I’m lucky to be part of a group called “Halo Halo”, a community of women in Metro Manila who hike together. We’re not actually exclusive—the group also invite men to join us in our hikes—but we’re made up of mostly women from different corners of the world and of varying ages and backgrounds. Once in a while, we get together and discover local trails. We take these organized hiking trips as a great opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila, connect, network, and share our different experiences while living here in the Philippines.
Dear Mila, If you get a chance to read this, THANK YOU for being the force behind “Halo Halo”, organizing these hikes and helping us discover the Philippines one mountain at a time. 
Last week, we went to Mount Paliparan, located at Barangay Cuyambay, Tanay, Rizal. We left Metro Manila at 5:30 a.m. and arrived at the trailhead just a few minutes shy of 7:00 a.m. There, we registered ourselves at the Barangay Hall, had a short briefing on what to expect, then set off with our assigned guides. Read more
As a young girl, I always loved the idea of becoming a mother someday. I dreamt of big family gatherings, endless laughter around the dining table, and children running up and about-basically I have always wanted a full house. 
I’ve always taken a back seat when it comes to Halloween. I’m one of those mums who simply walk into a store the day before and buys a prêt-à–porter costume for their kid. Raise your glass if you’re anything like me. 
It is surreal how time flies. Days spinned to weeks, months, and in a blink of an eye it is already 5 years! Here is to chocolate dripping off this stack of whole-wheat pancakes because it is your day and Mama loves you beyond the moon. 
Small dreams. Big dreams. Average dreams. We all have them. Be it a fancy car, a home, a job, a promotion, a degree, the hot guy next door—we all have something we aspire to have. Chasing them keeps us alive, motivates us to keep going, and fuels our drive to move forward. Dreams make us go beyond existing to truly living. They give us that extra purpose in life. 
”Affogato”, an Italian word that basically means ”drowned” is an Italian coffee-based dessert. It usually takes the form of a scoop of vanilla or fior di latte gelato or ice cream topped or “drowned” with a shot of hot espresso. 
The La Maddalena archipelago is a group of over 60 islands and islets in the northeastern part of Sardinia off the Costa Smeralda. It is well known for its picturesque landscapes, turquoise lagoons, and spectacular beaches. 