April 16, 2019
Bet nila yong skin mo. Ganahan ang mga puti sa imong panit. They like your skin.I’ve been told countless times by many fellow Filipinas, both young and old. Nila, They refers to white men, both young and old, who salivate over exotic creatures like me. And each time annoys the hell […]
April 6, 2019
TRANG AN, NINH BINH—I missed someone. I don’t know who exactly. It can be T whom I shared my first visit here with. It can be D, whom I cut communications for the past weeks. Or it can be anyone, someone I’m connected to. I missed the feeling of having […]
April 1, 2019
Dear Fellow Travel Bloggers, In my list of daily chores to do, one task remained unfinished for the past four months: it says, “Japan, at least 1000 words, for god’s sake, Jona.” I am referring to my sponsored week-long trip to Onomichi City, Hiroshima, Japan last November. I have written […]
January 7, 2019
Dear D, It’s okay. You can open your eyes now. It’s all over. You can open your eyes again. Breathe. Come out from your covers now. It’s all over. You’re not alone. It’s not over for you yet. Come out of your covers now. It’s a new day, you’re back […]
September 22, 2018
I fell in love. I was five years old. I named him Bona, after Tatay Boni who raised his mom. Bona is a cat. We got a ginger cat and named him Kitty.I was seven years old when my paternal uncle told me you love cats so much you would […]
September 8, 2018
Looking for the best sunset photoshoot location in La Mesa, California? We curated some of the best spots for that perfect instagram look! A town in Southern California, La Mesa — some 9 miles from central San Diego — is known as the Jewel of the Hills. What used to […]
September 1, 2018
Taiwan is a rising destination for many of us who are curious of how is life in a developed country that doesn’t struggle against the chaotic and problematic public transport, uncollected heaps of trash along the streets, unlit alleyways, snatchers at gunpoint [I personally witnessed this], and all the daily […]
August 26, 2018
Once people stop celebrating the old — be it buildings, history, or culture — they cease to exist. Many places are guilty of this disappearing act. But Santa Cruz is different. The city’s vibrant culture is centered on its past. Santa Cruz is liberated, liberating, accommodating, and hip. And true […]
August 26, 2018
While Montebello directly translates to beautiful mountain, not everyone has the stamina and the time to spend a full day exploring trails. Sometimes, it’s all right to be mellow. Enjoy quiet moments. Lounge in your hotel terrace with your favorite drink in hand. Stroll the neighborhood park. Montebello, California, is a […]
August 24, 2018
California charms dreamers: surfer kids rub elbows with the rich and famous. Hippies mind their own enclave away from the old money and nouveau rich. It thrives and flourishes in contradictions. Its varied landscape and terrain reflect the characters of the locals and visitors alike. It has the swells, the […]
July 28, 2018
I could say that Sun.Star has been a massive part of my writing life. I could still remember the thrill upon receiving Mayette Tabada’s email that my balak would be published on Sun.Star’s Weekend six years ago. Since that time, there has been two editors. Now, I’m under the […]
July 24, 2018
“It’s hard to find someone here that stays long enough that you can really fall in love,” I said to Simone, with a lit Kent in my right hand. The smoke circled, hovered a bit before it disappeared in Ha Noi’s bright summer sky. The day started gloomy, which made […]