It was funny how I became a local guide, to be honest. It could just be an inherent need to share an opinion, be it online or offline; I remember getting prompts on my google maps and I just replied to it. Next thing I knew, I’ve become a full fledged local guide and are now sharing my photos and opinions mostly on restaurants I have been to both locally and abroad.
My passion project (which is basically a side hustle) is being a maker; I draw food illustrations, and match it with my travel photos. My food literally travels with me, and with my passions I take inspiration when I am in my Local Guide mode.
While I love travelling, you’d also find that I’m a Japanophile— a person who’s into anything and everything Japan. Most of my travels have been going to Japan, so you’ll also notice most of the reviews I do are always in between Japan and my motherland, Manila.
I love exploring places through food, so I try to contribute as much as possible to restaurants that don’t have much traction yet, but serve really good food. It helps their business get more noticed, because people can see nice photos of their restaurants, as well as an idea how their food looks like. I always thought if I share how good they are, people will notice and visit. And when they visit, it ensures my favorite restaurants don’t close!
Reviewing popular food places is still something I do though, just to give a good review if they’re really worth the hype. I believe a good, constructive criticism where it applies will help the restaurateurs improve their services and ensure the quality of their services.
Language can sometimes be a dealbreaker, but I believe a good food experience knows no boundaries. Being a local guide, I can introduce both my motherland, as well as the country I like, and through the means I know that needs no any translation.