halfwhiteboy

With the midday sun casting harsh shadows, I look like I'm wearing shades. 😎 After getting ourselves all soaked at Aguinid Falls in Samboan , I had a change of outfit and carry on with our little town-hopping in South Cebu. It's summer and wearing color is definitely in this season.

It sure is great to wake up to mornings like this, sun shining brightly through huge glass windows, with unimpeded views of the vast blue sea. But this isn't some secluded private villa atop a cliff in an exotic remote island where you can simply look out of the window in your birthday suit. I mean, sure you can, but I choose to wear clothes.

Cliché as it is, tropical prints are so summer that they're meant for the beach. In fact it's a shame that it's only now that I've worn this shirt to one. Buttoned shirts have always been city wear for me, like this time when I paired this tropical print shirt with white pants while strolling around The Henry Hotel Manila and felt like a haciendero . I even wore it to the office with light blue seersucker-like pants for an all-blue ensemble . From afar it looks just white or a very light blue but up close you'll see the fine stripes, which makes it safe to pair with a loud printed top. Come to think of it, save for the shoes, it's the exact same pairing I'm sporting on the beach right here. But office or beach, what's the difference?

As if there's a wedding in the first place! Second, unlike countries in the West where summer weddings are a thing and attendees wear anything from seersucker to lightweight suits--usually in lighter shades--there's really no such thing here in the Philippines. There's just weddings. And it's practically summer all year round. But I felt like I was attending one with my outfit.

Long sleeves? In the heat of summer? And on the beach at that? Why not? Whether your intention is to cover yourself up because you simply abhor the sun (but ironically want to be on the beach) or because you just want to for whatever it's worth, the key is to wear a shirt in a breathable, lightweight fabric. In my case I picked linen, which is as summer as it can get. You can also opt for something sheer if you want. Leave your flannels and all those heavy fabrics at home.

I've been down for a week and have just been discharged from the hospital yesterday. Bummer, I know, but life goes on. As I'm psyching myself up for my return to work tomorrow, I'm trying to have nothing but good vibes. I'm even thinking of when I can make another trip to the beach while it's still summer (*wink wink*).

Perfect framing, right? No, not me. The cat! Found it yet? I thought I only get photo-bombed by cats at home. But of course they're all alike, so even on vacation, there's always some furball who wants to get in the frame. I should've known better.

Just as summer presents us with the opportunity to dress lightly and maybe even show a bit more skin, the season also has plenty to offer our feet. Cue some lightweight footwear and let your feet breathe, relax, and enjoy the season just as much as you are. Clockwise from top left: Camden woven loafers from Cole Haan . Birkenstock Arizona super grip sandals. Boat shoes from Sperry . Havaianas flip-flops. Kritonas sandals from Ancient Greek Sandals . Castaner striped canvas Pablo espadrilles. Luca sneakers from SWIMS . Rivieras Tour du Monde Pavillon Zulu slip-ons. Loafers With the right design, loafers are probably the "dressiest" you can go with summer footwear. Well, I don't mean to say that your office lace-ups are a no-no but let's just label them as all year round shoes that, sun or no sun, you'll wear anyway. Casual and comfy, loafers can also double up as driving shoes.

So last week there was this marketing contraption of an event called #laboracay2014 where of course everyone was expected on the tiny island of Boracay. The mere thought of beach and party-goers coming in in hordes is enough to drive me away. I've long graduated from that stuff and I can no longer stand such a crowd. Signs of ageing, if you may.

Everyone's starting to feel the steadily rising heat once more, a sensation that seems to automatically trigger a dormant part in the deepest recesses of our brain that wants us to escape, go someplace, anywhere but where we are stuck at the moment. Our thoughts run wild, feet itch, and alas, the wanderlust in all of us has awaken once again! But where to go? This might help. I've compiled a list of 12 resorts and out-of-town hotels in the Philippines that I've been to and that I thought people (maybe at least some) might want to check out. It doesn't necessarily mean that they're the best of the best but my time at each of these places--even despite some negatives--has still been good overall, good enough that I want to go back. To yes, all 12 of them. *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 1. Club Paradise Dimakya Island, Busuanga, Palawan Don't you just want to go and take a plunge?

Ever since we came back from our short getaway at Pico de Loro Cove , My Bibe has been steadily making us paletas , those Latin American ice pops made from fresh fruit. Blame it on the sweltering summer heat but I am definitely one happy guy at home. A healthier alternative to ice cream, paletas are fairly easy to make. It's basically just mixing stuff, freeze them, and voila! Here are some of what we've been enjoying so far: Diced mangoes, preserved cherries, mangosteen juice, and a few greens for color. We have these cutesy popsicle molds but lately we've been leaning more towards paper cups because they allow for bigger servings.

By the looks of it, summer's gonna arrive early this year. It's really been warm and humid these past days, so I thought of wearing something summery today -- a floral-printed shirt. And it's not just the print that makes this shirt scream summer; the sheer fabric is equally responsible for it. I know a lot of guys still shy away from floral prints. I say, lighten up. Floral prints can both brighten up your mood and elicit the same feeling from others. But if you still can't call yourself to wear one, start with subtle patterns, then slowly build on it until you're comfortable with bolder prints. As for the shirt I'm wearing, I consider it somewhere in between. I guess it's the neutralizing effect the pattern of white circles has on the floral print.