From The Ground Up

I will never forget the evening of the 9th of May. An ordinary day for most of the world, the day of reckoning for our country. After casting my vote, I threw myself into a pool to temporarily relieve the anxiety caused by waiting. And then the numbers started going up and up and up and up for candidates that were the last on my list.

We reached home and my husband and I found myself in the middle of an emotional outburst unlike any I've experienced before. There were tears, so much of it; short breaths, my chest aggressively rising and falling; words, that spoke everything I was feeling.

'Why are you crying?,' my husband asked, nervously. First, there was silence. And then the thoughts spilled out, one after another...

ConversationsDeanne BanaresMay 11, 2016Philippines, Elections, Nationalism, Hope, CountryComment

Boracay: Island in the Sun

I've been to the island of Boracay a total of four times in my life.

The first was almost two decades ago when it was still immaculate, unspoiled. It was the time when you could get off a boat that docks at the beach front of your hotel (these days, you pass the not so pristine back). I remember it vaguely as I was still a little girl. It was the epitome of childhood summers: sandcastles, pink buckets, frilly swimsuits, happy family.

The second time I remember more, mostly due to silly embarrassment. Tradition has it that after you graduate from high school, and before you go on different routes of life, you and your friends have to create the most epic summer... WITH! BOYS!...

TravelDeanne BanaresMay 1, 2016Boracay, Beach, Summer, Philippines, IslandComment

Behind The Scenes

The fashion industry has always captivated me. Ever since high school, I've been an enthusiastic observer of it. From writing articles, styling editorials, and attending classes, I studied fashion because it looked so interesting from my vantage point. I knew that for every brand, there was a designer (or creative director) that sought to create a collection that encapsulated his or her vision for the season. But I never knew what exactly happened between the dream and the product till I finally worked for local designer, Vania Romoff...