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.

I first heard about IKEA’s catalog when a video went viral of a Swedish man showing off his new gadget: the IKEA bookbook. According to chief design guru Jorgen Eghammer, “Once in a while, something comes along that changes the way we live. A device so simple and intuitive, using it feels almost familiar.” It was meant as a parody of everyone’s obsession with tablets, and as someone who is averse to technology, I thought it was hilarious.

I was excited to get a copy because my man and I were flying to Hong Kong for a few days, and there was an IKEA there. I make it a point to visit an IKEA because I love their showrooms, the distinctively Scandinavian design, and of course, the price points. On my solo trip to Hong last year, I got two bags of potpourri and floral-print paper napkins.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have the free catalog in Hong Kong. They only had a buying guide which you had to return at the counter.

But my man being the sweetheart that he is, he ordered a copy online and got it for me on our seventh month together (I got him a blow dryer because he always blow dries his hair whenever there’s one around). Shipping took longer than expected, so he only got it right around the time we were marking our eight month, where he got me a copy of Wallpaper City Guide: Manila. I gave him an origami otter, his favorite animal.

So the catalog is IKEA’s lookbook of their 2015 collection. It’s divided into rooms, with styled looks (similar to what they do in their showrooms) and individual items at the end.

It’s so beautiful. You have to admire IKEA for their ability to create pieces that marry both form and function. Scandinavian design is known for its simplicity and functionalism, but IKEA adds that special fun touch while keeping in mind the living space. I bet IKEA is popular in Hong Kong because space there is at a premium (as of 2012, Causeway Bay has the most expensive rent in the world, overtaking New York City).

Pieces are affordable because designers usually start with a price point and design around that. They deliver the furniture in flat packs for you to assemble yourself, lowering the price even further. They are also environmentally conscious and sustainable, making each purchase guilt-free.

On my trip to Hong Kong this year with my man, I bought a clip-on reading light (which I have yet to install because I need to add a shelf first over my desk), a glass bottle, four white roses, a tin pail, and a fake shrub. I love the idea of putting greens in my room because it makes it look alive. For those who are too lazy to maintain actual plants (or do not have access to regular sunlight), I advise you get the synthetic kind. But make sure you get the ones that look halfway real, because there’s nothing sadder than obviously fake plants.

I plan to redecorate my room little by little in the coming weeks, and I have a small guide with me for inspiration. The catalog is free in (some) branches, but you can also view a digital version using the IKEA app.

I was part of Philippine cinematic history as I was one of the first to experience the country’s first 4D cinema at the Bonifacio High Street Cinema. I got watch The Amazing Spiderman 2, and it was a mindblowing experience that sets a new standard in movie viewing.

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