I’m currently at NAIA Terminal 1, waiting for my flight back to Singapore. Since my move to The Lion City in June, I’ve been home thrice and the time spent there is always never enough. I know OFWs who live farther miss home so much more than I do – but in reality, I still do. Even if the flight time takes only 3-4 hours, I still get enthusiastic thinking about going home, seeing family, friends, and familiar faces, and lying in my own bed!

A visit to Trsteno Arboretum completes the ultimate Game of Thrones walking tour in Dubrovnik. Although the place isn’t as magnificent and as magnified as the Old Town, this is one of the places in Dubrovnik where you can appreciate the coastal views and stillness of nature, without the large group of tourists.

I can’t believe there are only 44 days left before Christmas! I’ve been very busy lately, mostly because of work. To be honest, it saddens me that I don’t get to travel right before the holidays, but I just think about going home for Christmas and that’s something I’m super thankful for.

Just over two hours away from Seoul is a massive, private estate called The Garden of Morning Calm. I found out about this place as I was looking for K-drama filming locations within or nearby Seoul. And since it was my third time in the South Korean capital, I thought of finding a place my family and I haven’t been before.

Before I got into the K-drama wave, I was already an avid user of Korean beauty products for years. I don’t remember what my first K-beauty product was, but I believe it was a BB cream from Nature Republic. And although my relationship with BB creams is short-lived, there are still plenty of products which remained loyal to me. Mind you, I don't have the best skin in the world (and I blame genetics for that, lol!), but my skin has improved tremendously over the years.

Korea is one of the best places in the world to shop. Not only are the products affordable, but they are of good quality, too. Staying in Myeongdong, Seoul this 2018 allowed us to access so many shops within walking distance from our hotel.

Aside from tax-free shopping, the best way to experience Guam is to stay at a beachfront hotel. On my third trip, I was able to book two rooms at Fiesta Resort Guam along Pale San Vitores road. With only three days to spare, my main intention was to enjoy the beach at least two times before flying off again for work.

Spaghetti Aglio Olio is one of the easiest pasta recipes you can make in your own kitchen. With garlic and olive oil as your base ingredients, making this dish is not only simple but affordable, too. This is perfect for dinner, especially when paired with a glass of white wine or moscato. In 25 minutes or less, you already have a fine meal set on the table.

Sunnies Face is another business venture of the Sunnies company, popular for their line of sunglasses, optical wear, and cafe. Now introducing their makeup line beginning with matte lipsticks called Fluffmatte, the well-known brand in the Philippines has been raking in sales for their new product. Affordability and millennial style are the brand’s strongest edges, but we shall see if these new lipsticks are worth the hype or just another local lipstick brand.

I swear by my Longchamp Le Pliage bags as durable, everyday work bags where you can throw in anything and they will stay strong for years. Because of its quality, I thought of owning the Le Pliage cosmetic case as well. Fast forward to three years later, my everyday pouch has stood the test of time in every bag that I carry.

I cannot let my LA vacation pass without shopping at Ross and Marshalls! A trip to these discount department stores is worth it, especially if you’re looking for new items to purchase. The first ever item I bought in Marshalls is a Ralph Lauren button down shirt from two years ago (around $25) and I’ve been using it until now. From Ross, I still have my Ralph Lauren backpack which I bought in Guam last December.

"I hopped off the plane at LAX with a dream and my cardigan," sings Miley Cyrus. The song kept replaying inside my head during our 15-hour flight.

San Francisco, SF, The City, The Golden City - whatever you might want to call it, San Francisco is an absolute must-see destination when you’re in California. From the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, to splendid Victorian houses, and street art, there are many things to see around the area and most of them are free.

I recently discovered my love for Grendha sandals and it’s timely that I found tremendous discounts during the Great Singapore Sale. With GSS ending on August 12, I thought I’d share with you some of the pairs I bought from Royal Sporting House, and maybe you can get your hands on these, too!

As you may have known (or not), when I travel abroad it’s imminent that I shop. This time when I shopped in Singapore for the first time this year, I didn’t go crazy on buying stuff. Most of these are from IKEA and Mustafa, but I got some from other stores, too.

On my second flight to Singapore this 2018, I find myself booking a room again at Holiday Inn Express in Katong. I would normally look for hotels near train stations, but this one is an exception. Tucked in the vibrant and posh area of Singapore’s East Coast, I was surprised to find a brand that carries a hotel legacy in its name, but doesn’t come along with an expensive price tag.

The first time I went to Singapore back in 2012, Gardens by the Bay was just about to open to the public. I have no idea there’s a budding nature space in this corporate city. After five years, I went back and visited one of the most talked about and most photographed nature parks in the world.

Singapore is one of the top ten countries in the world with the highest cost of living. In Asia, the country holds the top spot. The expensive rent is a given, but you can always resource cheap food through hawkers and food stalls you can find everywhere. But how about toiletries? Well that’s a different story.

When Tim Ho Wan opened its doors in the Philippines, people have been lining up at the “world’s cheapest Michelin-star restaurant” day in and day out. You can’t reserve a table so you have to devote some time in waiting. Since it opened its first branch in our country in 2014, I haven’t got the chance to taste their widely-popular dim sums.

She woke me up at 6:00 AM on a warm, summer’s day. I couldn’t remember if I had breakfast before we left, but I was certain she had already prepared fried rice or pan de sal on the table. Once a week, Lola Aida and I would go to the market to buy ingredients for the dishes she planned to cook for the entire household. From Blumentritt, we’d do a short walk going to España Boulevard and hail a jeepney going to Trabajo market.

Coming back to Geylang reminded me of those two weeks we spent in Singapore last year. While the place is known to be a red light district (not the types we have here in the Philippines or in Amsterdam), Geylang is filled with numerous food selections including stalls of fruits, a strip of hawkers (no pun intended), and affordable dim sum places to boot.

“Have you tried Thai BBQ before?”, my husband asked me on our first day in Singapore last month. It was his birthday when we arrived for our long weekend getaway and I told him he’s got the freedom to choose what he wanted to eat for dinner. To answer the question, no I haven’t tried Thai BBQ before - not in Thailand, nor in the Philippines.

Let me begin this post by mentioning the elephant in the room. See, I took photos of Matam-Ih back in December and haven’t reviewed yet one of my favorite Filipino restaurants in the Philippines. So pardon the delay and let’s begin!

The LV Key Pouch is probably Louis Vuitton’s most popular luxury starter piece. As people in the luxury community refer to it as the clés (French for “keys) or key clés, this accessory has been a staple of many LV lovers and collectors. If you look at it, the key pouch simply looks like a glorified coin purse with an attached chain and hook for the keys.

With no mid to high-end resorts available in Laiya for the third weekend of March, my mother booked us an accommodation at Matabungkay Beach Hotel instead. Also called Matabungkay Beach Resort, this vacation spot was known to be one of the best high-end resorts in Batangas, Philippines during the 80’s.

Osaka Takoyaki is one of the newest Japanese restaurant chains in the Philippines. Having only started in January 2015, Osaka Takoyaki now has more than 40 branches nationwide. What makes their menu different from other Japanese restaurants is that their food offerings are specifically served in Osaka prefecture. Osaka is known to be a place where sumptuous dishes are made, thus it is a well-known location to enjoy street food.

I had fun shopping in Osaka last year (especially at Japanese drugstore), and so I thought of getting something for myself again this year in Tokyo. During my last trip, I bought a number of Japanese makeup and skincare products. Now you’ll notice how Tita I’ve become with all the different muscle patches and relaxation products I bought! (Lol).

Aside from street food, one of the items in my to-do list is to try locally-sold bottled and canned drinks in Tokyo. From reading other blogs and watching YouTube videos, I’ve learned that Japan is known to have a wide range of ready-to-drink beverages, as well as limited-edition juice and carbonated drinks. In addition, they also have fruity, carbonated concoctions with low alcohol content (known as Chu-hai) which are popular with young adults.

It was a rainy day today in Singapore, but that didn't dampen my spirits. Two years ago on this day, my husband and I got married in the sunny and beautiful island of Panglao, Bohol. Nothing much has changed from that day on, except maybe for gaining xx pounds since the wedding (lol!).

Miraikan is Japan’s National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation found at Tokyo Academic Park in Daiba, Tokyo. Miraikan is Japan’s center of science and technology and the said museum displays interactive exhibits, as well as ground-breaking inventions that place the country (still) in the most advanced position when it comes to futuristic and technological progress.

I booked airport transfers with Klook for the first time during my recent visit to Japan. Because the two local travel companies that we know do not offer transfers if you don’t book at least one tour activity with them, I looked for reputable and legitimate online booking sites for this service. Luckily, I was able to find the service that I need with Klook.

Ichiran is a popular Japanese ramen shop which originated from Fukuoka in 1960. What started as a small stall flourished into a ramen chain with 65 locations in Japan and branches found in Taipei, Hong Kong, as well as in Brooklyn, New York. In Dotonbori, the Ichiran branch is open for 24 hours.

Tokyo used to be a luxury destination for travelers. Though it’s still one of the world’s most expensive cities, flights and accommodation have become more affordable over the years. Initially, my mother wanted to book the hotel where we first stayed at in 2012, but with a price of Php 11,000 per night, we knew it was too much, considering we will be mostly out and about during the day.

Gala Yuzawa Snow Resort is a popular winter destination for tourists who want to ski or snowboard because of its convenient location. Being the only snow resort in Japan with its own bullet train station, you can hop on the train in Tokyo and be at the resort in as short as 77 minutes.

My aunts haven’t seen snow yet. And they haven’t been to Japan either. While I’ve experienced snow during the first days of winter in Nami Island or in the middle of summer at Mount Titlis (Summer?! I know, right?), I haven’t seen proper, thick snow. So when I booked our flights to Tokyo, I made sure it was going to be a winter vacation.

Many budget airlines and international flag carriers arrive in Tokyo via Narita Airport. Although Haneda Airport is much closer to central Tokyo, flights that arrive in Narita are much cheaper (especially promo fares). After a “long” flight (depending on where you come from), your next aim is to get to your Tokyo accommodation the fastest way possible.

I never thought of the importance of the JR passes until I needed one. In my recent travel to Japan, the highlight of our vacation was the one-day trip to Gala Yuzawa Snow Resort from Tokyo. I’ve researched instructions on how to get to the snow resort, Shinkansen fares, and asked on TripAdvisor for transportation recommendation, until the members suggest I take the JR TOKYO Wide Pass.

I went back to Japan recently and it was my second time arriving at Narita Airport. The first one was way back in 2012 and we got to Tokyo via airport transfers. The second time I was in Tokyo in 2015, my husband and I landed at Haneda Airport (which I still prefer) as it’s already in the city and the travel time to our hotel at Nihonbashi/Ningyocho was just about 30 minutes.

My husband and I have been celebrating Valentine’s Day together for 7 years. We’ve had romantic dinners, we traveled, watched concerts, and went on staycation – and every year, I’d always end up being the receiver of everything nice and fancy.

Ride the Ducks Guam is a fairly new sightseeing tour that lets tourists take on an adventure around Guam – on land and on sea. If you’re a history buff or if you’re traveling with small children and the elderly, this is one of the most fun and adventurous trips you can take with your family.

Fish Eye Marine Park is Guam’s underwater observatory intended for those who want to experience the beauty of Piti Bay’s marine life, without having to change into snorkeling or diving outfits. Experiencing first-hand the authentic underwater habitat without getting wet in the sea makes this attraction pleasant and educational altogether.

Fish Eye Marine Park's 1,000 ft boardwalk

Hafa Adai is a Chamorro phrase which means “Hello” or “What’s Up?” in Guam. Pronounced as “half a day”, it’s very common that you hear this whenever you meet local citizens in stores, restaurants, and hotels. You’ll encounter this multiple times a day and it’s quite easy to respond to people with the same greeting.

Guam is a tropical destination with clean and beautiful beaches, has an abundance of restaurants and various cuisines to choose from, as well as a laidback atmosphere for your much-awaited chill vacation. Aside from that, it’s the nearest shopping destination in Southeast Asia for those who want to experience what it’s like to shop ‘til you (literally) drop in the US!

If you’ve been following my IG account, you probably knew that I went back to Guam last December and that I spent most of my days shopping! Too bad we went there after Black Friday sale. Nevertheless, my husband and I scored awesome deals during our stay.

We started waiting for the clock to strike 12:00 by having dinner and entertaining ourselves with several games. For dinner we had fried chicken, lettuce and apple salad, toasted garlic bread, and some leftover pasta. At 9:00 PM, Pico de Loro was still fairly quiet which I like. Despite being on the upper ground floor at Jacana, I believe Pico de Loro Cove did a great job when it came to soundproofing.

Day 2 (December 31)

It’s New Year’s Eve and the least thing you want to do is to wake up early in the morning. I know Pico de Loro has a reason for this, but it’s such a HASSLE for guests to come back to the country club – at 9:00 AM – just to switch the arm band for a different color. Without having breakfast yet, all 15 of us had to leave our units and drop by at the reception area of the country club. I had to force myself for an early morning bath and walk just to get the arm band changed.

I find it annoying too, that even my grandmother (who’s on a wheelchair and suffering from Alzheimer’s disease), had to be brought in the clubhouse just so the staff can see the exact persons on the guest list. After paying that much, here’s another rule that brought us inconvenience. It wouldn’t hurt to bring in their staff, knock on each unit, bring a guest list and check our names and hand our arm bands. After all, each building had receptionists and staff who could take a peek at the unit and see if there’s any unlisted guest. This was very inconsiderate of them. Anyway, we just let it go instead of ruining our moods. We headed to the Jacana unit to have our late breakfast and to spend some time with the family.

Ah 2018, you’re finally here! For anyone who struggled in 2017, the New Year comes with a promise of a fresh start. I myself felt like the previous year had too many challenges, that they somehow overshadowed both small and big blessings that came my way.

Our fifth morning in Paris was a bit melancholy, for we have to bid adieu to 1st Arrondissement. We were flying to Dubrovnik in the afternoon and by the time we go back to Paris, we'd be staying at a different hotel and location. As always, Paris morning was as confused as ever, unsure if the cloudy skies would give way to Mr. Sunshine.