions of Boljoon, Cebu

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The full moon (well, almost) rising early over the Boljoon church. It was Palm Sunday, in Roman Catholic tradition the start of the Holy Week. We missed the last mass and the church doors were already closed, but the plaza outside was still pulsating with life--kids playing, people strolling, a couple of others on either bicycles or motorcycles, and food vendors attending to customers. What a lovely scene, I thought. Envious of photos Kwittiegirl had shown me before from her past trip to Boljoon , I've been meaning to visit this town in South Cebu for about three years now. Darkness was just around the corner, so we proceeded to at least go around the old church and save the interiors for another day.

LOOKBOOK | Mornings by the sea

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It sure is great to wake up to mornings like this, sun shining brightly through huge glass windows, with unimpeded views of the vast blue sea. But this isn't some secluded private villa atop a cliff in an exotic remote island where you can simply look out of the window in your birthday suit. I mean, sure you can, but I choose to wear clothes.

LOOKBOOK | Basic

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For all my thoughts on how to wear colored pants , how to wear plaid , how to wear print on print , how to wear this and that, sometimes it's also nice to just go basic . No fancy designs or loud prints whatsoever, just plain basic stuff. So here I am with a plain tee, nondescript jeans, and cheap sneakers. Perfect for a no-frills weekend romp.

TRAVEL | Aloguinsan's Baluarte Park

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"Walang forever," which translates to "There's no forever," a popular Filipino expression on failed romantic relationships, often said in jest and usually by those who aren't in any relationship. Parks are seldom a big thing in the Philippines, and it's quite sad that we don't have much of these green public spaces around. People instead go to malls or play on the streets--basketball, badminton, and all sorts of games, you name it--disrupting traffic and posing a lot of dangers in the process. So it was a pleasure for us when we were in Aloguinsan , Cebu to walk amid a landscaped, hilly spot right next to the sea, and with really tall trees towering over us. Built around the ruins of a baluarte , or fortress, that was used as defense against marauding Moro pirates during Spanish colonial times,  Baluarte Park  is something to be appreciated.

LOOKBOOK | Forgotten and unearthed

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Do you have clothes that have remained hidden for so long that you've forgotten about them already? Yup, guilty here. And you know how they say that if you haven't worn something in about a year then you should probably part with it already? Heard of it, yes. But what if you chance upon such an item while rummaging through your closet and all of a sudden you fall in love with it again? You know it's time to sell or give it away but now you just can't?

DINING | Modern fusion cuisine at KAYU: Kitchen + Bar (Cebu)

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A sampling of KAYU's modern fusion cuisine. Lechon would probably be top of mind for many people when visiting Cebu , and no one can fault them because the place certainly has the best-tasting lechon (roast pig) in the country. Be it in Talisay, Carcar, or dining in at the Vito Selma-designed Rico's Lechon Acacia branch, lechon will always be a pleasure. But Cebu is more than that, and there are a lot of noteworthy restaurants to try in the city, restaurants with no lechon on the menu. On my last trip there we tried KAYU: Kitchen + Bar  at 32 Sanson by Rockwell. Here's a rundown of my experience.

LOOKBOOK | Casual Monday with Collezione C2's Wataru shoes

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Kwittie Boy (our white fluffy ball of fur) looking at my shoes, wondering why such footwear on a Monday. Is Monday your most dreaded day of the week? Yeah, and why do Mondays tend to be so stiff? Would it help if we dress a little more casually so we could feel just a wee bit better about the start of another week? Let's have casual Mondays then! Another unplanned trip to the mall yesterday netted me two new pairs of shoes from Collezione C2 . The brand calls them Wataru shoes and they couldn't be more perfect for summer. They're essentially espadrilles , having that same rope sole that characterize such footwear, but with a modified design. They're quite comfy, too, and I just couldn't resist wearing them to work today.

LOOKBOOK | Tourist in the province

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Admiring the Bojo River in Aloguinsan, Cebu. I don't know what's with me lately but on our recent trip to some towns in Southern Cebu, I made a conscious effort to wear buttoned shirts--both short and long-sleeved--with my swim shorts. Normally I would have simply worn a t-shirt or a tank top with them. When we did the Bojo River Cruise in Aloguinsan , for instance, I paired my orange patterned swim shorts with an old blue long-sleeved shirt. Much like the blue and white tropical print shirt I wore to the beach at Ronda , it's a shirt I used to wear to work. The color's a bit faded now, so I had no qualms about it getting wet with seawater.

TRAVEL | Les Maisons d'Itac: A perfectly relaxing experience

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A native hut for lounging at Les Maisons d'Itac. Sometime last year I came across Les Maisons d'Itac on the web. It's a beach resort located in Ronda , a town in Southern Cebu that I've never heard of before. Apart from being a promising vacation spot, I was intrigued at what or who Itac is since Les Maisons d'Itac translates to--correct me if I'm wrong---"The houses of Itac." So last month when we did a little South Cebu trip, we made Les Maisons our home for two nights after spending time in Aloguinsan . Here's a rundown of our experience.

TRAVEL | Kawasan Falls (Badian, Cebu): Wonderful waterfall but manage your expectations

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Top view of Kawasan Falls and its majestic pool. I've spent my college years in Cebu City and it's a shame that I've never been to Kawasan Falls . One of Cebu province's better known and most visited tourist attractions, Kawasan is a three-tiered waterfall located in Badian , some 130 km southwest of Cebu City, or about 3 hours by bus. I've always been meaning to visit the place, and finally I've made that trip last month--nearly 20 years after. The trek to the falls starts right next to a church by the highway where dozens of vehicles shuttling visitors are parked. The trail is very well-established that you really won't need a guide, although there will always be someone or a small group who will offer you their services.