January 31, 2012

The 7 Stones of Boracay

Finding true love could take some time
but finding stones could take just a day.











That’s what I learned from my recent holiday vacation in this new and beguiling resort in Bulabog. Unbeknown to everybody, there are seven stones scattered all over the place. The quest is easy - you just have to find and gather them one by one.

The first stone I found is the stone of opulence. A Fuego boutique hotel and resort simply implies luxury. The villas, the pool, and the Jacuzzi are all exquisite and of immense beauty. Each villa actually costs more than my annual salary for the next 20 years of my life.

The second stone I found is the stone of seclusion. Away from the overcrowded White Beach, the resort offers privacy and solitude far from the madding crowd.

The third stone I found is the stone of adventure. For its consistent strong wind and shallow water all-year round, the Bulabog beachfront is always a busy action scene of wind surfing and kite boarding adventure.

The fourth stone I found is the stone of sweetness. The food of 7th Note Cafe is delectable. And explosion is nothing to be feared of especially if it is their must-try sweet “Chocolate Eruption”.

The fifth stone I found is the stone of love. Even in isolation, with their free wi-fi, you can stay connected with loved ones anywhere in the world.

The sixth stone I found is the stone of quality service. The staffs are friendly, attentive and always wear a smile, more than enough to compensate for the rain.

The seventh stone I found is the stone of luck. The resort’s badge which is inukshuk (an Inuit word for stone structure in the likeness of man) traditionally served as guideposts for travelers letting them know that they were on the right path. True enough, the road leading to the resort is a less travelled but worthwhile one. The number 7 is a lucky number and by sheer luck and a matter of connection, lunch was on them.

Different guests visiting the resort may find different kinds of stones. One may either choose to throw them away or build something special out of them. In my experience, I put them all together like an inukshuk and the outcome is what truly defines 7 Stones – a posh and beautiful home away from home.

It’s good to feel like seven again.

7 Stones Boracay Suites
Bulabog Beach, Balabag, Boracay
Tel. No.: (036) 288-1601

January 25, 2012

Abe’s Farm

Once upon a time in a not so far away town of Magalang, a boy first saw the light of day and the majestic beauty of Mt. Arayat. He would become the famed writer, artist and bon vivant Emilio Aguilar Cruz, more popularly known as Abe, a Kapampangan term for a friend.

This is his four-hectare country home farm, a repository of his artworks and memorabilia, a gourmet’s haven and a place so peaceful and verdant it feels like coming home to an old friend.

E. Aguilar Cruz Museum









Arobung kamaru

Binukadkad na pla-pla with balo-balo and mustasa

Claude's dream and Sikreto ni Maria


Abe’s Farm
98 Livestock Village, Brgy. Ayala
Magalang, Pampanga
Tel. No.: 0917-8085187

January 18, 2012

Balaisdaan

Peace is like finding home amidst a palaisdaan.











Balai sa San Juan Resort
Abung, San Juan, Batangas
Tel. No.: 240-2927

January 17, 2012

8 Suites by Fat Jimmy’s, Tagaytay

No matter how hard you try, you can’t please people around you all the time. Stressful ayt?







Better than a hundred meaningless places are eight suites that will let you de-stress, experience honeymoon the way it should be or soothe a heart so jet-lagged.

January 6, 2012

Villa Crisanta

“You have succeeded in life when all you really want
is only what you really need.”
- Vernon Howard












I take relish in simple but abundant blessings of nature – the mahogany trees remaining sturdy, the flowers in full bloom, and the butterflies hovering over them.

Though I ought to be somewhere, I let myself silently drawn by the stronger gravitational pull of what I really want. And in this serene garden place, I discovered that at night the moon shines the brightest and when I woke up the next morning to the birds’ happy chirping I’m glad to know that in this world of chaos and madness, love actually is still around.

Villa Crisanta
Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Rosario, Batangas
Tel. No.: 0917-8398821, 0932-1544797