We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on PhilSTAR Life. By continuing, you are agreeing to our privacy policy and our use of cookies. Find out more here.

I agreeI disagree

generations The 100 List Style Living Self Celebrity Geeky News and Views
In the Paper BrandedUp Watch Hello! Create with us Privacy Policy
About the author

MONIQUE TODA, The Philippine STAR

After heading up PR for some of the country’s most iconic hotels, Monique Toda’s second act is focused on spoiling her dogs, writing more, and coming to terms with her life-long loathing of exercise.

Art

Ycoy Sitchon and the blooming flower garden in her soul

March 23, 2025

Social Media

Is Gen Z slang giving you brain rot?

March 9, 2025

K-pop

Is K-Lit the new K-pop and K-Drama?

February 8, 2025

K-pop

One-on-one with Baekhyun: The K-pop superstar talks about Bench, crying fans, trying Jollibee, and making memories through photos

February 4, 2025

TV/Streaming

‘Squid Game’ conquers the world again, with Seoul as the center of its universe

December 22, 2024

K-drama

Lee Byung-hun on ‘Squid Game’: ‘It became universal when we began to doubt whether there is truly humanity left in this world’

December 22, 2024

Travel

A Parisian escape: Napoleon’s hat, Marie Antoinette’s shoe, a chocolate mousse bar, and other snippets of this beautiful city

October 19, 2024

Design

Ana Maria Delgado weaves passion into life

September 7, 2024

K-pop

Enhypen on ice skating in Manila, loving dried mangoes, preferring denim fashion and wearing earrings

May 30, 2024

Motherhood

Modern mommyhood

May 5, 2024

Dessert

Cold desserts for a hot summer

April 21, 2024

Art

The thought-provoking voices of Philippe Parreno

April 14, 2024

K-drama

My favorite not-so-romantic K-dramas to watch during Valentine’s

February 11, 2024

Toys

My awesome love for Lego

January 28, 2024

#Goals

Anti-resolutions to greet the New Year

December 31, 2023

Fashion

Top bosses show that sustainable fashion is the way to go

November 15, 2023

Travel

Seongsu, the Brooklyn of Seoul, is so cool and quirky

November 12, 2023

Dessert

Miko Aspiras is back to stir the local pastry scene

October 5, 2023

Mobile Apps

What’s app? Keeping app with technology for an easier life

September 17, 2023

K-drama

Jung Hae-In’s fans love him and we know why

August 9, 2023

K-drama

The truth behind Korean romance showbiz scandals

July 23, 2023

Mental Health

Are you an ageist?

July 16, 2023

Restaurants

Comfort food as elevated by Alyanna Uy and chef Hiroyuki Meno

July 6, 2023

Restaurants

From ‘The Little Prince’ cafe to a secret Savage Garden, here are not-the-usual Korean restos

June 24, 2023

K-drama

Bloodhounds with a scent for justice

June 8, 2023

DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE

Working with their kids, Donnie and Crickette Tantoco plant the seed of Nena’s Sanctuary

May 24, 2023

Technology

I asked AI to express human feeling, and this is what I got

May 9, 2023

Travel

Chasing cherry blossoms in Seoul

April 26, 2023

Art

That iconic banana and the Maurizio Cattelan exhibit

April 5, 2023

K-drama

Song Hye-kyo shares she didn't eat for three days, refused water for a day for 'The Glory' scene

March 9, 2023

Valentine's Day

Love is all around

February 10, 2023

K-pop

Kim Se-Jeong is new Longchamp ambassador

February 6, 2023

Beauty

The reality and fantasy of aging gracefully

February 5, 2023

TV/Streaming

Must-see C-dramas to usher in the Chinese New Year

January 22, 2023

K-drama

‘The Fabulous’ K-drama lives up to its title

December 23, 2022

Inspiration

Cecilia B. Mañosa shares the bitter with the sweet in her inspiring book

December 17, 2022

Technology

Scram, Scam!

November 27, 2022

ACCESSORIES

Coralie Charriol Paul on her father’s love for the Philippines, being a woman boss, saving the planet, and more

November 9, 2022

K-drama

Ji Chang-wook made fans scream, weep in Manila visit

November 8, 2022

Marriage

How Lino Palenzuela and Toni Villaraza found love and life after widowhood

October 30, 2022

Fitness

CEOs so fit to work (After you, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg!)

October 2, 2022

Art

Art and Seoul

September 19, 2022

Food

Drunk in gelato: Destileria Limtuaco teams up with Karabella Dairy to create booze-infused ice cream

August 16, 2022

Sex

A history of pickup lines

July 17, 2022

Travel

When in Korea, eat like a local

July 7, 2022

K-drama

Dreamy K-Drama locations

July 3, 2022

Tourism

Travel to Korea begins again! 10 places to visit and things to do  

June 26, 2022

Celebrity

Our ‘love from the star‘ Kim Soo-hyun loves the Filipinos’ angel eyes

June 10, 2022

Culture

Korea is more than just K-drama and K-pop: It’s K-culture

May 30, 2022

K-pop

G-Dragon is Korea’s ‘Fashionistar’

May 11, 2022

Design

Avant-gardening’: Not the usual flower arrangements

May 8, 2022

Summer

Fashionably coming out of the pandemic

May 4, 2022

Tourism

The Beauty of the Cordilleras, as seen by conservation advocate JP Alipio

April 17, 2022

Love

Red Flags: Warning signs in relationships, situations, and life in general

April 10, 2022

K-drama

Son Ye-jin's advice to single ladies about love and the pressure to get married

April 1, 2022

Tips and Tutorials

How to turn your FOMO into JOMO

March 27, 2022

Women

A Filipina is among Cartier’s Impact awardees

March 16, 2022

Design

What does women’s empowerment in fashion look like?

March 2, 2022

Restaurants

This Italian-Filipino restaurateur loves bulalo and, of course, pasta

February 24, 2022

K-drama

‘Forecasting Love and Weather’ proves that love, like life, is unpredictable

February 11, 2022

K-drama

Who are today’s K-drama hotties?

January 30, 2022

Wellness

Self-care with teas and tonics

January 27, 2022

TV/Streaming

The new wave of K-content: Edgier and gripping—not just ‘kilig’

January 22, 2022

Diet and Nutrition

Eat for joy

January 13, 2022

Christmas

Should old acquaintance be forgot? And some lasting new year traditions

December 26, 2021

Shoes

Stepping into fine Filipino footwear

December 22, 2021

Mental Health

Dancing in the dark and other survival tips

December 1, 2021

Buy local

The perfumed air of Sabrina Co

November 24, 2021

Family

The Rocha sisters: Bonding over art and business

November 7, 2021

Trends

My journey from suits to tights, high heels to sneakers

November 3, 2021

environment

This mother and daughter advocate circular fashion

October 30, 2021

Dating

‘You’re so baduy!’ (and other dated expressions)

October 10, 2021

Design

Entertaining a la cart(e)

September 23, 2021

K-drama

How medical dramas heal our lives

September 19, 2021

Sex

Men in lipstick

September 12, 2021

Art

Is collecting a pandemic passion now?

September 5, 2021

Healthy Living

The best no-carb ‘carb’ from young entrepreneur Emilio Ocampo

August 26, 2021

K-drama Guide

What I learned from K-dramas

August 15, 2021

Food

From hotelier to shipbuilder to baker

August 5, 2021

Mental Health

Bad vibes begone! How to remove the negative in your life

July 28, 2021

K-pop

How a love story happened when hard rock met K-pop

July 25, 2021

Celebrity

TWICE equals joy times two

July 11, 2021

Celebrity

Hyun Bin: ‘Happiness? These days, it’s being healthy and fit.’

July 2, 2021

Local design

How tote-ful!

June 9, 2021

Mental Health

Stepping into a new future and post-pandemic anxiety

June 6, 2021

Women

Women in the service of others

May 15, 2021

Summer

Summer picnics are no longer a fantasy with these baskets

May 13, 2021

Summer

A summer of gratitude

April 21, 2021

Buy local

Ces Drilon and Ricky Carandang’s dream (organic farm) come true

April 11, 2021

Designers

What women above 50 should and shouldn’t wear

March 24, 2021

Travel

Living out of town

March 13, 2021

Inspiration

Spaces that work

March 5, 2021

Dogs

My be(a)st-dressed dog list

February 26, 2021

K-drama

The language of love in K-drama

February 6, 2021

Hobbies

We still say it with flowers

February 5, 2021

Celebrity

Why is JLo sexy at 51? (And other thoughts in this time of uncertainty)

January 30, 2021

Gadgets

Tech innovations and gadgets we need in our lives

January 22, 2021

Inspiration

Geez, why are people calling me ‘Tita’?

January 16, 2021

Dogs

Senior dog love

January 8, 2021

K-drama

A big bite of K-drama

December 9, 2020

Fashion

Gender-neutral fashion: The blurring of masculine and feminine dressing

December 1, 2020

Recipes

Cocktail cool at home

November 4, 2020

Fashion

Hyun bin: Our knight in shining armor during the pandemic

October 10, 2020

Shoes

Sanctuary for the feet: Footwear choices during lockdown

October 6, 2020

Celebrity

Park Seo-Jun is now the face of BYS Cosmetics

September 30, 2020

Shoes

Are sneakers the new art form?

September 29, 2020

Celebrity

How do top Korean stars keep fit and sexy?

September 2, 2020

Celebrity

How deep is your love?

August 19, 2020

Books

So what are you reading now?

August 16, 2020

Recipes

Cuteness overload in the kitchen

July 9, 2020