I’m entering my 12th month as a returning resident of my hometown, Bacolod City, in Negros Occidental, Philippines. I’m beginning to feel as if it’s a long-term travel. There are still more roads to take, more food to try (yup, yup!), and more leaves to turn as I continue to explore my own backyard. I …
Read more “Negros Forests and Ecological Foundation: Nature in the City”
The Panaad Festival is the much-awaited event in the province of Negros Occidental. The Panaad Park and Stadium come alive whenever this festival is celebrated every April. The pavilions of the 13 cities and 19 towns of the province display the best of their respective places, from food to crops to handicrafts to tourist attractions. …
The last time I feasted on a paella, it was the Festival De La Paella Gigante held last August 2013 at the Casino Español de Manila where I had fun with friends watching how rice and other flavorful and colorful ingredients were cooked in a giant paellera by some of the best chefs in the land. I envied my friends …
It has been years, maybe a decade or more, since I last visited Sta. Fe resort. As I entered the now more modern look of the resort’s gate, my thoughts were flooded with childhood memories when we would head to their pools to cool off the summer heat. It is also where we bring family …
Read more “A Nostalgic Visit to Sta. Fe, Bacolod’s Iconic Resort”
When you happen to be in the Philippines, you’ll definitely hear the word “kuya” a lot. It means big brother, but it is also used to call an older person, like a street vendor, a jeepney driver, or a man you meet on the road, as a form of respect or endearment. So when the …
The good thing about visiting – or, in my case, settling back in –Bacolod is that you will never run out of restaurants to try. Another new eatery that arrived in the City of Smiles is Orange Karenderia. How uncanny, we thought, that it sits next to Pizza Republic and shares the same building architecture. …
One of the first things I did when I went back my home city of Bacolod is to join the Negrense Blogging Society, Inc. where I had the opportunity to re-orient myself of the place where I grew up as well as meet new friends. There I came to know the famous Bacolodnon, Jojo Vito, …
When you’re in Negros Occidental, the “sugar bowl” of the Philippines, where vast sugarcane plantations meet your eyes as you hit the road, you’ll consistently encounter the word “uma” (with stress on the second syllable), which translates to “farm” or those areas that are often called “haciendas” by the locals. For me, “uma” is a …
There’s something exciting that’s happening in Malaysia! Its largest Live Band Music Festival is happening this 8 March 2015 at the Sunway Surf Pool in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Branded as My Music Festival 2015 or MMF2015, this mega live band festival will showcase 20 of Malaysia’s top performing live bands, musicians and artist from …
Who would have thought that a South Korean brand will arrive in the quiet city of Bacolod and give a jolt to the already vibrant food scene in the City of Smiles? Tom N Toms Coffee, which first opened ApGuJeong-Dong in Seoul in 2001 and now in the US, China, Australia, Mongolia, Qatar, Thailand and Singapore, …
It was the right call at the right time. A former colleague from the development industry gave me a ring one morning. “Claire, I’m in Bacolod!” she exclaimed. She was to attend the 8th International Conference and Scientific Meeting (ICSM) that was being held in Talisay City, the city north of Bacolod. A few hours before …
If you happen to be in Bacolod and you want to go German-style, there’s a great place for you to dine in. Literally means “snack” in the German language, Imbiss offers mouthwatering gourmet sausages and delightful food. [UPDATE 2023: This establishment has closed in this location.] When a former colleague and friend visited my home …
Old buildings and heritage houses, the sweet delicacies, the sweet-natured people, the sing-song language — there are so many things that Bacolod City shares with its neighbor across the seas, Iloilo City. And rightfully so. Many prominent families in Negros Occidental trace their roots in Iloilo. Through the years, residents of both cities frequent the other …
Ever since I covered the Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival in 2014, I have become more exposed and more aware of the great benefits of consuming organic products. Truly, there’s no better way to live this life than to go natural. Although, I cannot fully walk the talk because I am surrounded by the many …
The first month of the year 2015 is a great kick-off for the Visit the Philippines Year. January is full of festivities, and religious celebrations, at that. Throngs of people were expected to gather in Manila for the Black Nazarene, in Cebu and Kabankalan for the Sinulog, in Iloilo for the Dinagyang, and in Aklan …