May Gibb's Home, Nutcote

When my sister Lita asked me if I wanted to see Nutcote, the home of May Gibbs, Australia's famous and iconic children's book author and illustrator, I said yes right away.  Never mind that we didn't grow up with May Gibbs' books or characters, and I never really heard of her until that day, but we both love seeing homes of artists to see how their home and surroundings inspired their work.

Stylish Condo Living

 

My friends Joanna and Ramon Duarte have a beautiful home on a high floor of a Makati condominium building.  With designers nowadays putting their distinct mark on their projects, I really appreciate it when I walk into a home that reflects the personalities of the people who live in it instead of that of the designer. Ramon and Joanna's home reflects their personalities: stylish but relaxed, elegant but warm, cozy, practical and inviting.  I love the hardwood floors, the muted red and yellow walls, the furniture, the tabletop accessories...

The Impeccable Interiors of Ralph Lauren Stores

 Honed-granite surfaces at the checkout counter

I always visit the Ralph Lauren store at Ala Moana mall in Honolulu because I like the interiors very much.  Last year, Ralph Lauren opened two flagship stores: one in Paris, and the other in New York, adding two more prestigious locations to his list of flagship stores in existence.  The Ala Moana store in Honolulu is small compared to his other stores that sometimes occupy a whole building, but the attention to detail is the same.

Hotel Londres in San Sebastian

There were two hotel options for our short two-night stay in San Sebastian during our Spain road trip. The first one, Hotel Maria Cristina, and the other, Hotel Londres y Inglaterra by the water.  My dentist friend Teresa recommended we stay at Maria Cristina since her family recently stayed there. She gave it a glowing review saying that it was centrally located and beautifully interior-designed. I looked at the hotel website and loved the traditional design.  But Beng, savvy traveler and the person in our group in charge of booking our accommodations for the road trip, had found Hotel Londres.  Beng has this knack of finding unique lodgings and amazing deals without sacrificing style and quality.