Places

I  am not a chef. The last cooking lessons I took were back in high school. I am, however, a mother. Like most mothers, I try to make sure I cook something healthy for the family. So when I come across something that I really, really like, I try my best to replicate it. This is one of those instances. I was able to...

For some people it is a corner in a dimly lit Starbucks cafe and for others it is a bench in a park. These are public places where you can find some private time. Places where despite the foot traffic, you can find peaceful moments where you can lose yourself in a book, in thought or through your gadget without the...

These were all taken from where the typhoon made the first landfall and where it will hit the strongest – Ormoc City. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1";...

It rained in Manila and in some areas, traffic started clogging the streets as the water rose. Two hours later, the rains stopped and the sky was a washed with the fiery glow of sunset. How many of us cursed the floods as they looked down at their drenched shoes? How many took the time to look up and see the spectacle...

Sometimes I feel that there are places in this world that blurs the line that divides reality from the imagination. It was 7am and the sun was shining through the trees. All I could hear were birds, dogs and roosters that roused everyone from their sleep.   I stepped out and walked around barefoot. It felt good to be...

I accompanied my client and his business partner to Olongapo. Who wouldn’t want to work by the beach? It was an invitation that was too good to resist. Last time I’ve been to Olongapo was almost a decade ago. I was curious as to how the place has changed. After a 5-hour drive, we arrived at around 9pm. It was too...

I was fortunate enough to have grandparents who took me for long walks by the bay when I was a child. My grandmother would always tell me, “sea air is good for your asthma. You and your lolo [grandfather] must walk along the bay in CCP [Cultural Center of the Philippines] because both of you have asthma.” When...

Last night I had an interesting conversation with a guy. We’re so immersed in our own environment that nothing stands out. From the weather to the traffic, everything is “typical”. We take the noise, the smells, the dust, the people for granted because those are things we complain about and would rather ignore. But what...

On this end, the sun’s light is filtered through a thin layer of smog and softly lights the houses behind the office buildings. You could see the hills of Laguna in the horizon. I will miss this view. I will definitely miss this moment. We all have beautiful memories.. I am glad I can save and share this one. And...

They say all wounds heal with time. Time can help us look at the past with indifferent eyes or with humor. Time and timing is everything. Same goes with photos. On my friend’s roofdeck was a small restroom. It was on top of that restroom that I saw the skyline angle I was looking for. As my son shook his head in...

Some things do look good in black and white... … Perhaps because it looks like it is pulled from memory that makes the image look magical… Almost unreal. And for that short moment, I felt I was walking along the streets 20 years ago from now. The same structure, the same pavement and the sound of children’s...