Hello… If you constantly read my blog or follow me on Instagram, then you know by now that Hubsy and I rescued a cat a couple of years ago. Her name is Ming. She always […]
Vlog 2: Small Room converted to Closet (The Reveal)
Hey guys… I still can’t believe I’m finally on YouTube and I must admit, I like it!😍 Editing is super hard and I know I have much to learn but I really enjoy doing it. […]
Vlog 1: Small Room converted to Closet
Hello… Today I gathered my balls 😳 and decided to make my first Vlog. On my YouTube channel: Leya Whisper you will see 2 other videos related to my wedding in the 🇵🇭 that I […]
Return to Zara
Hello, Hello… Approximately 12 years ago in Dubai 🇦🇪 I chanced upon a trendy shop. I’ve seen this shop in the 🇵🇭 before but I was never really a fan. Perhaps the store itself do […]
Styling Polka Dots Maxi Dresses
Hello, Hello… A Maxi Dress is a staple during Spring and Summer. I personally extend it to Fall. Just because I can. 😂 Fashion has always been an integral part of my being. I grew […]
How to Rock a Polka Dots OOTD
Hello, Hello… I know it’s been quite some time since you last heard from me and I must say, what a year huh? 🤦🏻♀️ It’s only been the 2nd quarter of 2020 and we’re already […]
Thames Waterside – Bristol, Rhode Island
Behind Bristol Harbor Inn is a restaurant called Thames Waterside. It has the best water view. As a matter of fact when we arrived, there was this old lady sitting on the Adirondack with her […]
Bluer than Blue
There is a kind of pain inside of me that seems to visit like an old friend. Unwanted but present. And on those rare occasions I often welcome it with defeated spirit. There is a […]
Beavertail State Park – Jamestown, Rhode Island
I’m always in the lookout for Instagram worthy places. I guess by now you already know that I post a lot of photos on my Instagram account. (Follow me: the_flaring_nostrils on IG) 🙏🏼 Last week, […]
Yolenis – Providence, Rhode Island
If you read my blog you are equipped with the knowledge that I had a short stint of stay in Cyprus. Hence, it should not be a rocket science to know that I am exposed […]
Sense + Scent-sibility
“Perfume is the indispensable complement to the personality of women, the finishing touch on a dress.” –Christian Dior When a was young (er) my best friend and I decided to venture in a business. It […]
The Square Peg – Warren, Rhode Island
In the corner of Miller Street and Water Street (in Warren, Rhode Island) is the fam favorite neighborhood restaurant called The Square Peg. It was approximately 7 years ago when we chanced upon this restaurant. […]
Burj Al Arab – Dubai, UAE
If there is an iconic symbol of Dubai that would be Burj Al Arab. Burj Al Arab was known as the world’s first 7* hotel. I worked in a 5* Luxury Resort a decade ago […]
Blount Clam Shack – Warren, Rhode Island
If there is a place (to eat) that never escape a local during summer that would be Blount’s. They have the best Clam Chow-dah (chowder) in town. And by town I mean, the entire State. […]
Seas The Day
I have RBF. That’s Resting Bitch Face for my non-millennial readers. Hey, I’m no millennial either but I guess we need to keep up. 😂 When people first see me they immediately assume I’m a […]
The Beach is Back
I’m a big fan of OBX. Do I want to go back? Absolutely! Do I want to go back soon? Maybe not. ATM, I just want to enjoy the bounty of New England. Some wise […]
Dubai Throwback
I am a storyteller. I enjoy sharing my experiences in life as I get old (er) in hopes that it would either serve as a lesson or an inspiration to others. 🤞🏼 it’s the latter. […]
Why I love Denim Jackets
What is it with denim that makes my heart flutter like a schoolgirl? When I was a kid my Mom never bought us expensive stuff. It was my Aunt Arlene who showered us with fancy […]
Cafe Water Street – Warren, Rhode Island
If you love coffee and gourmet crepes and you are in Warren, there’s only one place to be. That’s right, it’s Cafe Water Street. I’ve been here several times with Hubsy. He was the one […]
Floral Power
“Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.” – (John Lennon) When I met the Hubsy I was very specific that I do not want flowers for gifts. I remember saying, “I don’t eat flowers!” […]
Love and Hate Relationship with Bullfrog
Bullfrog was one of the main staple drinks in a 🇦🇪 bar when I was there circa 2007-2010. (According to Tipsy Bartender) The Bullfrog Cocktail is a MONSTER hard liquor drink. This bright blue cocktail […]
River House – Portsmouth, New Hampshire
It’s one of those rare times in a year that Hubsy becomes available from his hectic schedule so we decided to book a trip to New Hampshire. Two years ago we stayed in Portsmouth and […]
Newport Cliffwalk – Rhode Island
The Cliff Walk is considered one of Newport’s top attractions. The juxtaposition of serene bay view and the opulence of the Newport mansions is worth the walk. I suggest comfy shoes if you want to […]
Escapades of Leya + Perpie
I met Perpie in Dubai circa 2007. She said that I was sassy (surprise, surprise) and even if I was cordial, I was aloof. That could be accurate but here is my version of the truth. […]
La Parilla de Manila
My fam lives in New Jersey where Filipino restaurants is of great abundance. My usual craving is never satisfied even if I try to DIY my fave Filipino cuisine. So whenever I get the chance […]
Rogue Island (Providence)
A few steps outside of Hampton Inn & Suites (Providence, Rhode Island) is a place called The Arcade. It is known to be the oldest mall in America (Enclosed shopping mall to be precise), which […]
My Cat wants to be a Super-Meowdel
Why is that when one becomes a Mother you think that your offspring is gifted like no other? Growing up, my Mom (the ultimate Tiger Mom) is always highly critical of us. She believes in […]
Il Massimo Ristorante (Providence, Rhode Island)
Right after Old Canteen if you’re coming from Hilton Providence, There is a not-so-hidden (Italian Restaurant) gem in Federal Hill and it’s called Massimo. I’ve been to Massimo a few years back and my unsophisticated […]
Hair Majesty
How would you react if all of a sudden, with a flick of a finger, with a bat of an eyelash… you start losing your hair? When you grew up having lustrous hair you never […]
Don’t Ever Get A Cat
Whatever happens, don’t ever get a cat. Approximately a year ago, I started feeding stray cats in our backyard. My Boss has a cat named Missy and she gave me cat food (which Missy didn’t […]
How to Ruin a Friendship
I came back and forth to this decision of including my past to my present. And then I realized, I will never be where I am right now had it not been to certain experiences. […]
Eco-Village (Camarines Sur, Philippines)
Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think. (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Inside of the Camarines Sur Provincial Capitol, is quaint place called Eco-Village. If you are […]
Feelin’ 22
“You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward.” (Conrad Hall) How do you celebrate your Birthday? Me? I made a new blog post while doing the laundry. Yes, I […]
Vanderbilt Mansion (Centerport, New York)
“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.” (Eleanor Roosevelt) There are a lot of places to go to in New York, a lot of places to visit. Nowadays, I am more interested […]
The Most Flattering Swimsuit
” To look good in the water you have to pick the right swimsuit. ” (Amanda Beard) What is the perfect swimsuit and where can I buy those? After years of searching for the most […]
Osamequin Nature Trails
Osamequin Nature Sanctuary offers visitors a place to enjoy a diverse sample of Rhode Island’s coastal plant and animal communities along the west shore of the Barrington River’s Hundred Acre Cove, Rhode Island’s most extensive […]
Portland Head Lighthouse (Cape Elizabeth, Maine)
Portland Head Light, is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The light station sits on a head of land at the entrance of the primary shipping channel into Portland Harbor, which is within Casco […]
Brenton and Benjamin: A Casual Day in Newport
“I really love good food occasionally, but I need time to enjoy it, and I need to be hungry.” (Clare Balding) One of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been is Newport. I am always […]
The Great Gatsby
“There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby (1974) was filmed in one of the “Summer Cottages” in Newport, Rhode Island. Leonardo DiCaprio’s […]
Serendipitous
What city speaks to you in volume? New York City – The city that never sleeps is very close to my heart. Growing up from the tropical island of the Philippines, my Mom (a teacher) […]
Denim Love
Giorgio Armani once said, JEANS represent democracy in fashion. It is actually liberating to wear jeans. We all know that women started wearing trousers in the 20’s but prior to that they wore skirts and […]
Spread the Love
“It is not lack of love, but lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche The Hubsy and I met on a time that we were both (almost) giving up on love. I thought I […]
Seven Four Fifteen
It’s our Anniversary month. This day 3 years ago, I got married (for the 3rd time, with the same man) in the Philippines. Papa Vi (my Uncle and Father figure) once told me that if […]
Save or Splurge: Summer Bags
There is a saying in the Philippines which goes: “Habang maiksi ang kumot, matutong mamaluktot.” (verbatim translation: If the blanket is short, learn to curl.) This is very applicable to people who are broke yet […]
King Richard’s Faire
King Richard’s Faire is a renaissance fair held in Carver, Massachusetts, which recreates a 16th-century marketplace, including handmade crafts, foods, musicians, singers, dancers,[…]
Massimo – Federal Hill
Disclaimer: I am not a foodie or widely versed of gastronomic proportions. I am however, a person who is always hungry (figuratively and sometimes, literally!) and enjoys surprising my palate. My millennial colleagues and I […]
Most Instagrammable Mansion in Newport
There is an abundance of Opulence in Newport. It reeks of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. And it is absolutely stunning. I have been a member of The Preservation Society of Newport for more […]
