A/W 2019: Pumpkin Patchin'

If seasons were colors, Autumn would be orange. But not your typical, bright, obnoxious orange; rather, somewhat like burnt sienna. Still vibrant and warm like its predecessor, Summer, but with a hint of restraint. Like a youngling who, deep inside, is actually an old soul. Or better yet, a grownup who never lost their childlike wonder. After all, if spring is about new life, then perhaps Autumn would be somewhere within the 40s age bracket?

Kamakura: Kyoto of the East

Located in the Kanagawa Prefecture just south of Tokyo, Kamakura is also a must-see if you have time to spare to go outside of the capital. The city is abundant in Buddhist and Shinto temples, which is why some people hail it as the "Kyoto of the East".  One can very well spend an entire day exploring the city; however, we decided to limit ourselves to covering a few tourist spots in half-a-day. Read up on how we spent our time in Kamakura below the cut!

Hawaii: Iolani Palace

Maybe it was due to the implications of the animated film Moana, but I didn't exactly associate the Renaissance with Polynesian royalties. That is, until I visited Iolani Palace in Honolulu.

Chasing Blossoms

Last April, my family and I flew to Tokyo with the main goal of catching the sakura trees in bloom. Although the buds began opening up a week earlier than expected, we're glad to have seen a bunch of trees still covered in varying shades of pink at Shinjuku Gyo-en. 

Hawaii: Kualoa Ranch

Whenever I hear "Hawaii," these are what come to mind: the beach, surfing, hula, all things tropical, and from time to time-- dinosaurs, too. Wait, what? Did I just say "dinosaurs"? You bet I did! September last year, I got a taste of the aloha way of life in Oahu, HI. Out of the tourist-y things I did, one of the highlights of my trip was seeing Kualoa Private Nature Reserve, also named "Jurassic Valley" after the Jurassic Park/World films shot there.

San Francisco: Palace of Fine Arts

One day in San Francisco was all we had, and we used it to be typical tourists yet again. Some sights revisited, some seen for the first time-- but this has to be the highlight for me.

Lights Out

LA is full of "instagrammable" spots, to say the least. One of them is Urban Light, an outdoor art installation at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art or LACMA. Whether at day or night, it truly is a beautiful sight to behold.

Universal Studios Hollywood

A staple on every LA tourist's list-- Universal Studios Hollywood. It's home to many attractions inspired by well-loved television shows and films. But you don't have to be a movie geek or TV aficionado to enjoy this place. Just have a fun-loving, adventure-seeking persona, and you're good to go!

Holidays at Disneyland

Characters in Christmas sweaters, a snow-topped castle, garlands all over-- who would've thought the happiest place on Earth could get even more magical?

Season's Greetings

Christmas means a lot for everyone. It's a time for giving, celebrating, getting together, being with your loved ones, looking back, being grateful, sharing your blessings, and so much more. It's also a season full of hope, love, peace, and joy. Some people go all-out to celebrate, while some prefer to keep it simple; every household has its own traditions. Last 2016, our family had the opportunity to celebrate the season a little different than we usually do-- just one of many things that we're thankful for.

Los Angeles: The Grove & Farmers Market

Ah, Christmas-- the most wonderful time of the year! How could you not agree when you can't help but marvel at how extra every place looks at this time? Speaking of "Extra," if you're familiar with the showbiz entertainment TV show of the same name, let me take you to one of their shooting locations in Downtown LA!

Los Angeles: Beverly Hills & Hollywood

I didn't think I missed California until I came back after four long years. LA sure has its own charm, and it was wonderful walking among the stars (quite literally) and revisiting the most tourist-y spots in the city.

Cebu: A Weekend in the City

In summer of this year, we managed to squeeze in a weekend trip to Cebu. It was my first time there; and I must say, that quick getaway definitely gave me a reason to come back. Presented in a format unusual from my usual, read about the 30 or so hours I spent in the Queen City of the South and its vicinity.

Cebu: Temple of Leah

Ever since it opened to the public, Temple of Leah has become part of the "must-see places" in Cebu. So in the short span of time that we stayed in Cebu City last May, we made sure to squeeze this in our itinerary. The place is still under development and expansion, but it already makes for a visual spectacle.

Kyoto: Kinkaku-ji and Arashiyama

It's been a while, hasn't it? With the holidays around, it seems like a lot of people have been going to Japan lately. And because that's making me miss the place a lot and I realized I still have a lot of backlogs (!), it's high time I bring back Japan on this blog. So here it is, the final entry to complete my Kyoto 2016 series: snippets on and snaps from Kinkaku-ji, Nishiki Market and Arashiyama.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Being born and raised in the metropolis, sneaking away to the less urban landscape is always a refreshing experience. Having a change of scenery where it feels like you're trapped in a different time? Even better.

Kyoto: Fushimi Inari

Although our trip to Japan happened-- gasp!-- a little over a year ago, a feeling of wonder still washes over me every time I look back. There truly is something so captivating about Japan that makes you want to return over and over again. Even if its just through words and photographs, join me as I go back to one of Kyoto's top tourist attractions and highly-revered shrines.

Osaka: Kuromon Market & Dotonbori

Osaka is truly a feast for the eyes and the tummy-- from its waking neon signs to its tempting food. And really, there's no better place to indulge your senses than the famous Dotonbori area.

Bacolod: Of Sugar and Smiles

It may not look like it in this photo (or all the other photos because I was having too much fun making aura everywhere lol), but was definitely all smiles during our trip last month to the City of Smiles, Bacolod! Although it was a pretty gloomy weekend, I did not let the weather dampen the mood. It was my first time going to Bacolod and I'm torn between wanting to go back and not-- and for totally good reason. Know more below the cut!

Osaka: Shinsekai

To most, Osaka is almost synonymous to blinding neon signs and mouth-watering street food. But there's more of those than what you'll find in the famous Dotonbori. So before I share with you everything about that tourist magnet, let me first take you to Shinsekai.