Imagine this: The sound of waves crashing on the shore and the sunlight peeking through the window wake you up on a lazy Saturday morning. You slowly open your eyes, afraid that you’re just in the middle of a dream. But you’re not. You stand up as you feel the gentle sea breeze touch your face. You go out of the porch and look at the horizon. You take your time to enjoy the beauty of the blue skies and the deep sea. The yacht will be waiting for you whenever you’re ready, anyway. That’s the promise of Avara Nature & Yacht Club—the easy life of the seaside.

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One of the most exciting things to open in Manila is its first IKEA store. In the past, I would only get to visit this magical place when I travel abroad. The opening won’t be happening anytime soon, but I list down seven things you need to know about IKEA Philippines:

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It’s supposed to be the rainy season but the weather has been erratic. The sunshine and the rain are in constant battle and you’re never sure what you’re going to get at any given moment. But that’s all right because I honestly prefer a bright day over a bleak and gray one. Now, I don’t have to worry about that because Starbucks is making summer permanent with its partnership with ban.do!

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Months after the Washington SyCip Park and the Legazpi Active Park in Makati’s Legazpi Village closed for renovations, the two landscapes have now been reopened for city-dwellers and people looking for shade amidst the buildings and skyscrapers.

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I used to love playing The Sims. The game where you can play God and control every aspect of your characters’ lives took over my teenage life and I would spend summers doing nothing but play. But while I enjoyed controlling my Sims, my favorite part of the game was designing the homes.

My obsession with creating perfect homes extended into adulthood and I’ve become a fan of great architecture and interiors.

Manila is home to beautiful homes and boutiques, and it’s because of the access we have to talented and homegrown designers, as well as imports from the design capitals of the world. There’s now a new addition to the bunch as OPPEIN, Asia’s largest cabinetry manufacturer, opened its first Manila branch.

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One of my greatest luxuries is going on a hotel staycation. It’s like leaving your ordinary life behind and stepping into a world where you can walk to your favorite shopping destinations, order room service, have a great view of the city, and have a heater in the shower. Some of my favorite assignments are staycations (travel, too, because it means holing up in a five star hotel), and I go on my own dime every now and then.

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I’ve known about the Ayala Triangle Garden’s Lights and Sounds Show for a while now, but I haven’t been there yet. So when Conde Nast Traveler recently announced that it’s one of the seven most spectacular places to see Christmas lights around the world, I decided to check it out this year.

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I love room/linen sprays. The sense of smell is a very powerful memory trigger and can bring back memories upon encountering smells associated with that event. I also like fragrances because pleasant ones are very relaxing. I always have a few candles and room sprays, which I light up or spray every night and when I need to relax.

The people around me know my obsession with smell, and they usually buy me fragrances to add to my collection. I have lavender (my all-time favorite scent), aloe, dalandan, flowers, and green apple.

This week alone, I added two more to my collection: citronella and lemongrass. The citronella is from my publicist friend, who gave me a bottle of Wild to Mild’s organic room spray after working together for one of her clients. My mother gave me Essencia’s lemongrass room and car spray, which she bought in the bazaar at the Cuenca Community Park in Ayala Alabang. I strongly support locally-made products and was glad to know both are made in the Philippines.

Citronella has a refreshing citrus scent. It’s a great way to start the day with this in the air because of its light aroma. Citronella doubles as an anti-depressant because it fights anxiety, sadness, and negative feelings. I’m also prone to mosquito bites so it helps, as the oil repels the insect.

Lemongrass, on the other hand, has a heavier scent. It reminds you of Thai food, but I love Thai food! The smell is strong when you put your nose near the bottle, but it gently dissipates when you spray it, leaving only a faint and pleasant aroma. I like spraying it on my pillows a few minutes before lying down, because by then, it would have absorbed and what’s left is a delicious scent that makes me want to relax. Or eat Thai.

Strangely, Wild to Mild’s online presence listed on the bottle doesn’t exist, but if you want to know where to get this, just leave a comment below. You may read more about Essencia’s lemongrass room and car spray here.