The bucket list: Travel light
“He who must travel happily must travel light.” — Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Sixteenth of a series) TRAVEL is a pure metaphor for our life’s journey. There are two choices in…
Category: Life & Style
Covering the week’s most noteworthy life & style news stories impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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Measles can kill
THE current resurgence of measles in the United States is alarming. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that as of April 11, 2019, there were 555 new…
The psychology of the Filipino: navigating the difficult conversation of mental health
Notes from the 2019 Filipino Mental Health and Wellness Summit ON Saturday, April 13, the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Special Service for Groups and Filipino American Service…
Teaching kids a deeper appreciation of their heritage
Author and publisher Christine L. Villa brings ‘Zoobooloo’ with Filipino translation as a tool to teach Fil-Am children the language WHEN author and publisher Christine L. Villa started her small…
An Easter Sunday message: No flames will ever destroy our faith!
WE were all in shock at seeing on television and social media the historic Notre-Dame De Paris Cathedral engulfed in flames last Monday, April 15. How could this 850-year-old gothic…
The fascination with the Bible
“It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bothers me; it is that part I do understand.” – Mark Twain IT is the time I prepare…
From cultural absence to cultural presence: Why Asian American studies matter to me
by Ashlee Monton [Writer’s note: Once a year, an essay competition is held at CSUN, amongst Asian American Studies and Education majors, as part of an endowment set up by Prosy…
Are pain pills safe?
BILLIONS of people around the world use painkillers, and some of them like water, because they are readily available over the counter and mostly inexpensive. There is a survey that…
Family, community, and God’s calling: Getting to know Bishop Aclan
ON March 5, the Vatican named Monsignor Alejandro “Alex” Aclan the newest auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, making him the second Filipino to ever be presented as…
DOT gears up for tourist influx in Regional Destinations during Holy Week
The Department of Tourism (DOT), through its regional offices, has coordinated with various local government units and other concerned government agencies to ensure that tourist destinations are equipped to handle…
Watchdogs cite lax medical and mental health treatment of ice detainees
by Sarah Varney It’s Saturday morning and the women of the Contreras family are busy in Montclair, Calif., making pupusas, tamales and tacos. They’re working to replace the income of…
The bucket list: Ask for help
15th of a series “Don’t be shy about asking for help. It doesn’t mean you’re weak, it only means you’re wise.” — Anonymous WE live in the Age of Information. You…
Choices in life and the law of karma (Part II of II)
MISTAKES in life happen for us to learn important lessons. These events allow us to become better and stronger. Bad choices make us more resilient and wiser. Negative situations simply…
Palm Sunday: a celebration and building of God’s Kingdom!
WE just ended Lent, and we start Holy Week, the most sacred time of the year in our Christian life. We begin it by reenacting Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and…
The flowers of spring
SPRING has sprung. It is upon us in a scent that grows deeper, dizzying, improbable. It is too heady, too provocative to be diminished. Seeping through open windows, under doors, as you…
Appreciating and preserving nature’s wildflowers and snow-capped mountains
“Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed; if we permit the last virgin forests to be turned into…
Thread lift, the ‘surgery-free’ facelift
I’VE been asked time and again: what’s a way to lift and tighten sagging facial skin without going under the knife? And since I love being the bearer of good…
With Liza Soberano out, the search for the next ‘Darna’ continues
THE on-and-off search for the Philippines’ favorite super heroine came to an end when it was confirmed that actress Liza Soberano was chosen to play the next “Darna.” Then, it…
New Netflix series highlights Filipino street food in Cebu City
A NEW series celebrating local culinary heroes from the Philippines and other parts of the globe is coming on Netflix. “Street Food,” from the creators of “Chef’s Table,” embarks on…
Gary Valenciano: A quintessence of indomitable energy and consummate talent
TO plainly dub the living legend of the Philippine music industry Gary Valenciano’s enthusiastically high spirited performances as merely world-class would be a glimmering understatement, for the Filipino-Puerto Rican’s iconic…
Natural home therapy
Nature is full of wonders. Among them are gems in the form of many food items, basically plant-based, have therapeutic effects that can provide safe relief from pains and other…
The multilayered Filipina American experience, as told by rapper Ruby Ibarra
“I DON’T feel any more free than I do when I’m on that stage in front of a microphone,” Filipina American rapper and spoken word artist Ruby Ibarra says. Before…
Burn 600 calories by spending time inside an infrared sauna pod
Sauna therapy has been around for for centuries, boasting many health benefits from de-stressing to detoxing. There are a handful of spas here in Southern California where you can enjoy…
On taming down a culture of cruelty and condemnation
SO much condemnation goes on in our society today, especially in social media, television, and digital world. People condemn each other for their different opinions on social, political, religious, and…
Happy birthday, Mr. President
What used to be the valued gentility of the old school political aristocrats, courtly and polished; were rudely rapped by the rowdy new age of Duterte as legends sprang up…
Fixing surprise medical bill problem shouldn’t fall to consumers, panel told
by Rachel Bluth One point drew clear agreement Tuesday during a House subcommittee hearing: When it comes to the problem of surprise medical bills, the solution must protect patients —…
The kitchen is Chef Jayson Leonardo Javier’s sacrosanct sanctuary
GASTRONOMY or the creative art of cooking and food preparation has been directly linked with human existence and the continued cultural and social endurance with ever-changing lifestyle. The history of…
Holy Week in Intramuros: April 14 to 21, 2019
The Intramuros Administration (IA), in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Manila Cathedral and the San Agustin Parish Church with the support of the Bureau of Internal Revenue,…
The Bucket List: Grazing in the Grass
11th of a Series – (Conclusion of 2 Parts) “ … The saddest thing about a life is to be forgotten as though you never lived..…” (CONTINUED from last week…
Mitsukoshi Mall promises to be an “All-time Favorite Store” for Filipinos who love everything Japanese
No shopping experience in Japan is complete without going to Mitsukoshi, the oldest surviving department store chain in Japan. The long-standing retail institution is known to discerning shoppers and travelers all…