The Philippines is breathtaking, our people warm, and our storeis are rich… but sometimes loving this country also means confronting the parts that make it hard to move, travel, and simply explore. Thanks for letting me write for Lifestyle.INQ @ericatlass 🙏🏼
As I wrote in my piece, “The country is beautiful. The people are good. But the systems are exhausting.”
This is my bittersweet love letter—to traveling, to the everyday Filipino experience, and to the hope that things can still get better.
If you’ve ever felt this tension too, I hope you give it a read. 🇵🇭✨
Link in bio.
Because despite it all, we stay hopeful. ❤️🇵🇭
Thank you to all the people I met along the way:
my publishers and editors,
my Mindcare Club family,
friends old and new,
kind acquaintances,
and even the ones I’ve met only through the internet.
Cheers to 2026 ✨
Grateful. Hopeful. Joyful.
#bonappetitaeats #bonappetitabites #bonappetitatravels #bonappetitasips #bonappetitawanders #bonappetitacreates
Still floating from the Alice in Wonderland gala last Dec 5 ✨
Jemima Reyes-Ocampo, who opened the show as Alice, captured the innocence, curiosity, and quietly defiant spirit of book Alice so beautifully.
Ian Ocampo as the Prince of Wonderland? Regal.
Regine Magbitang’s Red Queen? Sexy and scary in the best way.
Eduardo Evangelio as the White Rabbit? He practically floated on air.
These powerful, graceful dancers sent me straight into BalletTok… and now I’m this close to signing up for adult beginner ballet. (Kidding! But also… never say never.)
Congratulations to the entire cast! More of these, please.
Check out Ballet Philippines’ website for more details. 🩰💙
And mark your calendars: Next up is Ivatan — a first-of-its-kind ballet inspired by the Ivatan people.
A tribute to a culture built on strength, resilience, and harmony with nature, set against the wind-swept landscapes of Batanes. A love letter to a people who have weathered the storms of time with unwavering grace. Premiering April 2026.
#bonappetita #bonappetitawanders #AliceInWonderlandPH #BalletPhilippines #IvatanBallet #wonderlandvibes
Last month of 2025 and already setting the tone for a curious, creative 2026 ✨
BonAppetita tried something entirely new — woodcut printmaking!
I had so much fun carving (yes, still with all ten fingers 🙌) under the fantastic, patient, knowledgeable, and delightfully sassy guidance of @ambieabano — award-winning Filipino printmaker and visual artist, MFA graduate from UP College of Fine Arts, former president of the Philippine Association of Printmakers, and internationally recognized for her woodblock works.
Huge thanks to @melai.arguzon for encouraging me to join — I walked out uninjured and proudly holding my “Garden King Noche” prints. 👑🐈⬛
Here’s to trying new things, staying playful, and being a lifelong learner.
Tagging @pwu_mars for nurturing creatives, newbies, and curious wanderers like me. ✨
#bonappetitacreates #bonappetitalearns #bonappetitaprints #bonappetitaWoodblock #bonappetitaexplores
BonAppetita had a blast with the @mindcareclub Operations Team today! Yes, I have a day job at Mindcare Club 👩🏻💻
We visited one of our newest partners, World Vision, and blessed their office with our signature chaotic good energy. 😌✨
After that, we headed to @tadeofilmexph for our Christmas team lunch. We did a round-table sharing of what made us happy in 2025 — and what made us a little sad, too.
Overall? Grateful hearts, full bellies, and a team excited for 2026.
Cheers to more purpose, more partnerships, and more good energy! 🥂💕
Spent last Sunday dinner with young 😉 journalists and friends from the arts — great conversation, great energy, and honestly… the best cochinillo in town.
Thank you to our host @tineedeguzman , Mr. Cochinillo himself, and to @silian for putting this together and sharing such a lovely day with dear friends. ❤️
We were tucked in a quiet, intimate spot right in front of the Nativity of Our Lady Parish in Marikina.
Started with Fabada and Rabo de Toro, but we had to hold back (with difficulty) to save space for the main event.
The cochinillo was everything: succulent, buttery, smoky, and delicate.
Plus the 40 Cloves of Garlic Chicken, Seafood Paella, bibingka, ube-cheese turon, and the bougie sangarival topped with macadamia. Worth every bite.
📍 PIN 16 Major Santos Dizon, Marikina
🍽️ Food is incredible, music is curated just right — lively enough for nostalgia, relaxed enough to enjoy the meal and the company.
⛪ If you go there for lunch, you can visit the Nativity of Our Lady Parish across the street, step into Abel.ph next door, or head downstairs to @platiyos.cafe for vinyls and horchata.
🔗 Check out Mr. Cochinillo’s website for more details.
#BonAppetitaEats #MarikinaEats #MrCochinillo #SundayFeast #FoodAndFriends #SarapSunday #ArtsAndEats
Noche wasn’t just a cat. He was my routine, my witness,
my small constant in a chaotic world.
Pets humanize us. When we lose them, it’s not just the pet we grieve, but the version of ourselves that existed with them.
Grief only means you had something worth missing.
🖤🐾
Read the full essay I wrote for ThePost.ph — link in bio.
#PetLoss #PetGrief #FurParent #FurBabyLove #GriefHealing
#PetMemorial #CatMomPH
Guess where Tita wandered today? 👀
Fast clues: vintage Chinese eatery ✔️
old-school bakery ✔️
But the real destination?
Food Channel shawarma + gulaman.
Sarap!
What’s your go-to Greenhills comfort food—new or classic?
#BonAppetitaBites #GHMall #GreenhillsShoppingCenter #SanJuanCity
Unlike Taupe in BGC, which is all degustación (fancy tasting vibes only), here in Taupe Dining pop-up at The Balmori Suites Chef’s Kitchen it’s ala carte, darling 💋✨
Pick your mood, mix & match — not just the company (yes, date or squad) but also the food.
Hamachi that flirts with your taste buds, Okoy that says “street food who?” Truffle Pasta, Roasted Chicken… and yes, all the desserts 🍤🍝🍗🍰 — basically a holiday mood on a plate.
📅 Pop-up runs until Jan 4, 2026
📞 Book your table: +63 960 698 0360
#BonAppetitaEats #BonAppetitaBites #BonAppetitaSips #TaupeDining #HolidayPopUp #AlacarteGlowUp #OkoyUpgrade #TruffleEverything #DessertMood
Once upon a time, my mom dreamed I’d be a ballerina — the only pirouette I perfected was probably towards the fridge. 😂💃🏽 Heavyset kid, zero interest in tutus… but full respect for the art!
Ballet demands discipline, grace, and the power to make the impossible look effortless — and that’s something worth cheering for. 🩰👏🏽
Catch Alice in Wonderland by Ballet Philippines this December at The Theatre at Solaire, Entertainment City, Parañaque — because while I never made it to the barre, I know beauty when I see it. 💫
🎭 Ballet Philippines presents Alice in Wonderland
📍 The Theatre at Solaire, Solaire Resort Entertainment City, Parañaque
📅 December 5 (Gala, 8 PM), December 6 (2 PM & 7 PM), December 7 (2 PM & 7 PM)
🎟️ Tickets available via TicketWorld
#BonAppetitaArts #AliceInWonderland #BalletPhilippines #TheatreAtSolaire #EntertainmentCity #SupportTheArts #ManilaEvents #ChristmasInManila2025
✨ Pasko sa Nayon at The Manila Hotel 🎄🇵🇭
The Grand Dame of the Philippines glowed brighter than ever as @themanilahotel welcomed the holidays with its annual “Pasko sa Nayon” Christmas Tree Lighting last November 5. 🌟
The historic Grand Lobby transformed into a nostalgic Filipino Christmas village — complete with gigantes, taka figures, and a tree adorned with handcrafted ornaments and woven accents. Major kudos to Rachy Cuna for the stunning design that beautifully captured the warmth and artistry of a true Pinoy Christmas. 💫💪🏽
The celebration also shone with purpose — the House of Refuge, a children’s shelter close to my heart (we used to visit them back in St. Scho days 💙), continues to be one of the hotel’s annual beneficiaries. The kids even performed with the Office of the President Chorale, filling the lobby with music, joy, and Christmas spirit.
Ganda ng lobby. Bring your kids. Have merienda there! 🍰☕
Full story now up at Out of Town Blog — link in bio!
#BonAppetitaTravels #BonAppetitaEvents #TheManilaHotel #PaskoSaNayon #FilipinoChristmas #OutofTownBlog #ManilaEvents #ChristmasInManila #PinoyChristmas
